How Quality First Works – Quality First

Support from a team of experts

Programs enrolled in Quality First are supported by specialists in children’s health, mental health and inclusion for children with special needs. Working together with you and your coach, these experts provide information and guidance to assist you in meeting the needs of the children in your program.

Improving child health and well–being

Quality early care and education starts with an emphasis on health and safety. Child care health consultants (CCHCs) are nurses and child health professionals specifically trained to help you improve and protect the health and well-being of the children in your care. They assist you and your staff with training and information on best practices and requirements in health, nutrition and safety and are available in person and for consultations by email or phone. They also provide information for families and referrals to additional health resources in your community.

Specific topics that your child care health consultant can assist you with include:

• Safety and injury prevention
• Nutrition and physical activity
• Policies that reduce the spread of illness
• Caring for children with special health care needs
• Immunizations
• Recognizing and reporting child abuse

Managing difficult behaviors (only available in certain regions)

Nurturing the social and emotional development of each child is another important part of quality early care and education. Mental health consultants are skilled specialists in early childhood social-emotional development who support you and your staff in creating positive environments and relationships so that all children in your program are engaged in learning.

They offer on-site training and strategies to help you:

• Manage difficult behaviors (such as tantrums, biting, nap-time issues)
• Identify and provide referrals for children who may need additional support
• Aid effective communication between staff and children and their families

Supporting children with special needs (only available in certain regions)

Early care and education inclusion consultants provide training and assistance to improve the skills of teachers and caregivers in supporting young children with special needs.

Support can be offered in the following areas:

• Screening for developmental concerns
• Tips for talking with parents about developmental concerns
• Strategies to support the success of a specific child
• Community resources for early intervention for children with delays (therapists, school districts)