深夜福利

North Carolina鈥檚 legislature passed more than $1 billion with two Helene recovery funding bills in October, but by mid-February, about two-thirds of that money still hadn鈥檛 been spent.

This week, Gov. Josh Stein shared six statistics that underscore why he's calling the current state of child care a 鈥渃risis.鈥� Education reporter Liz Schlemmer fact checked the claims.

Advocates for early childhood education have long warned of a looming funding cliff as federal COVID-19 relief to the child care industry expired in June. State lawmakers passed a stop gap measure to help keep child care centers open.

The legislature adjourned its 鈥渟hort session鈥� Thursday without approving a budget plan for the state鈥檚 billion-dollar revenue surplus.

Faced with unaffordable or inaccessible child care options, tens of thousands of North Carolina parents have turned to caring for their children while at work.

Many working parents struggle to afford child care, and the situation could get worse very soon. Federal COVID-19 relief funds that helped child care providers raise salaries to keep teachers are set to run out. Most providers plan to charge families more.

While Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson鈥檚 wife told her nonprofit鈥檚 clients that she was shutting down because of her husband鈥檚 campaign for governor, she told a state agency a different story.

State health officials told a legislative oversight committee Tuesday that more money will be needed to fix critical staffing and financial shortfalls facing North Carolina's childcare and mental health facilities.

Anita learns daycare for children can continue well into the night thanks to facilities open around the clock meeting the needs of parents working nontraditional hours. Two 24-hour care providers take her into their day-to-day operations and discuss the unique bonds they form with the families they work for. Plus a single mom shares her story of relying on a 24-hour facility to help meet her needs.

The pandemic has put the childcare industry in crisis. Leaders at the Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce say local manufacturers are keenly aware of the need.