Advocating for the well-being of children in Child Care
Ensuring Safe and Healthy Child Care
North Dakota Child Care Health Consultants
October 2009
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Advocating for the well-being of children in Child Care |
With so many families needing to access out-of-home care for their children, the quality of that care is an increasing concern. One characteristic of a quality child care program is one that offers services to enhance the health and safety of children. Following the basic regulations for operating a child care facility does not necessarily ensure that quality is offered. Child care health consultants offer an avenue for increasing the quality of health and safety issues that benefit child care providers, children and their families.
The
services offered by child care health consultants are not required through
licensing regulations. Health
consultation is suggested by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau as a standard
most needed to protect children from harm in out-of-home settings.
The Maternal and Child Health Division of the North Dakota Department of
Health supports this recommendation by providing a state level nurse consultant.
This nurse consultant works closely with the child care health
consultants by providing leadership and consultation services, infrastructure
support, orientation training oversight and facilitation of the CCHC quarterly
meetings.
ROLES OF THE NORTH DAKOTA CHILD
CARE HEALTH CONSULTANT
For
children and families
ü
provide
consultation on various health and safety issues
ü connect children with special health care needs to community resources
ü provide referrals to the primary care provider or other community services
ü encourage and assist with the establishment of a single point of health care (medical home).
Child
care providers:
ü
provide
consultation and education to staff about child development, health and safety
issues, nutrition, immunizations, accommodating children with special health
care needs, infection control practices, etc.
ü offer clarification on best practices for health and safety issues, exclusion policies, etc.
ü identify health and safety risks and help develop a plan to correct problems
ü provide health and safety resources
ü help develop and implement infection control practices
ü build awareness of the medical home and community services
Community:
ü
promote
quality child care
ü advocate for policies that promote health and safe care for children
ü serve as a connection between child care and other community agencies through relationship building.
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Eastern North Dakota
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Western North Dakota Kathy Lampman, RN |