DOWN EAST PARTNERSHIP FOR CHILDREN

Smart Start supports the following primary programs of DEPC: Child Care Resource & Referral including provider, family, and subsidy services (POC & Admin); NC Pre-K Quality; Family Resource Center, Community Collaboratives; Research & Development; Dolly Parton Imagination Library and Reach Out and Read. In addition, DEPC funds and provides technical assistance, monitoring, and support to 3 activities in 3 partnering agencies (WAGES, Nash County Public Schools Kindergarten Transition, Edgecombe County Public Schools Kindergarten Transition). All together, these programs provided a variety of services, including parent education/support, referrals to high quality child care, general parenting resources, child development information, and access to subsidized child care. Through Consumer Education services, 697 children ages birth to five received consumer education, 79 caregivers/parents received information and assistance regarding finding quality child care through referrals, and 407 parents/guardians received consumer education about child care through consultations. A total of 20 out of 20 families responding to a referral survey indicated selecting 3-star or higher child care, and 42 out of 43 families reported using quality indicators in their child care search. Through the Family Resource Center, 420 parents/guardians accessed Family First for general parenting, child development information, and referrals. A total of 420 parents received at least one service referral, and 130 out of 151 parents referred reported using at least one referred service. A total of 62 out of 68 families reported that the information provided increased their knowledge of services available based on their needs. Kaleidoscope Play & Learn Groups served 64 children and 63 caregivers, and 35 children received an ASQ-3 and/or ASQ-SE2 screening completed by their parent/caregiver. Through evidence-based family programming, 7 parents/caregivers completed the Incredible Years Basic Preschool Series, impacting 33 children. Circle of Parents served 38 parents/caregivers and 54 children, with 21 parents/caregivers completing at least one Circle of Parents series within the year. Triple P Level 4 Group Series served 33 parents/caregivers and impacted 69 children. Dual Subsidy Administration provided subsidized child care scholarships for 136 children. Scholarship providers participating in professional development included 20 programs related to physical activity, nutrition education, and/or social/emotional health and 31 programs participating in professional development on other areas. All scholarship providers serving scholarship children had a site visit completed, and 100% of parents whose child scored below age level on the developmental screening were referred to Family Services for follow-up. The average star rating for subsidized children in the most recent year with data available was 4.75, and 98% of subsidized children were in 4- and 5-star care. Community outreach and engagement efforts included 327 total volunteers providing 1,208.29 total volunteer hours, 10,934 visits to Discovery Park, and 1,340 sign-in visitors to the Family Resource Center. Community Outreach activities tracked 46,573 website views, 722,977 social media interactions, 32 newsletters produced, 8,423 contacts on the newsletter distribution list, 152 outreach presentations, and 58 outreach events. Research and Development activities tracked 136 total donors, including 31 new donors and 21 recurring donors, and raised $594,550 in FY25.

The North Carolina Pre-Kindergarten Program is a 4-year-old preschool program for at-risk children, based on income or other criteria, to attend high quality programs in public preschool classrooms, Head Start facilities, or private child care facilities meeting the quality criteria. In FY25, 439 children were funded through NC Pre-K. A total of 5 NC Pre-K Advisory meetings were held. Support services were provided to 9 child care staff and 5 child care facilities through Other ECE Supports, and 5 child care staff and 2 child care facilities received technical assistance with ECERS-R. In addition, 8 child care staff from licensed facilities in counties listed in Fabrik participated in DCDEE-approved training. Program outcomes indicated that 84% of classroom teachers who participated in technical assistance services demonstrated growth or improvement on their initial areas of weakness following completion of a technical assistance plan. A total of 9 out of 9 NC Pre-K sites completed the practices and procedures inventory at the beginning of the year, 100% of NC Pre-K providers demonstrated that they implemented transition strategies in conjunction with parents and elementary schools, and 100% demonstrated implementation of family engagement activities during annual site visits.