Finding Quality Child Care
Visit www.ncchildcare.net for helpful links for parents and providers.
ClickFinding high quality child care is as easy as 1-2-3!
Call the Alamance Partnership for Children at 336.513.0063.
Go to www.ncchildcare.net to get information about licensed child care facilities.
Use this checklist as a guide when you visit child care facilities.
Yes/No Do the child care providers/teachers have credentials and/or a degree in early childhood education or child development?
Yes/No Are the non-degreed and/or non-credentialed child care providers/teachers
currently enrolled in college courses?
Yes/No Are the teacher/child ratios (the number of adults per child) low enough that children can receive lots of individual attention throughout the day?
Yes/No Is the child care center director an experienced child care administrator with formal education in early childhood education and child care administration?
Yes/No Does the child care facility have staff turnover rates of less than 20% per year?
Yes/No Does the facility meet higher than minimal licensing standards by either being a 3-5 star licensed facility or by being nationally accredited?
Yes/No Do parents have opportunities to be involved by volunteering in the classroom or on an advisory committee or board?
Yes/No Do providers wash their hands and the children’s hands often, such as after
wiping noses, before they serve snacks, and after toileting and diaper changes?
Yes/No Are there lots of toys and materials (such as books, puzzles, blocks, and art
supplies) available for the children to explore and play with throughout the day?
Yes/No Are there developmentally appropriate activities planned for the children?
Yes/No Above all, are the children happy and busy?
Yes/No As a child, would you be happy spending your day here?
Programs for Parents
More at Four
The More at Four Pre-Kindergarten Program is a state funded program that targets at risk four year olds who may not be ready to enter Kindergarten due to certain risk factors. Risk factors include low income, health related conditions, developmental delays, and English as a second language. The program gives first priority to children who meet the eligibility criteria and have never been served in a pre-kindergarten or licensed childcare setting. More at Four services are provided at no cost to families and can be received in a variety of locations, including the school system, private child care centers, and Head Start.
To apply for this program your child must be four years old on or before August 31, 2010, to meet eligibility requirements. If you are interested in an application, please call Alamance Partnership for Children at 336.513.0063.
Click here for Application to More at Four
El Programa “More at Four Pre-Kindergarden” es un programa financiado por el estado el cual tiene metas para niños de cuatro años de edad quienes podrían no estar listos para entrar al kindergarden debido a ciertos factores de riesgos. Estos factores de riesgos incluyen bajos recursos económicos, condiciones relacionadas con la salud, problemas de desarrollo, e Ingles como segundo idioma. El programa le da prioridad a los niños que cumplen con el criterio de elegibilidad y que nunca han asistido a una facilidad de pre-kindergarten o una guardería licensiada para el programa de niños. Los servicios de “More at Four” se proveen a las familias sin costo alguno y pueden ser obtenidos en varias localidades, tales como escuelas públicas, cuidado privado de niños, y Head Start.
Para aplicar para este programa los niños deben tener cuatro años de edad antes del 31 de agosto, 2010 y cumplir con los requisitos de elegibilidad. Si le interesa una solicitud, por favor llame a Alamance Partnership for Children a 336.513.0063 y dejar un mensaje con su nombre y número de teléfono.
1. Parents as Teachers (PAT) is a program specific to children not in childcare. Its main objective is to support families in 
setting goals relative to the development of their children prenatally to five years of age. This is achieved by disseminating up-to-date neuroscience research findings in lay terms through the use of activities specifically designed to educate parents while encouraging parent-child interactions which are meaningful to the child’s growth. These activities are conducted by trained Parent Educators during a minimum of monthly home visits. In addition to these visits, Parent Educators assist families in accessing resources, provide monthly support groups, and conduct developmental (ASQ’s), health, vision, and hearing screenings annually.
Additional benefits can include: decrease in parenting stressors, provision of age-appropriate developmental skill-building activities for children, promotion of school readiness, and encouragement of a strong parent-child relationship.
All families expecting a child or who have a child birth to five years of age are eligible. Please call Ann Meletzke 336.513.0063 x 114 for more information .
2. Motheread® The Motheread® program, developed and based in North Carolina, is a 
nationally recognized, well-researched literacy effort that works to achieve several literacy-related goals. Although it is couched in the guise of a children’s pre-literacy effort, the program has potential to impact a family in many other ways. The program is structured as a series of group meetings led by a trained Motheread® facilitator. Through guided book discussions, parents will learn to help their children develop the pre-literacy skills that will prepare them for kindergarten.
While this process is directly focused on child pre-literacy skills, two other opportunities will be created. The first is that parents, who may not be confident in their own literacy skills, will build those capacities in a non-threatening atmosphere. The group discussion and the simplicity of the reading material mean that parents who have low-level reading skills can still find a way to read books to their children, even if it is through memorizing the easy content. The second is that new habits of shared time with children will be fostered into an environment lacking attachment and verbal/nonverbal interactions.
These classes are currently offered for parents of children ages four months to five years. Child care is provided.
Motheread classes are ongoing. Classes are held at different locations. It is an eight week class and refreshments and child care will be provided for all parent participants. Parents will also receive a free book for their child at each class. For more information, please call Ann MeletzkeAlamance Partnership for Children at 336.513.0063 x 114.
3. Motheread® B.A.B.Y. ® (Birth and Beginning Years): The goal of Motheread® B.A.B.Y. ® classes is to 
educate and encourage first-time parents. Using children’s literature, the curriculum teaches health care, parenting, and literacy skills.
Motheread® B.A.B.Y. ® first focuses on prenatal health care topics and parenting skills. Following lessons tackle issues about growth and development for newborns up to one year of age. Additional strategies include targeting destructive behaviors (i.e. substance abuse) and relating information in a forum and with language easily accepted and understood.
Alamance Partnership for Children is excited to announce a partnership with Alamance Regional Medical Center Motheread to host B.A.B.Y. classes in the Alamance Regional Medical Center Education Center. B.A.B.Y. is an eight week class and dinner will be provided for all parent participants. Parents can earn supplies to help care for their newborns as part of the class.
For more information and to enroll, call Sarah Raykes 336.513.0063 x 112.
4. Reach Out and Read® (ROR) The Reach Out and Read® program was initially developed and tested in 
medical practices in Boston, Massachusetts. The program incorporates literacy awareness into health care for young children by educating parents that healthy development for their children goes beyond physical care and encompasses developmental and cognitive care as well. At regularly scheduled well-child visits, doctors ask questions about family reading patterns when completing developmental screenings. They inform parents regarding age-appropriate pre-literacy skills and expectations as well as give tips on effective practices to encourage shared family reading. Beyond that, the doctors give age-appropriate books (provided by the Alamance Partnership for Children) to the children to take home, ensuring that the child’s home environment is print-enriched and thereby reinforcing the importance of reading.
ROR is currently being administered out of Burlington Pediatrics on Webb Avenue, and Mebane Pediatrics. ROR has distributed nearly 5000 books during well-child visits. Additional offices providing well-child visits are being added.
For more information, call Sarah Raykes 336.513.0063 x 112.
5. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library: In 1996, Dolly Parton launched a reading program to benefit the 
children of her home county in east Tennessee. Dolly wanted to foster a love of reading among her county’s preschool children and their families. She wanted children to be excited about books and to feel the magic that books can create. Eligible children will receive free one developmentally appropriate book in the mail per month until they reach their fifth birthday. The books distributed by the Dolly Parton Foundation are carefully selected to be age-appropriate and to deliver positive, developmentally important skill opportunities for the targeted children. This service is at no cost to the family. Alamance Partnership for Children is currently providing this service to the Eastlawn, Newlin, Andrews, Haw River, Grove Park, Pleasant Grove, and North Graham school zones. To be eligible, a child between the ages of birth to five years of age needs to reside within one of these districts. Alamance Partnership for Children is currently seeking additional funds in order to expand this program.
For more information and to enroll, call Sarah Raykes 336.513.0063 x 112.
6. Incredible Years: The Incredible Years: BASIC Parent Training Program – Early Childhood is a research-
based program that is effective in reducing children's aggression and behavior problems and increasing social competence at home and at school. It is designed to promote positive parenting strategies and to assist parents in managing children’s behavior. This is accomplished through helping parents learn positive reinforcement, limit setting, non-physical discipline alternatives and problem solving strategies.
For more information and to enroll, call Kim Morabito at 336.513.0063 x 118.
7. More at Four: The More at Four Pre-Kindergarten Program is a state funded program that targets at risk four year olds who may not be ready to enter Kindergarten due to certain risk factors. Risk factors include low income, health related conditions, developmental delays, and English as a second language. The program gives first priority to children who meet the eligibility criteria and have never been served in a pre-kindergarten or licensed childcare setting. More at Four services are provided at no cost to families and can be received in a variety of locations, including the school system, private child care centers, and Head Start.
To apply for this program your child must be four years old on or before August 31, 2010, to meet eligibility requirements. If you are interested in an application, please call Alamance Partnership for Children at 336.513.0063 or dowload one below.
Click here for Application to More at Four
El Programa “More at Four Pre-Kindergarden” es un programa financiado por el estado el cual tiene metas para niños de cuatro años de edad quienes podrían no estar listos para entrar al kindergarden debido a ciertos factores de riesgos. Estos factores de riesgos incluyen bajos recursos económicos, condiciones relacionadas con la salud, problemas de desarrollo, e Ingles como segundo idioma. El programa le da prioridad a los niños que cumplen con el criterio de elegibilidad y que nunca han asistido a una facilidad de pre-kindergarten o una guardería licensiada para el programa de niños. Los servicios de “More at Four” se proveen a las familias sin costo alguno y pueden ser obtenidos en varias localidades, tales como escuelas públicas, cuidado privado de niños, y Head Start.
Para aplicar para este programa los niños deben tener cuatro años de edad antes del 31 de agosto, 2010 y cumplir con los requisitos de elegibilidad. Si le interesa una solicitud, por favor llame a Alamance Partnership for Children a 336.513.0063 y dejar un mensaje con su nombre y número de teléfono.
Haga clic aquí para Aplicación a More at Four
8. Family Support Network Parent Liaison: The Parent Liaison will work with families of children from birth to age five years who have special needs. This person will also assist families in locating resources in the community and information on their child's diagnosis.
Great Books For Kids
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READING RECOMMENDATIONS BY AGE 0 to 6 months •“Blue Hat, Green Hat,” Sandra Boynton •“My Very First Mother Goose,” Iona Opie •“Peek-A-Boo,” Janet and Allan Ahlberg •“Animal Crackers: Bedtime,” Jane Dyer 6 to 12 months •“Animal Kisses,” Barney Saltzberg •“Goodnight Moon,” Margaret Wise Brown •“Where’s The Baby?” Tom Paxton •“Baby’s Lap Book,” Kay Chorao 12 to 18 months •“Big Dog, Little Dog,” Dav Pilkey •“Count With Maisy,” Lucy Cousins •“Jamberry,” Bruce Degen •“Where’s Spot?” Eric Hill •“Pat The Bunny,” Dorothy Kunhardt 18 months to 3 years •“Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?” Bill Martin, Jr and Eric Carle •“Chicka Chicka Boom Boom,” Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault •“Maisy’s ABC,” Lucy Cousins •“Max’s First Word,” Rosemary Wells •“The Very Hungry Caterpillar,” Eric Carle 3 to 5 years old •“Go Dog Go,” P.D. Eastman •“The Little Engine That Could,” Watty Piper •“Duck On A Bike,” David Shannon •“Bear Snores On,” Karma Wilson •“SuperHero ABC,” Bob Mcleod |
F.A.Q. Frequently Asked Questions
Interesting Links
2322 River Road Burlington, NC 27217 Phone 336.513.0063 Fax 336.226.1152