Author: Abby Cagle

North Carolina proclaims September 2025 as Smart Start Month! North Carolina has officially proclaimed September as Smart Start Month, recognizing the Smart Start Network’s critical role in supporting children and families across the state. At the Cabarrus County Partnership for Children, we are proud to be one of 75 local Smart Start Partnerships serving all 100 counties. Together with the North Carolina Partnership for Children (NCPC), we’re advancing early care and education, family support, and child and family health, and working to build stronger, more connected systems that meet real...

Cabarrus County Partnership for Children is proud to announce, Paula Yost, an attorney and licensed clinical mental health counselor, has been appointed by the North Carolina General Assembly to serve on the Board of Directors of the North Carolina Partnership for Children (NCPC). Senator Phil Berger named Paula as his legislative appointee to represent young parent’s interest statewide. Paula brings decades of distinguished public service dedication to children and mental health services. Her appointment recognizes her long-standing advocacy for children and mental health. In addition to...

April marks Child Abuse Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness about the prevalence of child abuse and to honor those who have been affected by it. To commemorate this important month, the community is invited to attend a Pinwheel Ceremony on Wednesday, April 23rd, from 1:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Cabarrus County Courthouse Plaza located at 61 Union St. S Concord, NC 28025. The event aims to raise awareness for child abuse victims and show support for their protection and healing. Paula Yost, Chair of the Cabarrus County Child Protection Team, shared, “One of the biggest dangers to...

23% – That’s how much of the birth to five population in Cabarrus County is being served in child care slots; that’s 3,823 children. 9,146 – That’s how many slots child care facilities are licensed to serve in Cabarrus County. Why are there 5,323 slots open? Child care facilities are struggling to find qualifying staff and retain them while still keeping tuition affordable for families. Stabilization Grants for child care facilities were put into place during the COVID-19 pandemic to help offset the costs of staying open to serve essential employees, however...

Our 2023-2024 Annual Impact Report is now available for you to view! Click here to check out the full report and see how our programs impacted young children, families, and early childhood professionals in Cabarrus County. 2023-2024 Highlights Early Childhood Education Programs Funded between July 2023 – June 2024 NC Pre-K Administration Child Care Health Consultants Early Education Liaison Inclusive Child Care Child Care WAGE$ Smart Start Subsidy Cabarrus County Pre-K Program 351 total children 29 classrooms 155 at Cabarrus Co. Schools 28 at Kannapolis City Schools 38 Head...

Local health providers, neighborhood organizations, families, and local government officials joined NC Child in Concord to discuss social determinants of health, oral health, regional barriers to healthcare access, and overall child health outcomes in Cabarrus County. The convening represented the fifth stop on NC Child’s 2024 listening tour. NC Child focuses on advancing public policies that improve the health and wellbeing of children in North Carolina. The statewide nonprofit’s listening tour, which is visiting 20 counties between July and September, is focused on promoting thoughtful...

Congratulations to Paula Yost for receiving the 2024 Karen W. Ponder Leadership Award. Paula Yost was named the 2024 Karen W. Ponder Leadership Award recipient during the Smart Start Conference in Greensboro in May 2024. A formal celebration was held on July 17, 2024 in Concord where Amy Cubbage, President of Smart Start, presented the award to Paula in front of a room filled with her family, friends, local representatives, and many others who have had their lives touched by Paula’s work. Ann Benfield, Executive Director for the Cabarrus County Partnership for Children, nominated Paula for...

The North Carolina Partnership for Children (NCPC) and the Smart Start Network developed Smart Solutions: Effective Prenatal-to-Five Investments, a virtual catalog of effective programs, interventions, and strategies. This catalog outlines over seventy options to support children prenatal-through- five as well as teachers, caregivers, and communities. Smart Start is a network of 75 Local Partnerships that supports children, families, and teachers in every county in North Carolina. Each Local Partnership uses state funds allocated to the Network, as well as private funds, to support children...

The Cabarrus County Partnership for Children has been named a Family Forward NC Certified Employer by the North Carolina Foundation’s Family Forward NC initiative. Launched in 2018, Family Forward NC is an innovative initiative to improve children’s health and well-being and keep North Carolina’s businesses competitive. It is employer-led change to increase access to research-based, family-friendly practices — big and small — that improve workplace productivity, recruitment and retention; grow a strong economy; and support children’s healthy development. To date, Family Forward NC has...