Child Care Aware of America (CCAoA), in partnership with NACCHO, recently released a community engagement resource, Engaging Families and Communities to Promote Child Health: Strategies for Local Health Departments. This resource highlights how local health departments (LHDs) play a critical role in shaping children’s long-term health and development by fostering strong partnerships with families and communities. Early childhood experiences are foundational to lifelong well-being, from academic success to chronic disease prevention. By engaging families and collaborating with community partners, particularly early care and education (ECE) programs and Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agencies, LHDs can reach families more effectively and promote vital health initiatives through trusted community hubs.
Collaboration between LHDs and CCR&R agencies fosters strong family and community engagement, leading to numerous benefits, such as improved child health outcomes, better school readiness, enhanced public health programs, and strengthened community ties. CCR&R agencies serve as essential resource hubs, enhancing access to high-quality, affordable child care by assisting families with referrals, licensing information, and support for all children. They also provide crucial resources for early childhood educators, including mentoring, business training, and partnerships with state agencies to respond to emergencies and distribute funds. Ultimately, these efforts address health disparities by ensuring equitable access to vital health resources for all families. For more information and to find a local CCR&R, visit the Child Care Aware CCR&R webpage.
To learn more, please explore Engaging Families and Communities to Promote Child Health: Strategies for Local Health Departments. For additional ways to engage with local communities and strengthen child health, NACCHO and CCAoA are releasing a new toolkit, Collaborating for Child Well-being: A Toolkit for Local Health Departments & Early Care and Education Programs. This toolkit provides practical guidance and real-world examples for building effective partnerships between LHDs and ECE organizations. To learn more about the toolkit and partnerships between LHDs and ECE programs, view the webinar on fostering strong community partnerships to support children’s health!
