What Is Healthy Day Care?

What’s the safest position for a napping infant? Which immunizations should a preschooler receive? For those who work in child care programs, such vital health-related questions occur daily. Yet, many child care providers lack knowledge in basic health and safety issues. To fill this need, programs often engage child care health consultants (CCHCs), who bring up-to-date information to program staff. EDC is working with these consultants and state early childhood education and health leaders to enhance the quality of child care services around the country.

With funding from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau and in partnership with the CHT Resource Group, project staff created a Web site that includes a national CCHC registry, detailed profiles of each state’s and territory’s program, and a range of resources for state officials, care providers, and consultants themselves. The project also provides technical assistance to state CCHC leaders, an e-newsletter, and Web-based seminars on topics relevant to developing CCHC systems.

“This is the first time that so much comprehensive information for these consultants has been gathered in one place,” says EDC Project Director Patricia Fahey.