| For more information on the School Readiness Plan or to find out how you can impact the work being done for Charlotte's children contact Sarah Shifflet at 704-943-9523 or sarah@cfcrights.org
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Stakeholder Update on School Readiness Plan December 2012
Since the June 2011 launch of Unlocking the Potential of a Community: The Plan for School Readiness, numerous community partners have stepped forward to help young children enter school ready to learn. Issue specific workgroups, research projects, and policy efforts are focused on the priorities established by the five action teams ranging from support for new mothers to early literacy collaborations to analyzing funding streams benefiting children.
Work is underway on each of the five school readiness goals. Of the 54 initial action steps, almost 60% are either completed or in process. Read on for highlights of the community's response and participation.
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Ready Families
Advocacy for Homeless Children
Facilitating a coalition of homeless family service providers to set a policy agenda to increase housing opportunities for homeless children in 2012. Community partners include A Child's Place, Charlotte Family Housing, Charlotte Housing Authority, Crisis Assistance Ministry, Men's Shelter, Salvation Army and Urban Ministry Center.
Evidence Based Practice Registries
Conducted literature review and compiled an Evidence Based Practice Registry and Program Overview for Home Visitation Services for Pregnant and Parenting Women. Similar research reviews on 1) early literacy; 2) therapies for children experiencing trauma or witnessing domestic violence and 3) parenting education and support programs are also underway.
Promoting Early Literacy for Young Children
Engaged community experts and leaders in support of the promotion and expansion of early literacy initiatives in Mecklenburg County. Providing staff support, research and facilitation for the Early Literacy Workgroup. In addition to community advocates, the group includes the following organizations: Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools, Charlotte Speech and Hearing, Child Care Resources, Inc. (Raising a Reader), First Book Charlotte, Reach Out and Read, Smart Start, United Way and UNC-Charlotte.
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Ready Health
Home Visitation Programs for Low Income, First-Time Mothers
Providing staff support, research and coordination of professional development programs and services for the Home Visitation Work Group with the goal of expanding evidence based home visitation programs for low income, first-time mothers. Agencies participating include Care Ring Nurse Family Partnership, Children's Homes Society Right Start Parent for Life, Communities in Schools Safe Journey, Florence Crittenton PPEP, Mecklenburg County Department of Health Smart Start Healthy Families and YMCA Parents as Teachers. For program details, see the Home Visitation Brochure.
Advocacy for Implementation of the Healthy Weight Health Child Blueprint
Providing staff support, research and policy work to raise awareness of the importance of breastfeeding and collaborate with employers to ensure that mothers returning to the workforce are provided respectful places to nurse. Agencies participating include Smart Start of Mecklenburg County, Mecklenburg County Health Department, Teen Health Connection, YMCA, United Way, CMS and others.
Providing staff support to ensure that preschools and child care settings have resources needed to comply with legislation that specifies time requirements for physical activity and nutrition standards.
Communicating Ready Health objectives and strategies to health care providers to engage them as champions for healthy lifestyles and positive mental health for young children.
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Ready Early Care
Bright Beginnings PreK Program Preserved
Led successful advocacy campaign to preserve local funding for CMS Bright Beginnings PreK program in partnership with Child Care Resources, Inc. and Smart Start of Mecklenburg County.
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Ready Schools
Preschool Experiences Survey
Designed and completed a pilot Preschool Experiences Survey to gather information on the early childhood experiences of current CMS kindergarteners; this survey was completed for over 1,100 students in partnership with CMS. Plans are to support the expansion of this survey system wide.
School Readiness Assessment
In discussions with CMS to identify consistent means to assess kindergarten readiness.
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Ready Community
Children's Budget Developed and released the FY 2010 Charlotte Mecklenburg Children's Budget which is the first comprehensive report that tracks public and private investments in serving the children of our community. United Way, Mecklenburg County, Charlotte Housing Authority, the City of Charlotte, CMS and Smart Start of Mecklenburg County contributed data for the project. Children's Investment Summit Hosted summit for area funders to discuss Impact Investing and to provide local research and data resources relevant to children's issues. National philanthropy expert Lucy Bernholz with Arabella Philanthropic Investment Advisors gave the keynote address.
Reid Park Academy Initiative
Leading Mecklenburg County's planning process to provide holistic case management services for select K-8 students at Reid Park Academy using the System of Care approach. System of Care is an organizational philosophy and framework that involves collaboration across agencies, families, and youth for the purpose of improving access and expanding the array of coordinated community-based, culturally and linguistically competent services and supports for children and youth. The six lead agencies include: Communities in Schools, A Child's Place, Department of Social Services, Melange Health Solutions, Thompson Child & Family Focus and the Charlotte Housing Authority.
Collaborative Mapping
Identified nearly 70 coalitions and collaborations addressing children's issues in Mecklenburg County with the goal to streamline and maximize the time and resources of participants and their respective agencies. Initial findings will be released in early 2012.
Community Trustees for Children
Convened cross-sector advisory board to serve as a unifying voice for all children. This group serves as thought leaders, vision keepers, champions and advocates for children to build consensus on shared priorities for children in Mecklenburg County. Still in its formative stage, the trustees are led by Dr. Ron Carter, President of Johnson C. Smith University and Michael Rose, President of the Carolinas Healthcare Foundation.
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