Smart Start of New Hanover County, a private, non-profit organization, is seeking applications from qualified bidders to provide specific support services for children ages 0-5 and their families within New Hanover County.  Applications for 2011-2012 must meet activity criteria as outlined below and offer effective strategies to meet state performance standards.

Smart Start Baby FAST

Coordinator and Support Team members trained in implementing the Baby FAST (Families and Schools Together) curriculum provide at least three program cycles for young parents and their families.  Support and follow-up activities focus on building and sustaining healthy family environments and community & resource networks.  Developing and meeting school and work goals is emphasized.

Smart Start Child Care Health Consultant

Qualified NC Child Care Health Consultant staff provides health and safety education and support to child care facilities to increase and maintain quality.  Coordination with other Smart Start activities, licensing and regulatory agents, and other pertinent community partners promotes targeted, comprehensive, and concise support to child care providers, and to families and children as needed.  Consumer referrals for community resources are offered and include data collection.  Staff work in partnership with the Region 4 CCR&R to support the provision of core services.

Smart Start Child Care Resource & Referral

Highly qualified staff work in partnership with the Region 4 CCR&R to assure availability of high quality services. Core Resource & Referral services of consumer education (in English and Spanish), Technical assistance, trainings, data collection, and outreach and marketing within the local designated catchment service area will be provided locally.  A resource library will be maintained to provide information and other resources to meet family and provider needs and referrals to other available resources are furnished.  Technical assistance and trainings that include ITS/SIDS, Playground Safety, CPR/First Aid, and Emergency Preparedness Planning will be offered to child care providers.  Data collection and outreach and marketing activities will be conducted per contract requirements.

Smart Start Child Care Subsidy

Smart Start funds are utilized to provide child care subsidy support for low and moderate- income families who are either employed or in school. In-take specialist(s) follow federal, state, and Smart Start guidelines to determine applicant eligibility.  An enhanced relationship between recipients and Smart Start is facilitated to ensure that children benefit from safe, quality, accessible, and affordable child care.

Smart Start Early Childhood Connections

Highly qualified early childhood consultant staff provide a variety of supports to licensed child care centers and homes including technical assistance and grant opportunities in order to improve/enhance the quality of care.  Coordination with other Smart Start activities, licensing and regulatory agents, and other pertinent community partners will allow for targeted care to maintain availability of quality care placements.  Staff work in partnership with the Region 4 CCR&R to support the provision of core services.

Smart Start Family Community Connections

Direct and indirect service, one-to-one, and community-level education in the early childhood arenas of health access and information, family and early education support, and early childhood outreach and advocacy are provided.  Community outreach and education services in both English and Spanish focus on families with infants.  Staff work in partnership with the Region 4 CCR&R to support the provision of core services.  Qualified staff offer wellness supports to child care providers. Assistance with outreach efforts for the Smart Start agency and its direct services providers is available.

Smart Start Growing Readers

Early literacy consultants enrich learning environments in child care facilities by providing modeling and training in early literacy teaching techniques to staff and by providing age - appropriate books for classrooms with infants through children age 5. Multi-level training modules address and incorporate age-appropriate, research-based early literacy skills.  Grants to participants include books and other literacy materials.

Smart Start Intervention/Inclusion Services

Intervention & inclusion specialists provide on-site consultation to child care facilities for any child experiencing difficulty in the classroom, and training and support for their providers and families. Classroom and behavior management strategies and support for reducing staff-child ratios to maintain an inclusive environment may include intensive training and/or grants.

Smart Start Professional Planning Services

Professional planning consultants work to increase the education of the child care workforce through community services and various grants.  Consultation , training, professional development planning, and portfolio development is provided. Staff work in partnership with the Region 4 CCR&R to support the provision of core services.

Smart Start Raising A Reader

Trained Raising A Reader^™ coordinators support the implementation of the Raising A Reader program in child care facilities to promote daily book sharing in order to support and strengthen parent-child relationships.  Coordinators train and mentor eligible child care providers in program implementation and the development of strategies for engaging families and increasing their capacity to provide literacy-rich home environments.  School-home relationships are cultivated.

WAGE$ of Smart Start of New Hanover County

Smart Start funds are utilized to provide eligible child care professionals with education-based salary supplements.  Payment installments based on half of the annual award are issued after each six-month period the participant completes in the same child care facility.  In-take specialist(s) administer and monitor all aspects of the activity in order to demonstrate reductions in teaching staff turnover, and increases in salary bases and education levels. 

Application Information:

Application document templates are provided upon request.

Application instructions and related documents are available for view by following the links below. Inquires may also be made at the Smart Start office Monday-Friday, 8-5 pm, or by calling (910) 815-3731.