Statewide Recognitions Raise Quality in Child Care

Missouri has two statewide voluntary health and wellness recognitions that are unique to child care programs. MOve Smart and Breastfeeding Friendly Child Care are both administered by Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. Earning these statewide recognitions is a mark of quality child care because their criteria follow current nutrition and physical evidence-based practices. 

The Missouri MOve Smart Child Care recognition provides a set of physical activity standards for child care facilities, including licensed centers and family child care homes as well as license-exempt programs. The standards utilize evidence-based practices for child care facilities to evaluate their program and create a place where children and adults can be active and healthy as they learn, work and play. 

Breastfeeding provides many health benefits for infants. It supplies all the necessary nutrients in the proper proportions. It protects against short-term sickness and long-term chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes and cancer. Continuing to breastfeed when mothers return to work can be a challenge. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) would like child care providers to successfully support breastfeeding families. Helping moms continue to breastfeed can be done with just a little time and resources. Becoming a Breastfeeding Friendly Child Care is a voluntary recognition program available to Missouri child care facilities.

Both recognitions have an application process where documentation must be submitted verify compliance with the standards. Documentation is then reviewed and approved once the standards are met.  The approved program then receives posters and other materials to be displayed within the program notifying current and prospective families of the achievement and standards followed to ensure the health and well-being of the children and families attending the program.   

Click here for further information on Missouri MOve Smart. 

Click here for further information on Missouri Breastfeeding Friendly Child Care. 

Statewide recognition for Farm to ECE will be coming soon.  Watch for more information!

Contact Lisa Lauer, Senior Nutritionist at Lisa.Lauer@health.mo.gov.

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