Emergency and Disaster Preparedness

• Does the child care program have an emergency plan if a child is injured, sick or lost?

• Does the child care program have plans for disasters like fire, tornado, flood, blizzard or earthquake?

• Are emergency plans shared with parents during enrollment interviews and conferences?

• Does the child care program practice evacuation drills every month?

• Does the child care program have fully stocked first aid kits?

• Are emergency contact numbers (including facility name, address and phone number) clearly posted by every phone?

• Does the child care program have current information about who to contact in an emergency?

• Do caregivers carry children's emergency contact information with them on field trips?

• Are current staff training certificates (first aid and CPR) posted or available upon request?
  
  Hint: Make sure your caregiver always has up-to-date contact information including your home, work and cell numbers.

First Aid and CPR

• Do all caregivers that supervise children have up-to-date first aid training?

• Are the caregivers' first aid training certificates on file for you to check?

• Do substitutes have up-to-date first aid training?

• Are first aid kits and children's life-sustaining medicines located close to the caregiver at all times including on trips outside the facility?

• Is a cell phone carried on trips outside the facility?

• If a child care center, does the program have a policy to review, on a regularly scheduled basis, caregivers' ability to perform first aid?

Injury Prevention

• Are children supervised at all times - including playground time and while sleeping?

• Who covers for the caregiver when they must leave the room or are distracted by a child's immediate need?

• Have caregivers developed skills in giving attention to individual children while scanning the group for potential problems?

• Have materials, equipment, supplies and the environment been designed and selected with child safety in mind?

• Are safety checks to inspect equipment, play areas and surroundings conducted on a regular basis?

• Does the program have clear and simple safety rules that are given in positive language and taught to all children?
  
  Example: "Just walk" is better than "Don't run".

• Does the caregiver have current first aid training?

Playground Safety

• Do adults actively supervise all children while they are outside?

• Is the playground surrounded by a fence?

• Is the sandbox clean?

• Is the playground equipment safe, with no sharp edges or loose pieces?

• Are materials used for the surface under equipment checked often for depth (cushioning) and hazards?

• Is outdoor time safe and enjoyable?

• Do caregivers encourage or organize active physical play and stay close by?
  
  Hint: Drop by when the children are outside.

Supervision

• Are children supervised at all times - including playground time and while sleeping?

• Are there enough caregivers to supervise children when another caregiver diapers, gives medication or needs to give complete attention to a child?

• Who covers for the caregiver when they must leave the room or are distracted by a child's immediate need?

• Have caregivers developed skills in giving attention to individual children while scanning the group for potential problems?

Toxic Substances

• Are toxic substances, like cleaning supplies and pest killers, stored and locked away from children?

• Has the building been checked for dangerous substances like radon, lead, and asbestos?

• Are rooms aired out after cleaning products are used or remodeling takes place?

• Is smoking prohibited throughout the program?

• Is Poison Control Center information posted by the phone and entered into cell phones?

• Are natural pest and weed control methods used?

Toys- What's safe? What's appropriate?

• Is there a variety of toys provided for each age group?

• Are there enough toys (including duplicates of popular items) for all children to have something and to prevent fighting?

• Can toys be easily washed and sanitized?
  
  Stuffed animals should be machine washable.

• Are toys set aside for washing after a child has placed them in their mouth?

• Are riding toys the right size for children?

• Are objects smaller than 1¾ inches in diameter, and toys with small parts kept away from children who put objects in their mouths?
  
  Hint: Toys should be inspected and cleaned frequently and repaired as needed.

Transportation

• Are there age appropriate car seats, boosters or safety belts for every child?

• Are children counted when getting into a vehicle?

• Are children counted when getting out of a vehicle?

• Are there enough caregivers to supervise the children so that the driver is only responsible for driving?
  
  Hints: Children should NEVER be left alone in the car, van or bus. Ask to visit when the caregiver is going to take the group off site. Observe the loading and unloading of children and how the caregiver ensures that a child is safely secured in the vehicle.