Quality Child Care Building our North Dakota Workforce

Today’s children are tomorrow’s workforce.   

Providing the solid building blocks for development makes sense and cents for North Dakota.  In ND, 3 out of 4 (73%) children under the age of six – about 47,000 children-  have all available parents in the labor force meaning parents must rely on child care providers to watch over their children in order to remain employed.¹   No matter where children live or go for early care and education we can build a strong foundation for their development that will carry forward into adulthood.

For the past three years with special grant funding, AHA has worked actively at a variety of childcare provider service levels to learn challenges and barriers faced while identifying opportunities for efficiencies, provided training and education, engage parents and worked with local childcare ordinance in Fargo and West Fargo. Work continues with a statewide focus.  

The American Heart Association proposes updates to the administrative rules to provide minimum evidence-based nutrition, physical activity (active play) and screen time standards within current North Dakota child care licensing administrative rules. 

• USDA Child and Adult Nutrition Program (CACFP) guidelines as the standard for nutrition with healthier beverage guidelines.
• YMCA Healthy Eating and Physical Activity (HEPA) standard for physical activity (Active Play) of 60 minutes per day.
• YMCA HEPA standard for screen time limits of 60 minutes per day of educational programming with no screen time for children under 2 years of age.

If you are interested in ensuring every ND child in Childhood Services receives the same opportunity to basic standards for the building blocks of a healthy life, get involved by contacting Joan Enderle at [email protected] or by phone at (701) 658-3046.

 Read more: “4 Ways Quality Child Care Positively Impacts Our Local Workforce” written by Krisi Huber, United Way of Cass -Clay President for Fargo INC! Business Magazine, November 2017    http://www.fargoinc.com/quality-child-care/