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Health and Safety Resources
The health and safety of young children is of paramount importance in early childhood programs and family child care homes. To ensure the well-being of all children, Rhode Island requires staff at all licensed programs complete an annual health and safety training.
The Center offers the following resources to help early childhood programs and educators in Rhode Island increase their understanding of evidence-based practices that keep children healthy and safe.
Health and Safety Online Training
The Rhode Island Department of Human Services (DHS) in partnership with the Center and ProSolutions Training offers a suite of online training modules that are available on-demand. You can access the Mandatory Health and Safety Training (18-hour training) on this site.
The Center has developed several online learning modules focused on health and safety topics to help educators and providers fulfill state training requirements. These modules provide information about health, safety, nutrition, and physical activity standards and best practices described in the state’s child care licensing regulations. You can access the Promoting Nutrition and Physical Activity in Early Care Settings course on this site.
The Center has developed a series of micro-trainings focused on DHS licensing compliance. You can access the DHS Licensing Compliance Trainings and Resources on this site.
Healthy States: Health and Safety Training Toolkit
This toolkit, created by the National Center on Early Childhood Health and Wellness, provides up-to-date, research-informed resources and practices that program leaders can use to develop health and safety trainings. The toolkit also includes resources for states to use in health and safety trainings (e.g. online modules, training materials, webinars, and other written and online resources). Find up-to-date research- and science-informed resources and practices.
Link: https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/publication/healthy-states-health-safety-training-toolkit
Keep Children Safe Using Active Supervision
This set of resources helps programs think systematically about child supervision so they create safe, positive learning environments for all children. Use this link to access information about setting up environments; actively supervising infants, toddlers, and preschoolers; and establishing systems to support child supervision.
Link: eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/safety-practices/article/keep-children-safe-using-active-supervision
Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) Health and Safety Requirements Briefs
The National Center on Early Childhood Quality Assurance developed a set of nine briefs to address health and safety requirements specified in the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2014. The briefs can be of value to administrators and staff in child care centers and family child care homes who are seeking to improve health and safety within their learning environments. If you are in this role, the first sections of the briefs are most relevant to you—they provide an overview of the federal requirements specific to the topic, and explain the alignment to the Caring for Our Children standards.
The other sections of the briefs provide information on overall trends in child care licensing requirements and give examples from various states. Licensing administrators and CCDF administrators may find these sections helpful as they begin to assess and consider future revisions to state standards for both licensed and license-exempt providers.
To access the full set of briefs, go to childcareta.acf.hhs.gov/resource/briefs-about-health-and-safety-topics.
Health and Safety Resources by Topic
Select each topic below to access links to evidence-based resources developed by national and state organizations and government agencies focused on the health and safety of young children.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevetion (CDC) Immunization Schedule
www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/hcp/imz/child-adolescent.html
Clean Hands Save Lives, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
www.cdc.gov/handwashing/
American SIDS Institute
www.sids.org
Safe Sleep for Babies, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/features/baby-safe-sleep/
How to Keep Your Sleeping Baby Safe: AAP Policy Explained, American Academy of Pediatrics
www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/sleep/Pages/A-Parents-Guide-to-Safe-Sleep.aspx
What Does a Safe Sleep Environment Look Like? (RI Department of Health)
https://health.ri.gov/for/newparents/about/safesleep/
Safe Sleep Policy Recommendations for Rhode Island Child Care Providers from the Rhode Island Department of Health / Recomendaciones del Departamento de Salud de Rhode Island Para los Proveedores de Cuidado Infantil, en Cuanto a la Seguridad al Poner los Niños a Dormir
https://center-elp.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Safe-Sleep-Recommendations-for-Child-Care-Providers-from-RI-Department-of-Health.pdf
Healthy Futures: Medication Administration in Early Care and Education Settings, American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Online Module
shop.aap.org/medication-administration-in-early-care-and-education-settings/
Medication Safety, American Academy of Pediatrics
healthychildren.org/english/safety-prevention/at-home/medication-safety/Pages/default.aspx
Medication Safety Program: Up and Away Initiative
upandaway.org/
Tips to Prevent Poisoning, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
https://www.cdc.gov/medicationsafety/protect/protect_initiative.html
Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Emergency Care Plan, Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE)
www.foodallergy.org/life-with-food-allergies/food-allergy-anaphylaxis-emergency-care-plan
Keeping Students with Food Allergies Safe at School, Kids with Food Allergies (KFA)
www.kidswithfoodallergies.org/page/planning-for-school.aspx
Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE) Information for Educators
https://www.foodallergy.org/living-food-allergies/information-you/educators
CDC Managing Food Allergies in Schools
https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/foodallergies/
Resources for Safe Playgrounds, Head Start Early Learning & Knowledge Center (ECLKC)
eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/facilities/article/resources-safe-playgrounds
Hazard Mapping for Early Care and Education Programs, ECLKC
eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/safety-practices/article/hazard-mapping-early-care-education-programs
Playground Information to Use with the Environment Rating Scales
www.ersi.info/PDF/playground%20revised%207-31-18.pdf
Shaken Baby Syndrome Fast Facts, The ThinkFirst National Injury Prevention Foundation
thinkfirst.org/sites/default/files/SBS%20Fast%20Factsf_0.pdf
Preventing Abuse Head Trauma in Children, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/childabuseandneglect/Abusive-Head-Trauma.html
National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome
www.dontshake.org/
Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/childabuseandneglect/index.html
Preventing Child Maltreatment, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/cm_prog_activities_guide-a.pdf
Preventing Child Abuse & Neglect, Child Welfare Information Gateway
www.childwelfare.gov/topics/preventing/
Early Childhood Disaster-Related Resources for Early Childhood Education Providers, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ohsepr/early-childhood
Rhode Island Child Care Emergency Preparedness Plan 2018, Rhode Island Department of Human Services
center-elp.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/RI-Child-Care-Emergency-Preparedness-Plan-2018.pdf
Child Care Technical Assistance Network Hazardous Materials Information for Child Care Providers
https://childcareta.acf.hhs.gov/hazardous-materials-information-child-care-providers
Protecting Children from Pesticides: Information for Parents, American Academy of Pediatrics
www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/all-around/Pages/Protecting-Children-from-Pesticides-Information-for-Parents.aspx
Carbon Monoxide, Safe Kids Worldwide
www.safekids.org/safetytips/field_risks/carbon-monoxide
CDC’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/about/program.htm
Daycare and School Safety, American Association of Poison Control Centers
aapcc.org/prevention/daycare-school-poison-safety
Child Passenger Safety: Get the Facts, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
https://www.cdc.gov/transportationsafety/child_passenger_safety/
Safety and Prevention on the Go, American Academy of Pediatrics
English: www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/on-the-go/Pages/default.aspx
Spanish: En marcha – HealthyChildren.org
American Heart Association CPR & First Aid
https://cpr.heart.org/en
American Red Cross Training Services
https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/cpr
Child Protective Services, Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families
www.dcyf.ri.gov/child-protective-services/
The Role of Professional Child Care Providers in Preventing and Responding to Child Abuse and Neglect, U.S. Department of Human Services
www.childwelfare.gov/pubpdfs/preventingcan.pdf
Darkness to Light 5 Steps to Protecting Our Children
www.d2l.org/education/5-steps/
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Child Abuse Prevention
www.cdc.gov/features/healthychildren/index.html
Healthy Active Living, Head Start Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center
https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/publication/healthy-active-living
Choose My Plate, U.S. Department of Agriculture
www.choosemyplate.gov/
We Can! Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity and Nutrition, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/wecan/
Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC)
gonapsacc.org/
Healthy Kids, Healthy Future
healthykidshealthyfuture.org/
Let’s Move: America’s Move to Raise a Healthier Generation of Kids
letsmove.obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/
Learn the Signs. Act Early. (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention)
www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/index.html
Head Start Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center Physical Activity Resources
eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/browse/keyword/physical-activity
Head Start Body Start
www.smartstart.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/HeadStartBodyStart_Calendar.pdf
