Each Child. Every Community.

“We have built a stepping stone not a stumbling block…,” “We have built a stepping stone not a stumbling block…,” Senator Howard Lee reminded us, as he and Senator Michael Lee, Co-Chairs of the Hunt-Lee Commission, closed out our...

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 38 million Americans, including 12 million children, were food insecure in 2019. In North Carolina, 1.4 million people are food insecure, including 419,470 children, according to Feeding America.  COVID-19 has only exacerbated food...

“Working in ECE begins a route to poverty for many” - Dr. Ashley Williams, Center for the Study of the Child Care Employment. Smart Start conference attendees joined together to explore challenges facing the early childhood workforce, actions being taken by...

The pandemic created unprecedented challenges for the early childhood sector. However, despite these challenges, federal relief funding for state and local governments and a renewed focus on the importance of child care and family supports, translates into historic opportunities. Smart...

North Carolina is moving toward a comprehensive system of home visiting and parenting education. NCPC is a leader in this effort, which will improve families’ access to a range of well-coordinated parenting supports. Policy makers and the public are...

The North Carolina General Assembly is deep into the 2021 Long Session. There are several big new opportunities for North Carolina to increase its level of investment in early childhood. Federal COVID Relief. Earlier this year, Congress passed the...

As the state's comprehensive early childhood system, Smart Start is committed to doing our part to ensure a sound basic education beginning at birth. This week the comprehensive action plan in the long-running Leandro case was released and submitted to...

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...

$5 Million in CARES Act Funds Allocated by NCDHHS to Impact N.C. Families FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  | Date:  October 21, 2020  |  Contact:  Sara Lang - slang@smartstart.org, 984.221.1580  | Download PDF Raleigh, NC – The North Carolina Partnership for Children and the statewide...

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...