Coalition for Safety and Health in Early Learning
About the Coalition for Safety and Health in Early Learning:
The Coalition for Safety and Health in early Learning is a network of Child Care Health Consultants – health professionals of all types, licenses, and degrees (nurses, physicians, dieticians, environmental specialists, behavioral professionals, public health specialists, etc). The work of this networking group is supported by BestStart Washington. CSHEL typically meets the 3rd Friday of the month in October, January, and May by Zoom, with extra meetings as necessary.
Our Purpose:
Our purpose is to create and sustain a representative voice for children’s health and safety in early care and education settings. In 1988, the Washington State legislature created the Child Care Coordinating Council (CCCC) in an effort to bring key players from various state agencies, early care advocates, businesses, and other interested parties together to focus the legislative agenda around child care issues. This coalition began as the Health and Safety subcommittee of the CCCC, tasked with advising the legislature on issues impacting health and safety in child care settings. The group was legislatively mandated and included representatives from the licensing agency (Department of Social and Health Services, now Department of Early Learning), Department of Health, Child Care Resource & Referral, HeadStart, ECEAP (Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program), local health jurisdictions, and others.