Franklin Granville Vance Smart Inc

OUR MISSION IS TO ADVANCE AND ADVOCATE FOR A HIGH QUALITY, COMPREHENSIVE, ACCOUNTABLE SYSTEM OF CARE AND EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN 0-5, WHICH BUILDS A FOUNDATION LEADING TO A PRODUCTIVE AND SUCCESSFUL LIFE. OUR GOAL IS TO PREPARE OUR CHILDREN TO ENTER SCHOOL READY AND ABLE TO LEARN.

THE NC PRE-K PROGRAM FUNDS CHILD CARE SLOTS FOR FOUR-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN AT- RISK FOR SCHOOL FAILURE. THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AND SERVICE PRIORITY FOR CHILDREN TO RECEIVE SERIVCE IS STIPULATED BY THE NC STATE LEGISLATURE. DURING THE 2021-2022 SCHOOL YEAR, THIS PROGRAM SERVED OVER 146 CHILDREN AT 11 SITES IN FRANKLIN COUNTY.

HEALTH AND SAFETY - THE ASSURING BETTER CHILD HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT (ABCD) PROJECT PROVIDES TRAINING AND ON-SITE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO PHYSICIANS AND THEIR STAFF AT VARIOUS TIMES TO SUPPORT THE INTEGRATION OF STANDARDIZED, VALIDATED DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENING AND REFERRAL INTO DESIGNATED WELL-CHILD VISITS. 45 MEDICAL PROVIDERS AT 8 DIFFERENT MEDICAL PRACTICES PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAM. THE CHILD CARE HEALTH CONSULTANT PROGRAM HIRED A LICENSED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING TO CHILD CARE FACILITIES, STAFF, AND OTHERS IN FRANKLIN, GRANVILLE, VANCE, AND PERSON COUNTIES. NC PRE-K - THE NC PRE-K PROGRAM FUNDS CHILD CARE SLOTS FOR FOUR-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN AT-RISK FOR SCHOOL FAILURE. THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AND SERVICE PRIORITY FOR CHILDREN TO RECEIVE SERVICE IS STIPULATED BY THE NC STATE LEGISLATURE. DURING THE 2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR, THIS PROGRAM SERVED OVER 161 CHILDREN AT 11 SITES IN FRANKLIN COUNTY. PROGRAM COORDINATION AND EVALUATION - THE PROGRAM COORDINATION/EVALUATION ACTIVITY PROVIDES PROGRAM SUPPORT, TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO DIRECT SERVICE PROVIDERS AND WORKS COLLABORATIVELY WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO IDENTIFY THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES AND EXPLORE POSSIBLE SERVICES TO MEET THE NEEDS. THE ACTIVITY ALSO ENSURES PROGRAM COMPLIANCE THROUGH PROGRAMMATIC MONITORING OF DIRECT SERVICE PROVIDERS AND CONDUCTS EVALUATION METHODS TO MEASURE PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS AND PERFORMANCE.

CHILD CARE AND EDUCATION QUALITY-CHILD CARE RESOURCE & REFERRAL PROVIDES SUPPORT AND INFORMATION TO PARENTS AND CHILDCARE PROVIDERS. IT MAINTAINS A LENDING LIBRARY OF EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING MATERIALS, WHICH CAN BE BORROWED BY THE VARIOUS CHILDCARE FACILITIES, AND A DATABASE OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES, INCLUDING LOCAL CHILDCARE PROGRAM INFORMATION. THIS PROGRAM PROVIDED TRAINING WORKSHOPS TO 221 PROVIDERS AND CONDUCTED 82 MOCK ASSESSMENTS TO FOCUS ON SUCH AREAS AS LANGUAGE, COMMUNICATION, AND HEALTH & SAFETY. THE QUALITY CHILD CARE PROGRAM ASSISTS CHILDCARE PROVIDERS WITH ON-SITE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO INCREASE PROGRAM EDUCATION STANDARDS, WITH COMPLIANCE REVIEWS, AND WITH REVIEW OF THE DIVISION OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT (DCD)ASSESSMENTS. PARTICIPATING FACILITIES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR GRANTS TO ADDRESS NEEDS IDENTIFIED IN THEIR REVIEWS AND AS FUNDS PERMIT, INCENTIVE AWARDS FOR INCREASING LICENSURE. THE ACCESSING HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAM DEVELOPS PLANS GEARED TOWARDS HELPING CHILDCARE PROFESSIONALS ATTAIN THEIR EARLY CHILDHOOD DEGREES AND CONTINUING EDUCATION. THE PROGRAM PROVIDED TRAININGS, LAPTOP COMPUTERS FOR DISTANCE LEARNING AND/OR TEXTBOOKS VIA A LENDING LIBRARY TO APPROXIMATELY 38 DIRECTORS, LEAD TEACHERS, AND ASSISTANT TEACHERS. THE KINDERGARTEN ORIENTATION/TRANSITION ACTIVITY LEADS KINDERGARTEN READINESS AND THE TRANSITION ACTIVITIES THAT ARE DESIGNED TO INCREASE TEACHER KNOWLEDGE AND STRENGTHEN THE TRANSITION PROCESS FROM PRE-SCHOOL TO KINDERGARTEN. A KINDERGARTEN READINESS FORM AND ROUNDTABLE WERE PRESENTED TO CHILDCARE PROVIDERS, TEACHERS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO HELP RPOMOTE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TRANSITION FROM PRE-K TO KINDERGARTEN.

FAMILY SUPPORT-THE ADOLESCENT PARENTING PROJECT PROVIDES DIRECT CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO TEEN PARENTS AND THEIR CHILDREN 0-5. TEEN PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE SUPPORT IN THEIR EFFORTS TOWARDS RECEIVING A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA AND AVOIDING A SECOND PREGNANCY. THEY ALSO RECEIVE PARENTING EDUCATION AND CHILDCARE REFERRAL ASSISTANCE. IN FY 22/23 100% OF PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS HAD NO REPORT OF REPEAT PREGNANCY DURING THE YEAR. 100% OF EXPECTED SENIORS GRADUATED WITH 100% OF THEM ENROLLING IN POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION PROGRAMS. THE OTHER GRADUATES ARE ENROLLED IN VOCATIONAL TRAINING, EMPLOYED AT A LIVABLE WAGE, AND LIVING IN SAFE AND STABLE HOUSING. THE CRADLE TO CLASS/PARENTS AS TEACHERS PROGRAM PROVIDES PARENTING SUPPORT AND INSTRUCTION TO FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN BIRTH TO AGE FIVE. PROJECT ACTIVITIES INCLUDE HOME VISITS TO HELP PARENTS UNDERSTAND THEIR CHILDREN'S DEVELOPMENT AND TO ENCOURAGE LEARNING; GROUP MEETINGS; HEARING, VISION AND GENERAL DEVELOPMENT SCREENINGS; AND A REFERRAL NETWORK TO LINK FAMILIES WITH COMMUNITY SERVICES. PROGRAM WAS NOT RUNNING FY 22/23, POSITIONS WAS VACANT. INCREDIBLE YEARS, A PARENTING EDUCATION/COORDINATION INITIATIVE, PROVIDES PARENTING EDUCATION TO FAMILIES OF CHILDREN 0-5 YEARS OF AGE. THE TARGET POPULATION INCLUDES PARENTS REFERRED BY SCHOOL COUNSELORS, DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES OR MANDATED BY THE COURTS AND OTHERS LIVING IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. THERE WERE THREE SERIES OFFERED CONSISTING OF 15 CONSECUTIVE WEEKS. 16 PARENTS COMPLETED THE INCREDIBLE YEARS CLASSES. THE DOLLY PARTON IMAGINATION LIBRARY PROVIDES AGE APPROPRIATE BOOKS TO CHILDREN AGES 0-5. OUR AGENCY RAISES PRIVATE DONATIONS TO MEET THE MATCHING FUND REQUIREMENT THAT ALLOWS FRANKLIN, GRANVILLE, AND VANCE COUNTIES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM. AS OF JUNE 2023, A TOTAL OF 4,423 FAMILIES WERE ENROLLED IN THE DOLLY PARTON IMAGINATION LIBRARY. THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND AWARENESS ACTIVITY PROMOTES SERVICES THROUGH BROCHURES, NEWSLETTERS, NEWS STORIES, RADIO, WEB-BASED INFORMATION AND PARTICIPATION IN COMMUNITY EVENTS. IN THE REACH OUT AND READ PROGRAM, FGV PARTNERS WITH 6 MEDICAL CARE PRACTICES TO PROVIDE PRE-LITERACY OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS. DURING ROUTINE WELL-CHILD VISITS, PARENTS RECIEVE NEW, CULTURALLY-AND-DEVELOPMENTALLY-APPROPRIATE BOOKS TO TAKE HOME AND READ TO THEIR CHILDREN. THE MEDICAL PROVIDER DISCUSSES THE IMPORTANCE OF READING, MODEL READS A BOOK ALOUD TO THE CHILD AND ENCOURAGES PARENT-CHILD INTERACTION AS PART OF PRE-LITERACY AND LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT. DURING FISCAL YEAR 22/23, MEDICAL CARE PROVIDERS DISTRIBUTED BOOKS TO 3,847 CHILDREN.