Working with a CCHC
Starting the Relationship with a CCHC
There are multiple ways an early care and education (ECE) program might begin working with a Child Care Health Consultant (CCHC):
- CCHC Initiated: A CCHC might reach out to an ECE program over email, phone, or in person for an introduction meeting or to share resources relevant to their community.
- ECE Program Initiated: ECE programs can reach out to a CCHC anytime. For more information about when to contact a CCHC, continue to the next section. To find your local CCHC, visit the Find a CCHC page.
- External Referral: A community partner may refer an ECE program to a CCHC for health and safety resources and support. Community partners might include another technical assistance provider or an Environmental Health Specialist.
When to contact a CCHC
Contact a CCHC when early educators could benefit from health and safety training, technical assistance, coaching, assessment, or quality improvement planning in any area of health and safety, including the following:
- Quality Health, Safety, and Wellness Practices
- Policy Development and Implementation
- Health Education
- Resource and Referral
- Child Abuse and Neglect
- Children with Special Healthcare Needs
- Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery
- Environmental Health
- Illness and Infectious Diseases
- Infant and Child Social Emotional Wellbeing
- Medication Administration
- Nutrition
- Oral Health
- Physical Activity
- Safety and Injury Prevention
- Staff Health and Wellness
How does the Quality Improvement Cycle Work?
To help programs make improvements and reach their goals, North Carolina CCHCs use a quality improvement cycle:
CCHCs build relationships with early educators and community and statewide partners. Early care and education programs decide how they want to work with a CCHC and how much support they need.
CCHCs use the NC Health and Safety Assessment and Encounter Tool to guide observations of indoor and outdoor spaces. CCHCs will also have conversations with early educators and review health and safety records and policies.
These assessments allow CCHCs to identify areas that need improvement and can help early educators and children in care stay healthy and safe.
NC Health and Safety Assessment and Encounter Tool
The NC Health and Safety Assessment and Encounter Tool (NC HSAET) is a web-based tool used by CCHCs working in North Carolina to observe the environment of early care and education programs and the behavior of early educators and children in the classroom. CCHCs collect data on their work with early care and education programs in the NC HSAET to measure statewide impact.
The NC HSAET was created by Child Care Health Consultants based on a Health and Safety Checklist created by CCHCs in California. CCHCs incorporated NC-specific information (laws, rules, and indicators of quality in the Environment Rating Scales) in the NC HSAET.
CCHCs and early educators work together on a quality improvement (QI) plan. CCHCs work with program directors and early educators to prioritize areas for improvement and discover strategies for making changes to health, safety, and wellness practices. CCHCs help to make sure changes follow:
- Federal and state regulations
- State quality rating and improvement systems
- Best practice standards, such as accreditation requirements and Caring for Our Children
CCHCs support early educators as they improve the areas included in the QI plan. For example, a CCHC may:
- Provide training or technical assistance
- Help develop a new policy
- Support a change in the classroom environment
After the QI plan is completed, the CCHC will return to the facility for follow-up. This is necessary to determine whether the strategies improved health, safety, and wellness or if additional support is needed.
Early educators can reach out to their CCHC anytime with questions about health and safety.
To contact a CCHC, visit the Find a CCHC page.