SC First Steps - Cherokee County First Steps

Parenting support: dolly parton's imagination library- a book gifting program that mails free, high-quality books To children from birth until they begin School, regardless of family income. Talk To me Cherokee- the initiative's mission is To support families from the earliest stages of a child's development and prepare the children of Cherokee County for success through language and literacy skill development.

Core functions

Child care quality-first Steps assists child care providers through training programs certified through sc endeavors and include topics in the areas of nutrition, health and safety, curriculum, child guidance, professional development and program administration. Additionally, the child care quality enhancement program aims To produce measurable improvements in the quality of care provided To young children. Also, First Steps provides scholarships To high quality child care programs for eligible families so their families can return To work or School.

School transition-developed by South Carolina First Steps - and identified as a promising state practice by the national governor's association in 2005 - countdown To kindergarten is a home visitation program pairing the families of high-risk rising kindergartners with their future teachers during the summer before School entry. Teachers complete six visits with each family, centered upon classroom and content expectations.