National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education

PROVIDERS

NEW: Healthy Kids, Healthy Care

The National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education (NRC) is pleased to bring you the new web-based tool, Healthy Kids, Healthy Care www.healthykids.us.

Designed for parents, Healthy Kids, Healthy Care contains 34 key health and safety practices for parents and families to look for when evaluating and choosing child care/early education programs. Parents can also use the resources to improve the quality of their child's current program. Parents will find answers to important questions such as:

When should I keep my sick child home from child care?

What is the appropriate number of children per caregiver or teacher?

What should I do when my child is bitten in the classroom?

Caregivers and teachers will also find the resources useful to evaluate and improve their services and environments.

Healthy Kids, Healthy Care gives quick access to key information, as well as offering users the opportunity to look into a topic in detail. For each topic, Healthy Kids, Healthy Care provides specific ideas for parents on how to help and work in partnership with their caregivers to ensure healthy children and safe environments. The website offers caregivers and parents links to additional web resources related to each topic.

Healthy Kids, Healthy Care is based on Caring for Our Children: National Health and Safety Standards: Guidelines for Out-of-Home Child Care, 2nd edition.

Topics are arranged in 6 clusters: Caregivers, Cleanliness, Emotional Health, Healthy Habits, Illness/ Chronic Conditions/Special Needs, and Safety.

Civitas: Building Blocks

Building Blocks is a tool designed to help child care professionals in every setting keep up to date with the latest guidelines for quality child care. Highlighting standards that are often overlooked or underutilized, Building Blocks provides you with a fresh way to review your skills and test your knowledge.

Building Blocks was adapted by Civitas with permission from Caring for Our Children: National Health and Safety Performance Standards, Guidelines for Out-of-Home Child Care Programs, Second Edition, 2002. These are nationally recognized standards considered best practices in providing healthy and safe child care environments. Caring for Our Children was developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Public Health Association, and the National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care.

How do I become a child care provider?

The NRC recommends that you start by becoming familiar with your states licensing requirements. Another good source for the supply and demand of child care services is your local resource and referral agency. They can also provide training opportunities.

I am a provider, what resources are available to help me improve the quality and safety of my program?

Stepping Stones - good source of key health and safety practices that reduce disease disability and death in child care facilities.

Caring for Our Children (Comprehensive resource of health and safety models as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Public Health Association)

Resources on specific topics you can access: Reducing the Risk of SIDS, Children with Special Health Care Needs, Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria for Sick Kids, Biting, Playground Safety and many other health and safety sources links

Need a health consultant?

Contact the HCCA network in your state. Can't find what you need? Please call us at 1-800-598-KIDS (5437) or e-mail at info@nrckids.org