A partnership that brings together families, community resources and services to ensure that children enter school ready to succeed. Activities target increasing the availability of quality childcare and the number of preschool children developmentally on track as well as improving birth outcomes.

what matters™
Increasing the chances for children to succeed

Vision: Children enter school ready to learn

Specific United Way issue for action to which it relates: Success by 6 is a national movement of public and private partnerships that work together to ensure that all children 0-6 are healthy, nurtured and enter school ready to succeed.

The problem, issue or need: Young children need to be prepared the moment they start school. From birth, children are born learning. Brain research indicates that 90 percent of the brain's growth occurs from 0-5 years old. 46 percent of kindergarteners are coming to school at risk of school failure. Children and families in metropolitan Detroit are challenged by circumstances such as poverty, poor access to health care, inadequate child care, adult illiteracy and child abuse and neglect. In Oakland County, there are 92,251 children under age six; 7,240 live below the poverty level; 1,101 babies are born low birth weight; 91 babies die before their first birthday; 1,300 are victims of abuse or neglect and 4,264 are in subsidized child care. Research overwhelmingly proves high-quality early learning experiences set up children for success in school, work and life. According to the 40-year High Scope/Perry Preschool study, every $1 invested in high quality education produces a $17 return. Early childhood education is critical to building a strong economy and strong workforce. As Nobel laureate economist James Heckman says, investments in high quality early education programs have the highest rate of return of any social investment.

Partners sharing accountability for successful planning and implementation

• Catholic Social Services of Oakland County
• Child Care Providers
• Clarkston Schools
• City of Pontiac
• City of Southfield Department of Human Services
• Deaf  CAN!
• Easter Seals Family Mental Health
• Family & Group Day Care Providers & Day Care Centers
• Farmington Area Neighborhood House
• Friends of Pontiac Public Library
• Furniture Bank of Oakland County
• Girl Scouts of Metro Detroit
• Greater Oakland Visiting Nurses Association
• Healthy Start Oakland
• Human Services Coordinating Council –Oakland County
• Joining Forces of South Oakland County
• Lake Orion Schools
• Lighthouse of Oakland County
• Lighthouse PATH
• Michigan State University Extension Building Strong Families
• North Oakland Medical Center
• Oakland County Child Care Council (4C)
• Oakland County Health Division
• Oakland Family Services
• Oakland Intermediate School District and local School Districts
• Oakland Livingston Human Services Agency
• Pontiac Public Library
• Pontiac School District
• Parents and Families
• Tri County Dental Health Council
• Waterford School District First Families

• Born Learning Campaign
• Child Care Providers and Parent Engagement and Educational Development Programs
• Child Care Quality Improvement Programs
• Children’s Early Literacy-Imagination Library
• Oakland Family Services Children’s Learning Center
• Community Baby Showers
• Community Fairs
• CRIBS III Program
• EARLY-On Screening
• Engagement of Non Custodial Parents
• Fatherhood Initiative Programs
• Grandparents as Parents
• Hispanic Outreach Program
• Lighthouse PATH Montessori and Infant-Toddler Center
• Non-Custodial Parents
• Parent Home Programs
• Parent Partner/Teen Mentoring Programs
• Partners in Productivity
• Parent Engagement Education & Support: Baby & Me, Prism To Be, Ready, Let’s Grow
• Play Groups
• Prenatal and Maternal Health/Dental Programs
• Quality Accreditation Programs

Intended/achieved results (who will benefit and how, what community changes are targeted): Improved access and quality of child care, improved access to child health services, improved parenting skills and family supports and improved collaboration and coordination of children's services.

United Ways role(s) in the initiative: Success by 6 began as a pilot project in Oakland County in 1998. Phase 1 of the project was implemented from 2000-2003 with investment of $900,000. Phase 2 implementation is from 2004-2006 with $1.2 million dollars invested in Oakland and $5 million dollars in regional investments. United Way provides leadership, evaluation and investment and monitoring functions.

Changes achieved to date:

Improve quality of childcare

• In 2001, one center and six family homes in Pontiac were nationally accredited; in 2005, there were nine centers and 14 family homes with national accreditation.

Improve access to high quality childcare for all families

• Number of licensed child care slots increased from 2,461 slots to 3,134 slots
• Number of nationally accredited slots increased from 200 to 757 slots
• 937 children received early care and education services in high quality environments

Improve access to Children's Health Services

• 109 pregnant mothers accessed prenatal and postpartum services
• 25 hearing children of deaf parents received assessments and language supports
• 210 new cribs provided to promote safe sleep practices and reduce infant mortality

Provide Support to Families of Young Children

• 522 parents participated in parenting classes, support groups, and home visit programs, including:
  • 127 teen parents
  • 53 fathers
  • 39 grandparents
  • 303 mothers
• 1,907 children served in early learning and parent-child programs

Improve collaboration and coordination of child and family services

• 15,439 parent contacts through community liaisons
• 679 parents linked with referral and partnership services
• 20, 618 website hits in 2005

Standardization of the use of the Ages and Stages questionnaire for all children

Our Success by 6® Leadership Council

Council Co-Chairs 

• Carol Burr, Corporate Consultant
• Hubert Price Early Childhood Investment Corporation & Synergistic Consulting

• La Tanya Carter, Joining Forces of South Oakland County
• Lynn Crotty, Oakland Livingston Human Services Agency
• Michael Earl, Oakland Family Services
• Susan H. Ebeling, United Way for Southeastern Michigan Board Member
• Lesia J. Farris-Bland, Family & Parent Advocate
• Donna Fishman, Greater Oakland Visiting Nurses Association
• Marge Huggard, Catholic Social Services of Oakland County
• Chandra Jones, Family & Parent State Advocate
• Judy Muhn, Girl Scouts of Metro Detroit
• Sherri Oden Ph.D., Oakland University School of Education & Human Services
• Elnora Ramsey, Joining Forces of South Oakland County
• Lisa Sturges, Oakland University School of Education & Human Services
• Betty Yancey R.N., Nurse Consultant-Michigan Nurse-Family Partnership

Contact for Success by 6®

Victoria R. Martinez
Manager, Success by 6® for Oakland County
United Way for Southeastern Michigan
Resource Investment & Community Partnership
Victoria.martinez@uwsem.org