Early Childhood
Action Plan
In February 2019, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services released North Carolina’s Early Childhood Action Plan (ECAP). The NC ECAP puts forth goals that, if achieved, would “provide all North Carolina’s children, birth through age 8, with a fair opportunity to grow up healthy in safe and nurturing families, schools and communities, so that they are learning and ready to succeed.”
Durham will be the first county in North Carolina to create an ECAP specific to our community. To do so, the Durham Children’s Initiative (DCI), with the support of Durham County, will bring together families, community members, and family-/child-serving agencies to envision a future with a stronger, more aligned early childhood system. The ECAP process will build upon the incredible collaboration already underway in Durham.
An Early Childhood Action Plan (ECAP) Rooted in Equity
In Durham, not all children and families have the same opportunities to thrive. The health, safety, and education of a child should not differ depending on the child’s race, the family’s wealth, or any other reason. As we respond to COVID-19 together and address racial injustices in Durham, we have an opportunity to bring our community and resources together towards shared goals in support of all our young children.
Staying Up-To-Date with the ECAP
Four workgroups (Healthy, Basic Needs, Safe & Nurtured, and Learning & Ready to Succeed) are meeting monthly. Materials and recordings from those meetings will be posted here.
Other opportunities to make your voice heard in the process will be posted here as well.