In working to ensure all that children 0-5 in Durham County will enter school healthy and ready to succeed, Durham's Partnership for Children will be guided by the following principles:

• All beneficiaries of Smart Start funded services should be able to access appropriate, culturally and linguistically competent and consumer friendly services.
• All children who are at risk for school failure are our priority.
• Family involvement should be an essential element of all Smart Start activities that directly support children and their families.
• Families should be able to access and afford the services they need for their children.
• Teachers of young children should be appropriately educated and adequately compensated.
• All young children should have access to the highest quality early childhood programs based on what research has demonstrated as best practice.
• Durham's Partnership for Children and its funded partners shall coordinate and collaborate to produce effective efficient services.
• Smart Start funded programs shall be accountable for money received and for producing positive measurable outcomes.
• Durham's Partnership for Children supports efforts to build leadership and advocacy internally and externally for children in Durham County.
• Durham's Partnership for Children shall operate within a code of ethical conduct.