The goal of this project was to prepare a report to describe the prevalent health practices and concerns in early care and education programs in Massachusetts. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) has established specific health standards for NAEYC-accredited programs. These standards include specific practices to promote and protect children’s health and control infectious disease, to ensure children’s nutritional wellbeing and to maintain a healthful environment. NAEYC standards also include guidelines to promote children’s safety, including guidelines for the safety of equipment, materials and indoor and outdoor spaces, as well as guidelines for supervising children and designing learning environments. Using data from several studies of Massachusetts early care and education programs, we report the extent to which programs currently meet these health and safety standards.

The Massachusetts Early Care and Education Health Report was prepared for The Schott Fellowship in Early Care and Education and the Bessie Tartt Wilson Foundation, with funding from the Charles H. Hood Foundation and The Barr Foundation. The Schott Fellowship prepared a report, Cornerstones: Strengthening the Foundation of Health and Safety in Early Education and Care, that includes the findings of the Health Report, as well as other work by the Schott Fellowship and Bessie Tartt Wilson Foundation.