Safety

A parent’s biggest concern is their child’s safety. Parents need to know that the person caring for their child will do everything in their power to keep them safe and not do harm to them themselves. A few of the many safety issues you will want to consider are:

• Criminal Record Check
Ensure that you and all your staff undergo a criminal background check. Take appropriate action against any staff member who comes back with a criminal record.

• Supervision
The most effective way to prevent accidents or children getting separated from the group is through supervision. Children need to be supervised by sight and sound at all times. If children need privacy for toileting or a quite place to be alone or rest, make sure that children can be heard and monitored frequently. Teachers should avoid congregating for side conversations and should be still be able to observe children when engaged in a conversation with a parent.

• Toxic or dangerous substances
Make sure that all toxic or dangerous substances are out of the reach of children and/or stored in locked or safety-latched cabinets that are inaccessible to children. This includes cleaning substances, detergents, drain cleaner, charcoal lighter fluid, bottles of bleach and water solution used for sanitizing toys, nail polish and remover, shampoos, soaps and perfumes, and all medications to name a few.

• Plants and animals
Many plants are poisonous http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/publications/poison/poison.html. Make sure that the ones around your program are not toxic to children. Consider your environment both inside and out. For a searchable database of poisonous plants click here. http://www.vth.colostate.edu/poisonous_plants/report/search.cfm. Providers should also ensure that any animals in their program are up to date on their immunizations and free of any diseases. One should also consider the natural temperament of an animal before allowing children to be around them and always remember they are animals that act on instinct. Check your state’s regulations on what animals it prohibits or allows in child care programs. In New Hampshire, the following pets (including but not limited to) cannot be in the same room as children or accessible to them: bats, turtles, tortoises, snakes, iguanas, other lizards or reptiles, hedgehogs, parakeets, parrots and parrot-like birds.

• Choking hazards
Any small parts or toys can be a choking hazard to young children. Ensure that children under three (or those still in an oral sensory phase) do not have access to small toys, items like hair barrettes, balloons, or small office supplies. A toilet paper tube can serve as a choking test tube. If an item fits in the tube, it is small enough for a child to swallow and choke on. Many foods are choking items too. In New Hampshire, licensed providers are required to serve foods cut into small pieces for swallowing or infants and toddlers. The following foods to children under the age of two or to other children with breathing, chewing or swallowing difficulties: spoonfuls of peanut butter, whole sliced of hot dog, whole grapes, hard candy, nuts or seeds and popcorn.

• Long cord or strings; plastic bags or coverings
Check for any long cord or strings in the environment that could be a strangulation hazard to young children. This may include telephone cords, cords on window coverings or blinds, or strings on pull-toys. Children should not have access to plastic bags, small pieces of plastic or surfaces covered in plastic, especially when sleeping.

• Broken toys or equipment
Child care provider should check the toys and equipment in their environment daily to ensure that there are no loose or broken pieces. Broken or loose toys or equipment should be removed from the environment immediately and discarded or safely repaired.

• Back to sleep
Infants ought to be placed on their backs to sleep unless written, signed instructions are on file by the parent. This information should be easily visible and accessible to child care providers in the infant’s assigned classroom

• Allergies and special health concerns
Some form of documentation of children who have allergies should be posted in the child’s classroom or prominently in the family child care home. Information should include the child’s name, what the child is allergic to, and authorization for use of an EpiPen or other emergency procedures and contact information. Similar information should be posted regarding a child with special health concerns. It may be helpful to have the child’s picture on this documentation as well so that anyone in the room could identify the child. Do remember to preserve the child’s and the families confidentiality without compromising the safety of the child.

• Playground safety
Playground checks should be done daily to ensure there are no animal feces, broken toys, litter, debris, and sharp objects. More thorough checks should be done regularly to ensure that all equipment is in good working order with no loose or missing pieces or parts and that sufficient resilient surfacing cover the play area to reduce the risk of injury.

• Water safety
Children can drown in ½ an inch of water. A drowning can take place in a pool, lake, river, pond, ocean or other body of water. But they also take place in 5 gallon buckets, bathtubs and toilets. Provides must take care to see that children are strictly supervised around water and that drowning hazards are eliminated from areas that children have access to. In New Hampshire, at least one child care provider who will be supervising children around water must take a Water Safety Training and Supervision course and be present before a water activity can take place. For a list of these trainings offered in New Hampshire annually in the spring, visit www.nhwatersafety.com and click on “Workshops”. These trainings are free and open to the public.