Safety Practices and Policies

The safety of children in any child care setting should be the top priority of every caregiver. First of all every child care center should have a safety policy in place. This policy should address the environments that the children will be exposed. There needs to be an inspection of all rooms that the children will have access to and the continued monitoring of the safety of these rooms. The plan should include “anticipation, modification, and monitoring” (Robertson, p. 70). Consideration of “the accessories, the behaviors, and the conditions that lead to injury or lack of safety and protections of the children” (Robertson, p.70) need to be addressed. Some of the tools used in implementing these tools include “checklists, feedback, modeling, practice drills, education” and “careful observation, active listening and communication” (Robertson, p.70).

Injuries to children occur most often when there is not proper supervision. Running indoors, hitting, pushing, fighting over toys, improper use of toys, art supplies, and other items in the room, are the main causes of injury in a daycare setting. When there is proper supervision injuries occur much less often. Children can not be left to act and do whatever they want. They do not have the maturity to understand, or know when or how their actions will hurt themselves or others. The placement of the furnishing and the type of toys and supplies that are accessible to the children also can have a large impact on keeping children actively involved in a fun and safe way. Too much open floor space promotes running, toys that are too young or to old for the children can create boredom or frustration leading to unruly behavior. Child care workers need to be involved with the children, while observing those children who are in other parts of the room.

Indoor safety also involves items other then the equipment, furnishings, and toys in the classrooms. It involves the restrooms and the eating areas. In the restroom supervision is a must. Toilets, doors, water temperature and the possibility of slippery floors due to water can all cause injury or the passing of germs from person to person. Toilets, and the floors around the toilets, need to be cleaned and the temperature of the hot water needs to be set no higher then 120F. The doors on stalls can be slammed on fingers and they can prevent the childcare provider from seeing what the children are doing. Children can drown in toilets. When water gets on the floor of the bathroom the floor can become very slippery causing falls. When children wash their hands they can accidentally get soap in their eyes, which can sting quit painfully.

Outside safety is also a concern to be prepared for. When children get outdoors the first thing they want to do is run. Unless your door leads directly to a fenced in play area this can lead to a very dangerous situation. There is the concern of playground equipment safety, traffic safety, water safety and possible poisoning from plants. The outside play area must be inspected on a regular basis for equipment that needs to be repaired or replaced, standing water, wasp and bee hives, poisonous plants and any other hazardous items that may have found their way into the play area. The sun is also a concern during outside play. Sunscreen is a must for all children and workers. Drinking water should be available to the children and a first aide kit should be on hand.

A facility that has prepared for the safety of its children, that has a safety checklist that is adhered to on a set schedule, and that has staff that is constantly observing and supervising the children is a facility that has put the safety of children as a top priority.

A person would expect that a child would be safe at home, but there are numerous safety measures that parents should implement. Children like to play with electrical outlets; therefore outlet covers should be placed on all open electrical outlets. Many candies are in the same shape as medications. All medicines should be keeping out of the reach of children. Bathroom doors should be kept closed. Children like to play in water and toilets are no exception. Toilet lids should be kept closed. A child who falls headfirst into a toilet can drown. Children should never be left alone in a bathtub. Children can drown in a very short period of time. Buckets of water should not be left where children can play with them. These are also drowning hazards. The temperature of the hot water heater should be set no higher then 120 degrees. Children love to put things into their mouths; therefore all small objects must be kept out of the reach of children. Children should be supervised while eating to prevent choking. The best way to help prevent childhood accidents is to think like a child. Get down on their level and see your home through their eyes. If something looks dangerous to you, it will be dangerous to your child.

Reference:
Robertson, C. (2007). Safety, Nutrition, & Health in Early Education. (3rd ed.). Clifton Park, NY. Thomson Delmar Learning.