South Carolina Team Nutrition 2014: Growing Healthy in Child Care

Abstract

The objective is to train 750 child care center administrators, food service staff, and caregivers to implement the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans as best practices to improve children's health and their care environment. This ambitious training initiative strengthens the state's policy commitment to the Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) to embed nutrition/physical activity standards within the child care quality rating assessment. Since 2008, ABC Quality has partnered with CACFP and other stakeholders, including the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control, early childhood professional associations and USC's School of Public Health, to successfully implement nutrition standards in programs. State initiatives such as the SC Farm to Preschool Program and culinary training for childcare providers have enhanced and extended the reach of the CACFP program to improve the nutritional health of young children. Evaluation measures include: numbers trained/impacted, changes in center practice, changes in procurement methods, participant feedback. Evaluation methods include: feedback surveys, ABC Quality assessment tools (observation, documentation, and interview), and data analysis. South Carolina's collaborative approach of building an interagency team to promote healthy eating in the child care setting has resulted in an increased awareness of the importance of good nutrition for young children's growth and development. This continued training and technical assistance on healthy eating to the wide population of child care centers served by ABC Quality has the potential to complement and extend the reach of the South Carolina CACFP program. Participation in CACFP can improve the financial resources and quality of service in centers.