News and Insights

Providers serve millions of meals to Kansas kids each year through programs like the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), universal school lunch and breakfast, and summer

Toxic stress and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are major influences on a child’s overall development — affecting school readiness, student success, physical and mental health, and other

If you’re interested in starting a wellness program at your child care facility, consider these tips and

General hygiene guidelines such as sanitizing, disinfecting, and excluding for signs/symptoms of illness in the Early Child Care Environment are still effective ways to prevent disease

Your position comes with great responsibility for little ones. But have you forgotten about the great responsibility you have for

Unfortunately, our everyday environments, including child care settings, may expose us to dangerous pesticides and lead, among other environmental hazards, that can impede a child’s mental or physical

Encouraging parents to keep their child’s vaccinations up to date is an important way to ensure that the children in your program remain healthy and protected against serious

As we head into back-to-school season, it’s time to think about preparing your program for the departure of school-aged

After a decade of focusing primarily on children with special health care needs, the FAC has expanded to address the needs of four more populations: women/moms, early childhood, children, and

Strengthening ECE systems for health takes time, but we have identified a few key strategies to help state and local leaders get

Recent research and professional development topics for early childhood professionals revolve around the importance of playful learning within the context of building relationships as key to later academic success.

In June 2022, the FDA granted emergency authorization to both Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccinations for children under 5 years of age. Both the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend all eligible infants and children without contraindications get vaccinated. The COVID-19

If you’re looking to start a child care business, you now have access to Child Care Health Consultants to guide you through the sometimes overwhelming

Because the costs and complexities of opening a child care center are so burdensome, the community decided to incentivize people to start up new in-home facilities.

Behind the Scenes of the CCHC Network with Two Kansas Providers Providers at a large child care center and a small group home, both with decades of experience,  explain what they gained from the Child Care Health Consultation service. Kim Vanderfohe, director of Butterfly Funhouse

Juneteenth (short for June Nineteenth), which commemorates the end of slavery in this country, is considered one of the longest-running African American holidays.

To ensure that all children in ECE programs are receiving the best possible start in life, it’s imperative to recruit and retain staff who are culturally responsive and willing to engage diverse

Article by Kansas Infant Death and SIDS Network An article about new research on SIDS that has been gaining traction in the Safe Sleep Community. This research may lead to greater ability to screen risk of SIDS, but that is only a small portion of sleep-related deaths. The recent

Research has linked child care quality and young children’s developmental outcomes with the training of providers and educators.

In order to reduce the shortage, we need to retain our current child care providers and educators and attract more to the field. Establishing a career pathway is a foundational tool for accomplishing these

Child Care Aware of Kansas connects everyone with a stake in child care — families, child care providers, businesses, local and state leaders, and community members — to the information and ideas they need to take action. We work to empower communities to tackle the lack of

By Chelsy Spiller is an Early Care and Education Specialist at Child Care Aware of Kansas. Originally published in the Summer 2020 Issue of Kansas Child Magazine. Growing Generations of Kansans The benefits of gardening with children are innumerable. One of my favorite reasons for

Babies, toddlers, and children rely on nurturing relationships with adults to assist them in learning how to control or respond appropriately to their

Infants and young children cannot regulate their emotions on their own, and they need loving adults in their lives to help them regulate and practice these skills.

By participating in a social-emotional screening, providers of all kinds can evaluate a child’s development, address any potential concerns, and connect families to services and supports in their

One of the most obvious ways to engage families is to involve them in day-to-day operations. You also want to make sure they have the opportunity to voice their concerns or

Discussing child care experiences at home strengthens kids’ brain connections. Their social and emotional development is enhanced when parents and caregivers expand on kids’ experiences by asking questions, using a variety of words, and naming feelings and emotions. Parents

By Rachelle Soden, Training Manager, Kansas Children’s Service League. Originally published in the Spring 2021 Issue of Kansas Child Magazine. Connections matter in early childhood. Early care and education professionals — including child care providers, preschool teachers, and

The Voices That Should Inform Change-Process In Our Child Care System By Peggy Kelly, Executive Director, Kansas Head Start Association. Originally published in the Winter 2021 Issue of Kansas Child Magazine. Long before COVID-19 completely redesigned our lives and view of what

By John Presley Originally published in the Spring 2020 issue of Kansas Child Magazine. Attachment is a word in mental health circles that has taken on a dominant connotation as relating to disruptions and disorders of relationships, particularly regarding the development of

By Tom Copeland, Trainer, Author and Advocate for Family Child Care Originally published in the Spring 2021 issue of Kansas Child Magazine. Most family child care providers know they should be saving more money for their retirement. At the end of the month, though, there is usually