Caring for Our Children: National Health and Safety Performance Standards: Guidelines for Early Care and Early Education Programs

• Total of 58 new standards and 15 new appendices
• New and revised standards in all areas
• Easy-to-read 2-column format

Key areas of change include

• Use of early childhood mental health consultants and early education consultants
• Monitoring children's development and obtaining consent for screening
• Positive behavior management
• Limiting screen time
• Promoting physical activity
• Swaddling
• Healthy eating
• Encouraging breastfeeding
• Hand sanitizers
• Sun safety and sunscreen
• Integrated pest management
• Influenza control
• Environmentally friendly settings and use of least toxic products

Updated and new appendices including

• Creating plan for children with special health care needs
• Helmet safety
• Helping children in foster care make successful transitions
• Medication administration forms
• A poster on encouraging breastfeeding in early care and education programs
• Authorization for emergency medical/dental care
• Healthier eating as shown in the USDA MyPlate, which replaces MyPyramid to support healthier food choices