Pillars of Governmental Environmental Public Health | A Guide to Scalable Environmental Public Health Programs
Early Childcare and Daycare
Program Overview and Core Services/Activities
PROGRAM
RECOMMENDED WORKLOAD 3–4 inspections per week
EDUCATION AND CREDENTIALS
EQUIPMENT
KEY METRICS
Early Childcare and Daycare
• Bachelor’s in science • REHS/RS credential • Playground safety certification • IPM training
• Thermometers and light meters • Flashlights • Sanitizer test strips • Educational materials • Cameras • Mobile technology and inspection forms
• Number of
critical violations • Outbreak control timeframes • Facility closure rate
Definition An early childcare and daycare program generally involves comprehensive inspection of facility cleanliness, safety, and pest control management; verification of proper sanitizing and disinfecting procedures; ensuring appropriate storage of medications and chemicals; measuring hot water tempera- tures; providing education to control communicable disease transmission; facilitating disease management; ensuring appropriate vaccinations of attendees and staff; assessing safety hazards including pools, playgrounds, electrical out- lets, strangulation risks, and tip hazards; documenting pres- ence of required policies and procedures for diapering, potty training, handwashing, emergency preparedness, and illness exclusion; connecting facilities to mental health resources; and conducting kitchen inspections where applicable. Childcare and daycare facilities are typically categorized as residential or commercial operations. Some jurisdic- tions also establish limits on the number of children allowed in residential settings. Inspections are generally conducted as part of licensing processes. Sometimes the licensing process is administered by agencies other than EPH departments. When multiple agencies are involved in licensing, each might focus on different facility aspects, requiring coordination to ensure comprehensive oversight while avoiding duplication of efforts. Characteristics of a Successful Early Childcare and Daycare Program Success in early childcare and daycare programs is primar- ily defined by the ability to effectively control communi - cable disease transmission within care facilities. Effective
programs work with operators to create safe and healthy environments where parents can confidently place their children, knowing that appropriate health and safety stan- dards are maintained and enforced.
Meaningful Outcome Measures
PURPOSE
METRIC
Program effectiveness
• Average number of critical violations cited per 100 facilities per year * • Decrease in the number of facility closures per year * • Number of inspections completed per inspector per year • Average number of days between illness outbreak detection and the end of transmission per year. • Percentage of facilities with complete vaccination records *
Workload management
Public health protection
* EPH professionals who participated in focus groups, key informant interviews, and/or the national field survey consistently identified this metric as moderately to extremely useful. Disease prevention in childcare settings involves ensuring proper vaccine documentation and limiting the spread of disease. Disease can transmit easily in childcare facilities; therefore, EPH programs should verify that facilities main-
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