Dozens of children die or are seriously injured in childcare settings every year

Choosing a Safe Child Care Provider

Hundreds of children are taken to ER’s Daily by child care staff

Millions of working parents and other caregivers leave children with childcare providers every day. It is important to try and find a center, home, church, pre-school, or other childcare setting that is set up to provide a healthy and safe environment while children are in their care. The first thing a parent should ask is whether the provider has an open door policy where they can drop in and check on the child anytime. If not, they should think twice before choosing them.

Before settling on a particular child care provider, parents and other caregivers should also ask questions, inspect the facility both inside and out, ask to see licenses, fire and evacuation plans, disaster plans e.g., a floor plan, and emergency contact numbers. These should be posted on a wall or a bulletin board in plain sight.

Licensed child care facilities provide an extra layer of safety.

State licensed facilities and individual child care homes have to meet specific requirements, including background checks for all staff and the owner of the facility. State health and safety regulations, which vary from state to state, must be also be met. Although licensing does not guarantee quality it sets minimum requirements and…