How To Check For A Safe Childcare Facility For Your Child

Are you looking for a good Childcare La Canada Flintridge, CA? Then here are some safety parameters you should check first.

The centre should have all standard license
Whether it is a day care or kindergarten, all childcare units should have proper license. Now what are the licenses that you should look for?It should have one of these two: National Association of Education of Young Children or National Association of Family Child Care. It is not enough that you look at these licences but should also look at the website or call the agencies to see if the childcare units have any history of violation and if yes, what kind of violation.

Childproof spaces
Just as you childproof your house, the day care or kindergarten should have proper mechanism in place to keep the little ones safe all the time. Some of the things that you should be looking at while visiting a childcare are:

  • All electrical outlets are covered and well above the children’s range
  • Toys are in pristine condition and age appropriate (no small parts that can be swallowed)
  • The window blinds are secured and tied with an anchor so that children can’t reach them
  • All kind of cleaning products are securely locked and not in reach of children
  • If there are highchairs and cribs, they must be secured with straps.
Trained staff members
Staff members especially the teaching staff members should be trained in basic CPR and first aid. Any good childcare will display the completed certificate of the staff members; if they are not there, ask for them. Also enquire if the certificate holders get regularly updated or not. The CPR and first aid training should be paediatric as they differ from CPR for adults.

On call childcare specialist
Depending on the size of the Childcare La Canada Flintridge, CA, there should be a childcare specialist on the site or on call. The person should be licensed health professional and if he is not on-site, enquire how far is he and how fast he can see the child if emergencyarises. Apart from that, the health professional should visit the centre regularly and interact with the children to see their overall development.

Child to caregiver ratio
The ratio between the children in a room to their caregiver will depend much on the size of the classroom. Ideally, for children of age group 2 to 3 years, there should be 1 adult caregiver for 6 children. For those in preschool or older, the ration should be one to nine.

Staff turnover
While enquiring about the staff, please note how long the staffstays there. Frequent change of staff is not a good sign. When the staff members especially the teachers stay a long period of time, it means the working environment is very amiable and that in turn leads to happy children in day care.

Open door policy
Ask about the centre’s policy regarding how and when parents can observe their children and the classroom. The more open the centre is about their classroom and interaction with staff members, the safer it is for your child.