Improving child care is an important part of the Smart Start mission. In Chatham County, 75% of parents of young children work full time outside the home. The Chatham County Partnership for Children works to improve the quality of child care;  to make child care more available; and to make child care more affordable.

We work closely with our county's child care resource and referral agency, Child Care Networks, and other groups to make a difference for our young children.

Improving the QUALITY of Child Care 

To improve the quality of our child care facilities, we

• help child care programs increase their star rating with the state child care licensing agency
• help teachers learn more about teaching young children
• help child care facilities become safer and better equipped for learning
• help reduce turnover of child care teachers to provide stability for our children.

The programs we support to improve quality include:

Professional Development & Education of Child Care Providers – Child Care Networks - Leigh Zaelon and Brenda Foxx  919-542-6644, ext. 21 and 16. The Teacher Training and Support Project provides bonuses and reimbursement to teachers for taking early childhood education courses. Technical assistance is offered to help programs and teachers develop a plan to increase their level of education.

All Star Bonus – Child Care Networks - Leigh Zaelon and Brenda Foxx  919-542-6644, ext. 21 and 16. Helps child care facilities work toward higher star ratings and helps unregulated providers become registered. Provides technical assistance and education to eligible facilities to make improvements to the child care environment. Pays bonuses to programs that increase their star rating when their license is renewed.

Children's Resource Van – Chatham County Public Health  - Edna Williams, 919-542-8220. The Children's Resource Van (CRV) has been bringing screenings, immunizations, and health education to Chatham County's child care facilities since 1995. The van is staffed by a public health nurse who is also a child care health consultant. She helps child care providers develop and improve health, safety, and nutrition practices. A major goal for the partnership is for each family to have an identified health provider; the van helps connect children with a doctor and with other health resources.

Before the Bell Rings – Chatham County Schools - María Lapetina 919-663-4999. This program offers a series of workshops in English and Spanish to help children and their families get ready for kindergarten. At workshops, children participate in hands-on educational activities led by qualified kindergarten teachers while parents attend lectures by guest speakers on topics ranging from child development to registering for kindergarten. Children who are not enrolled in Head Start or other regulated child care program are given priority.  

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LAST YEAR. . .

101 child care professionals took part in early childhood education or training. 

19 centers and homes serving 193 children received quality improvement grants

140  child care teachers benefited from health consultations.

39 centers/homes received quality bonuses or other incentives to improve care

18 child care teachers were involved in credential education

101 child care facilities received health consultations from the Children's Resource Van (CRV)

96 children received dental, vision, and/or hearing screenings from the CRV

4 children were immunized through the CRV

Making Child Care AVAILABLE 

We know we do not have enough child care facilities for all the families who need it and are working to make more available. Partnership-funded programs include 

Reaching Out to Latino Families - Child Care Networks, Roxanna Lopez 919-542-6644, ext. 12. Provides child care, resource and referral, parent workshops, and home visits for Spanish-speaking parents and child care providers.

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LAST YEAR. . .

96 Latino families received child care counseling, referrals, and/or subsidy 

24 Spanish-speaking parents and/or child care providers attended at least one workshop

Making Child Care AFFORDABLE 

For many families, the greatest obstacle to getting quality child care is money. Child care can cost as much as $500-600 a month. At least 30% of our county's Smart Start allocation goes to subsidizing child care for families that need it.

Based on a family's income, this cost can be 30% or more of their gross family income. Our goal is to help working families so that they do not have to pay more than 10% of their income for child care. This way they will have enough of their income to buy food and medicine and cover other living expenses.

Quality Subsidy Family Services – Child Care Networks, Connie McAdams 919-542-6644, ext. 14. Provides child care subsidies for families who qualify on the basis of income and need. Family counselors assist families with finding and choosing child care.

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LAST YEAR. . .

413 families received Smart Start child care subsidies; more than 100 child care providers received subsidy payments 

25 children with special needs were served with child care subsidies

Chatham County Partnership for Children •  200 Sanford Hwy, Pittsboro, NC 27312 • 919.542.7449