News and Insights

The Russell County Community Child Care Coalition (RCCC) is on a mission to uplift and encourage the child care providers who serve families across the county. This year, their efforts have focused on showing appreciation, offering practical support, and creating moments of joy for those

Care Aware of Kansas (CCAKS) is officially joining Cape, a career and professional empowerment portal tailored for Kansas’ early childhood

The information we gather is used to inform parents about child care programs that have openings for their child(ren), based on the parent’s needs.

As childcare providers, we are great at making sure that the children we are tasked with taking care of are warm, dry, fed and are safe. Do you have a plan as the provider if you have a medical emergency?

Nearly 1 out of every 5 children in the United States has a special health care

Refreshing policies for the new year can give a program an array of benefits. Creating policies for child care is essential to creating high-quality and long-standing programs, but that is only the first step.

As a family child care provider, it’s important for you to become familiar with all the IRS requirements for filing your

This time of year, many of us reflect on the previous year and set resolutions or goals for the upcoming year! Regardless of your feelings about New Year's resolutions, it's a great idea to set professional goals for yourself and your child care business in 2024!

With all the great reasons to incorporate seasonal foods into your program's menu, it's easy to see that seasonal recipes are good for your children's mind and appetite!

There’s a lot of great things to celebrate during this time of year! When planning your holiday parties, do you think about the kids with food allergies in your

Child care administrators and teachers have to juggle a lot on a daily basis. Not only are they teaching young minds, but they’re also managing family communications, billing and enrollment, and everything in between. It can be challenging for families to find a program that does it all

Playground was purpose-built for child care providers to reduce tedious administrative work and free them to focus on what matters most — providing quality care for children.

Early childhood professionals need and deserve respect and support for the critically important work they do. Investing in state’s our early care and education professionals is critical to stemming the loss of child care spots and expanding access to families throughout the

The Kansas Breastfeeding Coalition maintains a list of child care providers across our state who have been designated as breastfeeding friendly.

Put on some sunscreen, make sure everyone has enough water, and enjoy these activities for summer fun with

Cooking with children can be both fun and exhausting! Despite the time and patience required, making snacks or meals with your kids pays off for everyone

Summer is a season for practicing and developing resilience and problem-solving skills in a low-stress and supportive environment.

Making physical activity fun ensures that your kids will enjoy the benefits of being active throughout their

You can rely on ECE Resources Kansas to keep a lot of important information saved for you in one

The Child Care Health Consultant Start-Up program is dedicated to welcoming new providers to the child care

We are so grateful that our program uses a child care management system, and we recommend it to all early care and education professionals. It makes the transition between home and child care much

Julie Schwarz, owner of Thunderhawk Daycare in Grinnell, Kansas, shares her opinion on the KidKare software and how her program has benefitted from

Add a little bit of homegrown flavor to your child care program’s kitchen

The Iron Triangle of Early Care and Education Finance is a simple formula to help busy child care providers stay on track.

A learning community is a peer support network of early childhood professionals who meet on a regular basis to work toward shared goals.

Shared Service Networks offer child care providers the opportunity to strengthen their business practices while focusing on what is the most important — the children.

It can be challenging to know what you can do to best support yourself, your staff, and your children during hard

The Importance of Sleep March 17, 2023 is not just a day to wear green!  It’s also a nationally recognized day to acknowledge the many health benefits of sleep. How Does Sleep Impact Children? Sleep is a critical component of health for children.  The amount of sleep a child

There are some simple steps you can take to prepare yourself, your family, and the children you care

Program Administration Support is designed to help improve the quality of your business practices.

Kids with cavities miss school and have missed opportunities. Pain and infection from untreated cavities can lead to problems with eating, speaking, and

Our child care health consultants are ready to help you tackle your child care start-up

Advocacy is not one-size-fits all. You can use your talents and your experience to make a

Child care providers have a unique opportunity to play a critical role in preventing and early identification of birth defects.

Disease mitigation strategies are some of the most important things providers can do to help keep illness at

There is a growing body of research indicating that — when families are actively engaged in their child’s learning — children experience positive, lifelong

Kansas Children’s Service League (KCSL) trabaja para prevenir neglijencia y abuso de la infancia, ofrecer soporte para familias, preparar los niños para la escuela, y ofrecer educacion para padres y comunidades a lo largo de el estado de

It can be hard to know exactly when to exclude a child for illness, especially when it comes to runny noses and

Since Head Start’s inception in 1965, the program has taken a holistic approach to working with the nation’s youngest children and their families.

Epilepsy is the fourth most common neurological disorder in the

You can create a policy for your program that protects children from smoke exposure and ensures that staff do not model tobacco use in front of the children.

Sleeping can be a high-risk activity, especially for children under the age of one year – even more so if careful attention is not paid to the sleeping environment.

Our consultants provide coaching, consulting, technical assistance, mentoring, and

If you wish to strengthen your cashflow in a more permanent ongoing way, consider using these

Did you know that children in child care receive an average 40% of their daily calories while in the child care

Mealtime creates plenty of wonderful opportunities to provide children with education and social-emotional development.

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

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

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.

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

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

By Tom Copeland, Trainer, Author and Advocate for Family Child Care Originally published in the Spring 2021 Issue of Kansas Child Magazine Family child care providers start their businesses because they love children and want to care for them. But many providers quit because they can’t

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Child Care Aware of Kansas, in partnership with the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) and Links to Quality, launched Program Administration Support to provide one-on-one assistance to licensed child care providers as they strengthen their

By Kim Lawson, Preschool teacher, Bennington Grade School Orginally published in the Fall 2020 Issue of Kansas Child magazine Children are not born with the skills to self-regulate. We instinctively help babies soothe by rocking, bouncing, back rubs, and singing. As children grow into

By Susan Owens, Early Care and Education Specialist, The Family Conservancy Originally published in the Summer 2021 Issue of Kansas Child magazine Environment plays a crucial role in supporting child development. But how can you tell if the changes you make to the child care environment

By Diana Floyd, RD, LD, Kansas State Department of Education Originally published in the Summer 2020 Issue of Kansas Child Magazine Getting children to try new foods can be challenging Children can be picky eaters and consume less than the optimal variety of foods each day. Parents and

Your child means the world to you, and you do all you can to make sure they have what they need to be healthy and happy. You shouldn’t have to worry about your child’s health and safety while you work, go to school, or pursue your goals. There’s much your child care provider can do

Finding a training is now easier than ever! Providing early care and education is one of the most rewarding – and challenging – careers you could choose! As an early care and education professional, you are able to nurture young children as they develop and explore the world around

Kansas child care providers have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic, even when other businesses closed. Yet many are struggling to stay afloat. Prioritizing the health and safety of young children comes with increased costs for child care programs, at a time when revenue for child

We partner with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to launch the next phase of consultations for licensed child care