Child safety should be a top priority for any parent placing their children in the care of other adults. Not only should the childcare workers be background-checked, competent, and caring, but each classroom should be clean and child-proofed.
How do you know whether your childcare facility is safe for your child? The best way is to ensure the facility is licensed.
What Is a Childcare License?
The Department of Humans Services will license a childcare facility when it meets the basic requirements for:
- Staff accreditation
- Safety
- Sanitization
- Nutrition
A daycare or childcare facility must renew its license every year. Operating a daycare without certification or with a lapsed license is illegal, and the director is subject to penalties.
Why Is Licensure Important?
Regulations for accreditation, safety, sanitation, and nutrition are vital for your child to be safe and thrive in a childcare facility.
For instance:
- Staff Accreditation: Improperly trained staff can subject your children to harm. All staff members need regular training on childcare and safety regulations. Well-intentioned but ignorant workers should not be responsible children.
- Safety: The building must pass a safety inspection and have appropriate medical and safety devices available, like fire extinguishers and first aid equipment. Unanchored furniture, small toys, or unavailable first aid equipment are all potentially harmful to your child.
- Sanitation: Your child could get sick if the facility is not cleaned throughout the day and thoroughly at the end of the day. Roaches and small rodents can spread diseases across surfaces when they emerge at night. Mold is hidden from sight but causes dangerous symptoms in growing children. Childcare workers who don’t wash their hands after changing a diaper or assisting a child in the bathroom can spread illness and other more serious diseases with this carelessness.
- Nutrition: If your child receives breakfast, lunch, and a snack at the facility, the daycare must offer optimal foods for growing children. Your child could miss out on vital nutrients if a facility doesn’t offer a balanced diet or could gain unnecessary weight if the menu has too many high-fat or sugary foods.
Collier Christian Academy Goes the Extra Mile for Safety
At Collier Christian Academy, you don’t have to wonder if your child is in a safe environment. We not only have a Tennessee state license, but we go above and beyond state requirements to ensure your child’s safety.
We ensure that no unauthorized persons come into the building. Our small class sizes minimize the spread of illnesses and allow children to receive quality care and attention from teachers. Finally, we pride ourselves on our nutritious menu that meets health standards and tastes good, too!