Wednesday, August 19, 2026
By Outer Banks Voice on December 4, 2025
Update: The Children & Youth Partnership is teaming up with the College of Albermarle-Dare Campus to offer its own Child Care Academy teaching credential course.
According to a Nov. 24 Facebook post, the “12-week program is perfect for current child care professionals and those just getting started. You’ll gain the skills, knowledge, and credentials needed to launch or grow your career, and successful completion even earns college credit for EDU 119!”
The course will run on Tuesdays from 6:30 – 9 p.m. from Jan. 27 until April 14. It will be offered at no cost to Dare County residents.
Interested parties should contact Elizabeth England at 252-335-0821 ext. 2368 or email elizabeth_england78@albemarle.edu.
Citing the state’s “child care crisis,” the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) has announced the establishment of Child Care Academies, “a shortened intensive training and certification that prepares participants for careers in child care at no cost to them.”
That crisis has also affected Dare County with the news earlier this year that the last licensed child care facility on Hatteras was closing. The Outer Banks Voice – Amid childcare crisis on Hatteras, local moms work to create nonprofit facility.
In an interview with the Voice in late September, Beth Messersmith, campaign director for the North Carolina chapter of the advocacy group MomsRising, said at that point, almost 300 child care programs in the state had closed in 2025.
“Parents can’t afford to pay more, and childcare providers can’t afford to earn less because they can’t pay their teachers any less,” she added, pointing out the economic dilemma facing the industry.
The new Child Care Academies program entails a partnership between the NCDHHS and 16 institutions of higher learning that will conduct at least three Academies through July 2026. A spokesperson for the NCDHHS confirmed to the Voice that individuals are welcome to enroll in programs outside their county of residence.
Here is the information about the Child Care Academies from the NCDHHS.
“North Carolina’s early learning system depends on a strong, well-prepared workforce, and the Child Care Academies are designed to meet that need head on,” said NCDHHS Deputy Secretary for Opportunity and Well-Being Michael Leighs. “By providing free high-quality training, we’re opening doors for new educators while supporting families and ensuring children across our state have access to safe and nurturing care.”
Child Care Academies are established with the goal of expanding access to high-quality early learning programs, supporting workforce development and strengthening the economic infrastructure by enabling parents to remain in the workforce.
The list of Child Care Academy Partners includes:
- Appalachian State University
- Bladen Community College
- Central Carolina Community College
- Central Piedmont Community College
- Davidson-Davie Community College
- Durham Technical Community College
- Elizabeth City State University
- Forsyth Technical Community College
- Guilford Technical Community College
- Montgomery Community College
- Nash Community College
- Pitt Community College
- Roanoke-Chowan Community College
- Sandhills Community College
- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Wilson Community College
Each site is required to conduct at least three Child Care Academies through July 2026. Participating schools may independently choose the start for their Child Care Academy program, with some having begun in October 2025 and others launching as soon as January 2026. Individuals who are interested in enrolling should contact the school’s admissions office of the program they are interested in directly for information on availability.
Traditional training to become a lead teacher in early childhood education can take several weeks or even months to complete. Each academy delivers a comprehensive curriculum that meets or exceeds the state’s minimum training standards for new child care professionals that may be shorter than the traditional program. The length of each program will vary depending on the Child Care Academy the participants enroll in as the programs are operated by each individual college or university.
Child Care Academies offer training in multiple formats across various counties to ensure statewide accessibility, incorporating both virtual and in-person learning opportunities.
The training includes CPR/first aid, health and safety, infant/toddler safe sleep and sudden infant death syndrome, playground safety, and recognizing and responding to suspicions of child maltreatment. Participants also receive an overview of the North Carolina Foundations for Early Learning and Development, instruction on the Environment Rating Scales as well as information about program standards for Pathways to the Stars, the state’s modernized Quality Rating and Improvement System. Participants also receive certification and support in completing required NCDHHS criminal background checks.
To learn more about Child Care Academies, contact one of the 16 selected colleges and universities. To learn more about training for a career in early childhood education, contact your local North Carolina Community College.
