Each Child. Every Community.

Through funding support from the Division of Public Health and Kate B. Reynolds, Smart Start is launching a Resilient Communities Initiative. The purpose of the Resilient Communities Initiative is to build healthy and resilient communities for young children and families...

Shape NC: Healthy Starts for Young Children is funded by AmeriCorps (formerly known as the Corporation for National and Community Service), which is an federal agency whose mission is to engage volunteers in serving directly with nonprofit organizations to...

Family Forward NC COVID-19 Rapid Response Program Supporting children and families is critical, especially as the early childhood system grapples with challenges brought on by COVID-19. One way to support young children is by supporting working parents, who are facing...

Now more than ever, as communities are facing both the COVID-19 pandemic, and the ongoing crisis of racial injustice and police violence, there are even more significant needs for support across communities and within the workforce that supports children...

Many collaboratives, networks, and organizations focused on resilience building have shifted to providing support specific to the impacts of COVID-19, while others are increasing their commitment to offer community convenings and points of connection in virtual ways. A recent...

Smart Start strives to advance child health by working with providers, health departments, families, and communities to improve the health and safety for young children.  Because a mother and her child’s health are linked, helping a mother navigate existing supportive services supports the...

In the age of technology, screens are everywhere. According to the Pew Research Center, approximately 84% of U.S. households own a smartphone and 68% of households own at least one tablet. With these devices being so abundant, it’s no wonder the average American...

On average, children can spend 36 hours a week in childcare. Therefore, it is so important to promote healthy and safe indoor and outdoor environments in early care and education settings. Here are just two resources to do that. Child Care Health...

Family Connects, formerly Durham Connects, is the first home visiting model used for entire community. Results already show the positive impact of the program in Durham and the model has expanded to other communities such as Forsyth and Guilford...

In North Carolina, home visiting programs, such as Nurse Family Partnership (NFP) and Parents As Teachers (PAT) Intervention, are the primary services for supporting families and young children to reduce child abuse and neglect, improve maternal–child interaction, and enhance positive parenting. Home visiting programs...