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Dear Child Care Partners,
This month’s email from the Public Health – Seattle & King County (PHSKC) Child Care Health Program (CCHP) includes the following topics:
Health & Safety Information for Child Care Providers
Information to Share with Staff & Families
Continuing Education & Financial Opportunities
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Health & Safety Information for Child Care Providers |
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Celebrate Global Child Nutrition Month with Healthy Snacks!
April is Global Child Nutrition Month! 🍎 Let’s celebrate by making snack time both nutritious and fun! Young children are likely to enjoy fresh, crisp, and naturally sweet foods, helping them build healthy eating habits that last a lifetime.
Guidelines from the USDA-Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) state a nutritious snack must include two of the five components: vegetables, fruits, meat/meat alternates, grains, and milk, with at least one of the five being a fruit or vegetable. Here are some tips to consider when choosing and serving snacks:
- Reduce processed foods and foods with added sugar. Yogurt and cereals often have high amounts of added sugar.
- Offer vegetables and beans in different ways like roasted, steamed, or mashed so children can try different textures.
- Incorporate foods from different countries and cultures.
To make planning easier, we've created this 2-Week Sample Snack Menu for preschoolers! Check out these simple, kid-friendly snack ideas that meet CACFP guidelines.
🎥 Watch this quick video for more healthy snack ideas. It is also available in Cantonese, Mandarin, Spanish, and Somali. Visit the Nutrition section of our website for more videos with our nutritionist.
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📖 Looking for more inspiration? Check out these resources:
By offering fresh and wholesome snacks, you are supporting children’s growth and helping them build healthy eating habits that last a lifetime. Let’s make every bite count!
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A Note about Errors in the WAIIS Forecasting System
An update to the Washington State Immunization Information System (WAIIS) forecaster on 02/26/25 has caused some software bugs. These bugs are causing the Certificate of Immunization Status (CIS) to show incorrect forecasting dates (the date when the next dose of a vaccine is due), as well as listing a "Conditional" status on the CIS for children who are complete with their vaccine series for child care.
There is currently no timeline for when these issues will be resolved, but DOH’s software vendor is aware of and working on a fix. In the meantime, if you have questions about a child’s immunization status, please review the Individual Vaccine Requirements Summary (IVRS) document. It's a great reference for guidance on vaccine schedules, exceptions to the rules, and catch-up schedules that children must follow to attend school or child care in Washington state.
We will let you know when this issue has been resolved in a future Newsletter.
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There’s Still Time for Teachers, Aides, Directors, & Support Staff to Join the CCHP Survey & Focus Group
The CCHP is still gathering feedback to improve our services. Many directors and administrative staff have started or completed the survey (thank you!) and we'd still love to hear from more teachers, aides, cooks, and other support staff. Staff who haven't completed the survey can now participate in a couple of different ways:
- Take (or finish completing) the Anonymous Survey – It takes 10-15 minutes and is available in English, Spanish, and Somali. The survey is being conducted by the Institute for Child Success and, as a thank you, participants can enter to receive gift cards. The survey ends on April 12. (Everyone is eligible.)
- Join a Virtual Focus Group – If you're interested in more in-depth conversations in a small online group discussion to share your experience and suggestions for CCHP improvement, we’d love to hear from you. The focus group will be held online in mid to late April, 60–90 minutes long, and facilitated in English. Every participant will be compensated for their time with Visa gift cards. (Eligibility is limited to educators, teachers, or administrative staff at early learning programs with a DEEL contract or that accept DEEL subsidies—ECEAP, SPP, Pathways, or CCAP.)
Thank you for your continued support and valuable input! We appreciate your support in sharing the opportunities above with non-administrative staff at your program.
Check Out the New Child Care Health Consultant (CCHC) Registry for King County Providers
Best Starts for Kids has launched a new tool called the King County Child Care Health Consultant Registry to help King County child care providers find and contact child care health consultants. CCHC services include behavior consultation, nutrition consultation, infant room nurse consultation, STARS-eligible trainings, and much more!
View or download their flyers: Amharic, Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), English, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese or read the blog post to learn more and explore the new tool.
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Information to Share with Staff & Families |
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Free Seattle/King County Clinic at Seattle Center, April 24–27
The Seattle/King County Clinic is a volunteer-driven, FREE health clinic that occurs for four days each year at Seattle Center. Patients do not need ID, proof of income, insurance, or immigration status to receive care. This community event runs Thursday through Sunday and will provide free dental, vision, and medical care. Patients cannot get dental and vision care on the same day, so if both are needed they should plan on attending two separate days for those services.
No advance registration or appointments are available. A limited number of admission tickets will be given out beginning at 5:30 AM on a first-come, first-served basis at Fisher Pavilion at Seattle Center each day. Interpreters will be available. All are welcome regardless of income, insurance, housing, or immigration status.
Informational flyers are available in: English | Amharic ( አማርኛ)| Arabic (عربى) | Chinese (中文) | Chinese (傳統的) | Dari (دری ) | French (Français) |Khmer (ខ្មែរ) | Korean (한국어) | Marshallese (Kajin M̧aje) | Oromo (Afaan Oromoo) | Portuguese (Português) | Russian (русский) | Somali (Soomaali) | Spanish (Español) | Tigrinya (ትግሪኛ) | Ukrainian (Українська) | Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt)
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Continuing Education & Financial Opportunities |
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Best Starts Workshop: Early Supports for Infants and Toddlers 101, April 16
Best Starts is offering a training called Please Don't Wait to See!: Early Supports for Infants and Toddlers 101 for early childhood professionals, parents, and caregivers on Wednesday, April 16, from 5:30–7 PM. It will provide a comprehensive introduction to Early Support for Infants and Toddlers (ESIT) and will equip participants with the knowledge and information needed to support those that may have developmental concerns about young children ages birth to three.
The objective is to emphasize the importance of making timely referrals, detail the essential elements of the ESIT program, and equip participants with the skills needed to assist families who may benefit from these services. By the end of the session, participants will understand the ESIT framework and have practical strategies for effectively connecting families to the program.
Infant and Early Childhood Conference, May 5–9
Registration is open for the 2025 Infant and Early Childhood Conference (IECC). This free conference is virtual and will offer a wide variety of topics related to early childhood education and support, evidenced-based workshops, and networking opportunities for families and providers in Washington. The conference runs Monday, May 5, through Friday, May 9, with morning, afternoon, and evening sessions.
You can register here: https://ieccwa.org/2025/registration/
View the schedule here: https://ieccwa.org/2025/program/search
Attendees may earn Clock Hours or STARS Credit for participation in any LIVE conference sessions they attend. For additional conference information: http://www.ieccwa.org/.
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Best Starts Summit: Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health, May 16–18
The Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) 2025 Summit is a 3-day event offering a variety of infant and early childhood topics for all King County providers. Topics include attachment, grief and loss, equity and social justice, supporting children to manage emotions, and more. You can find more information and a list of facilitators HERE!
You are encouraged to attend all days but can sign up for just one or two days. Sessions will take place from:
- Friday, May 16 from 9 AM–4 PM
- Saturday, May 17 from 9 AM–4 PM
- Sunday, May 18 from 9 AM–1 PM
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