Keeping staff healthy is good for the staff and for the children of the center. There are several areas that centers can address to help keep a healthy staff.

Childcare centers should have written policies concerning the health of staff. These policies should address such areas as health history, immunizations, health screenings, and exclusion policies for staff.

Both volunteer and paid staff should have a health appraisal within three months before or the first month after employment. This documented appraisal should include a health history, physical exam, review of immunizations and need for vaccines, eye and vision screening, and tuberculosis (TB) screening. Childcare programs or state licensing standards may require additional screenings. After the initial health screening, staff should receive health appraisals as recommended by their health care providers or if they are required by local or state regulatory/licensing agencies.

In addition, the center administrator should do a daily health “mini” assessment with staff to check for obvious signs of illness. Sometimes staff or volunteers come to the center even when they are ill. The “if sick, stay home” policy that applies to children should also apply to staff!

Wellness programs often take place in “corporate” settings and can occur in a childcare setting, too. While your center might not be able to offer an exercise room, there are wellness options you can offer that can help keep staff healthy. A walking program, for example, can be offered in the morning or at the end of the day where the staff walks in a group (walking with someone can be fun) for as little as 15-20 minutes.

Area health agencies can be an asset to childcare programs. Many health organizations offer health appraisals that include a look at lifestyles and issues such as smoking, heart disease and family history. Often, these appraisals can be provided at no or low cost. A fitness organization might visit the center and offer suggestions for aerobic exercises and how to squeeze exercise into a busy day. A nutritionist could provide ideas on eating healthy.

Holiday gifts, promotions or special occasions might be celebrated with a gift of an aerobic class at a nearby fitness facility. A local hospital could be approached about providing funding to offer fitness classes to your staff.

Invite a local health department nurse into your program to provide blood pressure screenings or cholesterol testing. Ask the nurse to inform your center when health screenings for vision, cancer, diabetes or other health risks might be offered by their department and then let your staff know the dates of the events.

Keeping staff healthy can reap many benefits and offering health programs in your center lets staff and parents know that health is important. Make a health “resolution” this year to include a health program in your center.