Head Start Health Services Competencies Modules
Use these tools to develop and strengthen the attitudes, knowledge, and skills health services staff need to effectively support the health, safety, and wellness of young children and their families.
Use these tools to develop and strengthen the attitudes, knowledge, and skills health services staff need to effectively support the health, safety, and wellness of young children and their families.
The Ask the Expert Series is a pre-recorded discussion with an expert from a health-related field on a specific health or safety topic. Each topic in this series includes an informational video and resources that you can download to learn ways to improve the health services your program provides.
Caring for Our Children Basics (CFOC Basics) represents the minimum health and safety standards required in Head Start and child care programs, family child care homes, and other places children are cared for outside of their own home. These standards seek to reduce redundancy across requirements for programs with multiple funding streams.
Health connects to school readiness long before a child enters school. Healthy development continues to support learning throughout childhood and later life. "Health in the earliest years—actually beginning with the future mother's health before she becomes pregnant—lays the groundwork for a lifetime of well-being…"
This section is designed for child care providers and health consultants. These resources can be used to help ensure safe, healthy, and high-quality settings for all children.
Health Services Advisory Committees (HSACs) help programs to make decisions about health services. Learn how to plan, execute, and evaluate your HSAC.
A Health Talk is a pre-recorded video or podcast that allows health managers to explore deeper into specific health topics. The Health Talks include two series: Health Chats: 1) Listen, as new tools and strategies are discussed to improve health outcomes for children. 2) Ask the Experts: Get answers to frequently asked questions from pediatricians, dentists, psychologists, and other health professionals.
These fact sheets provide important information to families about a variety of health topics. Families can discover useful strategies to support and improve the health and wellness of their children.
All children can exhibit challenging behavior sometimes. How parents respond can be key to how a child develops. Find ways to help parents and staff positively respond to children's behavior.
These fact sheets serve as tools to help Head Start health managers provide important information to Head Start staff about National Center on Health (NCH) priorities. We hope that you find them useful as you work within your programs and communities to strengthen the health and wellness of all Head Start children.