Mama Jewell’s ChildPlex
Mama Jewell’s ChildPlex represents an opportunity to address one of Yadkin County’s important community needs: access to affordable, quality childcare and a stronger support system for the families, childcare providers, and early childhood educators who make that care possible.
It is more than a building with childcare spaces. It has the potential to become an important part of Yadkin County’s early childhood infrastructure—a place where independent childcare businesses can establish and grow, early childhood professionals can be supported, and families can connect with quality early learning opportunities.
Rather than being operated as one large childcare center, the ChildPlex model creates an opportunity for multiple independent childcare businesses to operate within a shared facility.
The ChildPlex Model
The ChildPlex model is designed to strengthen the early childhood system by creating opportunities for independent childcare providers and the families they serve.
Additional Childcare Capacity
Creates more opportunities for families to access childcare in Yadkin County.
Fewer Barriers for Providers
Makes it easier for independent childcare providers to establish and operate their businesses.
Small Business Development
Encourages entrepreneurship and supports the growth of local childcare businesses.
Stronger Provider Connections
Creates opportunities for collaboration and shared support among childcare providers.
Better Access for Families
Helps connect families with quality early learning opportunities for their children.
Smart Start’s Role in ChildPlex
A Systems Change Partnership
Smart Start of Yadkin County supports Mama Jewell’s ChildPlex as part of a broader strategy to strengthen the early childhood system for children, families, and childcare providers across Yadkin County. We recognize that increasing the number of childcare spaces is only one piece of a larger solution. Lasting change requires strengthening the workforce, supporting childcare businesses, connecting families to resources, and building a coordinated community system where quality early learning can thrive.
Our Role in the ChildPlex Partnership
Smart Start of Yadkin County (SSYC) does not own or operate the ChildPlex facility or provide licensed childcare services within the building. The ChildPlex facility is owned by Yadkin County Economic Development, and each childcare program will be independently owned, licensed, and operated by providers who lease space within the facility.
Our role is to serve as a system partner—connecting providers, families, and community organizations to the resources, relationships, and opportunities that strengthen the entire early childhood ecosystem.
How Smart Start Advances Systems Change Through ChildPlex
Through our partnership in ChildPlex, Smart Start of Yadkin County works across four key areas to strengthen the early childhood system and expand opportunities for local children and families.
Strengthening Childcare Businesses and Provider Success
Strong childcare businesses create stable care for families and a stronger local economy. Smart Start of Yadkin County (SSYC) works to help providers build sustainable programs by connecting them with business development resources, licensing information, technical assistance, funding opportunities when available, and peer networks that encourage collaboration rather than isolation.
By helping providers navigate challenges and grow stronger businesses, we contribute to a more resilient childcare system across Yadkin County.
Building a Stronger Early Childhood Workforce
The quality of early learning depends on the people who provide it. SSYC invests in the early childhood workforce by connecting educators with professional development, coaching, mentoring, leadership opportunities, and continuing education that strengthen both individual skills and long-term career pathways.
We also work to elevate the profession, encourage workforce recruitment, and support efforts that improve educator retention throughout the county.
Expanding Quality Early Learning
Quality is not simply about compliance—it is about creating environments where children can learn, grow, and thrive. SSYC helps providers access quality improvement resources, promotes developmentally appropriate practices, and supports learning environments that foster children’s social, emotional, physical, language, and cognitive development.
These efforts contribute to stronger school readiness outcomes for children across Yadkin County.
Building Community Partnerships That Solve Shared Challenges
No single organization can solve childcare challenges alone. SSYC brings together childcare providers, schools, healthcare organizations, businesses, local government, and community agencies to align efforts around shared goals for young children and families.
By strengthening collaboration across sectors, we help communities address childcare shortages, workforce challenges, and barriers to accessing quality early learning.
Our Commitment to Yadkin County
Smart Start of Yadkin County is committed to strengthening the people, partnerships, and systems that make quality childcare possible throughout Yadkin County. Our commitment extends to all childcare providers—those who have served our community for years, those working to grow and strengthen their programs, and the independent providers who will begin offering services at Mama Jewell’s ChildPlex.
We recognize that a strong early childhood system depends on every provider. ChildPlex is an opportunity to expand childcare capacity and create new opportunities, not to shift attention away from the dedicated providers already serving children and families across our county. We are here to support existing providers and ChildPlex providers alike through connections to resources, professional development, workforce support, business sustainability, quality improvement, and opportunities to learn and collaborate.
Our work is rooted in the belief that meaningful systems change happens when providers feel supported, educators have opportunities to grow, families can access the care and resources they need, and community partners work together toward shared goals.
By investing in relationships, capacity, and collaboration—not simply individual programs—we are working toward an early childhood system where every provider has the opportunity to thrive, families have access to quality and dependable care, and children enter kindergarten healthy and ready to learn.
ChildPlex is one part of a larger vision for Yadkin County. Our commitment is to the entire early childhood community, and we are here to support the providers and families who make that community strong.