Vermont offers its young children and their families a wide range of services.
However, the absence of a discernable early childhood infrastructure has led to
overlap and fragmentation of services. "Infrastructure" means the capacity and
support necessary to make the services and service system function effectively
and efficiently. This includes addressing the components of governance, service
coordination, financing, accountability, professional development and training,
standards, system planning and development, evaluation, and public engagement.
To address overlap and fragmentation of early childhood services, the state of
Vermont applied for and received a technical assistance grant in 2002 from the
North Carolina Technical Assistance Center.
This grant allowed Vermont to explore how North Carolina's Smart Start model
could be used to further assist Vermont in creating a unified early childhood
system and to support a formal planning process, which included a strategic plan
and timetable for implementation. The Access to Early Care, Education, and
Prevention Subcommittee of the Governor's Cabinet on Children and Youth oversaw
this grant. The Subcommittee included diverse representation from relevant
government agencies and early childhood programs, as well as various
organizations and businesses.
The work supported by the technical assistance grant was also based on and
integrated with the work of:
The Vermont State Team for Children, Families and Individuals;
The Early Childhood Work Group;
The Vermont Agency of Human Services re-organization effort;
Other human services and education entities in Vermont.
This strategic planning process resulted in Vermont's Early Childhood System
Plan. With the ultimate goal of ensuring
that all Vermont children are healthy and successful, the Plan calls for the
creation of the Building Bright Futures. This
innovative public-private partnership will coordinate and oversee Vermont's
early childhood care, health and education system. It will be comprised of
private sector providers, families, business leaders, community members, and
state government decision-makers.
