Reach for the Stars! 2017 NC CCHCA Conference begins

The 2017 North Carolina Child Care Health Consultant Association Conference began Wednesday afternoon, March 8th, with an introduction to Dr. Tamar Ringel-Kulka, the new Project Director and Jacquie Simmons, the new Project Coordinator for the North Carolina Child Care Health and Safety Resource Center.

Dr. Tamar Ringel-Kulka

Jacquie Simmons

The conference continued with a session with updates and new initiatives from the Division of Child Development and Early Education, led by Lorie Peugh and Laura Hewitt.

Lorie Peugh

Initiatives presented were the Race to the Top / Early Learning Challenge Grant results, Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) requirements, and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultantion grant.

The Child Care Commission and their relationship with the child care rules were explained in detail, and a special emphasis was made on the important role of the voices of Child Care Health Consultants to the rule making process during public hearing and public comment. They continued with a discussion of the temporary rules put in place in September 2016 to meet CCDF requirements and the relationship to the permanent rules which will be put into place spring 2017. The tentative date for the public hearing of rules is May 8, 2017. The Resource Center will send a notification to all CCHCs when the permanent rules are published (in April) and details about the process of public comment and public hearing.

They also introduced DCDEE WORKS - a new Workforce Online Reporting and Knowledge System which will function as a single portal of entry for workforce education and professional development to collect, report, and track child care workforce information needed to support education requirements

CCHCs are keeping child passengers safe!

On June 7th-10th, Tonya Moss - CCHC in Catawba County - assisted in the facilitation of a Safe Kids Child Passenger Safety Technician Training in Lincoln county. 

Christine Rosinski - CCHC in Gaston County - participated in the training where she earned her Child Passenger Safety Technician Certification.  Shown here, Christine, Tonya and Juliana Whitaker - CCHC in Lincoln County - participated in a car seat check on June 10th in Lincolnton, NC.

The car seat check was open to the public and organized by Juliana.  The check was successful and allowed the participants of the week long technician training to put their skills to the test. 

For more information on becoming a nationally certified Child Passenger Safety (CPS) technician, click here.

NC CCHCA Conference 2016 - NC CCHC Certification Pilot

NC CCHC Certification (CCHC-C) project was presented this morning at the annual Association conference. The goal of building the first in the nation Child Care Health Consultant Certification process to address the need for qualified on-site support for health and safety in child care programs in NC was discussed by a panel: Dr. Jonathan Kotch discussed the importance of high quality CCHC services to the health and safety of young children and how North Carolina is leading the way nationally. 

Christina DiSalvo from the North Carolina Partnership for Children talked about the infrastructure in North Carolina that supports CCHCs, including the CCHC Practice Model, the NC Child Care Health and Safety Resource Center and coaching supports, and the state CCHC nurse and Association. 

Debra Torrence from the NC Institute for Child Development Professionals discussed the importance of certification and what certification will mean for Child Care Health Consultants in North Carolina. 

Read more about the Child Care Health Consultant Certification Pilot Project here: http://ncicdp.org/certification-licensure/cchc-c/

Amy Petersen, the chair of the CCHC Association told us more about the actual details of the project and who has been involved so far. 

And Erin Belford talked more about the pilot project and what the benefits of certification will be for CCHCs, including the Rewards and Benefits options: http://ncicdp.org/certification-licensure/eecrewards/ 

Update! Slides from this presentation are now available on the Association's OneDrive.

CCHC of the year!

Terri Walls of Craven County has been chosen for the North Carolina Child Care Health Association Achievement Award for 2016. Congratulations Terri!!

NC CCHCA Conference 2016 - Children's Environmental Health - David Brown

David Brown, Surveillance Coordinator with the Department of Health and Human Services Children's Environmental Health Program presents at the North Carolina Child Care Health Consultant Association Conference. 

He warned against the use of electric hot water dispensers currently seen being used in child care facilities in North Carolina. 

And had helpful images from classrooms across the state to illustrate best practice ...

and unacceptable situations. 

Can you determine what should be locked and what should be kept out of reach in this picture? 

Tell us in the comments!

Vaccines save lives!

Vaccines save lives! This was the message shared by Child Care Health Consultant Dorothy Rawleigh on September 24 at the Chatham County Public Library. Rawleigh, who works with the Chatham County Public Health Department, presented a training on Childhood Immunizations to a group of 25 early educators.

Rawleigh dispelled common myths about vaccines and encouraged early educators to work with parents to ensure that children in early care settings are up to date on their shots.

For more information about immunization requirements in NC : http://www.immunize.nc.gov/

Craven County Child Care Health Consultant Presents at....

the 9th Annual Building Brighter Futures Early Childhood Conference! This conference is hosted by Craven Smart Start in collaboration with Child Care Resource & Referral, as a professional development day for early childhood educators. Terri Walls RN, Child Care Health Consultant and Letha Ricks, Quality Enhancement Coordinator for Craven Smart Start presented Loose Parts: Empowering Children's Creativity, to a full room of 40 early childhood educators.

"Look at what I made....can't I play a little longer?" Those who value the concept of play-based learning joined us to learn about "loose parts". Loose parts are objects or materials that children can move, combine, take apart, control or change in multiple ways while they play. Loose parts are natural or synthetic items that provide endless possibilities with no set of directions. Here are some ideas of loose parts: stones, seashells, boxes, buttons, stumps, rocks, buckets, fabric, sand, seed pods, plastic containers, thread spools, twigs, pine cones, paper towel tubes, yarn, wood, acorns, trays, string, tree cookies, bark, cartons, ribbon, logs, flowers, crates, beads.

In play environments that offer simply fixed play equipment, children have a tendency to take risks (jumping from high places, sliding down the slide backwards) while playing due to the limited choices. When children manipulate their own environment and takes risks, they are less likely to have accidents and get in trouble. Marc Armitage reported a reduction in minor accidents and a general decline in unwanted behavior with the introduction of loose parts in the play area (2009).

Armitage, Mar. 2009. Play Pods in Schools: An Independent Evaluation (2006-2009). United Kingdom: Playpeople.