We provide services for local families and children through Smart Start, North Carolina's award-winning early childhood initiative. We serve as a leading advocate and collaborative resource to provide access to high quality services for young children.

The Partnership for Children of Lincoln & Gaston Counties works to:

• Assure that high quality child care is available for families in our service area.
• Expand literacy throughout the community with programs that assist parents in developing habits of daily reading with their children, and assist children in discovering an early love of reading.
• Promote child health by working with providers, health departments, families, and communities to improve the health and safety for young children.
• Ensure that parents and families are supported and strengthened in their role as their children's primary caregivers.
• Build networks through collaboration with local programs that target families of young children in Lincoln and Gaston counties.

The Partnership for Children of Lincoln & Gaston Counties:

• Administers North Carolina's Smart Start funds for programs that benefit children ages 0-5 years and their families.
• Is a catalyst for bringing different groups together for the sake of children.
• Educates the community on the critical needs of young children and helps develop solutions to those needs.

12 Lessons in Navigating Childcare from a First Time Mom
Every parent or caregiver’s experience in navigating child care is different. Check out this article for tips and lesseons learned during this moms process.
https://buildthefoundation.org/2022/05/12-lessons-in-navigating-childcare-from-a-first-time-mom

Child Care Connections
Aids families in their search for a quality child care environment that meets their individual needs; they assist child care providers in maintaining or increasing the quality of the care given; and serve the community as a resource for distributing data and information regarding early childhood issues. Visit their website: www.ccchildcareconnections.org, or call at (704) 922-5206.

Consumer Safety
Children and babies are curious, a good trait that should be encouraged and guided in the right direction. However, that curiosity can sometimes put infants and kids in danger, especially if we are not careful to maintain a safe environment around them. Follow the link below for helpful tips and information about the everyday hazards infants, toddlers, and young children may encounter in the home, outdoors, and on the go!
www.consumersafety.org/safety-guides/infant-child

DrugWatch
When should my baby see a doctor? How does bullying affect my preteen? What medications are potentially dangerous for children? These are common questions parents have as their children reach different stages of their growth and development. Some children may face obesity, diabetes or hearing loss; others may require glasses or an EpiPen for allergies. You can promote children’s well-being by learning how their bodies grow, what diseases or disorders to look out for and how to identify risky products. Visit their website: www.drugwatch.com/health/children

Lincoln County Substance Coalition
The Lincoln County Substance Coalition was created in 2017 to focus on the prevention of and treatment for substance use disorders. This resource directory was developed by the Treatment Linkages Committee of the Coalition to help people locate treatment and other resources for issues related to opioid and other addictions.
Lincoln County Treatment Resource Directory

First 2000 Days
There are only 2,000 days between the time a baby is born and when he or she will begin kindergarten. During that time, brain architecture is forming and creating the foundation for all future learning. The First 2,000 Days is an initiative of the North Carolina Early Childhood Foundation. NCECF is raising awareness about how children's earliest years have a lasting impact on later learning, health, and success and calls attention to how these issues impact our national security, safety, and economic well-being.
www.first2000days.org

Gaston County Schools
For general school information, visit: www.gaston.k12.nc.us
To find the Gaston County NC Pre-K application and information, click here.

Lincoln County Schools
For general school information, visit: www.lcsnc.org
To find the Lincoln County NC Pre-K application and information, click here.

North Carolina Division of Child Development and Early Education
NCDEE makes every effort to provide information parents need to make the best possible child care choices. The Division records a variety of information on regulated facilities that you might find useful in your search, including:
- Star rated license information
- Sanitation Scores
- Complaint Investigations
- Visits made by Division staff
- Any admistrative actions taken
Visit the DCDEE website: http://ncchildcare.nc.gov/general/home.asp

Safe Kids Gaston County
www.facebook.com/safekidsgaston

Safe Kids Lincoln County
www.facebook.com/sklincolncounty

Smart Start
Smart Start Mission: Advance a high quality, comprehensive, accountable system of care and education for each child beginning with a healthy birth.
www.smartstart.org

Tuck-Advancing Better Sleep
Every child needs good sleep for healthy development, growth, and learning. As parents, it's your job to help children establish good sleep habits for a lifetime. Children learn how to sleep from their parents, so the habits you establish today can help them maintain healthy sleep not just in childhood, but for the rest of their lives.
https://myslumberyard.com/blog/bedtime-apps-for-kids-covid/

ZERO TO THREE
A resource with the mission to ensure that all babies and toddlers have a strong start in life.
www.zerotothree.org