What is the authoritative source for best health and safety practices when advising a child care facility or a family with a child in child care?

• The AAP, APHA , and NRC developed a comprehensive source, Caring for Our Children: National Health and Safety Performance Standards: Guidelines for Out-of-Home Child Care Programs: Second Edition, that lists over 700 health and safety practices in the areas of:
  
  • Staffing
  • Program Activities (Child Development)
  • Health Promotion and Protection
  • Nutrition
  • Facilities, Supplies, Equipment, and Transportation
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Children Eligible for Services Under IDEA
  • Administration
• Please note that all licensed child care facilities must comply with state regulations. See our link to all fifty states’ licensing requirements.

How do I introduce the standard (best practices) to a child care program?

• Start with familiarizing the provider with the standards in Stepping Stones, a group of 234 Standards from Caring for Our Children that have been determined to have the greatest impact in reducing disease, disability, and death in child care.
• Another good source on policies is Pennsylvania AAPs Model Child Care Health Policies, 4th Edition (Under Health in the links page)

What resources do I give parents who ask how to choose quality child care?

• A Parents Guide to Choosing Safe and Healthy Child Care


• 13 Indicators of Quality Child Care: Research Update, by Richard Fiene, PhD


• Many resource and referral agencies produce checklists; consult with your local R&R: Find child care now

Looking for specific information on these and other topics?

• Biting
• Brain development
• Serving Children with Special Health Care Needs
• Liability
• Nutrition
• Reducing the Risk of SIDS
• Coping with Disasters and War



• For additional topic specific resources see our Standards-Based Resources, Healthy Kids, Healthy Care, or our links page for other valuable health and safety Websites.

Interested in becoming a health consultant?

• Contact NTI for individuals in your state who train child care health consultants
• Contact Healthy Child Care Consultant Network Support Center for Health Consultant networks in your state