Family Support Services

Family Support programs are community-based services that promote school readiness by increasing the stability and involvement of parents in their children’s lives. These programs increase parents’ confidence and competence in their parenting abilities, thereby empowering them to create supportive environments for their children. Smart Start of New Hanover County connects families to the information and resources they need to support their children's emotional, intellectual, and physical development.


Family Community Connections

Educates the community about child care quality, school readiness, child development, health, family support, and integrating family life into the workplace. Enrollment services for NC Health Choice/Health Check insurance is provided. Provides services to Spanish-speaking families, including assistance in applying for health insurance and finding quality child care. Smart Start of New Hanover County, 815-3731.

B.E.A.R. (Building Excitement About Reading)

Promotes early literacy by offering free literacy events and books to children in Title I Pre-K, Head Start, and More at Four programs. (Support from Reading Is Fundamental, Inc., and New York Times Foundation) Smart Start of New Hanover County, 815-3731.

Intensive support activity that incorporates the entire family in the mentoring and education of teen parents through weekly meetings that nurture family and social relationships and assist in accessing community support services within a setting of peers.  Setting and reaching educational goals is emphasized.  Communities in Schools of Cape Fear, 343-1901.

Motheread B.A.B.Y. (Birth and Beginning Years)

All mothers want to be good mothers, yet they are often not equipped with the resources or coping skills that can help them overcome stressful situations to establish a meaningful relationship with her young child.  Smart Start Motheread B.A.B.Y. provides two populations of mothers (teen moms and substance abuse recovery moms) who are considered to be at risk for poor bonding the opportunity to participate in small group counseling sessions that use children's literature as a springboard for important conversation on topics such as depression, the importance of touch, stress and keeping different kinds of dangers away from the baby.

Using children's literature allows mothers to communicate and ask questions in a safe, non-threatening and enjoyable way.  The program also includes an early literacy component which teaches mothers ways to share books with their children and how mothers can incorporate early literacy activities into their daily lives.  Research demonstrates that learning to read is a social process and that it is contingent upon a secure attachment between parent and child.  Other studies indicate that mothers and babies with stronger attachment shared more time reading together than mother-child pairs with weaker attachments.  Smart Start Motheread B.A.B.Y. lays a foundation for positive outcomes in both health and learning.  The program is funded in part by the United Way of the Cape Fear Area.