Safety Issues that Every Childcare Centre must Keep in Mind

During the work week, parents rely on daycares to provide their children with the safest care. Sadly, injuries are the leading cause of death and disabilities for young children. Licensed childcare providers have a high degree of responsibility when it comes to keeping children in a safe environment, so when selecting a daycare provider, keep these tips in mind to keep your child safe.
 
Indoor Safety
Children need an environment where they can explore and develop. The childcare home or classrooms should be an area where they can roam without being injured. Infants experience cognitive development by physically exploring the world around them, so keep in mind that children like to touch everything. Do a safety check when visiting potential daycares to make sure your indoor space is safe. You can use this question and ask yourself:

• Are all breakable and sharp items out of the children’s reach?
• Are toys in good condition, without any broken, loose, or rough pieces?
• Are sharp edges and corners of furniture covered to protect the children?
• Are small toys that could cause choking out of reach?
• Are potentially dangerous products, such as household cleaners, chemicals or medications, locked in a closet or cabinet?
• Are there any objects that could fall and harm the children?
• Does the daycare keep up-to-date with recalls for children’s’ items?

Outdoor Safety
Playing outside is another part of child development. Take time to make sure that the provided outdoor environment is safe, addressing this following:

• Outdoor play areas should be surrounded by a fence or border to ensure that children stay within the designated area.
• Outdoor play should always be supervised.
• Playground equipment should be suitable for the age of the children. Toddlers and infants should not be playing near tall platforms or high slides.
• The surface of playground equipment should be soft and flexible.
• Make sure the sidewalks, driveways, and parking lots are free of ice, snow, or debris.
• If there is a pool, this should be gated and locked, unless children are supervised by a lifeguard.

Daycare Clearances
Along with basic environment safety checks, parents should make sure that their childcare provider has proper clearances. Providing a quality care and preventing an injury are childcare giver’s biggest responsibilities. As a parent or guardian, doing a basic research and visiting properties can prevent accidents from happening.
 
 
 
Here are also Top 5 Qualities to look for Daycares:
 

1. Cleanliness

This might seem like a pretty obvious quality, but there’s more to cleanliness than meets the eye. You can ask the owner of any daycare you visit about what products they use and how often their facility is cleaned and maintained by professionals. Regular, thorough cleaning is a must, so make sure their schedule is frequent enough that your child won’t be at risk from excessive germs or bacteria.
 

2. Safety

Who can pick up your child from the facility? Do parents need to show ID? Who has access to the building during daycare hours? What security features does the facility have? These are all questions that the staff should be able to answer confidently and to your satisfaction, since the safety of your child is the most important thing to any good daycare centers
 

3. First Aid

All daycares – and indeed, across the country – should have an easy-to-access first aid kit and a designated health and safety representative with emergency first aid training. Accidents happen, so make sure your daycare facility is well-equipped to handle them.
 

4. Visibility

Lots of natural light and open areas are key to a safe daycare facility, as they always allow caretakers and supervisors to keep children in sight. Supervision can help prevent injury, first and foremost, but it also gives children a greater sense of security and comfort knowing they’re being cared for. Also, if they need help with anything, they always know where the nearest adult is.
 

5. Organization

Good habits at daycare makes for good habits at home. A daycare facility that encourages tidiness by putting toys back in their place and disposing of garbage properly will generate similar habits at home. Daycare is as much an opportunity for growth and development as it is a way to ensure your child is looked after when you must go to work.
 
You should never hesitate to ask any questions or be very thorough on your tour to any Daycare Facility. You should also feel comfortable registering your child at a facility that has all the features listed above. There are going to be lots of options and its always worth it to take your time, do the research and find the absolute best daycare that will suit your child’s need and your standards.
 
At Nice Backyard, we make sure we keep Kid’s health and safety when playing or using the outdoor areas set up by us, Our Soft fall Surfaces follow the Australian fall height standards and our artificial turf products are Lead free and absolutely safe for kids to play on.