City to host NC Child meeting
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on September 14, 2016 10:04 AM
Goldsboro is among cities chosen to host a meeting to bring leaders and families together to discuss the need for county-based child advocacy organizations.
NC Child is convening the series of community sessions aimed at building opportunities for children across the state, said Dr. David Tayloe, local pediatrician with Goldsboro Pediatrics. Others are being held in Asheville, Raleigh, Wilmington and Winston-Salem.
The local event, also sponsored by WAGES, Wayne County Partnership for Children and Goldsboro Pediatrics, will take place Sept. 29, from 5 until 8 p.m. at WAGES on Royall Avenue.
The program will include an interactive "data walk" to examine trends affecting the financial security and future of children and families, followed by a discussion about policy solutions to break down barriers to success.
NC Child has been around for more than 30 years, said Dr. Tayloe, who has been affiliated with it since the beginning.
"I was on the board for 10 or 12 years and now I'm what they call a Senior Fellow, somebody they call on to put something in the press, evaluate programs, get input," he said. "They have seen what kinds of things take place in Goldsboro. It's the most comprehensive child advocacy (group) in the state.
"They picked six or seven cities. Goldsboro was one. I'd like to see us put together a local child advocacy organization that cuts across everything that has to do with children."
Including Wayne County as the site of such a forum is appropriate, the physicians says.
"There's a tremendous child advocacy spectrum here that we could (do it) because our county, the people here really do work together well," he said, citing several examples like area literacy programs, WISH, or the school-based health centers, and Head Start.
"Our Head Start is just fantastic," he said. "They put a grant in to get 335 more slots for Early Head Start. A lot of places, they don't even know what Early Head Start is.
"To have mothers and babies from the get-go, be in Head Start, that's huge when you're dealing with the amount of poverty we're dealing with."
The Health Department has also positioned itself as a "pregnancy medical home," with more comprehensive care for women of childbearing ages, Dr. Tayloe said.
"I would like to see us refer babies before they're born," he said. "We're going to start wrapping our services around them."
The format of the Sept. 29 symposium will be to present data about the county -- including schools, crime and substance abuse -- and solicit input as to what can be done to better support families and children.
"I think what (NC Child Executive Director) Michelle Hughes is trying to accomplish is planting these seeds in the various counties as it promotes its advocacy agenda," Dr. Tayloe said.
Parental involvement at the forum is encouraged, said Patricia Beier, WAGES director. Space is limited, so advance registration is required.
To register, contact Adam Sotak, with NC Child, at 919-834-6623, extension 228.