When you drop your child off at daycare for the day, you expect that the center will take precautions to ensure the safety of your child. Below is a list of 10 things to look for at your child’s daycare to determine whether it is safe for your child.
- The daycare is appropriately licensed and does background checks on caregivers. Parents should check with the establishment to make sure that the establishment or service is licensed. Additionally, it is important to check that the daycare performs background checks on all of the caregivers who work their.
- Staff is trained for medical emergencies. Staff should be up to date on their CPR and first aid certification training, and copies of the staff’s certification cards should be made available for inspection upon request.
- Childproofing is readily apparent. Daycare is supposed to be a kid-friendly and safe place, but also should be free of any potential hazards. Parents should check to see if they has implemented adequate childproofing.
- There is a sufficient number of caregivers relative to the number of children at the center. It would be impossible to adequately supervise children if there are too few caregivers watching the children. Parents should ask about what the caregiver to child ratio is at the place of care.
- Equipment and toys should be in good condition. The equipment and toys used at the center, such as cribs, beds, chairs and changing tables, should all be in good working condition and clean. They should not be recalled models or in poor, broken or unsanitary condition. No toys should be so small that they pose a choking hazard.
- The daycare has safety and health practices. An establishment that has a written policy concerning health and safety is going to be a safer place for children than a daycare without health and safety policies. Parents should ask what these policies are and how they are enforced.
- Are caregivers accessible? The center should have an open-door policy by which parents can ask questions and get updates about what their child does at daycare. Caregivers should be accessible by parents, and parents’ questions should be answered in a straightforward and timely manner.
- The center or establishment has a low turnover rate. Daycares that have caregivers who have worked at the establishment for a long time tend to be more safe since long-term caregivers are familiar with the daycare’s policies and procedures when providing care for the children. Additionally, when caregivers stay with their daycare employer for an extended period of time, the children at the daycare can develop meaningful relationships with their caregivers.
- Is the establishment secure? Does the establishment take precautions to protect the children from leaving the facility or prevent strangers from easily coming onto the property? Are outdoor play areas secure? Does the daycare maintain a log of who comes and goes and when?
- Is the establishment professional? A child care service that presents a professional image likely takes care and safety very seriously.
Contacting a Daycare Lawyer for Help
If your child has been hurt while being cared for, contact the daycare injury lawyers at The Pearce Law Firm, P.C. We have helped many families pursue personal injury claims against unsafe and unprofessional daycare centers. Contact us either online or by calling (215) 557-8686 for a free initial consultation today.