HEAL and the Marin Child Care Council support best practices for childcare providers, staff, children, and families. HEAL supports the Policy Systems and Environments (PSE) model for developing lasting positive changes in early childhood settings.

 

The HEAL program looks toward greater trends in the field of children's health, tracking developing models and global strategies that bring effective and equitable change in early childhood.​​

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Policy

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Policy changes are when a childcare site adopts a new policy around children's health and wellness.

This can then be shared and communicated to staff, and families; by handbook, website, cubby, and/or bulletin board.

Please see below for sample policies for Child Care Sites.

 

System

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System changes are when childcare providers look at their routines and daily practices and make changes to it.

This may be how the flow of the day or weekly schedule happens.

 

Examples of system changes may be:

• Celebrations and holidays are enjoyed with healthy foods and non-treat activities.

• Gardening is woven into the weekly schedule- to sustain a garden program students need to be able to learn and access it often. By weaving it into your daily or weekly schedule children can support the need of the garden such as watering and planting but also get to see seeds and plants grow and connect and make meaningful connections to the place.

 

Environment

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Environmental changes are when the indoor or outdoor learning playscape is changed, added to, or altered using the early childhood lens of developmentally appropriate learning tools and or childcare site needs.

 

Examples of environmental changes look like this:

• Adding more physical activity materials such as tumbling mats, yoga mats, balls, rope, and more

• Adding garden beds or adding elements to your learning playscape

• Offering a breastfeeding area for families at your childcare site.

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