Bringing Health Care & Child Care Together

"The National Health & Safety Performance Standards, Guidelines for Out-of-Home Child Care Programs," also known as "Caring For Our Children," was developed to assist early childhood programs in planning and establishing quality early childhood programs. They are intended to serve as goals for practice and as guidelines for implementation.

Because "Caring For Our Children" is comprehensive in nature and has more than 900 standards, "Stepping Stones" was developed to provide those 182 health and safety standards that are most critical for the prevention of illness, injuries, and death in out-of-home programs.

These standards are seen as the most important first steps for creating a safe, healthy environment for both program staff and the children and families they serve.

To receive a free copy of "Stepping Stones," call the National Maternal and Child Health Clearinghouse toll free at 1-888-434-4624.

To view or download a copy of "Stepping Stones," visit the National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care website.

Note: A revised, up-to-date version of "Caring For Our Children," is now available by visiting the National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care website.