DHSS Press Release

SPENDING THIRTY MINUTES OF QUALITY TIME WITH A CHILD EACH DAY CAN BE LIFE CHANGING

DOVER (July 14, 2014) - The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) has launched a new website providing a variety of fun activities that support a child's mental and physical development. Called QT 30, the website is located at www.QT30DE.com and features an activity guide for parents, including hundreds of 30-minute quality time activities for kids from birth to 8 years old. The website and activity guides are linked, in part, to the Early Learning Foundations for School Success developed by the Delaware Department of Education.

QT 30 stands for spending 30 minutes of quality time every day with the children in your life. The program is based on extensive research that demonstrates that happy, healthy and productive lives start early. How children do in school, and how they behave and achieve in life takes shape in the earliest years. A child's first 1,000 days are a period of exceptional physical, emotional, and cognitive growth. Undivided attention between adult and child, through breastfeeding, reading together, play, and other activities has enormous positive benefits for this growth. QT 30 provides a framework of age-appropriate play and creative activities to engage a child and increase their potential.

"At each stage in development, young children need a variety of experiences that stimulate their physical coordination, communication, social and emotional growth," said Dr. Karyl Rattay, DPH director. "Many of these engaging activities can be done right at home."

QT30 is part of the Help Me Grow system, a partnership between the Division of Public Health and many public and private organizations. Help me Grow serves as a comprehensive and coordinated statewide system for the early identification and referral of children at risk for developmental and behavioral problems. "Our goal is simple - help every child in Delaware have the best possible opportunity for a lifetime of well-being," said Leah Woodall, MPA, DPH Chief of Family Health Systems.

Activity guides will also be mailed to a pilot group of households in all three Delaware counties to encourage sharing these resources among friends and neighbors.

More information on Help Me Grow is found at dethrives.com/help-me-grow . More information on early childhood learning is available through the Department of Education's website: www.doe.k12.de.us/infosuites/students_family/earlychildhood/preschool.shtml.

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware's citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. DPH, a division of DHSS, urges Delawareans to make healthier choices with the 5-2-1 Almost None campaign: eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables each day, have no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time each day (includes TV, computer, gaming), get 1 or more hours of physical activity each day, drink almost no sugary beverages.

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware's citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.