1. Promoting Children’s Safety
Chapter 11
Promoting Children’s Safety

2. Safety Objectives Supervise the children at all times.
Maintain your state child-adult ratio
Develop safety limits
Provide a safe environment
Practice fire safety
Develop plans for weather emergencies
Recognize the signs of child abuse
Teach children to protect themselves against sexual abuse.

3. Basic Safety limits Definitions Sample Limits
Limits/Rules “guides children to actions and behaviors that reflect the goals of a program”
Walk indoors. Do not run
Use blocks for building and not throwing.
Wipe up spills right away
Tell the teacher when equipment breaks
Use the ladder for the slide not the slide
Wear a helmet when riding a bike.

4. Transporting Children
Motor vehicle accidents pose the greatest threats to children’s lives.
All children should ride in the back seat until 12 years of age.
Children up to three years of age should ride in a rear-facing car seat until they reach the seat’s height and weight requirements.
Children 4-7 should ride in front facing care seats
Children 8-12 who have outgrown the car seat should ride in a booster chair in the back seat.
Check with the national highway and Traffic Safety Administration website for specific details.

5. “Stop, Drop and Roll” 1 fire extinguisher in kitchen
1 near each classroom or in the classroom
1 in the laundry area
Check the Following:
pressure gauge is at “normal”
Blocks nozzle of other parts.
Missing pin or tampered seal
Dents, leaks, rust or other signs of damage.

6. Fire Drills and Evacuation Plans
General Information
Example Evacuation Plan
Most states require fire and natural disaster drills.
Make sure to have a well organized plan and practice the plan.
Sound the fire alarm
Evacuate the building
When leaving the building close the doors and leave the lights on
Call fire department after leaving the building
Take roll as soon as you find your designated safe place.
When firefighters arrive, report any missing children or staff.

7. Report any symptoms the child may have
Poisoning
Reaction
Store poisonous materials in a locked closet
Store medications in a locked cabinet.
Store medications away from food.
Refer to medical labels when giving medications.
Report any symptoms the child may have
Identify the first aid procedures
Report the time
Report age and weight
Provide the name of the poisonous substance
Report the amount ingested by the child.

8. Neglect and Abuse
Nonaccidental physical injury: this is physical abuse inflicted on purpose: children come to school with bruises, bites, burns or other injuries.
Neglect: when children are not given the basic needs of life: a child may be deprived of proper food, medical, dental or clothing.
A teacher must be sensitive to different child-rearing practices that could be cultural, some signs include:
Arriving early or picked up late
Child wears inappropriate clothing
Child seems hungry always.
Poor hygiene
Child seems tired and sleeps in class

9. Emotional Abuse
Emotional Abuse is abuse of a child’s self-concept through words or actions
Refusal to talk
Unpredictable behavior
Rare smiling
Excessive crying or clinging
Destructive behavior
Poor motor coordination
Fear of adults.

10. Sexual Abuse
Before the age of eight, 3.0 to 4.6% of Children suffer some form of sexual abuse.
Girls have a higher rate of abuse
** Studies have shown that race, intelligence, family income and social class have nothing to do with the occurrence of sexual abuse.

11. Helping Families Parenting classes Self help- or support groups
Financial planning
Family counseling
Help lines
Preventative healthcare programs
Nutrition for healthy living.