Schools, working together with local health departments, have an important role in slowing the spread of diseases and protecting vulnerable students and staff, to help ensure students have safe and healthy learning environments. This guidance will help public and private child care programs, K-12 schools, and their partners understand how to help…

In 2017, the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) in the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) funded Mathematica to conduct the Infant and Toddler Teacher and Caregiver Competencies (ITTCC) project. The project aims to examine existing efforts across states, institutions of higher education, professional organizations, and…

When the Model Work Standards were first crafted more than two decades ago, they were built on the premise that quality child care jobs are the cornerstone of high-quality services for children and families. The intent of these standards is to make it possible for those who choose teaching young children as a career to reasonably and responsibly…

Building on extensive feedback from the field as well as vigorous new research on how best to support infant and toddler development and learning, the authors have revised and updated the widely used "Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale." ITERS-3 is the next-generation assessment tool for use in center-based child care programs for…

This "Integrated Pest Management Toolkit for Early Care and Education Programs" presents practical information about using integrated pest management (IPM) to prevent and manage pest problems in early care and education programs. This curriculum will help people in early care and education programs learn how to keep pests out of early…

This booklet serves to help all child-care providers with valuable information such as (1) How children grow and develop, (2) Nutrients needed for growth and development, (3) Dietary Guidelines for Americans, (4) The USDA Food Guide Pyramid for Young Children, and (3) Helping children learning about food and eating. The booklet also contains…

Lead can affect children's brains and developing nervous systems, causing reduced IQ, learning disabilities, and behavioral problems. Lead is also harmful to adults. Lead in dust is the most common way people are exposed to lead. People can also get lead in their bodies from lead in soil or paint chips. Lead dust is often invisible. Lead-based…

Offers guidelines for putting a monetary value on a child care business. Discusses reasons for valuing the business, types of valuations (book, liquidation, and fair market), fair market valuation formulas, the corporate valuation, valuing assets included in a sale, and using experts. Also offers several tips for selling a child care business. (EV)

Discusses important considerations when designing early childhood facilities, including adequate space, design features that work for both small children and adults, floorcovering, color, and technology. (EV)

This book is intended as a resource for those who create, adapt, and cope with settings for young children. It focuses particularly on all-day child care settings. Part 1, "Understanding Children's Settings," explores the power of the environment, or the "landscape" of children's lives--the array of settings they inhabit--and analyzes the…

In response to the need for guidance, this manual provides assistance for faith-based communities as they decide whether licensed child care fits within their ministry. The manual covers steps for getting started, key factors in determining budget, performing a needs assessment in the community and for the facility, the administrative structure of…

Notes the overuse of antibiotics and the resulting resistant bacterial strains. Describes how to control and prevent staphylococcal infections specifically, and almost all infectious diseases generally. Specific sections address: (1) what are staph infections; (2) preventing staph infections; (3) caring for wounds; and (4) controlling staph…

Describes common mistakes to be avoided by child care directors in early childhood catalog purchasing. Notes roadblocks to successful purchases, including failing to check out seller's reliability, comparing prices without including shipping costs or considering product quality, failing to anticipate needs, ordering from outdated catalogs, failing…

Offers eight suggestions for child care center teachers recently promoted to supervisory positions. Considers the supervisor's need to make decisions, communicate, define expectations, stay connected with staff, create a culture that encourages new ideas, and set the tone for the work environment by example. (JPB)

Offers suggestions for resolving conflict between child care staff or between caregivers and parents. Suggestions include taking personal time, putting others first, being honest and up front, staying focused on being professional, letting go of selfishness, keeping quiet, listening, giving more than one takes, asking for a reprieve, and seeking…