Smart Start Helps Day Care Providers Exceed Standards

Finding someone qualified to take care of a child is a huge concern. In the past two years, North Carolina's Smart Start has initiated a program to help day care providers offer services better than those required by the state.

As a result, more qualified people are becoming interested in day care and that eases parents concerns.

Running a child care business seemed like an impossible dream to Teresa Harvey.

Teresa had help from a Smart Start program called Childcare Solutions. It gave her money to start up a child care business and is allowing her to finish school.

Daycare providers must already be licensed by the state and meet certain guidelines in order to qualify for grant money, but providers say the program is about more than just money. It provides toys, books and other resources for them and parents. Childcare provider Leigh Riley says she always feels she can go to the organization for help.

Harvey agrees. She says it is a great resource.

Those behind Childcare Solutions hope to make good child care easily accessible for parents and easier for owners to provide.

Aside from having more than 300,000 dollars worth of grant money to give away, Child Care Solutions also offers parenting workshops and has a library full of parenting books.

Anyone who would like to find out more about the program should call a local Smart Start facility.

Photographer:Mike Joyner