IdahoSTARS - Child Care Health Consultant Program

The Child Care Health Consultant Program is a program for child care providers, children, parents, and the community.

The purpose of the Child Care Health Consultant Program is to partner with other professionals and work with the child care community to help create environments that best support the healthy growth and development of infants and young children.

There are several ways assistance from the CCHC Program may be obtained. A health or city inspector may refer the child care facility director/owner; a child care facility with a score below 3.0 in health and safety (PCRs) on the Environment Rating Scale Assessment will be offered CCHC Program services; or a child care facility director/owner may self-refer for assistance.

What Is A Child Care Health Consultant?

A Child Care Health Consultant (CCHC) is a health care professional with an interest in and experience with children, who has knowledge of resources and regulations, and is comfortable linking health resources with facilities that provide primarily education and social service.[1] Child Care Health Consultants include health professionals such as registered nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, physicians, dentists, dental hygienists, mental health professionals and registered dietitians. They have completed training based on the Child Care Health Consultant training from the National Training Institute (NTI), University of North Carolina.

Specialized CCHC training builds upon the health care professionals' knowledge by addressing health and safety needs specific to infants, children, and staff in child care settings. CCHCs and the child care staff and families work together to promote healthy and safe environments for young children.

Consultants from the CCHC Program have information and resources to assist child care directors/owners in health and safety promotion throughout their child care facility. CCHC Program services include consultations with individual child care facility directors/owners, families, and the community to help create environments that best support the healthy growth and development of young children. CCHCs partner with child care providers to educate staff regarding:

• How to avoid cross contamination with correct techniques for diapering and feeding
• Infection control with food preparation and in other situations
• The importance of immunizations and state requirements
• Health care promotion for children, staff, and families
  • Oral health
  • Infant and child nutrition
  • Health and safety policies and procedures
  • Assessment of health and safety needs and practices in the child care facility
  • Prevention of injuries and infectious disease
  • Recognition and reporting of child abuse and neglect
• Assisting child care providers to feel more confident enrolling a child with special needs by
  • Consulting with the parents and physician to become comfortable with the Plan of Care and common concerns
  • Provision of resource information to the child care provider
  • Provision of education and technical assistance for inclusion of children with special needs
• Safe sleeping arrangements and prevention of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

Consultants in the Child Care Health Consultant Program interpret Idaho Child Care Rules and the National Health and Safety Performance Standards to provide guidance to child care programs. They are not responsible for or involved with regulating child care facilities. [2]

To locate a Child Care Health Consultant in your area, call the Idaho Care Line at 2-1-1 and request the Child Care Regional Resource and Referral (CCR&R) Specialist or call the CCHC Program Manager at 345-1090 ext 27

[1^] American Academy of Pediatrics, American Public Health Association, National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care. Caring for our Children: National Health and Safety Performance Standards: Guidelines for Out-of-Home Child Care Programs, Second Edition. (USA 2002), 33-34.

[2^] The National Health and Safety Performance Standards are the result of a joint collaborative project of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American Public Health Association (APHA), and the National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care (NCR). The performance standards can be found in print in Caring for Our Children: National Health and Safety Performance Standards: Guidelines for Out-of-Home Child Care Programs, Second Edition, 2002, or on the web at the NCR website: http://ncrkids.org/CFOC/index.html.