Is Your Childcare Safe?
It can be tough, but necessary, to leave our children in the care of someone else while we go to school or work. Friends and family are not always an option, so seeking childcare within a facility or home establishment is something you may need to do.
It’s important to consider certain factors that will affect how much you spend, your convenience, and the overall well-being of your child when selecting a childcare provider. Listed below are some important features of quality childcare and how to find them.
Licenses and Accreditations
A properly run daycare will carry all required state licenses and regularly pass their inspections. Look for the childcare establishment you’re considering to also carry additional accreditations with other bureaus, as this can show the willingness of the center to go above and beyond.
Cleanliness
A clean environment and proper sanitary standards enforced by staff are incredibly important in a daycare setting. If you can take some time to observe the facility before potentially placing your child, pay attention to toys being kept clean, staff regularly washing their hands, clean maintenance of eating areas, and the keeping of separate diaper changing areas.
Proper Safety Precautions
When considering a facility, it’s important to note the security and safety measures they take to protect the children in their care.
- Check that all doors leading into and out of the facility are kept locked, preferably with a key code.
- Check for choking hazards being regularly left within reach of children
- All stairs should be covered with baby gates and windows should have guards in place
- Exits should be clearly marked, and fire extinguishers and smoke detectors should be in place
- Babies should be sleeping on their backs in cribs without blankets and toys
- Proper CPR training of all staff
Clear Age Group Separation
For safety and learning reasons, infants should not be playing or taught in the same areas as toddlers and older children. Because toddlers and older children generally don’t understand yet how to interact with babies properly, they can present a safety risk.
It’s also crucial that learning activities are being taught in accordance with age.
Involved and Content Employees
When you arrive at the facility, it can often be evident right away if the staff is happy or not. Watch how the staff interact with each other, their managers, and the children. Watch for respectful communication, smiling, and patience (especially with the children).
If possible, inquire into how long staff has been employed at the childcare center. Generally speaking, happier staff will have worked there longer, whereas a high turnover rate can indicate a not-so-great environment.
It’s also important to note how actively involved the employees and teachers are with the children at the facility. Staff should be regularly playing with, taking care of, and feeding the children. If you notice staff often sitting down, looking at phones, carrying on extensive adult conversations, or leaving the areas, these are all red flags. Distracted and unengaged staff can mean less of a safe environment for the children.
Happy and Healthy Children
The happiness and health of the children at the daycare is a good indicator of the facility’s and staff’s standards. Watch to see if the children seem content, well fed, and clean.
If it seems there are a lot of obviously sick children at the childcare center, this can mean proper guidelines and sick child policies are either not in place or not being followed.
Proper Discipline Procedures
Pay attention to how staff handles crying babies and poor child and toddler behavior. Do they attempt to soothe the babies? Do they yell at the children? How do they handle arguments and bickering between children? A good daycare will display healthy and nurturing discipline protocols.