Early Childhood Support Team

The Early Childhood Support Team (ECST) is a multidisciplinary team of educational and clinical specialists from Catawba County Social Services and nurses from Catawba County Public Health that is funded through Smart Start via the Catawba County Partnership for Children. Team members function collectively to provide a range of human and health services to children birth to five years old and their families.

This service includes consultations and interventions with child care providers, children, and their families to ensure that children's emotional, social, physical, and cognitive needs are being met. The team's vision is that children are healthy and ready to learn when they begin kindergarten.

Even though the majority of referrals are received from child care programs, children do not have to be attending a child care program to receive services. If a child lives out of county but attends a Catawba County child care program, the ECST can provide services.

The Early Childhood Support Team is located at 738 4th St. SW, Hickory, NC 28602. The team can be reached by phone at (828) 695-6590.

Services can be accessed by contacting the Early Childhood Support Team Supervisor at (828) 695-6590.

Additional helpful information for parents is available through theCatawba County Partnership for Children, Children's Resource Center and the North Carolina Division of Child Development and Early Education.