Families
The science is clear: early experiences matter. During the first years of life, children’s experiences are built into their bodies — shaping brain development and building the foundation for all future learning, behavior and health. Parents play the lead role in their child’s healthy development. Smart Start of Brunswick County meets families where they are - whether the children are at home or in early childhood settings.
Programs for Children and Families
Kaleidoscope Play & Learn
Through weekly play groups, Kaleidoscope offers parents and other caregivers the opportunity to support their children's early learning through everyday activities while building relationships with other participants. View upcoming events on our calendar. Contact Lynn Hebert-Smith for more information.
Positive Parenting Practices (Triple P)
Triple P gives parents simple and practical strategies to help them build strong, healthy relationships, confidently manage their children’s behavior, and prevent problems from developing. There are various levels and service delivery methods (ex. groups, seminars, brief one-on-one interactions) within Triple P. Contact Lynn Hebert-Smith for more information on group and individual sessions.
Child Care Subsidy
Smart Start funds enhance the child care subsidy program which provides financial assistance with the cost of high-quality child care to families who are working or attending school. Locally, the Smart Start subsidy program funds funnel directly through the Brunswick County Department of Social Services. Contact DSS directly to apply at 910-253-2077 (https://www.brunswickcountync.gov/social-services/other) or Jonathan Hartman for more information.
NC Pre-Kindergarten Program (NC Pre-K)
NC Pre-K is designed to provide high-quality educational experiences to enhance school readiness for eligible four-year-old children. Smart Start of Brunswick County is the administrator of NC Pre-K in this community – helping families register, organizing placement of children, and supporting early childhood staff who provide NC Pre-K. Access registration forms here and contact Jacob Griffiths for more information.
Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R)
We help families who may be looking for child care or community resources …..or who may just have questions about their child’s development. Contact Jonathan Hartman for support.
Little Free Libraries
Due to funding restrictions, we have made the difficult decision to discontinue local enrollment and book delivery for families who registered after January 2024. While Dolly and her crew provide a discount on books - the bulk of the cost is absorbed locally within our organization. As you can imagine, it is quite a commitment to fund book delivery each month, for over 4,000 children in Brunswick County, for up to five years.
Smart Start of Brunswick County IS committed to early literacy and continued efforts to get books into the hands of young children. We do maintain 13 Little Free Library book-sharing boxes through the county – hoping to expand book access for ALL families. Please visit these and……. take a book, bring a book, keep a book. There are no rules except to just LOVE books! 😊 See the locations below.
- Waccamaw Park, 5855 Waccamaw School Rd., Ash
- Longwood Head Start, 7360 Mount Zion Church Rd., Longwood
- Leland Community Park, 1490 Village Rd., NE, Leland
- Northwest District Park, 1937 Andrew Jackson Highway, NE, Leland
- Navassa Park, 800 Park Avenue, Navassa
- Ocean Isle Beach Park, 6483 Old Georgetown Rd., Ocean Isle
- Shallotte Township Park, 5550 Main St., Shallotte
- Smart Start of Brunswick County, 926 Old Ocean Hwy., Unit C, Bolivia
- Smithville District Park, 8392 River Rd., Southport
- Dutchman Creek Park, 4750 Fish Factory Rd., Southport
- Lockwood Folly Park, 430 Green Swamp Rd., Supply
- Piney Grove Head Start, 71 North Piney Grove Rd., Bolivia
- Town Creek Park, 6420 Ocean Highway East, Winnabow
If you have questions or concerns about the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library – please don’t hesitate to contact me. Please also visit our website www.smartstartbrunswick.org and/or follow us on Facebook to learn more about our other services and special events that support children and families in Brunswick County.
Community Resources
Here are some commonly requested resources in Brunswick County. Contact us if you need additional support:
Brunswick County Department of Social Services
Play Groups and Workshops
At Smart Start of Brunswick County, we’re committed to providing opportunities for engagement and enlightenment for children, families and caregivers.