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Thank you to the 100+ Community Conversation Participants! ​ Throughout 2023, we researched what young children have and what they need in Chatham County through surveys, focus groups and interviews with Chatham parents, caregivers and childcare providers. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ We were excited to share these findings of the Early Childhood Community Needs Assessment with Chatham Residents and hear their thoughts on how to move forward! ​ During the Community Conversation we: ​EXPLORED the findings of the Early Childhood Community Needs Assessment through a dynamic data presentation WATCHED the Chatham Kids Matter film, featuring Chatham parents, caregivers, and childcare providers SHARED your thoughts and opinions through facilitated discussion ​ ​ ​Dates & Locations: ​ Wednesday, August 23rd at the Chatham Agriculture & Conference Center (Pittsboro) ​ Tuesday, September 5th at Siler City Elementary School (Siler City) Wednesday, September 6th at J.S. Waters Elementary School (Goldston) ​ ​ Wednesday, September 27th VIRTUALLY on Zoom Watch the Chatham Kids Matter Film!

Equity Principles & Practices We commit to practicing the following Equity Principles and Practices to guide all decisions and approaches throughout the Community Needs Assessment and the development of the Chatham Early Childhood Action Plan (ECAP). These principles and practices reflect the values and approaches already used by Chatham County Partnership for Children, our consultants (Partners for Impact and Community Voices Method), and our funders (Chatham Education Foundation and Smart Start/NC Partnership for Children). In alignment with these Principles and Practices, we welcome constructive feedback and/or ideas on these Equity Principles & Practices from community partners, parents, caregivers, families, providers and community members. We believe in…. Centering Racial Equity Therefore, we will… Apply a racial equity lens to all approaches and decisions by holding ourselves accountable to actionably practicing the following principles and practices of this Equity Plan, and establishing explicit racial equity goals in all plans. We will continually return to these principles/practices throughout the process to inform and evaluate our actions. Transparency Share data with the Chatham Community via the ECAP website, the Community Collaborative*, and other community-oriented platforms, and specifically with research participants. Dissemination results in accessible formats , such as video, digital formats, print copies available in diverse locations, and in Spanish. Practice shared decision-making processes by working in partnership with our community collaborative. Accountability to Principles and People Fairly compensate participants who respond to the survey, participate in focus groups or interview, and/or attend a listening session. Maintain confidentiality of child and family information. We will not disclose or discuss with others and/or in public areas. All focus group and interviews participants will have to provide informed consent. Honor lived experience as expertise in our research, analysis, prioritization, and decision-making processes. Equitable Access Promote Language Justice by translating print and digital materials into Spanish and providing Spanish-language interpreters at community events and meetings. Promote Digital Inclusion by reducing barriers that limit opportunity and access for participation for individuals and communities with varying levels of digital access. Promote geographic inclusion by ensuring the voices of diverse of geographic regions are represented in data collection process, providing print surveys are available in rural/remote community, and engaging rural/remote communities in and listening sessions. Foster a family Friendly Environment by understanding supporting the needs of families, and providing accommodations and support. Ensure literacy and dual-language access by providing easy-to-understand print and multimedia materials, and/or materials available in Spanish. Inclusive Public Engagement Intentionally recruit study participants with diverse experiences, including by race, ethnicity, class, gender, geographic location, language, and/or abilities. Use a participatory processes that lift up systemically marginalized voices for interpreting results and determining priorities. Sharing Power with Parents & Community Engage in shared leadership and decision making through recruiting a diverse and representative Community Collaborative* ​ Offer deliberative community listening sessions, which will be participatory, held at multiple times and locations in order to maximize accessibility, and provide ongoing opportunities for parents, caretakers, families and residents to share their thoughts, reflections and ideas for the ECAP. ​ Be grounded in the voices of community members, including parents, caregivers, childcare providers, and community partners. Thinking and Working at Multiple Levels Think at the systems-level by collecting and interpreting data and determining priorities that address the personal, interpersonal, institutional, and structural levels. Disaggregate data by race/ethnicity to assess for potential racial disparities and inequities. Strategize structural interventions that acknowledge and address structures and power relationships, and their cumulative impact. *Community Collaborative is a convening of community partners (i.e. nonprofits, public sector, service providers, faith-based organizations, etc.) that share a common goal of ensuring the wellbeing of Chatham County’s youngest residents. This body will provide ongoing input and feedback on the Community Needs Assessment and Chatham Early Childhood Action Plan, and will assist in connecting community members with this process.

Early Childhood Community Needs Assessment Your input is absolutely critical! Whether you participate in the needs assessment yourself or help us by connecting us with other members of the community who may be willing and able to participate, we will not be able to do this without you! ​ Come back soon to read more about the process or to find out how you can participate. Contact Us Who participated in the Early Childhood Community Needs Assessment? Chatham Parents, Caregivers, and Child Care Providers shared their perspectives and needs during the Needs Assessment process, inlcuding through he following: Completed a Survey 240 Parents and Caregivers and 29 Child Care Providers completed a survey! Participated in a Recorded Interview 24 parents, caregivers, child care providers, human service providers and community leaders got in front the camera for a recorded interview Participated in a Focus Group 20+ Parents, Caregivers, and current and former NC Pre-K Providers participated in targeted Focus Groups Early Childhood Community Needs Assessment Results Chatham Kids Matter Film Early Childhood Needs Assessment Findings Community Needs Assessment Data One-Pagers English! Spanish! Meet our Research Partners The Partnership for Children is excited to be working with two talented consultants on the Early Childhood Community Needs Assessment: Partners for Impact and Community Voice Consulting . ​ They are excited to be working with the Partnership for Children, with the partner organizations of the Community Collaborative, and collaboratively alongside each other to assess the early childhood needs in Chatham County. Partners for Impact Beth Bordeaux & Angie Walsh Partners for Impact is a woman-owned and LBTQ-owned firm located in Apex. Their consultative approach is informed by our experience in strategic planning, organizational development, evaluation, trust building, integrating voices, and building accountability. They partner to build capacity for community change through assessing, developing strategy, evaluating, strengthening networks, and engaging stakeholder voices. Learn more about Partner for Impacts at partnersforimpact.com Community Voice Consulting Gabe Cumming & Carla Norwood Community Voice Consulting, based in Warren County, NC, specializes in stakeholder engagement and participatory research/evaluation. We use methods including interviewing, film production, facilitated conversations, qualitative analysis, and surveys to ensure that diverse community members' perspectives are represented in decisions that affect their lives. ​ Learn more about Community Voice Consulting at communityvoicemethod.org ​

News & Events Early Childhood Community Needs Assessment and Action Plan August 2021 Community Collaborative Kickoff Meeting November 2022 "New assessment puts child care front and center", Chatham News & Record Article January 25, 2023

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Thanks to the more than 300 Chatham parent or caregiver of children ages 0 to 5 who participated in the survey! We appreciate your willingness to share yours experience and views on Early Child Care in Chatham County! ​ ​ English Survey Spanish Survey Parent & Caregiver Survey

Early Childhood Action Plan The Chatham Kids Matter Early Childhood Action Plan (ECAP) is a comprehensive blueprint guiding collaborative action to address opportunities and challenges in the Early Child Care System in Chatham. This Action Plan is guided by the findings of the Early Childhood Community Needs Assessment conducted prior to action planning, and integrates recommendations from the Fiscal Analysis. As Chatham County continues to recover from the pandemic and prepare for a period of sustained economic growth, this ECAP will be a living, practical document to support fostering an Early Childhood System that enables all of Chatham’s youngest residents and their families to thrive! Download the Early Childhood Action Plan What's in the ECAP? The ECAP was created with input from over 450 Chatham County parents, caregivers, child care providers, and community leaders and over 30 community partners. ​ The ECAP offers a range of strategies and recommendations to address the key critical needs identified in the Community Needs Assessment, with supporting quantiative and qualitatve data. ​ ​ ​ ​ ACTION STEPS The Chatham Kids Matter Community Collaborative and ECAP Advisory Committee worked together to recommend five action steps for initial implementation . These five recommended action steps address the four focus areas (Child Health, Safety & Wellbeing, Child Care Access, Child Care Infrastructure, and High-Quality Learning), as well as the three types of recommendations and strategies (Collaborative, Equity-Oriented, and Fiscal).

Chatham Kids Matter. As we recover from the pandemic, we need to focus on Chatham's children and their parents and caregivers to make sure the Chatham we are rebuilding together is one where children and families thrive. Early Childhood Action Plan The Chatham Kids Matter Early Childhood Action Plan (ECAP) is a comprehensive blueprint guiding collaborative action to address opportunities and challenges in Chatham's Early Childhood System. The ECAP is guided by the findings of the Early Childhood Community Needs Assessment. As Chatham County continues to recover from the pandemic and prepare for a period of sustained economic growth, this ECAP will be a living, practical document to support fostering an Early Childhood System that enables all of Chatham’s youngest residents and their families to thrive! Download the Early Childhood Action Plan Chatham Kids Matter Early Childhood Needs Assessment The Chatham Kids Matter Early Child Needs Assessment is a comprehensive needs assessment to understand challenges and opportunities for early childhood care and education in Chatham County, North Carolina. The assessment engaged parents, child care providers, educators, community leaders, and other stakeholders. Download Full Report Watch the Chatham Kid Matter Film! Early Childhood Needs Assessment Findings (B ilingual Presentation) Contact Name Email Subject Message Submit Thanks for submitting!

Donate to Chatham Kids Matter Help Us Make a Difference A donation in support of our Community Needs Assessment and Early Childhood Action plan will help us reach deeper into our community to make sure that ALL voices in Chatham are heard. Your donation would help pay for mileage, supplies, and compensation for participants in our Assessment. Donate

Fiscal Analysis The Fiscal Analysis addresses challenges in Chatham’s Early Childhood System identified through the Community Needs Assessment The study draws on early childhood programs across North Carolina and the United States. Much of the initial research focused on in-state programs with similar funding mechanisms since revenue options in North Carolina are limited. Recommendations from this analysis provide opportunities for strategic public and private partnerships while utilizing federal, state, and local funding streams to inform solutions proposed in the Early Childhood Action Plan . ​ ​ ​ Download the Fiscal Analysis

Community Conversations Come LEARN about what Chatham County has to offer for young children, education, care and more. Add your thoughts to what is needed and how to make it better! Calling ALL Chatham Residents! We want to hear from you! Over the past six months, we've been researching what young children have and what they need in Chatham County through surveys, focus groups and interviews with Chatham parents, caregivers and childcare providers. We're excited to share these findings of the Early Childhood Community Needs Assessment with you and hear your thoughts on how to move forward! During the Community Conversation we will: Explore the findings of the Early Childhood Community Needs Assessment through a dynamic data presentation Watch the Chatham Kids Matter film, featuring Chatham parents, caregivers, and childcare providers Share your thoughts and opinions through facilitated discussion Let us know if you'll be attending! ​ We encourage you to invite your family, friends, and neighbors. You do not have to have young children to care about young children in our community! FREE childcare will be available. Light refreshments will be served. All participants will be entered into a drawing to win a $250 visa gift card! RSVP for: Wednesday, August 23rd in Pittsboro This is a Paragraph. Click on "Edit Text" or double click on the text box to start editing the content and make sure to add any relevant details or information that you want to share with your visitors. Reserve Tickets! RSVP for: Thursday, August 24th in Siler City This is a Paragraph. Click on "Edit Text" or double click on the text box to start editing the content and make sure to add any relevant details or information that you want to share with your visitors. Reserve Tickets! RSVP for: Tuesday, September 5th in Siler City This is a Paragraph. Click on "Edit Text" or double click on the text box to start editing the content and make sure to add any relevant details or information that you want to share with your visitors. Reserve Tickets! RSVP for Wednesday, September 6th in Goldston This is a Paragraph. Click on "Edit Text" or double click on the text box to start editing the content and make sure to add any relevant details or information that you want to share with your visitors. Reserve Tickets! Slide Title This is a Paragraph. Click on "Edit Text" or double click on the text box to start editing the content.