Tips for Using the Stepping Stones Checklist
For copies of the Stepping Stones Checklist, go to:
http://nrckids.org/STEPPING/Checklist.pdf
FOR CENTERS
  1. At weekly/monthly staff meeting, take one chapter from the checklist at a time and review with the group if the program is meeting the Stepping Stones Standards.

    1. For those standards not being met, develop an action plan for each one -asking all staff for input and ideas.

    2. If your program has access to a child care health consultant – ask for their review and suggestions for ideas. To find a child care health consultant, go to http://hcccnsc.edc.org/registry/search.asp.

    3. Celebrate when standards are met – example: lattes for each standard improved to a pizza party when all within one chapter are met.

  2. Assign a team of teachers to each chapter from the checklist to evaluate which standards have been met.

    1. Ask the team to come up with an action plan for those that need to be improved.

      1. Share the plan with the rest of the staff and generate discussion. Have group go back and finalize. See where there may be overlapping solutions from teams – (i.e. Chapter 2 – 2.033 Vehicle Safety Restraint Systems – child focused and Chapter 5 – 5.236 Vehicle Safety Restraint Systems – vehicle focused).

    2. Chart progress of successfully meeting the standards.

    3. Celebrate when a chapter is completed – example: movie passes to team or all staff.

  3. Administrator and teacher team pick a standard a week to work on. Teachers rotate each week. It may take a little more time but may be more feasible. Set a two week time period to try and resolve. Please note that some may take a much longer time to resolve – i.e. reducing child staff ratios—others will take less time such as changing a policy on attendance with head lice that would include an educational session and information sheet for caregivers and parents.
FOR FAMILY CHILD CARE HOMES
  1. Take a chapter from the checklist once a month or quarterly and review which standards are met.

    1. Give yourself a pat on the back on those that you are doing well.

    2. For those that need improvement – make a list of which are easiest for you to improve – try to tackle two a week if possible.

    3. For those that are harder – (i.e. possible structural changes in your home or reducing ratios):

      1. talk with other family providers as to how they have met these standards (local Family Child Care group; state group).

      2. If you have access to a child care health consultant – ask for their review and suggestions for ideas. To find a child care health consultant, go to http://hcccnsc.edc.org/registry/search.asp.

      3. If appropriate, ask for parents’ assistance or volunteers in helping to improve something – i.e. help with putting a better playground surface in your yard and inform them the reasons for such.

    4. Share with your parents the improvements you have made. They will be glad to hear that you are always improving and enhancing your program and environment for their child’s well-being, health and safety.
For copies of the Stepping Stones Checklist, go to:
http://nrckids.org/STEPPING/Checklist.pdf
©2007 National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education
http://nrckids.org; 1-800-598-KIDS (5437)