Child Care Health Consultation (CCHC), formerly called infant nurse consultation, is required for licensed child care centers that serve infants. CCHC is considered the best practice to support the health and safety of children in group care. The American Academy of Pediatrics supports and encourages growing a CCHC system.
Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 110-300-0275 provides the regulations that govern CCHC. As of August 2019, in addition to current on-site reporting to center staff, the WAC now requires that nurses also report their monthly visits to DCYF. As further system changes and developments occur, they will be shared through this website.
What Are the Child Care Health Consultant’s Duties?
Caring for our Children spells out the expected duties of a person in the role of a child care health consultant. Generally, the role of a child care health consultant is to support child care providers to promote the health and development of the children, families and staff in their center. A child care health consultant helps the child care provider to create and maintain a healthy and safe environment for the children in their care.
What Services Does a Child Care Health Consultant Provide?
Child care health consultants currently provide services to centers in Washington State through monthly onsite nurse visits in infant rooms, as well as by phone or email consultation, as needed. A child care health consultant does not typically offer direct nursing services to families but rather shares health and developmental expertise; conducts assessments of child, staff and family health needs; and makes referrals to community resources as necessary or requested by the staff and families.
The child care health consultant can assist families in care coordination with their medical home and other health and developmental specialists or assist the child care provider in addressing developmental concerns with families.
Additionally, the child care health consultant should collaborate with an interdisciplinary team of early childhood consultants, such as early childhood education, mental health, nutrition consultants and Early Achievers coaches. The specific health and safety consultation needs for an individual facility will depend on the characteristics of the facility, the experience of the staff and the group of children in attendance.