Daycare Safety

I. Family Daycare/ Group Family Daycare –

Takes place in a home setting. Licensed providers are required to take special

trainings on health, nutrition and child development. Homes are inspected by the state for health and safety. Family daycare providers can care for up to 6

children. Group family daycare providers can care for up to 12

children Small group of children allows for more one on one

attention. If you have more than one child, they can be taken

care in the same location. Family daycare providers tend to be located within the

same community as the parents.

Definition of Daycare

II. Center Daycare

A daycare center has a lot (always over 12) of children.

It is a structured environment.

Licensed and inspected by the state for health and safety.

Most states require that staff members have training in early childhood development as well as health and safety and nutrition.

Definition Continued

Daycare Statistics

In 1998 the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) published a staff study, Safety Hazards in Child Care Settings, in which they surveyed 220 licensed daycare settings nationwide. Background information to the study provided the following statistics:

In 1997 there were 21 million children under age 6 in the U.S.

Almost 13 million of them were placed in non-parental child care during some portion of the day

About 29% of these children are in center-based care, including day care centers, Head Start programs, and nursery schools.

The other 71% of these children are in non-center-based care, including family child care, in-home child care, and care by a relative.

Daycare Statistics Continued

From 1990 to 1997 at least 56 children died in childcare settings.

Almost 28 of those children died from asphyxia.

In 1997 31,000 children were admitted to U.S. emergency rooms for injuries which occurred in child care/school

settings.

Daycare Statistics

The CPSC staff study examined safety in the following product areas:

1. Cribs

2. Soft bedding

3. Playground surfacing

4. Playground surface maintenance

5. Child safety gates

6. Window blind cords

7. Drawstrings on children's clothing

8. And recalled children's products

• The study showed that all of the daycare settings surveyed posed safety hazards to the children.

• These are the percentage of Child Care Centers with Safety Hazard. • The chart refers to four types of licensed child care settings visited:

federal General Services Administration child care centers, non-profit centers, in-home settings, and for-profit centers.

Overall SA Non-Profit

In-Home

For-Profit

Unsafe Cribs 8% 10% 15% 8% 0%

Soft Bedding Present 19% 42% 21% 8% 14%

Playground Safety: Unsafe Surfacing

24% 5% 18% 46% 17%

Playground Safety: Poor Maintenance

27% 11% 24% 33% 31%

Safety Gates Not Used 13% 6% 8% 21% 13%

Blind Cord Loops Present 26% 22% 31% 26% 20%

Drawstrings on Children’s Outerwear

38% 30% 45% 26% 47%

Recalled Products in Use 5% 4% 5% 6% 4%

Safety Tips

Some questions parents should ask when considering a daycare setting

1. What is the caregiver to child ratio?

The lower the ratio, the more attention the child will receive.

2. Is the facility licensed? If so, by whom?

Ask to see certificates; licensed facilities follow stricter standards.

3. How long has the facility been in operation?

How many years of experience and training do the Director and/or primary caregivers have?

4. Have the primary caregiver and other staff undergone CPR training?

Safety Tips

More questions parents should ask

5. Has any child been seriously injured or died while in the facility?

6. Can you observe the caregiver/s in action?

This will give you a chance to see how she/he interacts with the children as well the hygiene procedures.

7. How will the provider discipline your child?

How will you be informed about your child's misconduct and the disciplinary measures taken?

8. If your child is hurt in the day care how will the child be treated and how will you be informed.

9. If the children are taken out on outings what are the measures to keep them safe? How will you be contacted in case of an emergency?

Safety TipsFor Daycare Providers

Regardless of whether you run a licensed Daycare Center orfamily/group daycare center, or just provide child care to a familymember or friend, avoid having the following products in the daycaresetting:

1. Openings that could entrap a child’s head or limbs

2. Elevated surfaces that are inadequately guarded

3. Lack of specified surfacing and fall zones under and around climbable equipment

4. Mismatched size and design of equipment for the intended users

5. Insufficient spacing between equipment

6. Tripping hazards

7. Components that can pinch, sheer, or crush body tissues

8. Equipment that is known to be of a hazardous type (such as large animal swings)

Safety Tips

More Tips for Daycare Providers9. Sharp points or corners

10. Splinters

11. Protruding nails, bolts, or other components that could entangle clothing or snag skin

12. Loose, rusty parts

13. Hazardous small parts that may become detached during normal use or reasonably foreseeable abuse of the equipment and that present a choking, aspiration, or ingestion hazard to a child

14. Flaking paint

15. Paint that contains lead or other hazardous materials

Resources

Both parents and providers can refer to the following resources toensure the safety and quality of child care.

National Resource Centerhttp://nrc.uchsc.eduChild Care Healthwww.childcarehealth.org American Academy of Pediatricswww.aap.orgConsumer and Product Safety Commissionwww.ocfs.orgThe National Safe Kids campaign www.safekids.org

References

1. American Academy of Pediatrics:

www.aap.org

2. Center for Disease Control and Preventio

Parent-Provider Safety Checklist

http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PUBS/childcare.pdf

3. Consumer Product Safety Commission:

Safety Hazards in Child Care Settings

http://www.cpsc.gov/LIBRARY/ccstudy.html

4. National Resource Center:

Stepping Stones, 2nd Edition

http://nrc.uchsc.edu/STEPPING/SteppingStones.pdf