Early Education and Child Care in Action

E-News for Health Professionals

An electronic newsletter for members of the AAP Section on Early Education and
Child Care and their child care partners

Click here to view past and current issues of E-News

Current Issue #7, July 2007

1. Message from the Chairperson Elaine Donoghue, MD, FAAP

2. New Reports

• New Report on State Early Childhood Policies
• Early Literacy Program Resolution Adopted by the AMA
• New Summary of Research on Family Child Care
• Assessing Initiatives for Family, Friend, and Neighbor Care
• The Benefits and Costs of Head Start

3. New Resources

• Standardized Childhood
• Enriching Children, Enriching the Nation
• Social & Emotional Health in Early Childhood
• The Science of Early Childhood Development
• Children in Immigrant Families
• Infant Nutrition During a Disaster
• The Health and Safety Assessment for Child Care
• The Health and Safety Policy Templates
• I am Moving, I am Learning
• State Child Care Quality Rating Systems
• School Readiness and Success
• The National Summit on America’s Children
• Assessing the Impact of Child Care Health Consultation
• Healthy Smiles

4. Upcoming Events

• Family Child Care Foundations for the Future
• AAP NCE
• NAEYC

5. Funding Opportunity

• RGK Foundation
• Healthy Tomorrows
• AAP Funding

1. Message from the Chairperson Elaine Donoghue, MD, FAAP:

This brings our current Section membership to 272, plus 22 nursing professionals!

Dear Members of the Provisional Section on Early Education and Child Care:

One of the benefits of membership in our section is having the latest research highlighted, and we have a lot of new research to report about in this edition.

I am pleased to inform you that The Reducing the Risk of SIDS in Child Care Evaluation Project has been completed! This project was aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of the AAP Reducing the Risk of SIDS in Child Care Speaker's Kit in CA, LA, MT and PA. These states were selected based on the criteria that they did not currently have state regulations for child care centers and family child care homes on placing infants on their backs to sleep, yet have an infrastructure to support this project. All 4 states identified observers and trainers that participated in a one day Train the Trainer program. Each state team also identified approximately 40 child care centers and 40 family child care homes; half served as control and half as intervention sites. All centers and homes received 2 observations and only the intervention sites received training using the AAP Speaker's Kit. Rachel Moon, MD, FAAP, and Laura Aird presented the results of this project at the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA) Professional Development Institute (PDI) conference in May 2007. Dr Moon will also summarize lessons learned from this project during the Afternoon with the AAP educational session that will be held in conjunction with the 2007 National Association for the Education of Young Children Conference November 7-10, 2007, in Chicago, Illinois. A journal article is being created to summarize the data. This will be submitted to Pediatrics this summer.

Section member Jonathan Kotch, MD, MPH, FAAP, has published an article in the July, 2007 issue of Pediatrics titled, “Hand-Washing and Diapering Equipment Reduces Disease Among Children in Out-of-Home Child Care Centers.” The objective of this study was to determine whether the installation of equipment for diaper-changing, hand-washing, and food preparation that is specifically designed to reduce the transmission of infectious agents would result in a decrease in the rate of diarrheal illness among children and their teachers in child care centers.

Thank you to those of you who have sent us your journal articles. We have taken all of the journal articles from the PSOEECC and compiled them into a Literature Review. This literature review includes articles on improving child care, health and safety practices, school readiness, infectious diseases, and more! Most of the articles are available online, however, if you are interested in a document that you are not able to access, simply email childcare@aap.org to request a copy. If you are interested in adding one of your articles to this literature review, please email that article to childcare@aap.org. 

An AAP Chapter Child Care Contacts (CCCC) has been identified in almost every AAP state Chapter. However, we are still looking for a CCCC in Alaska, Missouri, and North Dakota. If you are interested (or know someone who might be interested in becoming a CCCC for Alaska, Missouri, or North Dakota), please see the CCCC Job Description here and/or e-mail childcare@aap.org.

Click here to learn more about the role of the CCCC and to locate the CCCC in your state.

One goal for the CCCCs is to disseminate information about EECC. The AAP staff recently developed and presented a PowerPoint presentation titled: Quality Child Care 101. This PowerPoint has been modified so that anyone can present on the basics of quality child care and includes speaking points. This presentation will provide the audience with an overview of child care and child care options, ways to identify quality child care arrangements, and how to use AAP resources effectively. The AAP Policy Statement: Quality Early Education and Child Care, child care health and safety resource list, and state child care regulations are also available and are excellent resources for the audience.

The AAP 2007 National Conference and Exhibition (NCE) in San Francisco, CA, is quickly approaching! Please see the section on Upcoming Events for more information and register now. We look forward to seeing you at our Annual Dinner!

Sincerely,

Elaine Donoghue, MD, FAAP, Chairperson
AAP Provisional Section on Early Education and Child Care

2. New Reports:

New Report on State Early Childhood Policies
State Early Childhood Policies: Improving the Odds provides unique, detailed information about the policy choices that states make to promote the healthy development and school readiness of young children. The report and accompanying state profiles show that most low-income children are not getting the support they need to build a solid foundation for future growth and achievement.

Early Literacy Program Resolution Adopted by the AMA
The Early Literacy Programs resolution was successfully adopted by the American Medical Association (AMA) House.

The Resolve:
"That physicians be encouraged to participate in early literacy programs to promote literacy development, educate parents on child development, and strengthen family interactions, so that these programs become a common part of child health care as foundation for school readiness"

This policy can now be used in any community promotion or when advocating for child care.

New Summary of Research on Family Child Care
Nearly one-quarter of all children are in family child care at some point before beginning elementary school. This research brief summarizes the literature review entitled Child Care in the United States written by Taryn W. Morrissey of the Department of Human Development, Cornell University, for Research Connections, and addresses the current research on family child care, who uses family child care, and the quality of family child care.

Assessing Initiatives for Family, Friend, and Neighbor Care
Family, friend, and neighbor care is the most common form of child care for children under age 5 whose parents work. There are growing efforts to support these caregivers and enhance the children’s experiences. This brief from Research Connections highlights current models for supporting and enhancing family, friend, and neighbor care and describes initial efforts to evaluate them.

The Benefits and Costs of Head Start
The Society for Research in Child Development's Social Policy Report contains an article by Jens Ludwig and Deborah Phillips regarding the costs and benefits of Head Start. The authors seek to help narrow the range of uncertainty about the relative costs and benefits of the Head Start program.

3. New Resources:

Standardized Childhood: The Political and Cultural Struggle over Early Education
In his new book, Berkeley sociologist Bruce Fuller takes stock of the growing national debate over early education and child rearing ­what’s becoming a widening front in the culture wars.
Child care and early education already form a $54 billion industry nationwide, and the new preschool advocates aim to add yet another layer, proposing that we “leave no toddler behind,” lobbying for state–run systems that would corral all young children into standardized preschools. Traveling to states that are advancing this “brave new world” of child rearing, Fuller probes both the claims of advocates and the proliferating scientific evidence, asking whether the rising count of governors, and even presidential candidates, are right in pressing formal schooling down into the everyday lives of all young children.

Fuller B. Standardized childhood: the political and cultural struggle over early education. Palo Alto, CA: Stanford University Press; 2007

Enriching Children, Enriching the Nation: Public Investment in High-Quality Prekindergarten
This Economic Policy Institute book by Robert G. Lynch offers evidence that investments in early learning pay off for state governments -- for example, 80 percent of states would see surpluses in 10 years or less from spending on targeted pre-K initiatives. You may find it useful in building the case for the work you do in your state.

For a fact sheet with highlights from the book, click here.

Lynch R. Enriching Children, enriching the nation: public investment in high-quality prekindergarten. Washington, DC: Economic Policy Institute; 2007

Social & Emotional Health in Early Childhood: Building Bridges Between Services & Systems
Social-emotional health is one of the most critical factors in a child's development and school readiness--a factor that depends on weaving effective mental health services into other systems and programs that support young children. With this comprehensive, research-based book, practitioners and policy makers will learn how to make mental health services and supports an integral part of every early childhood setting--and ensure better social-emotional and academic outcomes for all young children.

Perry DF, Kaufmann RK, Knitzer J. Social & emotional health in early childhood: building bridges between services & systems. Baltimore, MD: PH Brookes; 2007

The Science of Early Childhood Development: Closing the Gap Between What We Know and What We Do
This publication is a concise framework for understanding the science of early childhood and brain development as it relates to policies and programs that could make a significant difference in the lives of children—and all of society. Included is a discussion of the 7 Core Concepts of Development and their implications for policy and practice.

Research Brief: Children in Immigrant Families
Child Trends and the Center for Social and Demographic Analysis recently published a Research Brief on children in immigrant families. The publication includes information for each State along with links to more detailed tables. Such information may be useful as you consider how to develop a system that addresses the needs of immigrant families in your jurisdiction.

New Fact Sheet: Infant Nutrition During a Disaster: Breastfeeding and Other Options
Have you considered the impact that both natural and human-made disasters have on infant feeding? Check out the new Infant Nutrition During a Disaster fact sheet created by the AAP Breastfeeding Initiatives! Prepare before a disaster and educate child care providers on how they can support families IF and WHEN disaster strikes.

2 New Resources from the Indiana Child Care Health Consultant Program

• The Health and Safety Assessment for Child Care is a revision of California’s assessment. The manual that accompanies the assessment references Caring for Our Children (the national health and safety standards, NAEYC accreditation standards, family child care accreditation standards, and Head Start Performance Standards that apply to each item on the checklist.

• The Health and Safety Policy Templates is a collection of more than 40 examples and supporting materials. The materials are designed for use in all types of early care and education settings, and are not specific to Indiana. Each template cites the resources used and, whenever possible, National Health and Safety Standards were used as a reference.

I am Moving, I am Learning: A Proactive Approach for Addressing Childhood Obesity in Head Start Children
In 2005 the Region III Office of the Administration for Children and Families initiated a pilot project I Am Moving, I Am Learning to prevent and reverse the negative consequences of obesity and promote lifelong fitness for Head Start children through increased physical activity and healthy nutrition choices. The project began in 17 Head Start programs in Virginia and West Virginia in 2006, and has since expanded given the reported positive outcomes.

• Overview
• Summary Report
• Video (12 Minute Best Practices Video)

State Child Care Quality Rating Systems Audio Conference
On March 29, 2007, the Afterschool Investments Project held an audio conference on promoting quality in afterschool programs through State child care quality rating systems. Resources available for download include a recording of the call, the call transcript and materials that accompany the discussion.

School Readiness and Success: Improving Children’s Social and Emotional Development
On May 17, 2007, the Chapin Hall Center for Children held a web conference that discussed research on programs that further the social and emotional development of children. The recording highlights one program that has improved outcomes for young children by screening them for behavioral problems and referring them to appropriate services. Also discussed are the benefits of integrating programs into school systems and retaining the support and involvement of parents, teachers and school officials. Finally, the funding and policy changes necessary to facilitate such programs are presented. The audio is accompanied by PowerPoint presentations and a description of the Q&A session with the audience.

Webcast: The National Summit on America’s Children
The National Summit on America’s Children took place on Tuesday, May 22nd on Capitol Hill. Watch the webcast, which convened national experts and academics on recent scientific findings and how they relate to early childhood development - a key step in making certain that federal policies on children reflect the latest scientific developments.

Webinar: Assessing the Impact of Child Care Health Consultation
This webinar, coordinated by the Healthy Child Care Consultant Network Support Center, was held on June 12, 2007, and provides ideas and resources to support your efforts to assess and communicate the impact of child care health consultation in your state. Presenters discussed a framework for evaluation and how to use logic models in program evaluation, with examples from Illinois and Oregon.

• Listen and view the 86-minute webinar
• View PowerPoint slides

Healthy Smiles: Oral Health of Young Children Toolkit
Last issue we explained that the National Training Institute for Child Care Health Consultants (NTI) is offering an online training curriculum for child care health consultants called the Healthy Smiles Through Child Care Health Consultation. The NTI has recently developed a Toolkit to accompany this curriculum. The Toolkit is available publicly and is specifically designed for Child Care Health Consultants to use with child care providers and parents/guardians.

4. Upcoming Events:

2007 Annual Conference Family Child Care Foundations for the Future
August 16-18, 2007, Anaheim Marriott Hotel, Anaheim, CA

The California Association for Family Child Care will be hosting the 17th National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) Annual Conference. This year’s theme is “Family Child Care: Foundations for the Future”. With more than 100 workshops and seminars, networking sessions, celebration events, and exciting keynote presentations by Janet Gonzalez-Mena and Jeff Johnson, participant’s conference agendas will be action packed.

The National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education (NRC) will be presenting a workshop, Health and Safety Resource Update: Tools You Can Use, led by Abbey Alkon, RN, PNP, PhD; Susan Eckelt, CDA; and Barbara Hamilton, MA. The workshop will highlight important new health and safety information key to providing a healthy and safe family child care home environment. Foundational tools, websites and other resources will be discussed and used during the interactive presentation to give providers practical steps that can be taken to prevent and manage infectious diseases, reduce the risk of SIDS, and connect families with known resources and services.

AAP 2007 National Conference and Exhibition
October 27-30, 2007, San Francisco, California

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) invites you to participate in its 2007 National Conference & Exhibition (NCE) in San Francisco, October 27-30. This is the most comprehensive pediatric meeting in the world and represents the full spectrum of pediatric medical professionals and decision makers including pediatricians in general practice, pediatric specialists, young physicians and residents, and pediatric allied health professionals.

October 26th, 12 – 5:30 pm: Every year at the AAP NCE, the Pediatrics for the 21st Century (Peds-21) Symposium Series is held to address emerging issues that will impact the practice of pediatrics and pediatric care. For more information on this year’s free pre-NCE event, click here: 
Determinants of Child Health: The Role of the Pediatrician Community Pediatrics for the 21st Century

The Section’s first official educational program is scheduled for Monday, October 29, 2007, in the afternoon, and our Section educational and networking dinner will be that same evening. Click here for a schedule of AAP Child Care Health and Safety Activities.

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
November 7-10, 2007, Chicago, Illinois

• An Afternoon with the AAP: November 9, 2007, 1pm-5pm
• Reducing the Risk of SIDS
• Managing Infectious Diseases
• Children with Special Health Care Needs

5. Funding Opportunity:

Funding Opportunity From The RGK Foundation
RGK Foundation awards grants ($25,000 average) in the broad areas of Education, Community, and Medicine/Health. Within Community, the Foundation supports a broad range of human services, community improvement, abuse prevention, and youth development programs. Human service programs of particular interest to the Foundation include children and family services, early childhood development, and parenting education. There is no deadline for submitting an electronic Letter of Inquiry and are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Submit a Letter of Inquiry here.

2008 Healthy Tomorrows Grant Cycle Postponed
The Healthy Tomorrows Partnership for Children Program's 2008 Grant Cycle, which was scheduled to be announced in August 2007, has been postponed. Program staff anticipate that there will be a 2009 Grant Cycle announced in the summer of 2008. The new cycle will feature revised application submission guidelines. In the coming months, please check the Healthy Tomorrows website for grant cycle updates. If you have questions about Healthy Tomorrows, contact Nicole Miller at nmiller@aap.org or Karla Palmer at kpalmer@aap.org.

Bookmark this Web page for Up-to-date Funding Opportunities!
The AAP National Center on Medical Home Initiatives for Children with Special Needs provides information on a variety of funding opportunities from the Academy and other organizations, as well as links to other funding key contacts and resources. These are relevant for every project and don’t simply focus on only children with special needs.

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