• [Latino Program]
The provider services staff at Child Care Networks implements the services described here with child care programs in Chatham County. Staff members are Leigh Zaleon, Provider Services Manager (542-6644, extension 21), Brenda Foxx, Provider Services Specialist (542-6644, extension 16) and Rojalyn Phillips, Provider Services Coordinator (542-6644, extension 15). These initiatives are funded by Chatham County Smart Start and the NC Division of Child Development:


 Child Care Startup
 Health and Safety Assessments
 Quality Improvement
 Professional Development and Education


CHILD CARE STARTUP
People who wish to start child care centers or family child care homes are given technical assistance and information about state licensing (by the NC Division of Child Development) and community services.

A family child care home is a licensed facility in the child care provider's home, serving no more than 5 children under age 5 and 3 schoolage children at one time. Potential family child care providers: contact Brenda Foxx.

A small in-home child care center is also located in the provider's home, but must meet additional requirements from the Division of Child Development as well as building, fire, and environmental health regulations, and is allowed to serve up to 12 children at a time. A child care center is a facility serving more than 12 children, not located in a residence. It must also meet additional requirements from the Division of Child Development and building, fire, and environmental health regulations.

Potential center or in-home center operators: contact Leigh Zaleon.

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HEALTH AND SAFETY ASSESSMENTS
Health and Safety Assessments: Selected child care programs receive intensive health and safety assessments of their facilities, indoors and outdoors. Other programs, which have had full assessments in previous years, receive abbreviated health and safety consultations. This service is provided through a subcontract with Health Directions, Inc. Contact Brenda Foxx or Leigh Zaleon.

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QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
Upgrade Contracts and Grants: We help programs to upgrade by means of licensing upgrade, national accreditation or Child Development Associate credentialing. For programs which sign a contract to work toward one of these goals, CCN offers technical assistance which includes:
  • Introductory visits in which provider services staff members do learning activities share information about our projects
  • A series of technical assistance visits
  • Consultations using rating scales or other assessment tools
  • Professional Development Plans
  • Planning of training as needed to achieve the upgrade
  • Bonuses when the upgrade is actually achieved
Contact Brenda Foxx or Leigh Zaleon.

Mentor Project: This project involves recruitment and education of teachers and providers who act as mentors to others. Trained mentors work with new providers or those wanting to increase their quality, under supervision of CCN staff. Contact Brenda Foxx or Leigh Zaleon.

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION
Teacher Training and Support Project: The Teacher Training and Support Project has been running successfully for the past six years as a collaboration between CCN, Central Carolina Community College, and the T.E.A.C.H. Early ChildhoodŽ Project. Through this project, center and family child care staff who are taking Early Childhood courses receive reimbursements for release time and bonuses for course completion. Contact Leigh Zaleon.

Workshops: The following workshops are offered to meet specific needs of child care providers:

  • Pre-licensing workshops, for potential family child care providers. Contact Brenda Foxx.
  • CPR and First Aid classes, which are offered at a very low cost to providers under upgrade contracts. Contact Brenda Foxx.
  • Other workshops identified with input from provider surveys on topics such as child development, behavior management, and business practices, or on topics needed to meet specific upgrade needs. Contact Brenda Foxx or Leigh Zaleon.

Publications: Monthly newsletter, startup booklet for potential family child care providers, and so forth. Contact Leigh Zaleon.

Resource Library: Extensive library of books, toys, and theme boxes to be borrowed by licensed child care centers and homes. Contact Brenda Foxx or Leigh Zaleon.

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