Look For the Stars! The Number of Stars Tells You a Lot.
★ In North Carolina, any child care program serving three or more preschool children more than four hours a day must be regulated. A one-star license ensures that a family child care home or center meets minimal health and safety standards and that providers have CPR and First Aid training and criminal background checks. Requirements include monitoring by local fire, building and sanitation inspectors, as well as by a consultant from the NC Division of Child Development (NCDCD). A license should be displayed in a prominent location. Religiously-affiliated programs may choose to obtain a letter of compliance instead. This means that they agree to meet the basic health and safety standards of the one-star license, but do not have to meet the requirements for staff qualifications and curriculum and may use corporal punishment.
★ In addition to meeting the minimal requirements of a one-star rating, child care homes or centers may apply to achieve a rating of two to five stars by meeting higher standards for better quality care, Two components determine the final star rating: staff education and program standards. Each component is assigned one to seven points, yielding a total of up to fourteen points. Also, facilities can meet additional standards to earn an extra point. The star rating is then based on the total number of points. More points equal more stars.
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