HSIPC: Head Start Bulletin--Early Head Start"Healthy Child Care America" Campaign: You Can Make a Difference In Your Community

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Winter 1995/1996

Vol. I, Issue No. 57

"Healthy Child Care America" Campaign:
You Can Make a Difference In Your Community

Moniquin Huggins, Child Care Program Specialist, Child Care Bureau, ACF

As Early Head Start and other child development and child care programs serve younger and more vulnerable children, the quality of these services increases in importance.

To bring focus to the importance of quality child care, the Department of Health and Human Services' Child Care Bureau and the Maternal and Child Health Bureau launched the "Healthy Child Care Campaign," a nationwide campaign to promote the health and safety of children and families. Secretary Shalala kicked off the campaign at the National Child Care Health Forum on May 10, 1995, in Washington, DC. This groundbreaking event brought together over 180 health and child care professionals from around the country to discuss health and safety practices and issues.

Together, health and child care professionals drew upon their expertise to draft the "Blueprint for Action," a guide that States and communities can use to plan and build linkages to launch local child care campaigns. The "Blueprint" identifies such areas as the immunization coverage for children in child care, strengthening and improving nutrition services, and expanding ongoing support for child care providers.

The campaign was formed on the principle that child care settings offer unique opportunities to promote the healthy development of young children. Linking health care and child care makes good sense for maximizing resources, developing comprehensive and coordinated services, and most importantly, nurturing children.

To ensure that this initiative impacts each and every community, ACF's Child Care Bureau needs your help. We need your help in getting the word out that children in child care need to be immunized, their learning environments need to be safe and healthy, and the very best of health and nutrition education is needed for parents, providers, and children.

Creating partnerships, expanding knowledge, and building on existing resources are actions which are key to initiating a successful campaign. Partnerships with families, the health community, and the business community will ensure that everyone is involved. Education to train both child care professionals on child care issues and healthcare professionals on child care issues will raise the understanding in fields of the particular needs of children and providers.

You can make a difference by committing to at least one action that your organization will perform to help mobilize communities to launch a "Healthy Child Care America" campaign. If you are eager to advance a healthy child care agenda in your community, contact the Child Care Bureau for further information. Inquiries should be directed to:

Child Care Bureau, ACYF
200 Independence Avenue, SW
Room 300
Washington, DC 20201
Attn: Moniquin Huggins

View other Head Start Bulletins

Head Start Bulletin Issue No. 57 Contents

"Attachment Theory:Implications for Early Head Start"

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