The cost of child care for the first five years of a child's life is now $65,441 (average cost of center-based care in Mecklenburg County). That’s more than in-state tuition to a 4-year college or university. Child Care Resources Inc. works with families across the economic spectrum to find child care solutions that work for you and your family.

Under contract to Mecklenburg County, Smart Start of Mecklenburg County, and others, CCRI administers child care financial aid to help income-eligible families better afford the cost of quality child care for children ages birth to 12. What do these funds do?

• Enable families to work and/or attend school to move closer to economic self-sufficiency
• Help teen parents stay in school
• Help ensure that children from low-income families have equal access to quality early learning programs

Child Care Resources Inc. administers several child care subsidy programs, which serve children of different ages and have varied eligibility requirements. These programs include:

• State Child Care Subsidy (serving children birth-12)
   
• Smart Start of Mecklenburg County Subsidy (serving children birth-5)
   
• Mecklenburg County funded programs:
• Waitlist Reduction Initiative Subsidy (serving children birth-pre-kindergarten 5)
   

Click here for Parent Policies for State, Smart Start, and Waitlist Reduction Initiative Subsidy Programs.