Building State & Local Networks

Building State Systems

2022-2023 A Year in Review: Leveraging the Smart Start Network for Statewide Initiatives

2022-2023 A Year in Review: Leveraging the Smart Start Network for Statewide Initiatives

The Smart Start Network works year-round to ensure children and families thrive, creating a brighter future for each child in every community. To celebrate the new year, Smart Start will showcase the impact of the Network with early care...

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2022-2023 A Year in Review: Creating Countywide Change

2022-2023 A Year in Review: Creating Countywide Change

The Smart Start Network works year-round to ensure children and families thrive, creating a brighter future for each child in every community. To celebrate the new year, Smart Start will showcase the impact of the Network with early care...

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Smart Start Enhances and Supports Birth-to-Five Systems Building Efforts for Each Child in Every Community

Smart Start Enhances and Supports Birth-to-Five Systems Building Efforts for Each Child in Every Community

The Smart Start Network works year-round to ensure children and families are supported, creating a brighter future for each child in every community. Each Local Partnership provides critical social and emotional support, needed resources and referrals, crucial infrastructure support,...

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Building Resilience in Ourselves to Build Resilience for Young Children

Building Resilience in Ourselves to Build Resilience for Young Children

by Mebane Boyd, NCPC’s Resilient Communities Officer   “THANK YOU! This made a tremendous difference in my professional journey, which impacts all other areas of my life. Thank you for making us feel seen.” As we look towards a new year and...

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Honoring Juneteenth

Juneteenth became a federally recognized holiday in 2021. While the holiday may feel like a new holiday for many, there are so many Americans who have been celebrating Juneteenth throughout their whole lives—it is not just a day but...

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Smart Start Conference Spotlight: Developing Bipartisan Consensus on Early Childhood Care and Education

During this time of political polarization, it is such an inspiration to see legislators who find common ground in their support for early childhood. There are compassionate, smart, and responsible leaders serving in North Carolina's General Assembly who don't...

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Reflections on Resiliency from Smart Start’s Resilient Communities Officer

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Adverse Community Environments (Pair of ACEs) have lifelong consequences for health and well-being. The North Carolina Partnership for Children (NCPC) is committed to reducing adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) for young children and increasing protective factors for...

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Reflections on the Hunt-Lee Commission and Report

“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...

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Smart Start Local Partnerships to Continue Farm to Early Care and Education Work

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...

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Smart Start Featured Panel, Supporting Early Care and Education Professionals.

“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...

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