More Support for Families at Home in North Carolina
Families across North Carolina are seeing new support come straight to their front doors.
In late 2025, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services announced a $3 million expansion of Child First, an evidence based, home visiting program designed to help young children and their families navigate serious stress. The expansion will bring services to additional counties in both rural and urban parts of the state, including communities in Wake County, Guilford County, and parts of eastern North Carolina where access to early childhood services has been limited.
State health leaders say the goal is simple. Meet families where they are.
“This investment allows us to reach children early, when it matters most,” said Dr. Dev Sangvai, Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, during the announcement in Raleigh in October 2025. “When we support parents and caregivers at home, we strengthen the foundation for a child’s lifelong health and learning.”
What Child First Actually Does
Child First pairs families with a mental health clinician and a care coordinator who visit the home regularly. They work with parents of infants and young children who may be facing challenges like housing instability, financial stress, postpartum depression, or a child’s behavioral concerns.
Instead of requiring families to travel to appointments, the services happen in living rooms, kitchens, and front porches.
For families who rely on in home child care, that approach can make a real difference. Many parents using family child care homes work long or irregular hours. Adding clinic visits on top of that can feel overwhelming. By bringing services directly to families, the program reduces barriers and supports both parents and the caregivers who help raise their children during the day.
A Boost for In Home Child Care Families
Home based child care providers often serve as trusted partners in a child’s life. In many cases, they are the first to notice when a toddler is struggling with big emotions or when a parent seems stressed and exhausted.
In Durham, family child care provider Maria Lopez said the expansion gives her peace of mind. “We love these children like our own,” Lopez said in January 2026. “Sometimes you can tell a family needs extra support, but you don’t always know where to send them. Knowing there’s a team that will actually come to their home makes a big difference.”
According to NCDHHS officials, the funding will allow more trained teams to serve hundreds of additional families over the next two years. Early childhood advocates say that kind of early intervention can prevent more serious challenges later in school.
Why It Matters Now
North Carolina has faced ongoing child care shortages, especially in rural counties. At the same time, families are still recovering from the financial and emotional strain of the pandemic years. Expanding home based behavioral health services helps stabilize households that rely on in home care.
In Wake County, parent Jasmine Carter said having access to home visiting support changed how she handled her three year old son’s behavior. “Before, I felt like I was failing,” Carter said. “Having someone sit with us in our own home and walk through it step by step helped me feel confident again.”
Advocates say programs like Child First do not just support individual families. They strengthen the entire early childhood system, including small in home child care businesses that depend on stable, supported families.
Looking Ahead
The new funding runs through 2027, and state leaders say they hope to continue expanding services if outcomes remain strong. As more counties come online, families who depend on in home care may find it easier to access behavioral health support without rearranging their entire schedules.
For many parents and caregivers, that kind of practical help can mean the difference between barely getting by and truly feeling supported.
