Congress and the White House have officially approved federal funding for the remainder of FY2020, reaching a bipartisan agreement that provides more than $1 billion in increased funding for federal early childhood programs, including:

In response to today’s White House Summit on Child Care and Paid Leave, Child Care Aware^® of America (CCAoA) Executive Director Dr. Lynette M. Fraga released the following statement:

Association of Seasonal Severity and Vaccine Effectiveness with Influenza Vaccination Rates in Children

Abraham, C., Chen, Q., Fan, W., Stockwell, M. Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics (November 2019).

Background: Childhood vaccination rates for the flu tend to be much lower than vaccination rates for other diseases. The percentage of children receiving the flu vaccine has dropped in recent years, despite efforts by doctors and the public health field to encourage parents to vaccinate their children. This study looks at the relationship between flu severity, flu vaccine effectiveness and parents’ decisions about whether to vaccinate their children. 

Child Care Aware^® of America has responded to the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the Department of Health and Human Services and their notice for a request for information (RFI) on “Improving Access to Affordable, High Quality Child Care.” 

Caring for Children with Special Needs

The Problem

Some providers may be – for the first time – serving a child who has a disability or special needs. They likely will have to modify their setting in small ways to create an inclusive environment. Where do they begin? 

Association of WIC Participation and Growth and Developmental Outcomes in High-Risk Infants 

Lakshmanan, A., Song, A., Flores-Fenlon, N., Parti, U., Vanderbilt, D., Friedlich, P., Williams, R., Kipke, M. Clinical Pediatrics (October 2019). 

Background: Nutrition is critical for healthy brain development in infants and toddlers, particularly those who are born prematurely. Federal food programs like Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) have been shown to help infants from low-income families get more vitamins and important nutrients that they need. This study looked at whether participating in public food assistance programs like WIC leads to better development in premature infants discharged from neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).