What's New?
(latest update: June 3, 2009)

Does Your Early Childhood Program Promote Healthy Eating Habits?

• Grains- especially whole grains;
• Fruits - deep orange, yellow and red whole fruits, and full strength fruit juices;
• Vegetables - dark, green leafy and deep yellow;
• Milk - including low fat and yogurt;
• Meat and Beans- Chicken, Fish, Dried Peas and Beans, Lean Meat;
• Oils- vegetable.

• Fruits and vegetables instead of cookies.

Welcome to the National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care (NRC)

The National Resource Center is located at the University of Colorado Denver in Denver, Colorado, and is funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, HRSA. The NRC's primary mission is to promote health and safety in out-of-home child care settings throughout the nation.

The standard resource for information concerning this subject is the Caring for Our Children: National Health and Safety Performance Standards Guidelines for Out-of-Home Child Care Programs, Second Edition published in January 2002. The guidelines were developed through the collaborative efforts of the American Public Health Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Maternal and Child Health Bureau. The entire text of this publication is available on this website.

Each state manages licensure of child care settings in different ways. The licensure regulations from the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands are also available on this Website. The NRC updates this database as changes are made.