Early Childhood Education
Finding childcare that meets your family’s needs shouldn’t be a full-time job. Here’s a snapshot to help you get started.
Types of Childcare
- In-home care provided by a parent, grandparent, relative, or other caretaker.
- A licensed family childcare home provides care in a home with a maximum of five preschool-aged children in care at one time. Find family childcare homes near home or work.
- A licensed childcare center that meets certain state standards, including teacher-to-child ratios. Find licensed childcare centers near home or work.
- Early Head Start and Head Start, which provides a free high-quality experience for children ages 8 weeks old to age 4 who meet the federal poverty guidelines. GenerationEd administers these programs. Get details here. You may also call (336) 369-5097 or 1-800-289-5098 to speak with a Child Care Parent Counselor at GenerationEd from 8 AM – 5 PM, Monday through Friday.
- NC Pre-K helps 4-year-olds who meet eligibility criteria get ready for kindergarten at no cost to their families. Learn more about NC Pre-K and how to apply for the 2023-2024 academic year.
How to Choose Quality Childcare
- Get educated. Quality matters when it comes to early childhood experiences. Learn what to look for in a program and the 10 standards for early childhood programs before starting your search.
- Learn about your options. Talking with other parents about childcare options is a good start. To find childcare that meets your specific needs and financial situation, contact a Child Care Parent Counselor at (336) 369-5097 or 1-800-289-5098 from 8 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Friday.
- Visit and interview potential providers. Once you have a list of options, contact the providers to schedule a visit. Save time and get the information you need by printing and using these checklists:
- Paying for childcare. Your child may qualify for a scholarship or other assistance may be available to you. Learn more by calling a Child Care Parent Counselor at (336) 369-5097 or 1-800-289-5098 from 8 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Friday.
Early Childhood Educators
Early childhood professionals—including directors, teachers, and students—help prepare the next generation of children for school and for life. Your work matters to children, their families, our community, and the world.
Visit our list of Techincal Assistance, Trainings, Workshops and more designed to meet the needs of our local Early Childhood Educators, like you, at the ECE Resource page.
The quality of care EC Professionals provide to the children and families they serve matters to families. It matters to us, too.
As ECE Professionals and GCPC work together to improve the quality of childcare in Guilford County, you can count on us to do the following:
- Create and share professional development opportunities so you can stay connected
- Connect you with Community Partners who can help you serve children in your care
- Help you connect with other early childhood professionals to share ideas
- Bring together early childhood professionals from across the county to solve common problems
- Highlight the work you do with children in a variety of different ways
- Study issues related to wages and create a plan for addressing this issue
We'll also provide resources and ideas to help make your job and life a little easier.
Please contact us with your ideas and suggestions for improving early childhood learning and development.
