Child safety is a high priority for parents when evaluating a daycare or child care center. Although children are generally safest with their parents, they need a safe and loving environment while parents work or attend school. You want a responsible childcare team that prioritizes your child’s safety, just like you do.
But what makes a childcare center safe?
Every childcare center must be licensed by the state of Tennessee and meet minimum standards for staff accreditation, safety, sanitization, and nutrition. While these minimum requirements are important, some daycares never do more than the basic standards. Going above and beyond the state’s minimum requirements sets quality daycares above average ones.
Here are some key areas to keep in mind when you’re looking for childcare.
Safe Preschool Policies
Some preschools are lax in following their published safety policies. For instance, some facilities may let friends and family of staff inside during business hours. Letting any visitor into the building is a huge red flag. At Collierville Christian Academy, we keep a tight rein on who we allow in the building so you don’t have to worry about strangers watching your children.
Our security cameras record everything in the building, playground, and parking lot. Additionally, our playground area is shielded from most foot and automobile traffic.
Sanitation and Cleanliness Policies
In a post-pandemic world, everyone must be even more careful to reduce the spread of bacteria and viruses. That includes daycares!
There are three primary ways daycares can practice proper sanitation for safety:
- Hand Sanitation: Staff need to wash their hands frequently–after every diaper change, after assisting a child on the toilet, before serving food, whenever they come in contact with bodily fluids, and sporadically throughout the day. Hand sanitizer should also be used frequently. Modeling these sanitary behaviors also helps children develop safe sanitation habits.
- Toy Sanitation: Toys must be cleaned regularly, especially in younger classrooms where children put everything in their mouths. A facility should clean toys throughout the day and before closing.
- Building Sanitation: Toilets and sinks should be cleaned with a bleach solution, and floors need to be mopped regularly. Additionally, the building should be routinely checked for mold, termites, water damage, and more.
If you notice staff not washing their hands after diaper changes or bathroom assistance, dirty toys in the classrooms, or dirty floors or bathrooms, talk to the daycare director or consider switching daycares.
At Collierville Christian Academy, we prevent the spread of viruses and illnesses by adhering to high cleanliness standards. Although illness will still occur, we carefully train and hold our staff accountable to our sanitation policies.
Safe Staff Policies
By state law, daycare workers must be background checked and maintain certain health standards to be employed by a daycare. However, checking these boxes doesn’t automatically make a staff member a good teacher or role model.
At Collierville Christian Academy, we are picky in our hiring process. We want the best teachers and staff so we can provide quality childcare and early education! Our teachers are skilled in classroom management, peacemaking skills, and early childhood education, and are all-around great role models for children.