County updates family childcare definition to match state law, raising maximum from 8 to 10 children

Dare County commissioners voted unanimously Jan. 5 to amend local zoning definitions for family childcare homes to align with a change in North Carolina general statute that increases the maximum children permissible in a family-care setting from eight to 10.

Sarah Sampson and Morgan Potts presented the change at the board's request. Under the revised statute, a family childcare home may care for up to 10 children but maintains sublimits for very young children (for example, no more than three children under age two in certain configurations). Planning staff said the county amendment brings local code into compliance and that the planning board had unanimously recommended approval in December.

Commissioners and staff said the update is incremental and not a comprehensive solution to countywide childcare capacity shortages, but it will allow licensed homes to serve slightly more children and could help shift care into licensed providers.

Vice Chair moved to adopt the amendment and Commissioner Bateman seconded; the motion carried unanimously.