Head Start Health Services Competencies Modules
Use these tools to develop and strengthen the attitudes, knowledge, and skills health services staff need to effectively support the health, safety, and wellness of young children and their families.
Health Services Management
As part of Head Start’s comprehensive services, every Head Start program provides services to promote health, behavioral health, and safety for children and families. New and experienced health services staff can use these resources to learn more about health services and the role of health services staff. This topic area also includes professional development resources for health services staff, child care health consultants, and others who support health services across all early care and education settings.
Fundamental Values, Knowledge, and Skills to Manage Health Services
Explore how leaders can better manage health services when they understand how health impacts school readiness. Reflect on leaders’ own role in health services and find ways to promote program health practices.
Principles of Health and Wellness
Program leaders and staff who understand the general principles of health and wellness practices provide effective health services. Explore ways programs promote the health of children, families, and staff.
Health Education for Children, Families, and Staff
Explore ways to provide effective health education. Learn how to identify key information, deliver it so others can understand, and ensure it matches the culture and language of a family.
How to Find Science-informed and Evidence-based Health Information
Health services staff support families by offering current, accurate, and consistent health information. Identify ways to find and use health information to share with families and inform policies and procedures.
CFOC Basics: Program Review Tool
Review the minimum health and safety standards for child care settings outside of the home. This tool covers eight content areas from Caring for Our Children Basics and can strengthen health and safety practices.
Ask the Expert: Head Lice
This installment of The Ask the Expert series focuses on head lice. Listen as Dr. Sue Aronson and Dr. Barbara Frankowski answer questions about identification, recommended treatments, and how to talk to parents.
Recommendations for Designing a State Child Care Health Consultant Registry
Find out how to develop a Child Care Health Consultant (CCHC) registry. Learn about the registry’s purpose and components. Explore ways states can add a registry to an existing professional development system.
Child Care Health Consultant Competencies
Review the skills and expertise of child care health consultants (CCHCs) who work with early care and education programs across settings to serve children ages birth to 5 and their families.
Ask the Expert: Head Start and the Medical Home
Dr. James Perrin, former president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, discusses Head Start and the medical home. Learn why it is crucial to link families to a medical home that best serves their needs by providing continuous, accessible medical care.