Boston Healthy Childcare Initiative
The Boston Public Health Commission understands the importance that the environment plays in a child’s growth and development.
Many children in Boston attend childcare programs with educators who are dedicated to creating a space for developmental experiences that children need early in life. By providing good nutrition and physical activity in these programs, children begin to develop healthy habits that support growth.
What we do
The Division of Chronic Disease Prevention and Control works with early childhood educators to promote:
- healthy eating
- physical activity, and
- reduced screen time throughout the City.
We offer learning collaboratives to promote policies for physical activity and nutrition. We also have different training series for early childhood education.
Upcoming trainings
The Boston Healthy Child Care Initiative (BHCCI) helps childcare programs improve their capacity. We want to help them put in place policies and practices that support healthy eating and physical activity in infants, toddlers, and preschool-aged children.
Our goals:The goal of BHCCI is to promote policy, systems, and environmental change strategies in childcare settings. We want to increase the number of child care providers who:
- provide access to healthy foods
- provide access to healthy beverages
- provide access to physical activity opportunities
- decrease access to screen time, and
- increase opportunities for breastfeeding.
Please email chronicdisease@bphc.org for more information.