The safety of your child is one of your highest priorities. In a perfect, risk-free world, you would be able to keep an eye on them at all times. But in the real world of work demands, deadlines and dates, that is not always possible. When choosing a day care, preschool or other child care option, you want to know that the people you are leaving your child with are as devoted to their safety as you are.
Child care safety issues are often the top priority of a quality childcare center. But to be sure, here is a brief list of child care safety considerations to keep in mind while choosing a child care program.
Adequate Supervision
Childcare Safety starts with great staff!
This one seems obvious, but it is best to mention it just in case. An important factor to consider is the childcare center’s teacher to child ratio. There are some commonly accepted standards for childcare teacher/caregiver to child ratio.
Childcare centers with NAEYC accreditation are required to maintain a better caregiver to child ratio than non-accredited child care centers.
Before you enroll your child in a childcare program, ask the facility about its caregiver to child ratio and their policy on supervision. Also, ask if the childcare staff are given background checks and what precautions are in place to prevent abuse.
Health and Sanitation
In a child care setting, germs get passed around. It is unavoidable. But there are some things that can be done to avoid spreading sickness and illness. When visiting a childcare center:
- Ask about their sick policy and what precautions they take to reduce the potential for disease and illness transmission.
- Do they have a hand washing policy?
- If they serve food, are the ensuring that they are using food handling safety techniques?
Products and Equipment
We have all heard the many news stories about recalls of childcare toys and other equipment. The most recent scare concerned toys coming from China contaminated with lead. When visiting a childcare center, ask if they are kept reasonably informed of any recalls or warnings of the products that children play and learn with.
Poisons and Toxins
Sadly, the leading cause of death in young children is the due to the accidental ingestion of toxic or poisonous substances. Make sure the child care center you choose has a policy designed to keep children away from toxins and poisons. Ask about where they store medications and other chemicals and if they are kept locked most of the time.
Child Care Safety at Toddler Town
Toddler Town is devoted to creating a safe and fun learning environment for your child at both the Chicago and Evanston locations. In order to earn the prestigious NAEYC accreditation, Toddler Town was required to submit to rigorous set of child care safety and academic quality standards. But our staff and directors do not pursue safety for the sake of accreditation.
The mission of Toddler Town has always been, and will always be, to provide the quality and safe child care your little one deserves. Come visit our Evanston or Chicago locations, or contact us online today. We look forward to hearing from you!