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Article| Volume 31, ISSUE 6, P684-694, November 2017

Child Care Health Consultation Improves Infant and Toddler Care

Published:August 08, 2017DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedhc.2017.05.005

      Abstract

      Introduction

      Many families enroll their infants and toddlers in early education and child care programs. The Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics recruited 32 child care centers that care for infants and toddlers to be linked with a child care health consultant (CCHC).

      Method

      Project staff assigned the centers alternately to an immediate intervention or a 1-year delayed intervention (contrast) group. At entry into the project, and then 1 and 2 years later, an evaluator assessed center compliance with 13 standards for infants and toddler care selected from Caring for Our Children: National Health and Safety Performance Standards (3rd ed.). Project staff linked the Immediate Intervention centers with a CCHC in Year 1. In Year 2, in a crossover comparison, project staff linked Contrast centers with a CCHC.

      Results

      Working with a CCHC effectively improved compliance with some selected health and safety standards.

      Key Words

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      Biography

      Rosemary Johnston, Infant Toddler Quality Improvement Project Coordinator, PA Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics, Early Childhood Education Linkage System, Media, PA.

      Biography

      Beth A. DelConte, Pediatric Advisor, PA Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics, Early Childhood Education Linkage System, Media, PA.

      Biography

      Libby Ungvary, Director, PA Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics, Early Childhood Education Linkage System, Media, PA.

      Biography

      Richard Fiene, Research Psychologist, Research Institute for Key Indicators, Middletown, PA, and Affiliate Professor, Prevention Research Center, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA.

      Biography

      Susan S. Aronson, Pediatric Advisor, PA Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics, Early Childhood Education Linkage System, Media, PA, and Retired Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, The University of Pennsylvania and The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA.