plan for safety - child care basics · putting a gate across stairways. a safe child care...

PlanforSafety

Healthy and Safe Learning Environments

Asafechildcareprogramisoneorganizedwiththechild’scareinmind.

Thiscanrangefromchild-proofingelectricaloutlets,toputtingagateacrossstairways.Asafechildcareenvironmentalsohasclearspaceswherechildrencanmoveandplayawayfrompotentiallydangerousappliancesorpoisonoussubstances.

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PlanforSafety

Healthy and Safe Learning Environments

Childrenmustbekeptsafefromburns,objectsfallingonthem,poisons,drowning,electricalshock,choking,entrapments,falls,weapons,loudnoises,tripping,pinches,punctures,crushinginjuries,andcuts.Asafechildcareenvironmentisonethatisorganizedwiththechildren’scareanddevelopmentinmind.

Ithasclearspaceswherechildrencanmoveandplayawayfrompotentiallydangerousappliances,equipment,materials,fallinghazardsorhazardoussubstances.

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FirstAid

Healthy and Safe Learning Environments

Thecenter'sfirstaidkitshouldcontaineverythingyouneedforminorinjuriesatthecenter.

Youmayalsoneedtogiveemergencyaiduntilprofessionalmedicalhelpcanarrive.Incenterswithmorethanthreeclassrooms,itisrecommendedthatyouhaveafirstaidkitineachroom.Youmustalsohaveextrakitstoaccompanychildrengoingonafieldtrip.

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FirstAid

Healthy and Safe Learning Environments

Itisagoodideaforaspecificstaffpersontobedesignatedasresponsibleforensuringthatthefirstaidkitisstockedatalltimes.Thecenter’shealthconsultantshouldreviewandapproveallmedicalresponsepoliciesandfirstaidsupplies.Eachstaffmembermustknowwherethefirstaidkitiskept.Ifyouaregoingawayfromthecenteronawalkorafieldtrip,besuretobringalongafirstaidkit.Asmallwaistpackisagoodwaytocarrysupplies.Atalltimes,atleastonestaffmemberpergroupofchildrenmusthavecurrentfirstaidandageappropriateCPRtraining.

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FirstAid

Healthy and Safe Learning Environments

Evenwiththepropertraining,itmaynotbeeasytorememberwhattodowhensomeoneneedsfirstaid.

Iffirstaidisrequired,staycalm.Afellowstaffmembercanskimtherelevantsectionofyourfirstaidguidetomakesurethatyouarerespondingcorrectly.

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FirstAid

Healthy and Safe Learning Environments

Aftertreatinganinjury,remembertoenterthenecessaryinformationinthecenter'sAccident/IncidentLogandcompleteanincidentreportforthechild’sparentstosignandkeep.Keepacopyoftheincidentreportinthechild’sfileatthecenter.

Ifaninjuryresultsinprofessionalmedicalattentionyoumustnotifyyourlicensorandprovideawrittencopyoftheincidentreport.

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TheInjury/IncidentReport

Healthy and Safe Learning Environments

Achild’sparentswillbeunderstandablyconcernediftheirchildcomeshomewithbitemarks,scratches,orbruisesthatappeartohavebeeninflictedbyanotherchild.

Theywillbemoreconcernedifnostaffmembertalkedtothemabouttheincidentornooneseemedtoknowwherethemarkscamefrom.

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TheInjury/IncidentReportWhenachildisinvolvedinaninjury,makesuretheparentsknow:

a) Howtheinjuryoccurred;

b) Howthestaffrespondedtotheincident;and

c) Whattreatmentwasgiven,ifany.

Awrittenreportcoveringtheaboveinformationmustbekeptonfile.Parentsmustreceiveacopyofthisreport.

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EnvironmentalSafety

Healthy and Safe Learning Environments

Thecheapestbigspaceavailableistheoutdoors!Childrenshouldplayoutsideeverydayoftheyearexceptincasesofextremeweatherorairpollution.Outdoorplayishealthyonmanylevels:itprovidesopenspacetodecreasethespreadofinfections,avarietyofopportunitiesforgrossmotordevelopment,andbalanceinthechild’splayandroutine.Somechildrenwhohaveparticularlyhighenergylevelsneedlotsofoutdoorplay.

OpenSpaceandAirQuality

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EnvironmentalSafety

Healthy and Safe Learning Environments

Considerthefollowingsuggestionsforyouruseofspace:• Donotconcentratetoysandequipmentinsmallareas.• Placecots/cribsatleastthreefeetfromeachotherandalternatingfoottoheadso

thataircirculatesfreelyandchildrenarenotbreathingdirectlyoneachother.• Provideacoveredoutdoorareaifpossibleforshadeandprotectionfromrainand

snow.• Takechildrenoutdoorsasoftenaspossible,especiallyduringthewintermonths

whentheindoorsmaybeovercrowdedandoverheatedandrespiratoryillnessesareattheirpeak.

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EnvironmentalSafety

Healthy and Safe Learning Environments

Adequateventilation,humidity,andtemperaturecontrolincreaseeachperson’sresistancetoillnessandtheirabilitytogetwellaftersickness.Inwinter,dry,hotairtakesmoisturefromtheskinandmucousmembranes.Insummer,hotandhumidairpreventsachild’sbodyfromcoolingoffwellandcausesoverheating.

MaintainingGoodVentilationofIndoorSpace

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EnvironmentalSafety

Healthy and Safe Learning Environments

Therefore,payspecificattentiontotheairaroundyou,andtrytodothefollowing:• Keepairtemperaturebetween68- 85ºF,ifpossible.• Openwindowsineveryroomeverydaytocirculatefreshair,eveninwinter(exceptin

centrallyairconditionedorventilatedbuildings).Windowsmustbescreened,andnotopenwiderthanfourinchestopreventchildrenfromfallingout.

• Offermoreliquidsandspongebathinginextremelyhotweathertopreventoverheatinganddehydration.

• Provideextraclothingduringsuddenextremesofcoldweathertomaintainbodyheat.

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EnvironmentalSafety• Askparentstoleaveextraclothingattheprogram,ifpossible,ordevelopyour

ownsupplyofextrasfromunneededhand-me-downs.(Justrememberthatsharedclothingmustbewashedbetweenusesbydifferentchildren).Hatsshouldneverbesharedamongchildrenduetothepossiblespreadofheadlice.

• Useacoolairhumidifierorcoolairvaporizertoaddmoisturetodryair.Donotuseasteamvaporizer.

• Ifyouuseanairconditioner,besurethatitiscleanedandservicedregularly.Airconditionerscanbuildupmoldsanddustthatareharmfulallergensforsomechildrenandadults.

• Avoidstrongodorsintheprogram.Somepeople,includingchildren,haveallergicresponsestosmoke,perfume,roomdeodorizers,etc.

13Healthy and Safe Learning Environments

EnvironmentalSafetyLocksWhenchildrenareincaretheyshouldbeabletoopendoorsleadinginandoutofthedifferentchildcareareasandtotheoutside.Doorsshouldnotbelockedortooheavytooperate.Donotputchild-guardcoversoverthedoorknobs.

Thinkaboutremovinglocksonthedoorsthatyoudonotneedtolockforsecurityreasons,includingbathroomdoors.Ifyoukeepbathroomdoorlocksinplace,hangthekeyorinsertpinnexttothedoorsothatyoucanquicklyreachachildwholockshimselfinthebathroom.Besuretogiveinstructionstostaffabouthowtoopenthedoor.

14Healthy and Safe Learning Environments

EnvironmentalSafety

Ifchildrenandadultsshareabathroomwithnolockonthedoor,youmaywanttoinstallahookandeye.Youshoulddothisatadultheightontheinteriorsideofthedoortoensureprivacy.

Hook and eye door lockLocks

Tosecuredoorsleadingtotheoutsideusedoorhandlelocksthatdisengageautomaticallywhenturnedfromtheinside.Youcanalsoequipthedoorswithpanicbars,dooralarms,orbells.

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EnvironmentalSafety

LocksYoumustnotusedeadbolts,chains,orotherdevicesrequiringsomeonetoworkaseparatemechanismwhilechildrenareincare.

Foraddedsecurity,youmaywishtohaveyourcenter’sdoorslockedfromtheoutside.Parentswillneedakey,keycard,oraspecialpunchcodetoenterthebuilding.

However,doorsmustbeeasytoopenandremainunlockedfromtheinsidewhilechildrenareincare.

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EnvironmentalSafety

Caregiversmusthaveeasyaccesstoalightsourcetouseincaseofapowerfailure.Youmayuseflashlightsorchoosetousebattery-poweredwalllights.Aflashlightdoesyounogoodifitsbatteriesaredead.Checkthebatteriesregularlyandkeepextranewbatteriesinaconvenientplace.

Onewaytoguaranteeyoualwayshaveafullychargedflashlightistouseoneoftherechargeablevarieties.Keepitpluggedinwhennotinuse.

PowerOutages

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EnvironmentalSafety

WorkingTelephoneThechildcarefacilitymusthavethecapacitytoacceptandrespondtoincomingcallsduringthecenterworkinghours.

Answeringmachinesareessentialforansweringthephonewhenyouarebusywithchildren,screeningcalls,orcatchingcallsafterhours.However,theyshouldnotkeepparentsfromgettinganimportantmessagetoyouabouttheirchild.

18Healthy and Safe Learning Environments

EnvironmentalSafety

Youmaywanttoputasecondphonelinewithitsownnumberintheclassroom.Parentsmustbeabletogetintouchwithyouimmediatelyifneeded.

Besurethatyourphonesworkinapoweroutage.Manycordlessphonesandtelephoneansweringdeviceswillnotworkduringpoweroutages.

WorkingTelephone

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