Own a Daycare Blog » Safety http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog Just another WordPress weblog Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:00:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 How to Create a Daycare Emergency Kit http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/how-to-create-a-daycare-emergency-kit http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/how-to-create-a-daycare-emergency-kit#comments Tue, 08 Sep 2009 14:01:38 +0000 csnuggs http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/?p=918 Related posts:]]> Daycare providers are responsible for the health and well being of young children. Your childcare center must be able to keep children safe and daycare providers must be thoroughly prepared for emergency situations like earthquakes. The first 72 hours after a disaster like an earthquake are crucial. The emergency lock down kit should contain the basic survival supplies to get your daycare center through the first 72 hours after any disaster situation.

If you live in the state of Alaska, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Washington, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Utah, or Oregon you are at a high risk for an earthquake of magnitude 3.5 or higher to strike. Daycare centers should have the following emergency lock down supplies for a classroom of about 30 children:

Energy food bars (30)

Water Purification Tablets (10)

Individually Packaged Water Pouches (30)

Survival Whistle

Am/FM radio (battery operated)

Batteries

Flashlight

Emergency bright stick

6′ x 8′ Blue Tarp

Roll of Duct Tape

Hand sanitizer

Toilet bags (2 or 3)

Roll of Toilet Paper

Wet Naps or Baby Wipes

Latex-free Gloves

Portable First Aid Kit

Large mylar blanket

Many emergency lock down kits come in a 5 gallon bucket with a toilet seat lid.

When children are locked down in an emergency situation, they need activities to stay calm and occupied so that you can focus on keeping them safe. When enrolling families in your child day care center, encourage parents to also gather simple entertainment items in a small back pack and keep it in the child’s cubby in case of emergency. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends including the items in a survival activity kit:

  • A few of the child’s favorite books
  • One or two board games
  • A deck of cards
  • Crayons, pencils or marking pens and plenty of paper
  • Scissors and glue
  • Two of the child’s favorite toys such as a doll or action figure
  • A puzzle the maximum number of pieces as are developmentally appropriate
  • The child’s favorite stuffed animal or puppet
  • The child’s favorite blanket or pillow
  • Pictures of the child’s family and pet
  • A small box with a few treasures that make the child feel special.

In the fall, many preschools and childcare centers are requiring children to purchase a personal back to school emergency kit for about $8 to $10. It contains prepackaged, processed foods that will feed the child for a day or two and are usually sold at your local grocery store.

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]]> http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/how-to-create-a-daycare-emergency-kit/feed 0 Safety In Your Day Care Business http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/safety-in-your-day-care-business-2 http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/safety-in-your-day-care-business-2#comments Fri, 31 Jul 2009 00:23:24 +0000 Mary http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/?p=757 Related posts:]]> A childcare business can be one of the best businesses that you can ever get into. The atmosphere seems to light and happy when it come to a childcare facility. Imagine all the children running, laughing, smiling and playing. Isn’t this what you have always wanted?

It is so easy to open your own day care business. All you need is the capital, the right business plan, the staff members and the right equipment. If you are the owner, you might have overlooked one thing that is really important when it comes to day care business. You need to make sure that you have a liability coverage for your day care business. It is very crucial that you have an accident prevention guide when it comes to your business.

Children are very curious at this stage. They just grab everything that they get and play with it. This is one of the major causes of the accidents that happen to children. This is why you need to make sure that sharp object should be kept away from them. One more danger that children can experience is choking. Small toys should be kept away from the children because their tendency is to get everything and put it in their mouth.

When children are able to walk, you need to double the security on your child. They will start to walk on their own and go to places that are unknown to them. Remember that at this stage, all they can think of is going straight and remain standing. They still have no sense of direction so they might just smack into walls or bump into edges. Children love to climb to greater heights. As long as they can climb, they will do it. This is the major cause of falling for children.

Children can really try and try and not learn at all. Even if they get into accidents, they will never really remember these things. All that children can think of is being able to do what they are doing. Learning is more important to them rather than thinking of the safety.

You should also consider the health concerns of the children. Children can easily get sick when they are exposed to bacteria or germs. Some sicknesses can be fatal others may lead to serious complications. You should always maintain a healthy day care facility and free from germs that they can easily pick up.

As a day care center owner, you should be alarmed by these things. You should be aware that accidents can lead to deaths which are one of the major causes of deaths in children. When a child gets into an accident, they may get permanently harmed from these things. They may get scars or even broken bones. This can really be scary for you and the other parents.

Accidents happen because they just happen. No one can really blame for an accident. This is why people just accept whatever happens to them if they get into an accident because they cannot do anything about it. This is not how you, as a day care center owner should think. You should be aware that these things can happen to the children. The best way to deal with this is through preventive measures. Yes, you should always think beforehand of all the possible dangers that the child might get exposed to so you can make a set of preventive measures to ensure the safety of each and every child.

One of these preventive measures is by getting a home child care liability insurance. This insurance will cover for the accidents or any damages that your childcare facility might have caused the child. They even cover for future liabilities which may have resulted from the accidents. There are children who need to adjust to whatever happened to them during an accident and this is covered by the liability. You can never tell when an accident may happen, this is why even illnesses are covered by the home child care liability insurance. Usually this concerns food- pathogens that can risk the health of the children. Of course, only unexpected instances are covered by this insurance. Should there be any criminal acts happening in the day care center, this is not covered by the insurance.

If you are scared that maybe you will not be able to meet the demands for a safer day care center, you do not need to let go of your dream of opening a day care business. Franchising is the best option that you have. This will save you from all the money that you will spend for the home child care liability insurance. When you purchase your own franchise, you will get the same benefits that other franchises enjoy. They will provide you with the insurance as well as the right training when it comes to the safety of the children. You will be sure that your childcare facility will be safe for all the children. This basically saves you from the liabilities that you may incur in your business.

Children are very delicate and fragile. People always find a soft spot in them for little kids. If your day care center causes an accident to any child, you need to be prepared because people can usually be biased and blame it all to you. If ever there are accidents, there will be lawsuits and court orders from time to time. If you have been found to be negligent in taking care of a child, juries will easily tend to come up with a verdict. This is something which you should prevent from happening.

Owning a day care center may be the best option that you have, but remember that safety of the children always comes first. Make sure that you have a safety plan for the children to prevent accidents from happening. If you are not sure that you will be able to provide security to the children, you can always opt for franchising your own day care. Good luck in your day care business and always remember to take safety measures.

See: How to start a daycare business

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]]> http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/safety-in-your-day-care-business-2/feed 0 Day Care And Health Safety http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/day-care-and-health-safety http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/day-care-and-health-safety#comments Tue, 21 Jul 2009 01:49:27 +0000 Mary http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/?p=725 Related posts:]]> There are certain things which you want your child to get from a day care center. Lessons like counting, writing, reading and art are some of the things which you want your child to learn. What comes with this is the fact that your child is exposed to a lot of things. Not only are they exposed to the learning materials that are available to the day care, but as well as the germs which might be present all over the place.

Your biggest enemy when it comes to your child’s safety in a day care center are germs. These are nasty micro organisms which you cannot see, but even if they seen to be invisible to the naked eye, we know that they are present everywhere. Especially for places which are not cleaned very well, there are so many germs which are present in that area. This is why parents really make sure that they take good care of their children when it comes to their children.

You know how germs can work into your child’s system and cause you to have sickness as well as different health conditions. Some of the illnesses that you can get from these are chicken pox, diarrhea, infections and the most common- colds. This is why you should always make sure that you pick a day care which is sanitized and disinfects when it comes to cleaning. Of course you are never sure when your child might catch something from the germs that he is exposed to. You always have to ask them what they use when they clean as well the methods which they employ when it comes to cleaning. This will more or less give you an idea on how clean the facility is when you send your child there.

You need to know that in a day care, there are so many sources of germs that your child is exposed to. The toys, tables, floor and other materials which he touches are probable sources of germs. This is why you need to make sure that you have taught your child proper hygiene. Specifically when he touches any surface, he should always wash his hands after. Remind him to never to put his hand in mouth whether it is clean or not because this does not only prevent him from catching germs, but also prevents him from getting the bad habit of doing so. Part of this includes teaching your child to cover his mouth when coughing. This will prevent him from transmitting all kinds of germs all over the place that other children might catch.

As the parents, you should be able to remember your responsibilities when it comes to protecting your child from these things. The first thing that you need to do is to check the immunization shots of your child. Day care centers ask for the immunization records to be filled out before your child will be allowed to enroll. Always give your day care a copy of these so that they will be able to check for certain shots that your child has missed. For your part, you can always ask the day care if some of the children have not yet gotten their shots. You should make sure of these things because your child might be exposed to the germs that can cause serious health conditions.

It is a known fact that it is inevitable that your child will get sick even if you employ all the precautionary measures that you have. The minute that you suspect that your child is catching something, do not panic too much. Do not go to the day care and ask the children to be checked one by one because your child has caught an illness. What you should do instead is that you should have your child stay at home. Call you childcare and let them know what happened to your child. This will more or less give them an idea of what happened to your child so that they can make any precautionary measures that will prevent the other children from getting sick.

At home, it is important that you protect the other members of the family from the illness too. Remind each and everyone to wash their hands frequently to prevent transmission of the germs that can cause them to be sick. This does not only apply when touching your child, but also develop is as a habit for everyone to follow. This will ensure you and the rest of your family from catching and sickness-causing germs. As early as you can, you need to teach your child the proper way of washing their hands. There are stepstools which you can buy so that it will be easier for your child to wash his hands in the sink. You can always add fun when it comes to hand washing with playful designs and colors of soaps. These will instantly make hand washing a more enjoyable experience for your child. If it is possible, you can teach your child how to use sanitizers, but in a day care, they always provide a sink area for your child, so they can just always wash their hands it is needed.

Your child may not seem to care about this at his young age. This is why you need to have all the patience when teaching him these things. He needs to learn at a young age that proper hygiene will lessen the risk of catching any diseases. So never give up when it comes to teaching your child. It is your responsibility to encourage them to follow these simple procedures that will prevent them from getting sick.

It helps to know how to deal with the sickness in the right way. You do not have to panic once you discover that your child is sick. Remember that prevention is the cure, and you need to make sure that your child is preventing and protecting his own self from the possible effects that the germs in the day care will bring him.

See: How to start a daycare center

Related posts:

]]> http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/day-care-and-health-safety/feed 0 Safety In Your Day Care Business http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/safety-in-your-day-care-business http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/safety-in-your-day-care-business#comments Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:36:41 +0000 Mary http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/?p=697 Related posts:]]> A childcare business can be one of the best businesses that you can ever get into. The atmosphere seems to light and happy when it come to a childcare facility. Imagine all the children running, laughing, smiling and playing. Isn’t this what you have always wanted?

It is so easy to open your own day care business. All you need is the capital, the right business plan, the staff members and the right equipment. If you are the owner, you might have overlooked one thing that is really important when it comes to day care business. You need to make sure that you have a liability coverage for your day care business. It is very crucial that you have an accident prevention guide when it comes to your business.

Children are very curious at this stage. They just grab everything that they get and play with it. This is one of the major causes of the accidents that happen to children. This is why you need to make sure that sharp object should be kept away from them. One more danger that children can experience is choking. Small toys should be kept away from the children because their tendency is to get everything and put it in their mouth.

When children are able to walk, you need to double the security on your child. They will start to walk on their own and go to places that are unknown to them. Remember that at this stage, all they can think of is going straight and remain standing. They still have no sense of direction so they might just smack into walls or bump into edges. Children love to climb to greater heights. As long as they can climb, they will do it. This is the major cause of falling for children.

Children can really try and try and not learn at all. Even if they get into accidents, they will never really remember these things. All that children can think of is being able to do what they are doing. Learning is more important to them rather than thinking of the safety.

You should also consider the health concerns of the children. Children can easily get sick when they are exposed to bacteria or germs. Some sicknesses can be fatal others may lead to serious complications. You should always maintain a healthy day care facility and free from germs that they can easily pick up.

As a day care center owner, you should be alarmed by these things. You should be aware that accidents can lead to deaths which are one of the major causes of deaths in children. When a child gets into an accident, they may get permanently harmed from these things. They may get scars or even broken bones. This can really be scary for you and the other parents.

Accidents happen because they just happen. No one can really blame for an accident. This is why people just accept whatever happens to them if they get into an accident because they cannot do anything about it. This is not how you, as a day care center owner should think. You should be aware that these things can happen to the children. The best way to deal with this is through preventive measures. Yes, you should always think beforehand of all the possible dangers that the child might get exposed to so you can make a set of preventive measures to ensure the safety of each and every child.

One of these preventive measures is by getting a home child care liability insurance. This insurance will cover for the accidents or any damages that your childcare facility might have caused the child. They even cover for future liabilities which may have resulted from the accidents. There are children who need to adjust to whatever happened to them during an accident and this is covered by the liability. You can never tell when an accident may happen, this is why even illnesses are covered by the home child care liability insurance. Usually this concerns food- pathogens that can risk the health of the children. Of course, only unexpected instances are covered by this insurance. Should there be any criminal acts happening in the day care center, this is not covered by the insurance.

If you are scared that maybe you will not be able to meet the demands for a safer day care center, you do not need to let go of your dream of opening a day care business. Franchising is the best option that you have. This will save you from all the money that you will spend for the home child care liability insurance. When you purchase your own franchise, you will get the same benefits that other franchises enjoy. They will provide you with the insurance as well as the right training when it comes to the safety of the children. You will be sure that your childcare facility will be safe for all the children. This basically saves you from the liabilities that you may incur in your business.

Children are very delicate and fragile. People always find a soft spot in them for little kids. If your day care center causes an accident to any child, you need to be prepared because people can usually be biased and blame it all to you. If ever there are accidents, there will be lawsuits and court orders from time to time. If you have been found to be negligent in taking care of a child, juries will easily tend to come up with a verdict. This is something which you should prevent from happening.

Owning a day care center may be the best option that you have, but remember that safety of the children always comes first. Make sure that you have a safety plan for the children to prevent accidents from happening. If you are not sure that you will be able to provide security to the children, you can always opt for franchising your own day care. Good luck in your day care business and always remember to take safety measures.

See: How to start a daycare business

Related posts:

]]> http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/safety-in-your-day-care-business/feed 0 Daycare Center – Safety In The Playground http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/daycare-center-safety-in-the-playground http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/daycare-center-safety-in-the-playground#comments Mon, 06 Jul 2009 23:58:14 +0000 Mary http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/?p=686 Related posts:]]> Allowing your child to play outdoors is something which you really need to decide on. While some parents find it okay to let their children play outdoors, you may think otherwise. The safety of your child is compromised if you allow them to play outdoors especially if you do not take any precautionary measures. Your child might end up injured or wounded if you do not make sure that your child is playing in a safe playground.

To ensure safety, make sure that you or a guardian is present to look after your child. When someone is looking after your child, they will be able to remind your child to stay away from places that may cause them danger or hazards. Plus, with the presence of someone, rough playing can be lessened and so do injuries and accidents.

Always make sure that you have checked the play ground before allowing your child to play there. Some playgrounds may not be in the best conditions at times that may cause accidents to happen. Check for broken parts or broken edges that may be possible causes of wounds or accidents for your child. If you have not checked the playground, you may want to remind your child to check it before playing. This will allow them to stay away from these parts of the playground.

Make sure that your child is dressed appropriately when he is playing on the playground. By this, appropriately dressed means there are no loose strings, ribbons or chains that might hang to edges and cause accidents to happen. The child might get strangulated or obtain wounds if this happens. After playing, make sure that your child changes his clothes. Do not let sweat soak and dry on the shirt of your child because this can only cause sickness on your child.

A playground with an impact-absorbing material is your best options when you let your play outdoors. These materials reduce the injuries that your child may get when falling down. These work like shock absorbers which reduces the impact on your child when falling. This makes the playground a safer place for your child to play in.

Never allow your child to play in areas in the playground which is not suitable for his age. If your child is only three years old, do not allow them to play in areas fit for kids who are 6 years old. Definitely, the skills and capabilities of older children differ from those who are younger. These equipments in the playground may not be suitable for your child and just cause harm to your child.

As a parent, you really need to ensure the safety of your child outdoors. There are so many hazards where your child may be exposed to when they start playing in the playground. You just need to make sure that you always keep your child safe and take these precautionary measures before allowing your child to play outdoors. Your child will now be able to enjoy his play time without you feeling worried about your child’s safety.

See: How to start a daycare center

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]]> http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/daycare-center-safety-in-the-playground/feed 0 Assure the Safety of your Kids http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/assure-the-safety-of-your-kids http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/assure-the-safety-of-your-kids#comments Thu, 11 Jun 2009 23:54:00 +0000 Mary http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/?p=612 Related posts:]]> When you are leaving your child in a daycare, it is important that you provide the daycare center with your information and details. This includes your contact numbers at home, at work and even your cellphone. This is to assure that wherever you are, the childcare center can contact and reach you in case an emergency occurs. For example, if your child has a sudden fever, an injury or any circumstance that requires your attention, the childcare will be able to reach you. Aside from your contact number, the daycare also assigns another emergency contact person in case you can not be contacted. So that in case of emergencies and you are not available, there will be someone who can fetch your kids. But, the contact person should also be informed so that they will be aware if someone calls them from the child care services. It is also important to that you should sign an authorization letter for the person who will take in charge of your child when you are not available.

In the daycare centers, you can also assure the safety of your children by making sure that the daycare follows the safety precautions. Poisonous substances must be placed in a safe storage to keep away from the children. Regulations from different states require that chemical substances and formulas to be put in a cabinet and locked up unless needed. This is to make sure that there are away from food that can poison the children and even the staff. Harmful substances that could possibly be present in the daycare center are limited to cleaning materials. Other substances can include medicine, vitamins and other home supplies. The staff must make sure that these substances are not lying around the center. When checking the daycare for your kids, make sure to ask them where harmful substances are kept to assure the safety of your kids.

When inside the daycare center, you must take note of the toys and tools that are present within their play area. Make sure that the toys will not pose any danger to the children. Take note whether the toys that are made from plastic do not contain lead and other harmful substances for your kids. Toys that contain sharp or pointed edges must also not be allowed in the daycare center. These toys can cause any kind of accident that would cause injury to the kids. The staff should also watch over the children at all times in order to prevent the kids from putting toys inside their mouth. The caregiver must take note of small object such as pebbles, coins and other small objects and if possible should be put away while the children are playing.

Another thing that you should take notice is the water temperature inside the daycare facility. You must make sure that there are labels in the faucet handles between hot and cold water to prevent your children from having scald and burns. There must also be a staff that will accompany them and supervise them at all times. A state law indicates that the maximum temperature should only be 120 degrees Fahrenheit for hot water to make sure that it is safe for the kids.

See: How to start a daycare business

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]]> http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/assure-the-safety-of-your-kids/feed 0 Do’s and Don’ts of Child Safety http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/dos-and-don-of-child-safety http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/dos-and-don-of-child-safety#comments Mon, 08 Jun 2009 01:02:58 +0000 Mary http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/?p=592 Related posts:]]> Do’s!
• The virtues of being neat and clean are important to the children
• When you are clipping their nails, you have to do it with care and on a regular basis
• Change soiled diapers right away and be sure to thoroughly clean the genitals
• Fungal infection can be avoided when genitals are kept dry and clean at all times
• Encourage proper care of scalp to minimize fungal infections and dermatitis

• Encourage using loose clothes because tight clothes contribute to skin irritation
• The room of the child must be well lit and ventilated and ensure that it is clean and free from dust
• Prepare a child’s bed appropriate with his size and put waterproof materials under the sheet
• Provide music toys in the sleeping area of the child.
• With your hand, always support the baby’s head because his neck muscles are still weak
• Breast milk gives complete nutrition to the baby. Before breastfeeding, be sure to clean the nipples. Breastfeeding is becoming in demand and there are moms who advocate this because of the benefits like strengthening the emotional bond between a mother and her baby. To achieve successful breastfeeding, lactating moms should eat a balanced diet
• For bottle feeding, ensure that feeding bottles are thoroughly cleaned, sterilized, and kept dry
• Avoid scalding by not heating drinks using a microwave
• If a child shows sign of allergies, discover the cause through an elimination process. The possible allergens are milk, food, cosmetics and fibers
• Regularly use the mosquito nets to avoid disruption of sleep. Mosquito bites erupt the skin which sometimes leads to allergic reaction. There are also diseases caused from mosquito bites and these are dengue, elephant disease, yellow fever, and malaria
• Kids need more time of sleep because growth hormones are secreted while sleeping. Therefore establish a healthy sleeping habit by being calm and consistent on bedtime routines
• Monitor the developments of the child which include gross, motor, physical, behavioural, social, language and others. But remember that every child is unique including his development so avoid comparing one child with another
• Start toilet training a child when he is ten months old. During this age, he can already sit on the potter.
• Thoroughly sanitize the toilet seat and do not share this with other children
• Pay attention to some signs of distress observed from a child and consult a doctor/pediatrician if necessary. Bad signs can be excessive crying, fever, frequent vomiting, convulsions, bluish body discolouration, grunting with difficult breathing, diarrhoea, and neck stiffness
• Always check the stocks of the first aid kit and keep emergency contact numbers in an accessible area
• Keep the child’s medicines in a separate box and indicate the proper dosage and frequency of intake per medicine.
• Be sure there is an available car seat which fit the size of the child
• Always put in the baby’s little pocket your home address and contact numbers every time you go out with him.
• When the child is learning how to walk, always supervise him to minimize or avoid accidents
• In case of a child accident, do some first aid first before taking him to the hospital

Don’ts
• Do not shake the baby because this might damage his brain
• Do not put little things within the child’s vicinity
• Do not put any pointed or sharp objects within the child’s area
• Do not let water go into the child’s ears while bathing
• Do not let the child eat when he is crying or coughing
• Do not overfeed the child
• Do not put toxic or hazardous substances within the child’s area
• Do not dress the child with restrictive clothes
• Do not leave the child unsupervised or unsecured on the bed
• Do not leave your child to strangers
• Do not leave unprotected electrical wires and sockets
• Do not leave your child alone in the kitchen
• Do not leave the child unsupervised in the tub. Always keep the water at a low level
• Do not smoke while you are inside your house specially when the child is around
• Do not put pets within the child’s area. Be sure the pets have complete shots
• Do not allow the child to climb stairs specially if he is still learning to walk
• Do not use bright lights in the child’s room
• Do not accept food from other passengers every time you travel
• Do not let the child crawl on dirty floors or surfaces
• Do not allow the child to go near sick persons
• Do not expose the child to polluted areas, hospital wards, and large crowds
• Do not put table lamp near the child’s bed to avoid insects while he is sleeping
• Do not give medicine to your child which was prescribed to somebody
• Do not give expired medicine to the child

See: How to start a daycare center

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]]> http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/dos-and-don-of-child-safety/feed 0 Health Safety in Child Care Facilities through Cleanliness http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/health-safety-in-child-care-facilities-through-cleanliness http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/health-safety-in-child-care-facilities-through-cleanliness#comments Mon, 18 May 2009 23:19:45 +0000 Mary http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/?p=534 Related posts:]]> The fast paced that we are living today has greatly affected the lifestyle most families have. The need to earn money for the family has left parents with no choice but to resort to child care facilities for their children. Leaving their kids behind while they work is never easy. They tend to worry about the safety and health of the kids. Of course they do not want to pick up their kids and find out that they are infected with some kind of disease that they got from the center. Thus, this became a wake up call for parents to look after the sanitation and cleanliness of the centers where they leave their children.

The cleanliness and sanitation of day care centers nowadays are a lot better compared to past years. This is due to the efforts of the government to increase the standards of the requirements in order to get a license for child care services. They even assigned departments who will take charge of the regulations and maintenance of proper child care operations. Child care facilities do not only provide a shelter but also equips the children with emotional, physical and mental skills they need. But despite the efforts to increase sanitation and cleanliness, there are still possible threats to the health of the children.

Child care facilities should follow strictly proper sanitation and maintain cleanliness. Although the government have certain requirements, there are still possibilities that they fail to maintain it all the time. Inspectors come once in a while to check the compliance of every child care facility. As parents, you should not only depend to the inspections but might as well make sure for yourself that the facility is proper sanitized and maintained.

You should inquire about how the facility is complying with proper sanitation. Ask them the things they require to make sure that the children stay protected from germs and infections. Frequent hand washing should be required to the children before and after their activities. See to it also that all the equipment, toys and utensils used by your kids are properly sanitized before use. Check also the standard procedures that they are following with regards to diaper changing, food handling, waste disposal and the like.

There may be a lot of germs and viruses around but there are also a lot of ways to prevent them from having serious effects on your children. Proper waste disposal, good hygiene, frequent washing of hands, sanitation of the area are few ways that child care centers can do in order to prevent health risks to the children.

Daycare centers have become a part of the lives of parents who work hard for their children. Thus, it is important that you find ways to assure the safety of your kids. Proper sanitation and cleanliness both at home and child care facilities shall be observed and maintained in order to assure the health safety of your kids. For sure, germs and viruses will not stand a chance against your kids!

See: How to start a child care center

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]]> http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/health-safety-in-child-care-facilities-through-cleanliness/feed 0 The Safety of Your Children is in Your Hands http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/the-safety-of-your-children-is-in-your-hands http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/the-safety-of-your-children-is-in-your-hands#comments Mon, 27 Apr 2009 01:06:15 +0000 Mary http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/?p=476 Related posts:]]> Parents want what’s only best for their kids. They want them to be always safe and in good hands. Unfortunately, as much as they want to look after them all the time, they have to earn money and work. Thus, they resort to child care facilities to take care of their child. Because of this, parents have to make extra effort to make sure that their children are safe.

There are a number ways to make sure that your child is getting the best that he deserves without you around. In choosing a daycare center for your child, you have to take the extra effort to assure their safety. Question the daycare facility with regards to their policies and procedures that should comply with the safety of your children at all times. Make sure that the child care facility is legal and has an up to date license approved by the government.

The McMartin preschool trial in the late ‘80s has caught much attention and scrutiny when it comes to child care. It even added more awareness to the parents with what they should check prior to choosing a daycare center. Additional information and techniques such as employee’s background, surveillance cameras, and monitoring devices has helped a lot in the assurance of the safety of the children. But still there are simple ways that you must not overlook that will help you feel assured with the safety of your child.

Check all the records of the employees such as records for past felony and misdemeanour records, including DUI, and state’s Sex Offender Registry. Make sure that proper documents are signed when picking up and dropping off your child and a list of persons who are allowed to fetch your child. You can even incorporate a special code word that you and your child only know so he/she won’t go with people who doesn’t know the code.

The facility and the area of the child care center shall also be checked for safety guidelines needed. All elevated surfaces such as stairs should all be guarded. The floor should be cushioned and not too hard in case of accidents. Make sure that there are tripping hazards, sharp corners, splinters, rusty nails, electrical outlets, choking hazards and other stuff that may cause accidents or harm to your child.

A national study was done state-wide by the Consumer Products Safety Commission in 1998 in 220 licensed child care facilities. Among the 220 child care facilities, two thirds were found to have violated at least one safety hazard. There was also an incident in1997 where in almost 31,000 children were rushed to the hospital in the United States due to injuries caused by accidents at schools and child care environments.

Thus, there are really a lot of possible things that can cause harm to your children. As parents, it is your responsibility to exert all the efforts in order to make sure that your child grows safe and healthy.

See: How to start a daycare business

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]]> http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/the-safety-of-your-children-is-in-your-hands/feed 0 Practice Safety Drills For Daycare Students http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/practice-safety-drills-for-daycare-students http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/practice-safety-drills-for-daycare-students#comments Mon, 02 Feb 2009 01:45:07 +0000 Mary http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/?p=191 Related posts:]]> All parents want their children in a safe environment. Who wouldn’t? In fact, parents are very picky when it comes to leaving their children in a day care center, and they try to assess each center with its programs and the curriculum it offers. Overall, parents simply want the best for the children.

Safety is always the number one priority when it comes to day care centers. Providers should need to consider the needs of the children, considering that they trust providers to leave their assets: which is their child. It’s even more pressing and tiring when we hear recent events of abuse and negligence. So we cannot blame parents if they are too nosy about some specific matters.

Small-scale or home-based centers and private/public centers are worried about having to compete with larger centers that almost have the complete facilities. Since these larger centers can afford to buy the new and latest technology, competition exists. However, despite the new technologies and strategies, there is still a known fact that children might not be safe, even if it’s a larger or smaller day care center. Therefore, teachers must confront this issue and think of alternatives to serve the needs of the children, and ease the worries of the parents, through safety.

To prevent dangers that might harm the children, have a well-thought emergency plan. Study the place very well. Check all the ins and outs of the building, and its possible exit routes. In some cases that there are natural calamities such as fire, tornado, earthquake, or any similar event, it’s very important that you, as a teacher, should be calm and know what to do. Children look up to you and you owe it to them to be in control of the situation.

After making the plan, consider talking about this to the authorities. You may talk it over with your staff; discuss and air your concerns. Listen to their suggestions if they have any. Also, have a talk with nearby police stations and tell them about situation in case of emergencies. Tap their offices when help is needed. Also, confer about this with the parents and assure them that these methods will keep their children safe and secure.

Once the plan is approved, practice it with the children. Have a regular emergency drill and remind them that these procedures will benefit them when trouble comes. The most common drills are the fire and tornado drills – practice these procedures routinely. When the time comes, those drills will come in handy someday.

See: How to start a daycare business

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