If you run or own a child-care business, you need to be in it for the kids.

Sure, you want to turn a profit and make a living, but at the heart of everything you do should be the love of children. The more you care, the better the experiences will be for them.

You will have the drive and motivation to make things more fun and engaging. You will be invested in how they are learning and growing, and you will be more conscious of how safe they are. 

Safety is the top priority for most parents when choosing a daycare. They want to know that when they come to pick them up at the end of the day, their children will be in the same shape as when they dropped them off. If you are committed to safety, it will not just protect the kids but also make you more attractive to parents. Safety should be a significant part of your business operations and inform every decision you make and everything you do with the kids. Here’s how to keep kids safe in your child-care business. 

Staff Training

When working with kids, you want a dynamic, creative, and fun staff. However, you also need them to understand how to keep kids safe at all times. They can’t treat the kids in your care as they would their own children or family members. Training should include CPR and first aid training. They also need to know about all the ways that a child can get hurt or sick while at daycare, including trips and falls, unsanitary situations, and choking hazards. Ensuring that your staff is appropriately trained and prioritizing safety will go a long way. 

Background Checks

Your staff should be properly trained, but you must also perform background checks on any prospective employee. They will be caring for vulnerable people, and you need to make it as unlikely as possible that you are hiring someone predatory or unsafe. On top of that, having those background checks will make parents feel more secure in trusting their kids with your daycare. This will build your rapport with clients and also help you get referrals. 

Childproofing

Many everyday things might seem harmless to any adult but can be deadly to a small child or baby. Your daycare needs to be exhaustively childproofed to make sure that it is as safe as possible for all the children in your care. This means having furniture that isn’t too tall, covers on all outlets, and soft flooring that won’t bunch or cause a tripping hazard. Do not use toys that can be choking hazards, and make sure there are no loose cords from appliances that kids can grab onto. Cupboards should also be locked or held in place by a stopper. These are just a few examples, but every space is unique, so you should make a checklist and go through room by room to ensure everything is as safe as possible. 

Gatekeeping

No one should come onto your property if they aren’t approved to be there by the daycare or by the parents. You need to monitor everyone who comes and goes. Using a daycare attendance management solution can help with this. There can be unique passwords for every child when someone comes to pick them up. Parents can get an alert by text or email when that happens as well. All visitors must also sign-in and sign-out to show that they have left the premises. It would be best to have someone in place whose sole job is to monitor the door to ensure that nobody can enter without acknowledgment. If the door is locked at all times, you can have a doorbell system for anyone who comes to the daycare center. 

Insurance

While some measures are to protect kids from injury or other hazards, insurance is there to protect them, parents, and your business. Running a daycare involves many risks, and you want to make sure that if children are injured under your care, they can be taken care of properly, regardless of their parent’s financial situation. Plus, it will protect your business from paying out of pocket for medical bills and any potential lawsuits that could result from the incident. Therefore, you need to learn about daycare insurance costs and purchase a policy that covers you for every hazard that your business might be exposed to. 

Cleanliness and Sanitation

Babies and toddlers are lovely little people. However, they are not the most sanitary. Your daycare should follow strict sanitation and cleanliness protocols. Every surface should be regularly sanitized and cleaned. Children should wash their hands before eating and after using the toilet. Ensure that toys are tidied up promptly after use to prevent tripping hazards. Plus, carpets and rugs should be vacuumed and steamed to limit airborne contaminants that might be caught in the fibers. 

Exterior Security

If you take the children outside, you must follow safety protocols out there. This includes having a tall fence that surrounds where the children will be. It should be locked at all times, or only have access from inside the building. All play equipment should be inspected for wear and tear and approved by your state’s safety authority. Outdoor spaces should also have enough room for kids to run around without fear of banging into each other or getting tripped up by play equipment. 

As you can see, there is a lot to think about when it comes to safety in a daycare. However, it should be your number one priority as a child-care business owner. Parents want their kids to be safe when they are at work, and if you don’t provide a feeling of security, they will take their business elsewhere. Plus, you open yourself up to lawsuits and public relations nightmares. So make sure that your daycare center is safe and secure for all participants with these tips.