Healthy Child Care Texas is a state initiative dedicated to promoting optimal health, safety, nutrition, and development for children in out-of-home child care programs while training Child Care Health Consultants and offering other means of support.

Next Training July 17-19, 2019 Houston area (Location TBD) July 17: 10:00 am- 5:00 pm July 18: 8:30 am - 5:00 pm (includes the 2-3 hour morning ECE observation) July 19: 8:30 am - 12:30 pm

CALL TO ACTION! The goal of this Call to Action is to encourage early care and education (ECE) professional development providers to create opportunities for quality training in obesity prevention strategies/topics. Healthy Living Matters (HLM), in collaboration with the Texas Early Childhood Professional Development System (TECPDS), has developed the following specific actions to help make this happen: Qualified trainers listed on the Texas Trainer Registry should submit training proposals in obesity prevention topics to be listed on the Texas Trainer Registry and promote them once approved Conference organizers should request training proposals specific to obesity prevention topics and create policies around making these types of sessions available at all future conferences Take action! Click here!

What is a Child Care Health Consultant?

A Child Care Health Consultant (CCHC) is a trained professional who:

• Has knowledge and experience with early childhood education
• Has knowledge of resources, regulations, and best practices for early childhood programs
• Is able to link resources to meet nutritional, health, social-emotional, and special needs of children in early childhood programs

Health and safety issues in out-of-home child care settings can range from simple to complex. Early education and child care professionals can manage certain maters on their own, such as responding to a minor injury or developing materials and procedures based on each state's child care regulations. However, when faced with more complex health and safety concerns, such as determining a "safe sleep" policy, developing care plans for children with chronic medical conditions, or responding to an infectious disease outbreak, child care professionals could benefit greatly from working with a health care professional. Utilizing child care health consultants can help achieve the goal of providing safe, healthy, and developmentally appropriate environments for our nation's young children.

Who can be a Child Care Health Consultant?

Early childhood professionals, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, physicians, health educators, nutritionists, dental hygienists, sanitarians, and medical social workers who have experience with direct practice in early childhood care settings can become child care health consultants.

How can a Child Care Health Consultant assist the child care field?

A CCHC can improve the health and safety of children by:

• Consulting and educating child care educators about health and safety issues
• Consulting and education parents/guardians about health and safety issues
• Assessing the needs of child care educators and parents/guardians for health and safety training
• Identifying heath and safety concerns during on-site visits
• Consulting and revising menu selections to meet Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
• Providing information and referrals for community services
• Developing or updating policies and procedures for child care programs
• Reviewing child and staff health records for current immunizations
• Identifying inclusive accommodations for children with special health care needs
• Consulting with health professionals about individualized special needs of children
• Assisting with the administration of a developmental screening program
• Interpreting standards and regulations and providing consultation, separate and apart from the enforcement role of a regulation inspector

What does a Child Care Health Consultant do?

• Develop and review health and safety policies and procedures
• Provide training on various early childhood topics. For example: health, safety, and more
• Identify community resources
• Locate medical homes for families
• Assist with inclusion of children with special needs
• Review child and staff files for current immunizations
• Conduct safety assessments of indoor and outdoor environments for children

• Attend the 3 day in-person training
• Complete the 10 week distance learning curriculum

The Child Care Health Consultant Training Consists of Four (4) Components 

• Pre-Training: Applicants accepted for the CCHC training will receive a preparation packet via e-mail. Applicants complete an assignment prior to the on-site training.
• On-Site Training: Participants travel to designated on-site location for three days of face-to-face training. This includes an on-site observation at a child care center using the ITERS and/or ECERS assessment tools.
• Distance Learning: Following the on-site training, participants complete 10 weeks of distance learning modules using online HCCT- CCHC curriculum and materials.
• Capstone and Trainers Registry Application: The Capstone experience consolidates what participants have learned about curriculum development, training, observation, as well as consultation skills. The training developed during the Capstone will be submitted to the Texas Trainer Registry. The Capstone Experience includes:
  • Center observation using the ITERS or ECERS assessment tool
  • Consultation with the director
  • Assessment of training needs
  • Training development and implementation
  • Evaluation of the training experience

Click here for the application
For more information, call 512-215-8142 or email hcct@texasaeyc.org