At Child Care Aware® of America, we believe that all children deserve clean air, clean water, safe food and products, and healthy places to live, learn and play. That’s why we’re partnering with the Children’s Environmental Health Network and dozens of partners around the country to celebrate Children’s Environmental Health Day today. Alongside our partners, we’re using this day to raise awareness of children’s health issues, celebrate successes, share exciting new initiatives and look ahead to challenges and opportunities for creating healthier spaces for children to live, learn and play.

Positive Childhood Experiences and Adult Mental and Relational Health in a Statewide Sample: Associations Across Adverse Childhood Experiences Levels 
Bethell, C., Jones, J., and Gombojav, N. JAMA Pediatrics (September 2019). 

Background: Past research has linked adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) – e.g., divorce, abuse, domestic violence – to greater risks for poor mental health and fewer supportive relationships in adulthood. This study looks at whether positive childhood experiences (PCEs) such as a sense of belonging at school, or feeling safe and protected by an adult at home are linked with better mental health in adulthood and whether PCEs can reduce some of the negative effects of ACEs. 

The problem

Keeping young children safe is a priority for child care providers. But safety practices vary, depending on a child’s age and developmental stage. Keeping an infant safe can be very different than keeping a toddler safe.

Multisector Approach to Improve Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Policies and Practices in Early Care and Education Programs: The National Early Care and Education Learning Collaboratives Project, 2013–2017 

Garvin, T.M., Weissenburger-Moser Boyd, L., Chiappone, A., Blaser, C., Story, M., Gertel-Rosenberg, A., Shuell, J., Chang, D., Ward, D., Plumlee, C., Beets, M., and Yaroch, A.L. Preventing Chronic Disease (July 2019). 

Background: Children begin building healthy eating and physical activity habits early in life, making early care and education (ECE) settings a promising place to promote best practices in nutrition and physical activity. The National Early Care and Education Learning Collaborative Project (ECELC) brought an intensive training, technical assistance and peer learning program to child care programs in ten states over five years. This study looks at how effective that program was in improving best practices in child care. 

This Monday, September 16, The New York Times ran an op-ed highlighting the importance of rational inclusion and exclusion policies for sick children in early childhood education settings. We at Child Care Aware® of America are excited that this important issue is getting attention, and thank the Times for underscoring the ramifications of inclusion and exclusion policies that are overly cautious and require children to see a doctor for many minor illnesses that do not warrant a doctor’s office visit.

The problem: Many child care programs serve families whose native language is different than the provider’s. Communication on routine matters can be problematic, so how can providers share information with families on more complicated issues like early brain development or toxic stress?