Daycare Safety and Childcare Injury Prevention

Every day children are injured in childcare. A daycare owner has an obligation to protect the children in daycare. For children, injuries have replaced infectious diseases as the leading health problem. Falls are the most common injury, but there are others: burns, bites, cuts, scrapes and bruises. Kids under the age of 5 at day care centers are more likely to be hospitalized due to falls.

Outside of a child's limited and developing cognitive and physical skills, low supervision contributes to child injuries. Some involve a level of negligence because the accident was preventable.

How can injuries be prevented in daycare?

• Ask how medications are managed. Learn what type of labeling system is used to prevent medications being switched or doses being altered.
• Learn about the daycare's accident report forms. There should be a policy and procedure for individual injuries.
• Background checks! Not all states require background checks or specific training for child care workers. Child care centers may be open and fully operational, but that is not a true measure of adherence to or compliance with safety requirements.
• The ratio of caregivers to children. Lower ratios mean more supervision and less risk for injury. Close supervision contributes directly to reduced events of injury. Keeping the child in view is still a necessary component in the child day care setting.
• Licenses. Make sure the facility has met all legal requirements.
• Education. Learn about the background of each child care provider and whether the staff is required to attend annual continuing education courses.
• Food allergies. Inspect the kitchen or snack prep area to see how foods are organized. Ask how they accommodate children with peanut, gluten, dairy and other food allergies.
• Immunizations. Learn about the filing system the daycare system uses to keep track of which children are due for physical exams and immunizations.
• First aid. Most childcare providers are trained in Basic First Aid. Learn about the qualifications of the staff, where the first aid kit is stored and what the daycare center's plan is in case of an injury or other emergency.
• Visit on the busiest day. Find out when the daycare is at maximum capacity and stop in to see how the staff handles the children.
  
  

 Brent Adams & Associates has obtained money for the families of children injured as a result of the negligence of childcare facilities. Call for a free, no obligation in-person consultation with a lawyer. 919.832.0022 or 1-877-BRENT-ADAMS