Early Education Programs:

Research shows that children in quality child care have stronger language, math and social skills than those in lower quality classrooms. They also have better relationships with their child care provider and a more positive self-image.

Smart Start of New Hanover County,  the local Smart Start agency:

• Improves the quality of child care
• Makes child care more accessible for parents
• Makes child care more affordable

We achieve these goals by working with over 71 child care facilities and 96 family child care home providers that are licensed by the state of North Carolina.

Our programs that improve child care include:

Early Childhood Connections

Early Childhood Connections is the umbrella for the following three in-house programs that work to improve the quality of child care in New Hanover County. Technical assistance, including but not limited to help with room arrangement, activity planning, and support in the re-licensing process to any licensed child care facility is available upon request, in addition to these services. Smart Start of New Hanover County, 815-3732.

• Quality Enhancement - Consultants help improve the quality of 1, 2, and 3 star licensed child care centers & family child care homes through teacher trainings, technical assistance and one year grants and incentives. Participating centers are required to apply for at least one higher star licensure by the end of the grant year.
• Quality Maintenance - Supports four and five star child care centers and family child homes in maintaining their high quality standards. Participating facilities will be used as mentoring sites for Quality Enhancement Participants.
• Professional Planning Services - Offers consultation and enrollment assistance to child care providers to increase education levels of the child care workforce. Assistance with professional development plans and portfolios, accessing existing financial support and compensation programs, and completing the registration process for coursework.
  

Child Care Subsidies

Parents who work or attend school/training can apply for assistance in paying for child care for their children age 5 and under. New Hanover County Department of Social Services, 910-341-4701

Growing Readers

Staff enrich learning environments in child care facilities by modeling early literacy teaching & providing age-appropriate books for classrooms with children age 2-5. New Hanover County Public Library, 910-798-6308

Intervention and Inclusion Services

Provides training and technical assistance to child care facilities to include children 5 and under with special needs in daily classroom activities. Also offers consultation and training for facilities and children who experience difficulty in the child care setting. Easter Seals / UCP of North Carolina, 910-251-7836

WAGE$ Program

Provides professional development incentives to child care workers based on education level and length of employment at a facility. Child Care Services Association, 919-967-3272

Smart Choices

Offers curriculum, grants and training to improve the social/emotional environment in preschool classrooms. Technical assistance is offered to child care center directors in developing comprehensive emergency preparedness plans. (Funded by the New Hanover Co. Public Schools, Safe Schools/Healthy Students grant program).  Smart Start of New Hanover County,  910-815-3731

Professional Planning Services for Early Childhood Educators

Consultation and enrollment assistance for child care providers to increase education levels of the child care workforce.  Assistance with professional development plans, accessing financial support and other appropriate resources.  Smart Start of New Hanover County, 815-3732.