Charleston County First Steps - SC First Steps

Charleston County First Steps

About Charleston County First Steps

Charleston County First Steps is a local nonprofit that works collaboratively to ensure that all children start school ready to reach their highest potential. We achieve this goal by engaging families, caregivers, and community partners in high-quality programs and services that improve early childhood development, from before birth through age five. We also serve as a connector and convener of all early childhood stakeholders in Charleston County.

Charleston County First Steps is a local partnership of South Carolina First Steps, the state’s dedicated early childhood initiative. As with each local partnership, we operate as an independent nonprofit with a local board and staff. Because our community has unique needs and resources, we tailor our offerings to best meet the needs of local families.

Tamatha Kohler

Executive Director

Kristin Zeasser-Sydow, Board Chair


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Contact

Street Address 4975 LaCross Road, 100 N. Charleston, SC 29406
Phone: 843-745-0237

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Early Care & Education

Child Care Scholarships

Eligible children receive tuition-free enrollment at quality child care centers

Parenting

Parents as Teachers

Home visitation and group support for families, before birth and through age five.

Early Care & Education

Quality Enhancement

Intensive support to child care centers, Head Start and preschool classrooms to improve quality

Parenting

Raising a Reader

Raising a Reader operates in 3,000 locations across the nation.

Early Care & Education

Training and Professional Development

Certified and registered training hours for the early childhood workforce

Health

Early Identification & Referral

Providing developmental screenings and referrals to other services, independent of another partnership program

Parenting

Motheread/Fatheread

Group support for parents with low literacy levels in reading to their children

Parenting

HIPPY

Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) is a home visiting program that supports parents in their role as a child's first and most important teacher.

Also available in Charleston County:

Early Care & Education

First Steps 4K

First Steps 4K offers free, full-day four-year-old kindergarten to qualifying children in South Carolina. We partner with more than 270 licensed child care centers and private schools across the state, making it easy for families to find a high-quality program that meets their needs.

AmeriCorps

Gain valuable experience and give back to your community through service with First Steps AmeriCorps. Our AmeriCorps members engage directly with families and communities, helping to ensure that all children start school ready to reach their highest potential.