The National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education (NRC) is pleased to announce the release of Caring for Infants and Toddlers in Early Care and Education (I/T).

I/T is a collection of 232 nationally recognized health and safety standards applicable to the infant and toddler population in early care and education settings. These materials and the associated 11 Appendices are a subset of materials available in Caring for Our Children: National Health and Safety Performance Standards; Guidelines for Early Care and Education Programs, 3rd Edition (CFOC3). These materials have been selected for inclusion because they are of particular relevance to the care of the youngest children.

This valuable resource was developed with our collaborative partners, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Public Health Association (APHA), as well as 41 stakeholders representing 34 organizations who reviewed and validated the chosen standards. Support for this project was provided through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau.

The intended audiences for this document are:

• Early care and education caregivers/teachers who can implement these strategies to provide a safe and healthy environments for infants and toddlers in early care and education settings, while simultaneously supporting and partnering with families during this critical stage of development;
• State regulators and policy makers who can promote the adoption of these standards in this collection in their state licensing standards in an effort to promote best practices within programs that serve the infant/toddler population;
• Health, mental health and education consultants, infant/toddler specialists, trainers and other health professionals who can promote these standards to early care and education caregivers/teachers;
• Parents/guardians who can access and petition the use of these standards in their child’s early care and education setting; and
• Early care and education academic degree program administrators who can enhance their infant/toddler curriculum.

Source: National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education (NRC)

Available at: http://nrckids.org/index.cfm/products/caring-for-infants-and-toddlers-in-early-care-and-education-it/