From before they are born through their adolescence, children are at increased risk of adverse physical and mental health outcomes as a result of exposure to environmental and climate hazards. Protecting children from climate change risks requires the environments they spend time in to be resilient to these hazards and requires those who care for children to be equipped to provide support.
Children under the age of 5 spend a majority of time away from home in childcare. Nearly 1 million children in the US are cared for in family childcare (FC) homes, which are unique in that care is provided in the home of the caregiver. Notably, FC providers and the children they care for are often from socially and economically marginalized groups. The environmental health and climate change resiliency of these settings often depends on a provider’s knowledge of risks and their financial and practical ability to mitigate them.
We have several ongoing projects related to environmental health and climate preparedness in family childcare settings within Illinois:
- A survey of family childcare perceptions of indoor and outdoor environments where they provide care.
- A study of the climate vulnerability of family childcare homes across Illinois.
- An examination of the differences in the physical, nutritional, and social environments in family childcare neighborhoods.
The Study Team:
Principal Investigator: Dr. Sheena Martenies
Co-Investigators: Dr. Mina Raj (HK), Brenda Koester (CSBS)
Collaborators: Dr. Chelsea Singleton (Tulane), Dr. Fikriyah Winata (Texas A&M)
Publications
Koester BD, Singleton CR, Winata F, Martenies SE. Variability in the built, nutritional, and social environments of family-based childcare facilities in Illinois. Family & Community Health. In press.