Early Child Care Professionals' Resources
CHILDREN’S PHYSICAL WELLNESS
An award winning, signature program of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation. This innovative, interactive health program for children ages birth to five is available to adults working in child care centers, child care homes, and schools across North Carolina. The Be Active Kids’ website has a wealth of information about physical activities that you can plan with children.
Campbell University Childcare & Activity Resource
Focused on physical and healthy activities for young children. Connect with Campbell College School of Pharmacy & Health Sciences. They have developed a Childcare & Activity Resource (CAR). Sign up to receive their newsletter filled with helpful information relevant to young children.
Healthy Habits for Harnett & STEP Program
Offers Be Active Kids training for Harnett County child centers and homes.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Contains a collection of national standards that represent best practices in early care and education settings.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Free resources for teachers and families. The website breaks down diseases and conditions. It provides information about the incubation, duration, spread, and prevention of illnesses common in childhood.
USDA Food and Nutrition Services
Offers information on their federally funded nutrition program that provides partial reimbursement for healthy meals and snacks served to children receiving child care.
North Carolina Child Care Health and Safety Resource Center
Promotes healthy and safe indoor and outdoor environments for children in early care and education settings. Among the resources are printable posters useful to child care settings.
North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
Manages the delivery of health and human-related services for all North Carolinians, especially our most vulnerable citizens – children, elderly, disabled and low-income families.
Dedicated to helping children and their families thrive. They work to promote the healthy development of children and prevent child abuse before it occurs.
Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina
Supports the development of safe, stable, nurturing relationships for children in their families and communities to prevent child abuse and negle
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Central Carolina Community College
Local community college in Harnett County.
Child Care Services Association
Concentrates on making improvements to the child care system. Child Care Services Association is home to the WAGES$, AWARD$ and T.E.A.C.H NC programs.
WAGE$- Salary Supplement for childcare teachers
AWARD$ – Salary Supplement for infant/toddler/two teachers
T.E.A.C.H – Scholarship project for early childhood educators
National Association for the Education of Young Children
Professional membership organization that works to promote high-quality early learning for all young children, birth through age 9. The website defines national standards of quality for early childhood settings, as well as, a code of ethics for educators. NAEYC offers resources on age appropriate practices and professional training opportunities.
NC Foundations for Early Learning (online access)
Describes the goals for all children’s development and learning.
North Carolina Association for the Education of Young Children
The North Carolina chapter of the NAEYC.
North Carolina Institute for Child Development Professionals
Promotes the implementation of a comprehensive professional development and recognition system that links education and compensation for the child care workforce to ensure high quality care and education services for children and families. The Early Educator Certification (EEC) can be found here.
Professional Development Form – HCPC
Region 13 Child Care Resource and Referral training Calendar
Includes training for child care teachers in the following counties: Harnett, Johnston, Wayne, Lee, and Chatham.
Smart Start and the North Carolina Partnerships for Children
Offers programs, resources, and training that supports the overall development of young children birth- 5. Smart Start collaborates with families, educators, and community members to make sure children have the positive experience to thrive.
Regional Healthy Social Behaviors Specialist: Ann Carter (919) 542-7449
Regional Infant/Toddler Specialist: Kris Lee (919) 542-7449
Zeros in on infant and toddler positive overall development.
QUALITY CHILD CARE
A private, non-profit child care resource and referral agency. They work with families and the community to ensure children have access to quality and affordable childcare.
Harnett County Child Care Resources
An early childhood education agency that provides resources for families and providers in the area of child care. This agency offers core trainings for child care professionals.
Family Resource Program Manager:
Polly Allegra (910) 814-6307
Regional CCR&R School Age Initiative Consultant: Angela Pate (252) 640-0122
Head Start Early Learning and Knowledge Center
Helps young children from low-income families prepare to succeed in school through local programs. Head Start and Early Head Start programs promote children’s development through services that support early learning, health, and family well-being. The website provides early learning resources and standards for Head Start programs.
Harnett County Head Start Programs:
Dunn Head Start Learning Center – Dunn, NC
The Shirley Whitley CDC, H.S./Early Head Start – Lillington, NC
North Carolina Division of Child Development and Early Learning
Provides guidance for child care start-up to maintaining quality care. Providers can find the latest information regarding child care and sanitation rules, forms for child care centers and family child care homes, and is the home to DCDEE WORKS and Moodle
Harnett County Licensing Consultants
Michele Remington (919) 819-9355
Mashekia Raines (910) 824-0137
Becky Williams (910) 824-0123
Leigh McKenzie-Lee (919) 819-9301
Regional Child Care Health Consultant
Provides families and child care providers with resources around health and safety in child care facilities.
Lisa Shifflett (910) 215-0157
North Carolina Rated License Assessment Project
Aids child care centers in preparation for their Star Rated License Assessment. Their mission is to increase the quality child care centers with the use of the Environment Rating Sales. The site breaks down each of the four assessment tools, ITERS-R, ECERS-R, SACERS-U and FCCERS-R, and provides resources and videos for providers to learn the information.
SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
A social network that accelerates the global movement toward recognizing the impact of adverse childhood experiences in shaping adult behavior and health. The website promotes healing and the development of resilience.
Center for Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation
Addresses the needs of Early Head Start/Head Start staff and families for practical guidance on effective ways to promote young children‘s mental health.
Center On the Developing Child at Harvard University
Committed to help leaders and educators understand the science of early childhood development, especially brain architecture.
Center On the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning
Focused on promoting the social emotional development and school readiness of young children birth to age 5.
Promotes caring connections as the foundation for developing healthy brains, supportive relationships and strong communities.
A social-emotional learning and classroom management program. The website provides education on social and emotional learning, and contains resources to use in the classroom.
Head Start Early Learning and Knowledge Center
Goal is to increase the competence, confidence, and effectiveness of personnel in Head Start programs. Printable visuals to use in the classroom can be found on this website.
National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations
Supports the implementation of the Pyramid Model for Supporting Social Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children (Pyramid Model) within early intervention and early education programs. Within the resource section, there printable to be used by early childhood educators and families.
Supports Social Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children and helps early educators to build skills for supporting nurturing and responsive caregiving, create learning environments, provide targeted social-emotional skills, and support children with challenging behavior.
SOCIAL MEDIA & NETWORKING
GroupMe for Harnet County Child Care Directors and Family Child Care Homes
Contact Lynda Turlington at lynda.turlington@harnettsmartstart.org to be added to the GroupMe Harnett County Child Care and Family Child Care Homes group.