WE BUILD BRIGHTER FUTURES FOR CHILDREN, BECAUSE CHILDREN ARE OUR GREATEST RESOURCE.

Quality Enhancement

Quality Enhancement: What You Do Matters!

It has been researched, studied and documented. High quality child care is directly linked to children achieving higher cognitive and social skills, thereby allowing them to enter a classroom setting with a better ability to succeed. Our Quality Consultant works directly with potential providers and existing providers to help them develop, improve and maintain quality services and increase their star rating. Come by and visit us Monday thru Thursday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm and Friday 8:00 to 1:00. Other times are available by appointment. Just ask for Shelly Martin or Candice Dillard or email smartin@pender4kids.com or rcdillard@pender4kids.com.

Quality Matters:

Quality Maintenance: 4 & 5 Star Facilities

This component helps child care providers maintain the high quality of care that they provide to young children. The program offers a “Bonus Incentive” grant to eligible 4-5 Star Facilities. This grant is intended to assist in maintaining quality in a child care program.

Technical assistance offered:

  • Development of a Learning Environment Plan (LEP)
  • Developing Creative Learning Spaces
  • Curriculum Development/Lesson Planning
  • Reaching Higher Scores on the Environment Rating Scale (ERS)
  • Mock ERS Assessment

Quality Improvement: 0-3 Star Facilities

This component helps child care providers increase the quality of care they provide for young children.  This program also offers an incentive grant to eligible 0-3 star facilities to allow for the purchase of materials and resources. These purchases are to be used for the purpose of increasing low scores in any component of the ERS.

Technical assistance offered:

  • Development of a Learning Environment Plan (LEP)
  • Developing Creative Learning Spaces
  • Curriculum Development/Lesson Planning
  • Reaching Higher Scores on the Environment Rating Scale (ERS)
  • Completing Start Rated License application
  • Developing Policy Handbooks/Personnel Policies
  • Mock ERS Assessment

In addition, quality enhancement provides in-service trainings relevant to quality matters. Check out our list of events to find a workshop that interests you!

The Story Behind the Stars

If you are a parent looking for child care, the North Carolina Star Rated License system can help. In September 2000, the Division issued star rated licenses to all eligible Child Care Centers and Family Child Care Homes(Note: Religious-sponsored child care programs will continue to operate with a notice of compliance and will not receive a star rating.).

North Carolina’s Star Rated License System gives stars to child care programs based on how well they are doing in providing quality child care. Child Care programs receive a rating of one to five stars. A rating of one star means that a child care program meets North Carolina’s minimum licensing standards for child care. Programs that choose to voluntarily meet higher standards can apply for a two to five star license.

A benefit of the star rated license system is that it recognizes providers for the higher quality care that they provide. Also, the star rated license acts as a roadmap for providers to follow as they strive to improve the quality of their care. (NCDCDEE website)