Child care providers play an essential role in the development and well-being of young children. However, the demanding nature of the job coupled with low wages may negatively affect their physical health, emotional well-being and overall quality of life. It is important for child care providers to prioritize self-care and wellness to ensure they are able to provide the best care possible for the children and families they serve. Child Care Resource and Referral agencies (CCR&Rs) can offer the support providers need to care for themselves while they care for everyone else.  

Physical play is an important factor in children’s learning and supports their healthy development. Playgrounds provide spaces for children to be active, engage in imaginative play, socialize with peers and develop new skills. While public playgrounds and playspaces’ safety and access can vary across geographies, too often playgrounds are scarce, and the quality of existing playgrounds could be better: frequently consisting of broken play components, outdated equipment or surfaces that should be replaced. A lack of quality play and exercise infrastructure can negatively impact children's mental and physical well-being. Furthermore, violence within and around parks can negatively impact children's access to public parks and play spaces. 

You may have noticed news about increased rates of sickness among young children.  In particular, there have been increased rates for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza (flu) and COVID-19, as COVID-19 prevention efforts have shifted away from using masks and many people are spending more time in settings with more people than they had over the last couple of years. This has left us with increased rates of illness and hospitalization among young children. Child care programs are experts in disease prevention and have led the way in implementing disinfection and handwashing and monitoring children for illness.  It is more important than ever to continue efforts to reduce transmission of illness in child care settings.  

Introduction 

Child Care Aware® of America launched the Enhancing Preparedness and Response Capabilities for Early Learning Providers, Families, and Children project in 2019 to assist a group of Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) agencies within a 10-state Midwest area with increasing the likelihood that  child care providers, families, communities, and the CCR&Rs themselves are better prepared for disasters. This project, which concluded in 2021, was the second phase of a larger initiative that began in 2016.  Through this multi-year work, CCR&Rs strengthen their ability to serve as resilience hubs that reduce, and possibly prevent, the suffering of people affected by disasters—especially those most vulnerable. This work, focused on both the local and state level, has amplified the voice of child care and the strength of CCR&R agencies who are building local resilience, relationships, and expertise before, during, and long after a disaster occurs.  

Every year, 600,000 military-connected families and children move around the country. The average military family moves three times as often as their civilian peers, and the majority of these “permanent change of station” (PCS) moves take place during the summer. Finding access to quality, affordable child care is an essential component of a smooth transition.