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Health & Safety Information for Child Care Providers
Information to Share with Families
Training & Financial Opportunities
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Health & Safety Information for Child Care Providers |
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October is Safe Sleep and SIDS Awareness Month
In 2022, there were about 3,700 sudden unexpected infant deaths (SUID) in the United States. SUID includes:
- Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
- Any infant death from an unknown cause or
- Accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed.
These deaths occur among infants younger than 1 year and have no immediately obvious cause. SUID is a leading cause of infant death in the United States, with infants born to Black families dying at higher rates than white infants (Centers for Disease Control, 2023). Experts say "these disparities are likely multifactorial, reflecting poverty levels, lack of access to prenatal and well-child care, education regarding safe sleep," and social norms related to other practices that vary between communities.
While child care programs cannot fix the structural inequities that have led to increases in SIDS/SUID, providers can help by promoting safe sleep practices in child care. Some ways to do this are:
- Educate anyone who spends time in the infant room about child care safe sleep practices (including parents and volunteers).
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For more information on safe sleep, visit:
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New “How-to Guide” for Accessing the WA IIS School and Child Care Immunization Module
Washington Immunization Information System (WA IIS) is the state registry that keeps track of immunization records of people of all ages. The CCHP has created a step-by-step guide to help child care and early learning programs gain access to the WA IIS School and Child Care Module. Having access to the Module allows programs to:
- View and print the Certificate of Immunization Status (CIS) of children enrolled in their program.
- Meet the Department of Health’s (DOH) Annual Immunization Report requirement, which is due December 1—see the reminder below. As long as your program has a current roster uploaded to WA IIS, and you keep it up-to-date as children enter and leave your program, DOH will run the immunization report each year so you don’t have to.
- Obtain a report of children due for or missing vaccine(s).
- Add immunization exemptions (religious, medical, and personal/philosophical).
- View and print immunization reports for your programs and letters for parents or guardians.
We’ve included the following information in our "How-to Guide" for programs:
- Steps to set up a Secure Access Washington (SAW) account, which is required before being able to add WA IIS as a service.
- Information on selecting the type of roster best suited for the program.
- Sample email templates to send to the School Module team at DOH.
- Email correspondence to expect from the DOH School Module team.
- Instructions on adding a WA IIS account to your SAW account.
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Reminder: Child Cares Must Report Immunizations by Dec. 1
Per WAC 246-105-060, early learning providers are required to file an immunization status report to DOH each year. For the 2024-2025 school year, reporting opens November 1 and is due by December 1.
Active users of the WA IIS School and Child Care Module DO NOT have to file a report if their roster is up-to-date and missing immunization dates and exemptions have been entered. DOH will generate the report using the School and Child Care Module data.
For more information about reporting, please visit Child Care and Preschool Immunization Reporting | Washington State Department of Health. If you have questions, email OICPSchools@doh.wa.gov.
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Information to Share with Families
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Washington’s Working Families Tax Credit
Washington’s Working Families Tax Credit is a tax credit that will provide up to $1,255 in a cash refund for qualified individuals and families. You must meet certain income and other requirements, including filing a 2023 tax return with a Social Security Number or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number and having lived in Washington state for over half of the year. Families with and without children may qualify. To qualify, income limits are based on the federal Earned Income Tax Credit. Apply before December 31, 2024.
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Training & Financial Opportunities |
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Northwest Center Kids IMPACT ADHD Training – Oct. 29
This upcoming live training will provide information and strategies that are useful for all young children who struggle with inattention and impulsivity, including those with a diagnosis of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). It is designed for early childhood professionals and offers practical strategies through IMPACT's online platform.
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ADHD: Strategies for Increasing Attention & Reducing Hyperactivity on Tuesday, October 29 from 11:00am - 1:00pm.
- The training is approved for 2 STARS hours and OSPI Clock Hours and the cost is $37.
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In Health,
The Child Care Health Program
kingcounty.gov/childcare
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