Here are some important things to consider and questions to ask when you’re searching for a child care solution.

ymca daycare - health and safety

 

YMCA Daycare: Health and Safety in Child Care

YMCA Daycare helps parents work and take time to run errands or enjoy activities with the confidence that their children are in good hands. Your child’s health and safety starts with the research you put into the daycare center you choose.

You can also do a few things to make sure that your kids are kept safe at daycare that we’ll discuss below.

 

Health and Safety, Starting with YMCA Daycare

Daycare centers have a responsibility to keep children safe from the moment they enter the facility until their parents pick them up. At the YMCA, we start our safety program with hiring the right employees.

 

Background Checks for Each Employee

Energetic and upbeat employees fill the roles of counselors, floaters and teachers. We aim to hire the best, and this means conducting a pre-employment background check on all employees. The background check provides peace of mind that there are no blemishes or issues in a person’s past that make it unsafe to be around children.

Employees may also have to have:

·         Prior childcare or early education experience

·         CDA or higher ECE degree

·         Pre-hire training

Parents should ask about the hiring process, the training employees receive, and the background check policies from their local YMCA childcare.

 

Ratio and Group Sizes

Daycare centers should followState of Ohio guidance on the ratio of children to employees. When group sizes are kept at an appropriate level, common safety concerns and the risks of child injuries are lower.

Low child-to-adult ratios also leads to more one-on-one attention.

Personal attention ensures each child’s needs are cared for properly. Small group sizes allow children to be more manageable for adults.

 

Nutrition and Activity Plans

Nutrition and physical activity are part of the safety plan. Meals are an opportunity to grow strong and healthy. It's important to know what meals or snacks will be served, if any, as well as access to clean water.

What will children be doing during their daycare? If children follow a proven curriculum, they:

·         Learn subjects to stay ahead of their schoolwork

·         Stay focused and engaged

Knowing the activity plans of the facility allows you to follow your child’s progress over time.

 

Ability to Visit YMCA Childcare

Visiting your local YMCA daycare is recommended. When you visit the center, you have the chance to see how a child’s day is scheduled and how safe the environment is for kids. During your visit, pay attention to:

·         Ratio of adults to children

·         Activities

·         Room and facility safety

It's recommended that parents do everything in their power, including reading reviews, to find a daycare that’s a good fit for their child.

 

Health and Safety Starting at Home

A lot of the burden of safety is on the facility that you send your children to, but there’s also more that you can do as a parent. Once you’ve found the perfect location, you may also want to:

 

Discuss Food Allergies and Safety

It’s up to parents to alert the daycare that their children have allergies. This information must be given prior to the first day of childcare. When visiting the facility, a few questions to ask are:

·         What safeguards are in place to stop cross-contamination of food?

·         What labeling measures, or preventative measures, are in place to ensure that a child doesn’t eat someone else’s food?

Food storage, heating, cooking and sizing should all be questioned during your visit.

 

Medication Administration

If your child takes medication, there are a few things you’ll want to do. Children should be given medication at home when possible. When administration needs to be done throughout the day, you’ll want to:

·         Bring meds and dosage instructions to the provider

·         Alert and remind staff of dosage amounts

·         Provide written instructions and authority to administer medicine

Parents should work closely with the daycare to ensure a child receives medication while in their care.

 

Illness and Transmission

A daycare center should be properly sanitized, but parents also have a responsibility of:

·         Maintaining immunizations

·         Keeping kids at home when they’re sick

Sending children to daycare when they’re ill puts other children at risk. By taking the measures above, both your child and other people’s children will remain safe at daycare.

Proper handwashing, cleaning and sanitization practices are even more important today as a result of COVID-19. Teach your kids how to properly wash their hands and inquire about the facility’s cleaning practices.

Parents that follow these measures are reducing their risk of a child being injured or sick due to daycare. You should also be asking your potential provider about:

·         Supervision policies, how kids are transitioned from one area to another, and child accountability

·         Staff training, CPR and first-aid training

·         Safe sleep practices to reduce risk of sudden infant death syndrome

·         Emergency plan and practices

Parents put a lot of trust in the YMCA to take care of their children. When you choose us to care for your children, you’re choosing a facility that background checks and trains all care providers.

Sign up for the YMCA Daycare at Countryside YMCA!

 

 

YMCA Daycare: Health and Safety in Child Care

YMCA Daycare helps parents work and take time to run errands or enjoy activities with the confidence that their children are in good hands. Your child’s health and safety starts with the research you put into the daycare center you choose.

You can also do a few things to make sure that your kids are kept safe at daycare that we’ll discuss below.

Health and Safety, Starting with YMCA Daycare

Daycare centers have a responsibility to keep children safe from the moment they enter the facility until their parents pick them up. At the YMCA, we start our safety program with hiring the right employees.

Background Checks for Each Employee

Energetic and upbeat employees fill the roles of counselors, floaters and teachers. We aim to hire the best, and this means conducting a pre-employment background check on all employees. The background check provides peace of mind that there are no blemishes or issues in a person’s past that make it unsafe to be around children.

Employees may also have to have:

·         Prior childcare or early education experience

·         CDA or higher ECE degree

·         Pre-hire training

Parents should ask about the hiring process, the training employees receive, and the background check policies from their local YMCA childcare.

Ratio and Group Sizes

Daycare centers should followState of Ohio guidance on the ratio of children to employees. When group sizes are kept at an appropriate level, common safety concerns and the risks of child injuries are lower.

Low child-to-adult ratios also leads to more one-on-one attention.

Personal attention ensures each child’s needs are cared for properly. Small group sizes allow children to be more manageable for adults.

Nutrition and Activity Plans

Nutrition and physical activity are part of the safety plan. Meals are an opportunity to grow strong and healthy. It's important to know what meals or snacks will be served, if any, as well as access to clean water.

What will children be doing during their daycare? If children follow a proven curriculum, they:

·         Learn subjects to stay ahead of their schoolwork

·         Stay focused and engaged

Knowing the activity plans of the facility allows you to follow your child’s progress over time.

Ability to Visit YMCA Childcare

Visiting your local YMCA daycare is recommended. When you visit the center, you have the chance to see how a child’s day is scheduled and how safe the environment is for kids. During your visit, pay attention to:

·         Ratio of adults to children

·         Activities

·         Room and facility safety

It's recommended that parents do everything in their power, including reading reviews, to find a daycare that’s a good fit for their child.

Health and Safety Starting at Home

A lot of the burden of safety is on the facility that you send your children to, but there’s also more that you can do as a parent. Once you’ve found the perfect location, you may also want to:

Discuss Food Allergies and Safety

It’s up to parents to alert the daycare that their children have allergies. This information must be given prior to the first day of childcare. When visiting the facility, a few questions to ask are:

·         What safeguards are in place to stop cross-contamination of food?

·         What labeling measures, or preventative measures, are in place to ensure that a child doesn’t eat someone else’s food?

Food storage, heating, cooking and sizing should all be questioned during your visit.

Medication Administration

If your child takes medication, there are a few things you’ll want to do. Children should be given medication at home when possible. When administration needs to be done throughout the day, you’ll want to:

·         Bring meds and dosage instructions to the provider

·         Alert and remind staff of dosage amounts

·         Provide written instructions and authority to administer medicine

Parents should work closely with the daycare to ensure a child receives medication while in their care.

Illness and Transmission

A daycare center should be properly sanitized, but parents also have a responsibility of:

·         Maintaining immunizations

·         Keeping kids at home when they’re sick

Sending children to daycare when they’re ill puts other children at risk. By taking the measures above, both your child and other people’s children will remain safe at daycare.

Proper handwashing, cleaning and sanitization practices are even more important today as a result of COVID-19. Teach your kids how to properly wash their hands and inquire about the facility’s cleaning practices.

Parents that follow these measures are reducing their risk of a child being injured or sick due to daycare. You should also be asking your potential provider about:

·         Supervision policies, how kids are transitioned from one area to another, and child accountability

·         Staff training, CPR and first-aid training

·         Safe sleep practices to reduce risk of sudden infant death syndrome

·         Emergency plan and practices

Parents put a lot of trust in the YMCA to take care of their children. When you choose us to care for your children, you’re choosing a facility that background checks and trains all care providers.

Sign up for the YMCA Daycare at Countryside YMCA!