About Early Years
Who We Are
Early Years improves the quality of child care in North Carolina for all children and families.
We help families find child care, offering informational events for families, professional development opportunities and programs for providers and comprehensive child care research for policymakers.
Our Vision
For all children to benefit from affordable, high-quality early care and education, which lays the foundation for successful life outcomes.
Our Mission
Early Years leads efforts to strengthen accessible and affordable high-quality early care and education by providing support for families, communities and the workforce.
Our Core Values
- We approach our interactions with honesty, transparency and respect.
- We acknowledge the trust placed in us and work diligently to uphold that in all we do.
- We hold privacy and confidentiality as foundational to our operations.
- When connecting with others, we work diligently to best meet their needs.
- Our policies and procedures are designed to ensure fairness and consistent, high-quality service.
- We engage in research and use the best data available (both internally and externally) to guide our decision-making.
- In all we do, whether large or small, we commit to doing it to the best of our abilities.
- We welcome different perspectives and remain open to new ideas.
- We acknowledge that each person brings unique strengths and experiences that enrich our work.
- We think creatively, consider multiple perspectives and are open-minded as we meet the unique needs of our customers.
- We recognize change as a constant and welcome opportunities to try new approaches.
- We work to continually expand our knowledge and skills.
The Importance of Child Care
In many ways, our preschool years determine our future competitive role in the global economy, the public safety of our communities, the cost-effective investment of public and private dollars, and the success of welfare reform. When child care becomes necessary for families, quality child care becomes critical for children. If done well, child care benefits us all.
Early Years is a proud member of the Think Babies™ NC Alliance Leadership Team. The Think Babies™ NC Alliance seeks to ensure that North Carolina’s youngest children, prenatal to age 3, benefit from effective and equitable public policies, programs and funding so that all children have what they need to thrive: healthy beginnings, supported families and quality early care and learning experiences. Visit ThinkBabiesNC.org to learn more and get involved.
Serving a Broad Community
Headquartered in North Carolina’s Research Triangle region, Early Years is a leader and advocate in child care services on the local, state and national level. We collaborate with many partners, businesses and stakeholders to address needs within the child care system. We are only one part of the broader community’s commitment to create changes that helps every child. As we grow, we come closer to the day when all children, and their teachers, have the tools they need for success.
How to Find Us
Headquarters
1829 E. Franklin St.
Suite 1000
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
919-967-3272
1201 S. Briggs Ave.
Suite 200
Durham, NC 27703
919-403-6950
Not sure who to contact?
Send us a message online and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
