The Institute for Child Success

In Greenville County, the average annual income of a white individual is $59,820, a Hispanic individual is $35,794, and a black individual is $33,643. In the 2016 South Carolina Affordable Housing Study, the estimated income needed to afford a house in Greenville County was $53,633, which far surpasses the average income of black and Hispanic populations in Greenville by nearly $20,000.

I got some very useful ideas from the Colorado conference participants, including practitioners in other states who are treating these issues as health issues.

A recent community needs assessment conducted by the Institute for Child Success (which is leading the collaborative’s Childhood Homelessness Project) revealed gaps in services and the critical state of housing instability in Greenville County. In response, we are organizing a listening tour to understand community issues on the ground.

All of the hallmark inconveniences of public transportation (long wait times, inclement weather, tight spaces/limited seating) are compounded for those traveling with children. A long line gets longer with a screaming child. It rains harder and the sun is hotter while waiting at the bus stop. Space gets tighter when you need room to store a stroller.

The short hours and infrequency of the service make it difficult for people to access second and third shift jobs, night classes, and even grocery stores. Greenlink, similar to public transit agencies across the country, restricts its riders more than it benefits them in its current state due to its inadequate funding.

After observing students in action, I noticed how resourceful everyone was. The children did not rely on plastic toys to bring them entertainment. They used natural materials such as stumps, sticks, leaves, dirt, etc. to design their own learning space for that day. Without the confines of walls and ceilings, students’ minds and bodies were able to explore their surroundings.

... doulas generally undergo training related to the physical, emotional, and social aspects of pregnancy, labor, and the newborn days, they have vast experience which can be used to help a delivering woman stay calm and focused, ask the right questions to feel comfortable with medical decisions, and adapt to the new reality of caring for a tiny baby.

In late 2016, Legacy Early College, a charter school in Greenville, S.C., was awarded a federal Pay for Success feasibility study grant to explore expanding its K-12 options to include 3K/4K classes.

Children are naturally motivated to write at a young age. In order to continue to nurture this desire for written expression, it is crucial that early childhood educators focus their writing instruction primarily on content, process, and meaning (composition) and that families and community stakeholders understand and celebrate the phases of early writing development.

We applaud the federal government for creating this opportunity to further investments in programs that work for children, and we look forward to continuing the conversation about this process at our September 19th convening on social impact funding in the Washington, D.C. metro area.

The safest place for a baby to sleep is on his/her back, in an empty crib (no blankets, pillows, or stuffed animals), ideally in the same room as a parent. These steps are linked to a much lower rate of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and infant suffocation. Since the National Institute for Health launched the Safe to Sleep campaign (previously called Back to Sleep) in 1994, SIDS deaths have declined 50 percent while rates of back-sleeping have increased. The campaign works with pediatricians and other medical professionals as well as community leaders to communicate the basics of safe sleep and connect families with resources to help address issues they face.

ICS is part of the 80+ member network known as Greenville County Care Coordination Collaborative. GCCCC was established by Help Me Grow SC and is a cooperative of agencies, organizations, and care providers with expertise in childhood health and developmental issues. A community needs assessment revealed gaps in services and an urgency to address housing instability.

When compared to traditional playgrounds, Representative Dillard lists numerous advantages natural playgrounds offer – awakening a child’s senses of sight, sound and touch with opportunities to play, feel and explore; offering a multi-phase approach to play; encouraging risk-taking and creativity; and presenting social and learning opportunities as children share and work together to carry out tasks.

Cobb emphasized that those receiving Planning Grants all demonstrated their ability to bring together public and private partners to address specific needs and challenges facing infants and toddlers and their families in their states.