1. Promoting Children’s Safety
You are the only thing protecting the child from danger!

2. Safety Objectives Supervise the children at all times.
Maintain at least the minimum adult-child ratio as required in your state.
Develop safety limits.
Provide a safe environment
Practice fire safety.
Develop plans for weather emergencies.
Know emergency procedures for accidental poisoning.
Recognize signs of child abuse and report any known or suspected cases.
Teach children how to protect themselves from sexual assault.

3. Supervise the Children at All Times
Must protect the children until they can protect themselves
Children are unpredictable, quick, and fearless without judgment
Keep your back to the wall
Move closer if you see something happening
Keep rooms clean

4. Maintain Minimum Adult-Child Ratios
Ratio relates directly to safety
Always follow state law
Legal actions can be taken by the state

5. Develop Safety Limits
Limits – guides to actions and behaviors that reflect the goals of a program
Make them simple and easy to understand
Walk indoors
Use blocks for building
Wipe up spills right away
Tell the teacher when something breaks
Go up the ladder and down the slide
Wear a helmet
Remind children about the limits

6. Provide a Safe Environment
Pick safe toys and materials greatly reduces the risk of serious injury
Choose appropriate toys for their age
Check toys frequently for damage
Playground
Plan it with safety in mind
Evaluate equipment for safety

7. Practice Fire Safety Learn how to use a fire extinguisher
Practice Fire Drills
You may only care two children at a time
Some centers use cribs with wheels to take large groups of immobile children out at once.
Bring your attendance list with you to check for all of the children
Stay calm, so your children wont panic

8. Sun Safety
Protect children's skin by going out before 10 am or after 4 pm.
Put sun screen on 30 minutes prior to going outside
Reapply if out longer than 2 hours

9. Poisonings Have the local poison control number posted by every phone
Call the poison control for any suspicions of poison.
Do not follow the directions on the bottle, call poison control

10. Neglect and Abuse
Abuse or neglect reports have tripled over the last 25 years
Three leading factors
Financial problems
Substance abuse
Stress of handling parental responsibilities

11. Nonaccidental Physical Injury
Nonaccidental Physical Injury – physical abuse inflicted on purpose.
Frequent complaints of pain
May have fear of adults
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12. Neglect Neglect – when children are not given the basic needs of life
Proper food
Medical and dental care
Shelter
Clothing
Neglect may or may not be intentional on the part of the abuser
Possible signs
Arrives early is or is picked up late
Wears inappropriate or unclean clothing
Child seems hungry always
Medical needs are unmet
Poor hygiene often results in odor
Child appears fatigued or falls asleep

13. Emotional Abuse
Emotional Abuse – abuse of a child’s self-concept through words or actions
Signs
Refusal to talk
Unusual or unpredictable behavior
Rare smiling or laughter
Excessive clinging or crying
Withdrawn behavior
Destructive behavior
Poor motor coordination for age
Fear of adults

14. Sexual Abuse
Sexual Abuse – forcing a child to observe or engage in sexual activities with an adult.
Teach the difference between good touch, bad touch
Follow centers guidelines for teaching about sexual abuse
85-90% of sexual abusers know their victim
Signs
Walking or sitting problems
Bruises under clothing
Extremely disruptive or aggressive behaviors
Regress to infantile behaviors

15. Reporting Child Abuse Teachers are Mandated Reporters of child abuse
As along as you make the report in good faith, you will not be subject to legal action if your suspicions are found not to be found as abuse
Follow your centers guidelines
Call
Penalties for failing to make a report
$1,000 fine
6 Months in Jail
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