When Smart Start began in Durham County in 1994, Durham had abysmal child care quality and long waiting lists for financial assistance, thousands of children lived in poverty with no access to health care, and many families had no sense of community support as they struggled to raise their children. How to address these complex needs facing children and families was an enormous challenge. Durham County is known for the diversity of its people, organizations, institutions, and strong community groups. The Partnership was a newcomer into this mix in the early 90s and the only one promoting the school readiness of Durham’s young children and families.

As a fledgling nonprofit, it took a unique approach in deciding it would not deliver direct services to children and families and compete with existing and long-established community agencies.

Instead, it focused on community building by inclusive, collaborative planning which remains the hallmark of the Partnership.

The Partnership views itself as a community change agent that serves as a catalyst and convener-- mobilizing parents, child care providers, policymakers, businesses, congregations and community agencies--to build sustained support for a comprehensive education system that begins at birth.

As its name implies, the Partnership seeks to build partnerships between and among families and communities and the public and private sectors, and join the community together in a unified vision for its young children and families.

Based upon data from the early needs assessment done by the Durham Human Needs Action committee, the Partnership worked with the Durham Day Care Council, the United Way of Greater Durham and its own 40 member Board of Directors to design a comprehensive and collaborative vision to address the issues facing young children and families. It created a comprehensive strategic planning process that ensures everyone has a voice in the design and a place at the table. Annually, more than 100 community leaders volunteer on the Partnership’s Board and committees, and countless other Durham County parents, child care providers, civic leaders, neighborhood groups, services agencies, government organizations, businesses, and faith organizations are involved in shaping and driving the Partnership’s work.

 Through this collaborative process, the Partnership established four broad goals which have served as the cornerstone of the Partnership’s vision since those early days 15 years ago:

• Children: All Durham’s children are safe, healthy, and developing to their full potential.

• Families: All families in Durham with young children birth to age 5 will be able to choose resources and support that will empower and strengthen them in their roles as primary providers, nurturers, and teachers for their children.

• Community: All Durham’s communities will value, respect, support, and share responsibility for the well-being of our children and all who care for them.

• Systems: All Durham’s systems will work collaboratively, utilizing practices which are innovate, inclusive, family-centered to achieve measurable, sustainable, quality outcomes for children birth to age 5 and their families.

Although the early childhood system has matured and evolved over the past 15 years, these four components remain central to the Partnership’s work to prepare children for success in school an in life.

Review a 15-year timeline on the Partnership

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