What to know
States and communities can support early child nutrition (ECN) in early care and education settings (ECE) in many ways. Here are some action steps to get started.
State actions
Landscape assessment
Learn more about your state's efforts by identifying policies, activities, and programs that support ECN.
- Identify state disparities in breastfeeding and children's consumption of fruit, vegetable, and sugar-sweetened beverages.
- Use CDC's ECE Licensing Scorecards and the National Resource Center's Achieving a State of Healthy Weight Report to see how well your state supports ECN through childcare licensing regulations.
- Review CDC's Breastfeeding Report Card for data on breastfeeding practices and supports.
Partnerships
Work with other groups to implement ECN best practices. Some organizations to consider are:
- Statewide breastfeeding coalitions
- Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) breastfeeding coordinators
- State breastfeeding hotlines
- La Leche League
- Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) state agency and CACFP sponsoring organizations.
CDC's Quick Start Action Guide and Spectrum of Opportunities Framework can help you identify potential partners.
Recognition programs
Establish or strengthen ECE recognition programs that encourage ECE providers to adopt ECN best practices Many states have recognition programs for ECE programs that meet criteria on a particular topic, such as breastfeeding. If your state doesn't have a recognition program, consider creating one. If your state does have one, look for ways to promote its use or strengthen it. Examples include:
Professional development
Professional development trainings can help strengthen ECE provider knowledge about ECN best practices. Some examples of professional development courses on ECN best practices include:
- Penn State Extensions' Better Kid Care
- U.S. Department of Agriculture training tools
- State developed trainings such as Arizona's Creating a Breastfeeding Friendly Child Care Environment
Evidence-based interventions
Use evidence-based interventions that include ECN best practices. Examples include Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (Go NAPSACC) and others in the SNAP-Ed Toolkit.
Community actions
Partnerships
Promote partnerships between local organizations that have expertise in ECN. Examples include extension services, SNAP-Ed educators, and groups that support breastfeeding families, such as La Leche League and WIC clinics.
Additionally, work with state and local childcare resource and referral systems to provide professional development and resources to ECE programs and child care providers about ECN best practices.
Support local ECE programs
Encourage ECE programs in your community to:
- Participate in statewide recognition programs or evidence-based interventions that support ECN best practices.
- Develop policies that support breastfeeding employees.
- Incorporate CDCs high-impact obesity prevention standards for healthy infant feeding and nutrition into their policies and day-to-day care practices.
We are making a difference
CDC provides funding and technical assistance to states and communities to advance policies and activities that support early child nutrition. Learn more about Strategies for Early Care and Education, CDC's state and local programs, and early child nutrition success stories.