Tag Archives: Nutrition

Office of Head Start Upcoming Events

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Explore and register for upcoming T/TA events, sorted by topic. Scroll down for General Interest; Education & Child Development; Family & Community Engagement; Financial & Program Management; Health & Social and Emotional Well-being; Partnerships in Education & Child Care; and Non-ACF Events in the Early Childhood Field.

To see events sorted by date, visit the Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC).

 

General Interest

Monday, March 12
4–4:45 p.m. ET
Online

MyPeers Orientation

Join this webinar for a 45-minute introduction to MyPeers, a community of practice forum for Head Start programs, staff, and partners. MyPeers is a virtual space for brainstorming, exchanging ideas, and sharing resources. Local program staff across the country can connect with and lend support to fellow early childhood colleagues.

Webinar Repeats (all ET): March 19 at 1 p.m.; April 12 at 2 p.m.; April 23 at 3 p.m.; May 8 at noon.; May 16 at 2 p.m.

Education & Child Development

Wednesday, March 7
3–4 p.m. ET
Online

Spotlights on Innovative Practices: Relationship-Based Competencies for Professionals Who Work with Young Children

This is a live repeat of the December webinar which introduced the updated resource Relationship-Based Competencies for Professionals Who Work with Young Children in Group Settings.

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Tuesday, March 13
3–4 p.m. ET
Online

BabyTalks Series: Supporting Children’s Early Brain Development

For very young children, almost every experience is an opportunity for learning. Explore how children’s brains develop in the first few years of life.

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Friday, March 16
3–4 p.m. ET
Online

Preschool Cognition: Supporting Early Math

Join this Teacher Time webisode to hear from experts about early math development. Learn how to integrate early geometry concepts and skills, like shapes and puzzles, into everyday teaching practices.

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Tuesday, March 20
3–4 p.m. ET
Online

New and Revised: Making It Work – Implementing Cultural Learning Experiences in AIAN Early Learning Settings

Discover the importance of infusing language and culture in early learning programs. Hear about the newly updated Making It Work, a guide for implementing cultural learning experiences in American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) programs.

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Family & Community Engagement

Thursday, March 29
3–4:15 p.m. ET
Online

Helping Families Prepare for Income Changes Throughout the Year

Nearly two-thirds of low-income families go through significant changes in household income during the year. Head Start and Early Head Start programs can play a key role in helping families develop a plan to handle sudden income changes. This webinar is part of the Building Foundations for Economic Mobility (BFEM) webinar series.

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Financial & Program Management

Thursday, March 8
3–4 p.m. ET
Online

Program Planning and Data & Evaluation

This session will give an overview of the Program Planning and Data and Evaluation sections of the Head Start Management Systems Wheel. Topics will include coordinated approaches and how data supports continuous improvement.

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Wednesday, March 28
3–4:30 p.m. ET
Online

Successful, Supportive Relationships with State Early Childhood Systems

Explore both grantee and state perspectives on building relationships that support access to the Child Care and Development Fund subsidy. Hear from state representatives and two Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership grantees, one rural and one urban, about the benefits of these relationships and what steps they took in building them. This webinar is part of the “Making Strides” series.

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Thursday, April 12
3–4 p.m. ET
Online

Facilities and Learning Environments

This session continues the exploration of the Head Start Management Systems Wheel. Review key considerations in facilities management. This includes an overview of the facility development and renovation cycle, as well as the health and wellness implications in facility management.

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Thursday, May 10
3–4 p.m. ET
Online

Transportation and Technology

This Head Start Management Systems Wheel session will address the fundamental concepts that support the systems of Transportation and Technology and Information Systems. This will include transportation planning, ensuring child safety, and the role of internal staff and external consultants in supporting your computers and software.

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Health & Social and Emotional Well-being

Monday, March 5
2–3 p.m. ET
Online

Tummy Time: A Simple Concept with Enormous Benefits

Tummy time gives babies a chance to stretch and strengthen their muscles, which helps them push up, roll over, crawl, and walk. Join this webinar to explore a new suite of materials for home visitors and other professionals working with families with infants. Learn to encourage and incorporate tummy time into families’ routines. Help caregivers use tummy time as a special chance to bond and interact with babies.

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Tuesday, March 6
1–2 p.m. ET
Online

Implementing Evidence-Based Hearing Screening Practices for Children 3 to 5 Years of Age in Head Start Programs

Learn about evidence-based hearing screening for children 3–5 years of age. Explore newly released instructional resources designed to assist those using Pure Tone screening.

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Thursday, March 15
2–3 p.m. ET
Online

Nutrition Education in the Classroom

Nutrition is key for children’s healthy development, but it can be challenging to make it a part of your daily routine. Explore tips and strategies to create healthier eating environments for children in the classroom and at home.

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April 10–12
All Day
Dallas, TX

I Am Moving, I Am Learning Team Trainings

I Am Moving, I Am Learning (IMIL) is a Head Start program enhancement created to address childhood obesity. It was not designed as a curriculum or an add-on. Join the team training to find out how IMIL fits seamlessly into what programs are already doing to meet the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework. Apply online by March 9, 2018.

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Partnerships in Education & Child Care

Tuesday, March 6
2–3:30 p.m. ET
Online

Strategies for Building and Financing the Supply of High Quality Early Learning Webinar Series: State and Local Finance Strategies

The National Center on Early Childhood Quality Assurance, in collaboration with the BUILD initiative, will facilitate a discussion about state and local revenue-generation strategies that fund quality services for children.

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Tuesday, May 1
2–3:30 p.m. ET
Online

Strategies for Building and Financing the Supply of High Quality Early Learning: Utilizing Grants and Contracts, Payment Rates, and Financial Incentives to Increase Supply and Improve Quality

Hear from states that have used different strategies related to provider payments, grants and contracts, and financial incentives.

May 30 – June 1
All Day
Washington, DC

Research and Evaluation Conference on Self-Sufficiency (RECS)

Explore the latest findings from evaluations or programs, policies, and services that support low-income and vulnerable families on the path to economic self-sufficiency. RECS is presented by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Non-ACF Events in the Early Childhood Field

March 2–6
All Day
Costa Mesa, CA

April 4–6
All Day
Online

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April 17–20
All Day
Washington, DC

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April 23–27
All Day
Anaheim, CA

Keeping All of Us Healthy Why We Value Physical Activity and Nutrition in Early Care and Education

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Early Care and Education Innovations Series Audio Conference:
January 10, 2017
8:00 to 8:45 pm ET
7:00 to 7:45 pm CT
6:00 to 6:45 pm MT
5:00 to 5:45 pm PT

Why is it important for you to help children stay physically active and well nourished?

Join this webinar to learn more about why healthy eating and physical activity is important for the children in your program. Panelists will discuss important topics including:

  • Feeding infants
  • Helping families obtain healthy and culturally appropriate food
  • Giving children safe spaces to play
  • Providing positive adult examples

Presenters:
Facilitator: Emily Keenum
Virginia Early Childhood Foundation

Panelists:
– Mona Liza Hamlin, Nemours
– Christine Twait, Partners in Nutrition
– Dianne Stanton Ward, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Who Should Participate?
This webinar is designed for early care and education providers including teachers, administrators, and family child care providers working with children from birth to five and their families.

Do you have questions?
If you have questions about healthy eating and physical activity, please send them to a_l_schwartz@yahoo.com with the subject header “Question for the Keeping All of Us Healthy Webinar”. We will answer as many questions as we can during the webinar.

How to Register:
Go to: https://nemours.webex.com/nemours/j.php?MTID=m1690099263d99ab3c6420fa4c066cade and complete the form to register for this audio conference. Presentation materials will be sent with a reminder on the day of the session.

Sponsored by Healthy Kids, Healthy Future.

Convened by the Early Care and Education Innovation Collaborative, an ad hoc activity associated with the Roundtable on Obesity Solutions of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

Fewer Babies in Poor Families Are Overweight

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12/13/2016

The percentage of overweight babies in poor families in the United States may be on the decline, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that fewer babies enrolled in the federal Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutritional assistance program had a high “weight-for-length” in 2014, when compared with 2010. The percentage went from 14.5 percent to just over 12 percent in that period.

The WIC program helps low-income pregnant women, new mothers and children up to age 5. With federal funding, states provide those families with supplemental foods, nutrition education and health care referrals.

Researchers said the new findings are “encouraging.”

High weight, even in infancy, has been linked to an increased risk of obesity later on, said study author David Freedman. He is a researcher with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

And children in low-income families are at particular risk of both a high weight in infancy and childhood obesity, Freedman pointed out.

Dr. William Dietz, director of the Global Center for Prevention and Wellness at George Washington University, in Washington, D.C., agreed that “high weight-for-length is beyond ‘chubbiness.’ ”

Dietz, who was not involved in the study, pointed to a finding he thought was particularly encouraging: Weight improvements were greatest among babies in certain minority groups. Hispanic and Native American babies showed the biggest changes.

The prevalence of high weight among Hispanic babies dropped from 17 percent in 2010 to just under 14 percent in 2014; among Native Americans, the prevalence fell below 16 percent — down from almost 19 percent, the findings showed.

Meanwhile, just under 12 percent of black babies had a high weight in 2014, compared with 11 percent of white babies.

“The declines were greatest in groups disproportionately affected by obesity,” Dietz said. “So those disparities, at least in this youngest age group, may be narrowing. That’s an important finding.”

The results were based on nearly 17 million U.S. babies younger than 2 whose families took part in WIC between 2000 and 2014.

Between 2000 and 2004, the proportion of babies with a high weight-for-length rose from roughly 13 percent to 14.5 percent. That figure held steady through 2010, then dropped to just above 12 percent by 2014.

Why did the picture improve? Changes to the WIC program are one likely reason, Freedman said.

During the study period, the program’s food allocation package was revamped to fall in line with federal dietary guidelines, as well as infant feeding recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

“There were changes that resulted in increased consumption of whole grains, fruits and vegetables,” Freedman said.

Plus, he added, those years saw a growing awareness — among health professionals and parents — of the childhood obesity problem.

Freedman did underscore a limitation of the study: Since the findings come from the WIC program, they do not reflect U.S. families as a whole.

However, recent studies have found that early childhood obesity seems to be on the decline nationwide. According to the CDC, just over 9 percent of 2- to 5-year-olds were obese in 2014 — down from 14 percent a decade earlier.

That’s in contrast to what’s going on with older kids and adults, Freedman pointed out.

Among 2- to 19-year-olds, the CDC says, the prevalence of obesity has remained stubbornly stable — at around 17 percent. And roughly one-fifth of U.S. teenagers are obese.

Still, the fact that the youngest kids are showing a different pattern is a positive sign, according to Dietz.

“This shows that we are making some progress,” he said.

Freedman agreed. “We are seeing some positive results,” he said. Now, the question is whether the encouraging trends will continue, he added.

More information

The CDC has more on childhood obesity.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Available at: https://consumer.healthday.com/vitamins-and-nutrition-information-27/obesity-health-news-505/fewer-u-s-babies-from-poorer-families-are-overweight-now-cdc-717726.html

Brush Up on Oral Health: December 2016

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December 2016

Choosing Healthy Drinks

  • Milk and Water Are Healthy Drink Choices
  • Many Drinks Have Added Sugar
  • Helping Parents Make Good Drink Choices

Cook’s Corner: Cheesy Snowmen  

Did You Know?

To keep children healthy, the American Heart Association recommends the following:

  • Children under age 2 should not consume foods with added sugar.
  • Children ages 2 to 18 should consume no more than 6 teaspoons of added sugar a day.

Source: The National Center on Early Childhood Health and Wellness

Available at: https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/health/oral-health/PDFs/brushup-news-201612.pdf

One of the Best Gifts for a Baby: Head Start Health Services Newsletters

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5/2015

One of the most important things women can do for their babies is eat healthy foods during pregnancy. Eating and drinking whole-grain products, fruits and vegetables, low-fat milk and milk products, lean meats, and other nutritious items during pregnancy gives babies a strong start in life. This issue provides information Early Head Start staff can share with pregnant women. The issue also includes descriptions of assistance programs that provide nutrition risk assessment, counseling, and education as well as access to supplemental nutritious foods.

Source: Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center, National Center on Health

Available at: http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/health/docs/health-services-newsletter-201505.pdf

The TABLE Project

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The TABLE — Taking Action to Build Leadership Excellence — Project is a three-year demonstration effort that has been awarded to Community Development Institute (CDI), to improve Head Start and Early Head Start programs’ management and implementation of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). TABLE has been funded by the Administration for Children and Families’ (ACF) Office of Head Start (OHS) as a national Head Start Innovation and Improvement Project (Grant Period: 9/30/2008-9/29/2011, Grant Number: 90YD0252/01). TABLE’s Recordkeeping system is based on CDI’s work over the past nine years as the Office of Head Start’s Interim Management Contractor in Head Start programs nationwide. In those programs it has increased the quality and cost efficiency of nutrition services.

Source: The TABLE Project

Available at: http://www.cditeam.org/table/

Achieving a State of Healthy Weight-National Resource Center

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5/2015

Beginning in 2010, the National Resource Center (NRC) for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education worked within the context of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Healthy Weight Initiative Child Care Workgroup to support the national effort to prevent childhood obesity in child care and early education programs. One part of this work was a national assessment of the child care regulations in all fifty states and the District of Columbia relative to newly revised expert consensus-defined and evidence-based best practices encompassed in Preventing Childhood Obesity in Early Care and Education Programs: Selected Standards from Caring for Our Children: National Health and Safety Performance Standards; Guidelines for Early Care and Education Programs, 3rd Edition. The following reports present the findings of the annual assessments.

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

Available at: http://nrckids.org/index.cfm/products/achieving-a-state-of-healthy-weight1/

Head Start Health Services Newsletters: Family Style Meals

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3/2015

It is important that Head Start programs partner with families to build healthy eating habits early. One way to do this is to serve meals family-style. Family-style meals are a great way to introduce healthy foods, model healthy behaviors, and provide chances for nutrition education. This newsletter discusses the importance of serving family-style meals in Head Start programs. It also discusses how to serve family-style meals and how to engage families to serve family-style meals at home.

Source: Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center, National Center on Health

Available at: http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/health/health-services-management/hsac/health-services-news.html

Head Start Health Services Newsletter: Healthy Foods From the Ground Up

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1/2015

Having good nutrition improves children’s health by helping them grow, develop, and maintain a healthy weight. Being healthy also improves their self-esteem and well-being. When children are healthy, they are more able to learn and do well in school.

Early Head Start and Head Start programs serve healthy meals, teach children and families about healthy eating habits, and ensure that families have access to critical food assistance programs. Nutrition, including well-balanced meals, food security, and nutrition education, has been an integral part of comprehensive health services since Head Start began. This issue features three strategies that may help you bring healthier food and a deeper understanding of nutrition to children and families that need it most.

Source: Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center

Available at: http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/health/docs/health-services-newsletter-201501.pdf

Strategies to Support and Encourage Healthy Active Living course

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November 2014

The Strategies to Support and Encourage Healthy Active Living course is an online, interactive self-study course for Head Start and Early Head Start staff. It is focused on healthy, active living for children and families. Practice building skills to effectively communicate and engage with families around creating and maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle.

Source: The Head Start National Center on Health and the Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center

Available at: http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/health/healthy-active-living/story.html