BUILDING IPM CAPACITY IN CHILDCARE AND EARLY EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS

Children in childcare facilities may be exposed to pests and pesticides. The project should reduce risks to young children by increasing the capacity of educators, facilities managers and pest management professionals to teach and implement IPM in early educational settings. Such settings include public and private elementary schools, childcares, Head Start, and faith-based early learning programs. Successful IPM implementation in educational facilities requires a partnership between multiple individuals including: -extension educators who provide information and programming to school communities; -childcare/early education professionals who manage classrooms and children daily; -facilities managers who assure building safety -pest management professionals who provide pest management services The project develops innovative, targeted IPM programming for each of these groups, utilizing existing networks to reach new audiences.