Child services under one roof

New Durham facility offers something for parents, agencies, educators

DURHAM -- Location, location, location.

It's one big advantage the Jim and Carolyn Hunt Child Care Resource Center can offer, say the people who marked its official opening Wednesday.

For the first time, parents can learn about quality child care, where to find it and how to pay for it -- all in one place. At the same new $3.5 million building on Briggs Avenue, caregivers can learn how to better serve infants and toddlers when their developing brains need it most.

"We're hopeful this will create a new model for other communities," said Sue Russell, president of the Child Care Services Association.

Adding to the center's appeal, she said, is that it's on a city bus route and is beside the Employment Securities Commission office, so when people find work, they don't have to go far to find child care. It's also near Durham Technical Community College and N.C. Central University, easily accessible to the educators being certified in early childhood care.

It's unique to have so many resources in one place, as opposed to sending people all over for appointments and referrals, Russell said.

The Child Care Services Association shares the 27,000-square-foot space with Durham's Partnership for Children, which manages the Smart Start and More at Four programs. Durham's Alliance for Child Care Access also shares the site. That group helps low-income working families afford highly rated day care programs, which can cost as much as $1,000 a month.

Each group is working toward better day care for newborns and toddlers, school preparation and increasing the numbers of educators trained specifically in teaching babies and toddlers children.

Because many mothers go back to work soon after childbirth, the demand for early child care is strong, Russell said. More than a third of the clients who call the Child Care Services Association for referrals are looking for care for infants and toddlers, she said.

Former Gov. Jim Hunt, his wife, Carolyn, and several key donors toured the center just before its dedication Wednesday. Hunt said he focused on raising standards during his second term in part because of his own interaction with the first of his 10 grandchildren.

"Ninety percent of a child's brain is developed by age 5," Hunt said. "If our students are going to be successful, and if we're going to have a productive workforce, we have to invest in the early years. Historically, we've started too late."

Organizers still need to raise about $2 million to pay for the project and to complete a kitchen where a million meals will be prepared and delivered to day care facilities in Durham and Wake counties. Providing those services will allow for quality food and balanced nutrition at a lower cost, Russell said. At smaller day care centers, directors end up shopping for meals, she said, and that's not an effective use of time.

Individuals and corporations including Duke University and Duke Energy were recognized for their financial support. Capitol Broadcasting, the Jim Goodmon company responsible for revitalizing the American Tobacco warehouse district, has been a major contributor.

Goodmon has pledged to donate up to an additional $200,000 over the next four years, contributing $1 for every $2 raised.

Investing on the front-end can save taxpayers money later on, Hunt emphasized.

"We spend a lot of money in schools on special education, we spend a lot of money on prisons," he said. "If you do this right," he said, referring to early childhood programs, "you don't have to do as much of that."

For more information, visit www.childcareservices.org.