The Dance of Balancing Local and State Partners in North Carolina
Host Karen Ponder dives into the first formal statewide early childhood system in the nation: North Carolina’s Smart Start, which she herself managed for its first 15 years. She speaks with Amy Cubbage, president of the North Carolina Partnership for Children (NCPC), and Gayle Headen, executive director of Wake County Smart Start.
La presentadora Karen Ponder destaca el primer sistema formal de la primera infancia a nivel estatal en la nación: Smart Start de North Carolina, el cual ella misma administró durante sus primeros 15 años. Karen habla con Amy Cubbage, presidenta de North Carolina Partnership for Children (NCPC), y Gayle Headon, directora ejecutiva de Wake County Smart Start.
Explore More
Moving Away from Family Separation: Cross-Systems Strategies to Support Young Children at Risk of Child Welfare Involvement
Report March 12, 2026
Between October 2024 and April 2025, the BUILD Initiative hosted a six-part webinar series, offered through BUILD’s Prenatal-to-Three Capacity Building Hub. This report provides key learnings and highlights from the webinar series.
Community Births – A Solution to Maternity Care Deserts
Archived Webinar March 3, 2026
According to the March of Dimes 2024 report, "Nowhere to Go: Maternity Care Deserts Across the United States," 1,104 counties, or about 35% of the nation’s 3,142 counties, are designated as Maternity Care Deserts.
Evidence for Expanded Access to Head Start and Early Head Start
Blog February 27, 2026
Head Start and Early Head Start have been proven effective for supporting young children’s development, and their parents, for many years. But did you know that Head Start and Early Head Start can reduce child maltreatment and child welfare system involvement?