SC First Steps - Lexington County First Steps

Family strengthening-first Steps works To increase parents' ability To stimulate their child's intellectual, social and physical development through evidence-based home visitation and parenting programs such as parents as teachers.

Core functions

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.

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.