December 14, 2020 Childhood Health Programs About The following organizations provide childhood health programs and services to families. Let’s Move Pittsburgh As a healthy lifestyle program of Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, Let’s Move Pittsburgh offers a range of in-person and virtual programming, including the Let’s Move Pittsburgh Pop-Up Series. To learn more, visit the Let’s Move Pittsburgh webpage! Healthy Start The Allegheny County Healthy Start program is free for women who are pregnant, new parents, and families who have children up to the age of two years old. At this time, new program enrollment is open to pregnant women only. Please view the full list of eligible zip codes before applying. To enroll, complete the online enrollment form. Kids Plus Pediatrics With offices located in Squirrel Hill/Greenfield, Pleasant Hills, and Cranberry/Seven Fields, Kids Plus Pediatrics offers a range of services to families, including Kids + Fit, Well Child Visits, Dental Days, Virtual Visits, Parent and Caregiver Classes, and more. To learn more and schedule an appointment, visit the Kids Plus Pediatrics website. MAYA Organization Located in Swissvale, MAYA Organization provides access to classes, doula services, postpartum support, and counseling. Classes cover a range of topics, including pregnancy, birth, newborn care, breastfeeding, baby and toddler safety, and more. To learn more, visit the MAYA Organization website. Cribs for Kids Cribs for Kids provides cribs to babies whose mothers cannot afford them and educates mothers about the dangers of unsafe sleep environments. If you are in need of a crib, find a Cribs for Kids Partner in your area by using the online Find a Partner tool. Partners may have a specific set of requirements for receiving a portable crib and some may only provide safe sleep education. Additionally, Cribs for Kids offers a Safe Sleep Academy that provides information about safe sleep practices, childhood milestones, and more. To learn more, visit the Safe Sleep Academy website.
Childhood Physical Health: Resources About The following organizations provide information on health and human services; classes on childhood and family health topics; referral and service support; and more. COMPASS COMPASS is an online platform that enables Pennsylvanians to learn about, apply for, manage, and renew health and human service benefits. These services include, but are not limited to: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medical Assistance, Early Intervention (EI) Services, and Child Care Works (CCW). To apply for services and learn more, visit the COMPASS website. Pennsylvania WIC The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) aims to improve the health of women, infants, and children in Pennsylvania by providing services at no cost to families. Services are available for: pregnant women; breastfeeding women (up until one year postpartum); women up to six months postpartum (who are not breastfeeding); and infants and children under five years old (including foster children). To be eligible, the family must meet WIC income guidelines. Interested families can start their application online or call the toll-free WIC Hotline at 1.800.942.9467. Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) provides comprehensive health insurance coverage (including eye, dental, and hearing services) to uninsured children and teens. To be eligible for CHIP, children must: be under the age of 19; a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or qualified alien; a resident of Pennsylvania; and uninsured or not eligible for Medical Assistance. Eligibility is also determined by family size and income. To learn more and apply, visit the CHIP website. Information is available for grandparents and immigrants. Allegheny Lead Safe Homes Program The Allegheny Lead Safe Homes program offers qualifying homeowners and renters in Allegheny County with free lead-paint testing throughout their homes and hires a certified lead abatement contractor to repair any lead hazards found up to $12,000. Visit the Allegheny County website to view eligibility requirements and more. If you’re interested in participating, call 412.227.5700, email alleghenylead@actionhousing.org, or fill out the online form. For general program questions, call Jennifer Saks at 412.350.1032. Cribs for Kids Cribs for Kids provides cribs to babies whose mothers cannot afford them and educates mothers about the dangers of unsafe sleep environments. If you are in need of a crib, find a Cribs for Kids Partner in your area by using the online Find a Partner tool. Partners may have a specific set of requirements for receiving a portable crib and some many only provide safe sleep education. Additionally, Cribs for Kids offers a Safe Sleep Academy that provides information about safe sleep practices, childhood milestones, and more. To learn more, visit the Safe Sleep Academy website. Kids Plus Pediatrics With offices located in Squirrel Hill/Greenfield, Pleasant Hills, and Cranberry/Seven Fields, Kids Plus Pediatrics offers a range of services to families, including Well Child Visits, Dental Days, Virtual Visits, Parent and Caregiver Classes, and more. To learn more and schedule an appointment, visit the Kids Plus Pediatrics website. MAYA Organization Located in Swissvale, MAYA Organization provides access to classes, doula services, postpartum support, and counseling. Classes cover a range of topics, including pregnancy, birth, newborn care, breastfeeding, baby and toddler safety, and more. To learn more, visit the MAYA Organization website. Breastfeeding Center of Pittsburgh The Breastfeeding Center of Pittsburgh provides access to coordinated care, virtual visits, lactation consultations, prenatal breastfeeding classes, breastfeeding supplies, and more. To learn more and view their upcoming events, visit the Breastfeeding Center of Pittsburgh website. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) connects families and caregivers to a wide range of early childhood health topics, including information on safety, immunizations, milestones, child passenger safety, and more. To view the list of topics and more, visit the CDC website. HealthyChildren.org Created by the American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org features a wide range of childhood health topics, including parenting during a pandemic, breastfeeding, developmental milestones, health conditions, and more. To learn more, visit the HealthyChildren.org website.
Early Childhood Matters About Did you know that early brain development plays a critical role in children’s lifelong learning and health? According to a report by the National Head Start Association, “early brain development lays the foundation for cognitive, motor, and socio-emotional abilities throughout a child’s lifetime.” What Children Need Because brain development is influenced by many factors, such as nutrition, physical activity, toxic stress, and access to routine screenings and wellness exams, it’s important to ensure that young children have access to resources and opportunities that are proven to support healthy development. During early childhood, children need: access to fresh, healthy foods to receive the proper nutrition they need to grow; at least one to two hours of moderate to vigorous physical activity or active play daily; caring, supportive relationships with others in environments that don’t impose high-stress; and regular health screenings and wellness exams to monitor healthy growth and development. More Information For more information on how to support the healthy development of your young child, visit HealthyChildren.org and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.
Creating a Safe and Supportive Environment About A child’s home is the first and most influential environment they are exposed to as it sets the stage for relationship-building, early learning, and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), childhood development itself is “an important determinant of health over a person’s lifetime.” By age six, children achieve over 90 percent of their adult brain volume and develop functional skills related to information processing, comprehension, language, emotional regulation, and motor skills. This means that a majority of children’s cognitive development happens before they even enter their first elementary school classroom. What to Include To reinforce healthy development, children birth through age nine must have access to home and care environments that meet the following conditions: the environment is safe and supportive; the environment uses developmentally appropriate early learning strategies; and the presence of stable, responsive, nurturing caregivers. By having access to these three things, children’s risk of exposure to adverse childhood experiences decreases. This, in turn, benefits children’s long-term wellbeing as the biological effects of ACEs are strongly associated with “numerous adult diseases, including coronary artery disease, chronic pulmonary disease, and cancer.” More Information To learn more about early childhood as a social determinant of health, visit the CDC website.
June 15, 2020 Questions for Your Early Learning Provider During COVID-19 Child Care and the COVID-19 Pandemic Child Care Operations in Pennsylvania During the COVID-19 pandemic, all child care programs located in counties in the yellow or green phase of Governor Tom Wolf’s Process to Reopen Pennsylvania are permitted to offer services to families and caregivers without a waiver. However, to maintain the health and safety of children, families, and staff, all programs must comply with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Guidance for Child Care Programs that Remain Open. To better understand the type of care and services your early learning program is providing during the COVID-19 pandemic, ask your early learning professional the following questions. For additional questions on program quality, visit our Questions to Ask Your Early Learning Professional page. Questions to Ask Your Child Care Program What are your current operating hours? (COVID-19 might have affected the normal hours.) What is the health screening process you are implementing for children and staff? What is your drop-off and pick-up process right now? What is your policy regarding visitors and non-essential staff in your program? What is your program’s policy on adults and children wearing masks? Can you share with me a little about your handwashing and hygiene practices? What is the staff-to-child ratio you are currently following? How are you handling groupings of children and use of space in general (ie., meals, nap time, outdoor activities)? How is your program communicating with families? Can you tell me about the communication you will have with families about illnesses? Does the program have an emergency plan for a child or staff member showing COVID-19 symptoms? Can you share your sick/illness policy with me before enrolling? How will you meet the developmental needs of my child while following the health and safety guidance of the CDC? Do you have an outside play area or a plan to get children outside every day? Recognizing the increased need for cleaning and sanitation, are cleaning supplies and chemicals locked up and out of the reach of children? Print this Resource This list of questions is also available as a printable Family Checklist (PDF). Find Child Care Is your family in need of child care? Use the Allegheny Child Care tool to search for child care, before and after school programs, and summer programs near you! This tool displays real-time available child care slots at early learning programs in Allegheny County. Visit our Find Child Care page to learn more and start your search. More Information If you are looking for additional questions to assess program quality, visit our Questions to Ask Your Early Learning Professional page. For more information and to stay up-to-date on COVID-19 guidance, please visit the Pennsylvania Department of Health website.
Questions to Ask Early Learning Professionals Type & Quality of Care When a child has access to high-quality early care and learning environments, they have access to certified, experienced professionals who support their development. To learn more about the type and quality of care your child care professional is providing, consider asking the following questions: Program Details What will a typical day for my child look like? Does your program use a play-based curriculum? Can you tell me a little bit about it? Is your facility Keystone STARS certified? If so, what is your STAR level? How does your program contact families? Will there be family engagement events or opportunities? Can you tell me more about them? Health and Safety What is your adult-to-child ratio for each age group? How will I be alerted if there is an emergency? What is your facility’s Emergency Preparedness Plan? Are all staff at your program certified in pediatric CPR and first aid? Are all staff at your program required to complete a PA Child Abuse History Clearance, PA State Police Criminal Record Check, FBI Criminal History Background Check, and National Sex Offender Registry Clearance? Qualifications Is your program state certified? What other qualifications or certifications are staff required to have at your location? What topics are staff regularly trained on or learning about? How often do your staff access professional development courses? Reflection In addition to asking questions, parents and caregivers can benefit from personally reflecting on their visit to the early learning program. Take a few minutes to answer the following questions: What did you notice during your visit to the early learning program? Were caregivers playing with and talking to children at their level? Were caregivers using a warm tone and kind touch to engage with children? Were caregivers responsive rather than reactive? Was the facility clean? Were toys and materials readily available for children to engage with? Print this Resource This list of questions is available as a printable PDF. More Information Looking for additional questions you can ask to learn about your program’s updated procedures and operations during the COVID-19 pandemic? Visit our Questions to Ask Your Early Learning Provider During the COVID-19 Pandemic page.
Developmentally Appropriate Parenting Series: Part II Childhood Physical Health About Did you know that by age six children achieve over 90 percent of their adult brain volume? This means that a majority of early childhood development happens before a child enters their first elementary school classroom. In fact, during the early years of a child’s life, they develop functional skills such as comprehension, language, emotional regulation, and motor skills that act as a foundation for future learning. When considering the topic of childhood physical health, brain development is influenced by many health-related factors, including nutrition, physical activity, toxic stress, and access to routine medical screenings and wellness exams. Because of this, it’s important for caregivers to create environments that support their child’s health. To assist families in creating these environments, Trying Together developed family resources that explore ways to create and access safe, supportive early environments for young children. Featured Resources Using Play to Support Children’s Physical Health As children’s first teachers, parents and caregivers play a vital role in supporting their children’s healthy development. While it may sound like a big task, the first step is simple: incorporate developmentally appropriate activities into your daily routines! Read this post to learn more. Childhood Physical Health: A Guide for Families Did you know that children’s brain development is influenced by many health-related factors, including nutrition, physical activity, and toxic stress? Read this guide to learn how you can help create a supportive early environment for your young child. Creating a Safe and Supportive Environment According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), early childhood development itself is an important determinant of health over a person’s lifetime. Read this post to learn how. The Head Start Program and Its Benefits Did you know that Head Start children have more access to health care and have improved physical health throughout their lifetime? To learn about the benefits of Head Start, read this post. Exercise Together with Darnell Campbell Are you looking for simple but effective exercises to get your family up and moving? Watch this video from Darnell Campbell to learn four exercises your family can do right at home. Play and Physical Activity Guide for Educators and Families The Recess Advocacy Team compiled a list of resources for educators and families to make sure play and physical activity are a part of children’s’ days and serve as a foundation for their learning, growth, and development. Visit this post to view the list. Childhood Physical Health: Resources Trying Together compiled a list of organizations, tools, and resources that share information or provide services related to childhood physical health. To view the list, visit this post. More Information To stay up-to-date on available resources, follow Trying Together on Facebook and Twitter or sign up to receive our newsletter.
May 27, 2020 Developmentally Appropriate Parenting Series Creating high-quality learning experiences at the earliest stages of your child’s life As an early childhood nonprofit, Trying Together recognizes that a child’s parent is their first and most important caregiver. From the moment a caregiver meets their child, whether that is through birth, adoption, fostering, or guardianship, parents use their instincts and experiences to guide their personal caregiving style. Caregivers’ perspectives are valuable and can be especially powerful in supporting children’s long-term success when paired with research and science on the way that children learn and develop. Evidence-based research shows that children’s brains develop rapidly from zero to age five. Through consistent and caring daily interactions with their children, parents and other caregivers are able to build healthy relationships with and best support the early development and learning of their children. When children grow up in safe environments with engaged, supportive caregivers, the positive effects are felt throughout their lifetime. But where do caregivers go to find information and resources that help them do this? Through the family resource series Developmentally Appropriate Parenting, Trying Together assists parents and caregivers like you in creating high-quality learning experiences at the earliest stages of your child’s life. About the Series Developmentally Appropriate Parenting is a family resource content series developed by Trying Together as an effort to empower caregivers to create high-quality experiences at the earliest stages of their child’s life. To do this, we are developing digital and print content for families that covers critical early childhood topics. To stay up-to-date on available materials, sign up to receive our newsletter. Featured Content Use the list below to navigate through each series topic: Part I: Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) Part II: Childhood Physical Health Part III: Child Care Part IV: Early Intervention (EI) Part V: Safety Part VI: Social-Emotional Development Part VII: Childhood Mental Health Part VIII: Race and Equity Part IX: Transitions & Routines Part X: Gender and Gender Identity Part XI: Family Dynamics Part XII: Caring for the Caregiver Request free printed materials from our Developmentally Appropriate Parenting Series. Available Languages Caregivers viewing our online resources can use the “Select Language” button in the top right corner of the screen to access the information in their native language. Printed Materials Request free printed materials from our Developmentally Appropriate Parenting Series. Printed materials are available in English and Spanish. More Information For questions about the Developmentally Appropriate Parenting series, email Trying Together at: info@tryingtogether.org.
