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Families

Families

Raising young children is both challenging and amazing. If you need help, there are services that can support your role as a parent. Wake County Smart Start funds programs that assist families in preparing their children for Kindergarten.

Families

Supporting Families

Life moves fast when children are little. The most rapid period of human development happens between birth and age five. Your child’s experiences during these early years will shape how they learn later. You can help your child build a strong foundation for future success. Learn more about why early childhood is such an important period of life.

This page is a starting point to:

Related Programs

Building Family Support
Early Literacy Initiatives

Early Literacy Initiatives will promote parent engagement and parenting practices in Wake County by providing activities, education, and resource materials through two literacy programs: Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and Reach Out and Read.

Program for Early Parent Support

Participants in both Spanish- and English-speaking communities are provided with emotional support, an inclusive and safe community, and empowerment to grow as they experience challenges with others who understand their perspective. These programs are completely free of cost and provide participants with crucial resources including diapers, grocery gift cards and books (in participants’ home language). TAPS is currently offering these programs to families in Wake County with babies up to 18 months of age.

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library mails a free high quality, age-appropriate book to children in Wake County every month from birth to age 5 to encourage a love of reading and readiness for kindergarten.

Wake Connections

Wake Connections is a coordinated intake and referral system that connects families with high quality home-based programs.

Nurse-Family Partnership

Nurse-Family Partnership is a free, voluntary program that partners first-time moms with nurse home visitors.

Parents as Teachers

Parents as Teachers (PAT) services are offered to children from birth to age 5 who need help preparing for success in school.

SecurePath

SecurePath is a comprehensive mental health service for young children in Wake County that is provided at the child’s home or preschool.

Crianza con Cariño

This 15-week family education program blends child-rearing information with social supports to strengthen Spanish-speaking families living in Wake County.