Emergency Child Care for Essential Workers

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) has partnered with the North Carolina Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) network to launch a hotline to provide child care options for children of critical workers who do not have access to typical care because of COVID-19 closures.

If you are an essential worker of COVID-19 Essential Businesses and Operations (as defined in the Governor’s Stay at Home Order) and are in need of emergency child care, call the hotline at 1-888-600-1685 Monday – Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. to receive information about local options for children from infants through age 12.

Essential workers who need financial assistance for emergency child care can complete the COVID-19 Parent Application for Financial Assistance for Emergency Child Care and submit it to their child care provider. Hard copies of this form are also available at child care facilities.