North Carolina Partnership For Children Inc

TO ADVANCE A HIGH-QUALITY, COMPREHENSIVE, ACCOUNTABLE SYSTEM OF CARE AND EDUCATION FOR EVERY NORTH CAROLINA CHILD BEGINNING WITH A HEALTHY BIRTH. WE DO THIS PRIMARILY BY OVERSEEING NORTH CAROLINA'S NATIONALLY-RECOGNIZED INITIATIVE, SMART START, AS WELL AS ASSISTANCE FROM OTHER GRANTORS.

SMART START: NORTH CAROLINA'S NATIONALLY-RECOGNIZED EARLY CHILDHOOD INITIATIVE, SMART START, MEASURABLY INCREASES THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF YOUNG CHILDREN, BUILDING THE FOUNDATION FOR ALL FUTURE LEARNING BY:- IMPROVING CHILDREN'S EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS SO THAT THEY ARE SAFE, HEALTHY AND PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILDREN TO LEARN SKILLS THEY NEED FOR SUCCESS IN SCHOOL.- ENSURING THAT CHILDREN ARE SCREENED FOR DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS. - PROVIDING PARENTS WITH TOOLS THAT SUPPORT THEM IN RAISING HAPPY, HEALTHY SUCCESSFUL CHILDREN. FOR A STRONG FOUNDATION, CHILDREN NEED HIGH QUALITY EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS THAT ARE SAFE AND PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEARNING: AND STRONG FAMILIES AND ENVIRONMENTS THAT SUPPORT HEALTHY OUTCOMES. HIGH QUALITY EARLY EDUCATION YIELDS HIGHER GRADUATION RATES, REDUCED CRIME, HIGHER EARNINGS, LESS RELIANCE ON SOCIAL SERVICES, AND BETTER JOBS.SMART START IS A NETWORK OF 75 NONPROFIT LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS THAT SERVE ALL 100 NORTH CAROLINA COUNTIES. THIS NETWORK IS LED BY THE NORTH CAROLINA PARTNERSHIP FOR CHILDREN (NCPC) THAT ENSURES FISCAL AND PROGRAMMATIC ACCOUNTABILITY, AND SUPPORTS THE STATEWIDE NETWORK TO CREATE BETTER OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. NCPC ESTABLISHES MEASURABLE STATEWIDE GOALS AND COMMUNITIES DETERMINE THE BEST APPROACH TO ACHIEVING THEM. NCPC ALSO ENSURES THAT SMART START LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS FULLY MEET ALL LEGISLATIVELY MANDATED REQUIREMENTS AND OPERATE TO THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF EFFECTIVENESS, ACCOUNTABILITY, EFFICIENCY AND INTEGRITY. NCPC MAINTAINS A FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM THAT INCLUDES MONITORING LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS, LEGISLATIVE MANDATES AND STATE POLICIES, AND LOCAL PARTNERSHIP FINANCIAL AUDITS. 2018 ANALYSES SHOW THAT THE POSITIVE IMPACTS OF NC PRE-K AND SMART START CONTINUE THROUGH GRADES 6, 7, AND 8. THERE IS NO FADEOUT. IN FACT, THE IMPACT GROWS. BY EIGHTH GRADE, FOR CHILDREN IN COUNTIES WITH AVERAGE FUNDING, NC PRE-K HAS REDUCED THE LIKELIHOOD OF PLACEMENTS INTO SPECIAL EDUCATION BY OVER ONE THIRD. WE FIND POSITIVE IMPACTS FOR EVERY GROUP OF CHILDREN WE STUDIED, INCLUDING ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED AS WELL AS ADVANTAGED CHILDREN; AFRICAN AMERICAN, HISPANIC, AND WHITE NON-HISPANIC CHILDREN; AND CHILDREN WHOSE MOTHERS ARE WELL-EDUCATED AS WELL AS THOSE WHOSE MOTHERS ARE LESS WELL-EDUCATED.ADDITIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE:- IMPROVING QUALITY AND ACHIEVING HIGHER STARS ON NC'S RATED LICENSE THROUGH ONSITE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, TRAINING AND SUPPORT FOR CHILD CARE PROFESSIONALS TO OBTAIN HIGHER EDUCATION. TODAY 72% OF CHILDREN IN CHILD CARE ATTEND HIGH QUALITY PROGRAMS AS COMPARED TO 33% IN 2001.- IMPROVING EARLY LITERACY BY COLLABORATING WITH STATE LITERACY ORGANIZATIONS, LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS, PRIVATE CHILD CARE PROGRAMS, AND PEDIATRICIANS TO PROMOTE EARLY LITERACY ACROSS THE STATE THROUGH PROGRAMS LIKE RAISING A READER AND REACH OUT AND READ. FAMILIES PARTICIPATING IN REACH OUT AND READ ARE 97 PERCENT MORE LIKELY TO BE USING ONE OR MORE RECOMMENDED READING STRATEGIES WITH THEIR CHILDREN.- HELPING PRIVATE CHILD CARE PROGRAMS IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THEIR CLASSROOMS SO THEY MAY PARTICIPATE IN NC PRE-K AND PARTNER WITH NC PRE-K PROVIDERS TO HELP ELIGIBLE FOUR-YEAR-OLDS ACCESS THE PROGRAM. IN FISCAL YEAR 2020-21, SMART START LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS ADMINISTERED NC PRE-K IN 55 COUNTIES.

DOLLY PARTON'S IMAGINATION LIBRARY PROMOTES EMERGENT LITERACY SKILLS THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DOLLYWOOD FOUNDATION. LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS SELECT A GEOGRAPHIC AREA TO TARGET ENROLLMENT IN ZIP CODES WITH CHILDREN AGES 0-5. FAMILIES ARE RECRUITED TO PARTICIPATE AND ONCE CHILDREN ARE ENROLLED, THEY RECEIVE AN AGE-APPROPRIATE BOOK IN THE MAIL EACH MONTH UP TO THEIR FIFTH BIRTHDAY. ALL LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS ARE RECEIVING FUNDING TO ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM AND THE PROGRAM IS AVAILABLE IN EVERY NC ZIP CODE. DURING FISCAL YEAR 2020-21, 289,590 CHILDREN WERE SERVED STATEWIDE.

COVID IMPACT MITIGATION PROJECT: THE SMART START NETWORK LEVERAGED FEDERAL CARES ACT FUNDS TO SUPPORT FAMILY CHILD CARE HOMES AND SMALL CHILD CARE CENTERS, TRAIN PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS TO RESPOND TO YOUNG CHILDREN'S STRESS, AND KEEP FAMILIES CONNECTED TO SERVICES THROUGH TABLETS AND INTERNET HOTSPOTS. TO ADDRESS THE ONGOING STRESS FACED BY YOUNG CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, NCPC AND THE SMART START NETWORK PROVIDED ACCESS TO ONLINE TRAININGS THROUGH RESOURCES FOR RESILIENCE. DURING 46 TRAININGS, THE INITIATIVE TAUGHT 850 PARENTS, CAREGIVERS, AND EARLY CHILDHOOD PROFESSIONALS WHAT HAPPENS TO CHILDREN AFFECTED BY STRESS AND PROVIDED COACHING TO SUPPORT RESILIENCY TOOLS. TO ENSURE CRITICAL ACCESS TO CHILD CARE IN COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE, NCPC AND THE SMART START NETWORK PROVIDED ACCESS TO WONDERSCHOOL , A BUSINESS AUTOMATION PLATFORM FOR FAMILY CHILD CARE AND SMALL CENTERS. WONDERSCHOOL DELIVERS DIGITAL TOOLS AND TRAINING TO HELP PROVIDERS ADJUST TO BUSINESS CHALLENGES CAUSED BY THE PANDEMIC AND TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION WITH PARENTS. THERE ARE NEARLY 1,300 FAMILY CHILD CARE HOMES IN NORTH CAROLINA, SERVING ALMOST 8,000 CHILDREN. MORE THAN 700 PROVIDERS SIGNED ON TO THIS OPPORTUNITY, AND NEARLY 300 CHILD CARE PROGRAMS DEVELOPED A NEW ONLINE PRESENCE THROUGH THIS WORK. FINALLY, TO HELP FAMILIES STAY CONNECTED TO SERVICES AND TO HELP EARLY CHILDHOOD PROFESSIONALS ACCESS RESOURCES DURING THE PANDEMIC, NCPC AND THE SMART START NETWORK DISTRIBUTED 2,000 TABLETS AND INTERNET HOTSPOTS ACROSS THE STATE. ACCORDING TO CENSUS DATA, ALMOST 25% OF NORTH CAROLINA HOUSEHOLDS DO NOT SUBSCRIBE TO ANY INTERNET SERVICES, WITH A DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT ON LOW-INCOME, RURAL, AND MINORITY FAMILIES. THE INCREASED RELIANCE ON VIRTUAL TOOLS DURING THE PANDEMIC DEEPENED THIS DIGITAL DIVIDE. SMART START WORKED TO ENSURE THAT A LACK OF INTERNET ACCESS DID NOT LIMIT FAMILIES ACCESS TO NEEDED SERVICES, INCLUDING HOME VISITING PROGRAMS

IN AN EFFORT TO LIVE INTO THE LEGISLATIVE VISION OF SMART START AS A PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP THAT INNOVATES TO STRENGTHEN THE STATE'S EARLY CHILDHOOD SYSTEM, NCPC, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH STATE AGENCIES, PHILANTHROPIC AND OTHER EARLY CHILDHOOD ORGANIZATIONS, HAS PLAYED A LEADING ROLE IN OTHER PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES IN FY 2020-21 AS DESCRIBED BELOW: - UNDER THE FEDERAL PRESCHOOL DEVELOPMENT GRANT, NCPC AND SMART START LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS ARE SUPPORTING FAMILY ENGAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP COALITIONS AND LAUNCHING PILOTS OF THE FAMILY CONNECTS HOME VISITING MODEL IN THREE RURAL COMMUNITIES. - NCPC IS PARTNERING WITH NC DHHS ON AN EXPANSION OF CHILD CARE HEALTH CONSULTANTS IN THE STATE TO PROMOTE SAFE, HEALTHY CARE ENVIRONMENTS FOR CHILDREN DURING THE PANDEMIC. - AFTER YEARS OF PLANNING WITH NUMEROUS PARTNERS, THE NORTH CAROLINA HOME VISITING AND PARENTING EDUCATION (HVPE) SYSTEM LAUNCHED WITH ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT FROM NCPC. THE SYSTEM WORKS TO ALIGN FUNDING AND RESOURCES FOR HVPE, IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF SERVICES, AND LINK PROGRAMS TO OTHER EARLY CHILDHOOD SUPPORTS. - THE NC HEALTHY AND RESILIENT COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE COMPLETED A LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS IDENTIFYING LOCAL COALITIONS WORKING TO ADDRESS ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES (ACES) AND BUILD RESILIENCE ACROSS THE STATE. - FY 2020-21 ACTIVITIES ALSO INCLUDED PHASE III OF THE SHAPE NC PROJECT. NCPC RECEIVED FUNDING FROM THE CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE IN ADDITION TO CONTINUED FUNDING FROM THE BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD NC FOUNDATION FOR SHAPE NC. THIS PHASE OF SHAPE NC IS UTILIZING A DELAYED TREATMENT DESIGN WITH ACTIVE AND CONTROL CHILD CARE CENTERS TO MEASURE OUTCOMES IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, NUTRITION AND BODY MASS INDEX FOR CHILDREN ENROLLED IN THE STUDY. SHAPE NC TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE HAS HAD A SIGNIFICANT POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE NUMBER AND TYPES OF INDOOR AND OUTDOOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES AVAILABLE TO CHILDREN AT TREATMENT SITES AFTER INITIAL IMPLEMENTATION. - THROUGH A MULTI-YEAR GRANT FROM THE BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF NORTH CAROLINA FOUNDATION, NCPC IS INVESTING IN A SERIES OF PROJECTS TO INCREASE THE SMART START NETWORK'S CAPACITY FOR SYSTEMS LEADERSHIP, SUPPORTING LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT TOOLS, CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR NETWORKWIDE LEARNING, STRENGTHENING DATA SYSTEMS, AND STREAMLINING CONTRACTING. - NCPC HOSTS AN ANNUAL CONFERENCE FOR THOSE DEDICATED TO IMPROVING EARLY EDUCATION SYSTEMS AND PROMOTING CHILDREN'S HEALTHY GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT INCLUDING EDUCATION EXPERTS, GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS LEADERS, AND NOT-FOR-PROFITS, AS WELL AS A PUBLIC AWARENESS AND ENGAGEMENT CAMPAIGN.