Access to High Quality Care
The earliest years of childhood are critical. Experiences during this time literally shape the structure of the brain. The brain of a child who has had positive early childhood experiences looks different from one who has not. Science also shows that a child’s development is influenced by much more than their family. The environments in which they live, and the relationships they have with neighbors, caregivers and other adults have a direct affect on how their brains develop.
Quality Enhancement/Maintenance
In North Carolina, licensed child care facilities have star ratings of 1-5 stars with 5 stars being the highest. Smart Start supports initiatives to improve the quality or maintain the high quality (4-5 stars) of child care. Activities are tailored to the specific needs of each child care program. They typically include on-site technical assistance based on standardized assessments of each classroom, professional development planning to address the educational needs of classroom staff, and development of a quality improvement or maintenance plan.
Child Care cost supports for families
To ensure that children from low-income families have access to high quality care, Smart Start puts more than 30 percent of its funding into the subsidy system. Child care subsidy helps low-incomes families afford early childhood education and care for young children. It is based on family income and size. Most parents contribute a co-pay amount, often paying a percentage of their income. The funds for subsidy come from both state (35%) and federal (65%) sources.
Child Care Resource & Referral
Smart Start supports the statewide Child Care Resource & Referral Council (CCR&R) system. In each county, CCR&R provides information, referral and counseling on quality child care for parents; assistance with building the supply of care; training and technical assistance for child care providers; gathering of data related to child care; and community awareness of issues related to young children for the community at large.
