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.

74% of children in child care are in 4 & 5 star rated programs

6 child care programs increased their star rating

19 child care facilities received health consultation regarding acute and chronic health issues

28 child care professionals participated in emergency preparedness training

109 families received enhanced child care resource and referral in Spanish

18 mothers participated in family support and parenting education provided in Spanish

343 children, an average of 200 children per month, received funded child care subsidy

47 children received short term crisis child care subsidy

Smart Start programs: child care

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 – The Masonboro Group - Kathi Gibson - 910-233-8880 . Provides scholarships and reimbursement to family child care providers for taking early childhood education courses. Technical assistance is offered to help providers develop a plan to increase their level of education.

All Star Bonus – Child Care Networks - Rojalyn Phillips and Amanda Hazen, 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.

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 Families - Child Care Networks - 919-542-6644. Provides child care resource and referral and training workshops for parents and providers.

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 - Denise Pickett 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.