Services

The Hertford-Northampton Smart Start Partnership for Children, Inc. is a not-for-profit agency established to ensure that children under six years of age benefit from, and have access to, high quality early childhood education and development services.  The Local Partnership board is made up of community leaders from business, government, education, churches, non-profits, communities, human services, agencies, child care providers and families.  The Local Partnership develops a collaborative strategy to meet the needs of children and families in Hertford and Northampton Counties. Quality Enhancement and Maintenance The Quality Enhancement and Maintenance activity provides technical assistance, training, and/or modeling to eligible child care providers by Child Care Resource and Referral staff and/or a contracted Quality Enhancement Consultant.  Participating facilities may be eligible for grants to address needs identified in quality improvement plans.  This activity has two components:  (1) Quality Enhancement (QE) and (2) Quality Maintenance (QM).  Both components addresses programmatic and educational related needs of participating centers and homes to improve quality in these facilities. Child Care Resource and Referral The Hertford-Northampton Child Care Resource and Referral Service (CCR&R) program is designed to provide core and extended services to target populations to parents, children ages 0-5, and child care providers.  CCR&R is a liaison between the child care community and parents.  Parent counseling services provides information on child care options, quality indicators, the availability of subsidy, and the importance of parental involvement.  Car seats may be available to support families if they meet the required guidelines to receive this service.  Parent workshops includes topics such as, child abuse and neglect, special needs topics, quality child care and school readiness. Written materials and information packets are provided as well.  Parents and Providers have an opportunity to obtain an annual membership for the Resource Library.  Core provider services is offered to include technical assistance to new as well as existing providers, workshops/trainings, support for higher quality through professional development, higher star licensure and developmentally appropriate training and materials. Health initiative Be Active Kids and Color Me Healthy is available for pilot to qualified providers. Parents as Teachers The Choanoke Area Development Association (CADA) conducts a parenting program following the National Parents as Teachers Program using the Born to Learn Curriculum for parents with children birth to age five in Hertford and Northampton Counties. Priority is given to low-income families, teen parents, single parents, parents of children with special needs, and those referred from the Department of Social Services, Health Department, Public Schools and other community agencies (i.e. Public Housing Authority Agency).  Home visits are conducted a minimum of once a month, and a minimum of six group meetings will be offered annually in community based locations. Parent educators provides developmentally appropriate information, activities, and screenings. NC Pre-K Program Financial assistance is paid on a direct per child basis for the purchase of care and enhancements in NC Pre-K sites for families who do not meet Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) eligible or Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) eligibility guidelines.  This activity is implemented by the local Hertford County Schools Department. Child Care Subsidy Program This program provides funding for child day care services for eligible children through the Division of Child Development and Smart Start. The Department determines eligibility for the service and works in close cooperation with Smart Start, the Division of Child Development and local Child Day Care Providers. Clients may be required to pay a fee based on their income. Child Care WAGE$ Project is an education-based salary supplement program for teachers, directors, and family child care providers. The education, position, and work schedule for each applicant are assessed to determine the annual award. To encourage consistency, installments based on half of the annual award are issued after each six-month period the participant completes in the same early care and education program. Because these supplements reward teacher education and continuity of care, children ages birth to five benefit from more stable relationships with better educated teachers. WAGE$ is a funding partnership between Smart Start and North Carolina Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE). Child Care Resource and Referral Lending Library The Hertford-Northampton Child Care Resource and Referral Agency provides a Lending Library.  The Lending Library is a resource center that has been created to offer technical and hands-on assistance to ECE students, parents of young children (ages birth through five years), professionals who work with Hertford and Northampton Counties children—ages birth to five years, and school-age teachers of children ages 6 to 12 years. It contains information on curriculum development, managing behaviors, and day-to-day experiences for the young children. Operating Hours: Our Lending Library is open Monday—Friday 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. After and before hours are available upon request. Please contact Marquita Moore-Raynor, CCRR Coordinator for more information. Appointment only!