The U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics reports that more than 80 percent of all children ages three to five in the U.S. were in daycare for at least part of the day during 2005. This figures includes over 57 percent in center-based programs and nearly 12 percent in non-relative daycare. While the daycare itself may provide a safe environment, picking up a child involves establishing a set of safety steps involving the center, child and adults.
Safety Areas
Safety requires children to remain indoors or in a fenced area protected from public access until the child's parent or guardian arrives. Many states, such as Utah, require the use of a "protected area" for licensed daycares or preschools. Children should never be allowed to leave the daycare facility alone to meet a parent outdoors or in an unprotected area unsupervised by staff.
States, including Wisconsin, require centers to "have a plan for making sure that a staff member always knows the name and whereabouts of each child in care," according to the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families. Safety areas may be secured by mechanical or electronic-restricted access systems, locked doors, bells or alert devices.
Identified Adult or Guardian
Children must be prepared for circumstances where an unidentified person may attempt to collect a child from daycare. The warning should not be given in a manner that scares the child. However, it should serve as a reminder that the child must never go with anyone but the pre-selected adult or guardian.
The daycare should keep records, with photographs, of the approved adults or guardians that are responsible for pickup. The agency should never release the child to anyone other than the identified individuals without following special emergency procedures.
Child Education
Children should be educated to understand the importance of following specific directions for daycare pickup. Ideally, one person should be responsible for pickup and the child should look for that person each day when daycare is finished. If more than one person is responsible for the daycare, the child should clearly understand that two people, and only those two people, will alternate retrieval duties. When the child is dropped off at daycare, he should be reminded who will pick him up that day.
Defined Emergency Procedures
Daycare centers should require parents to sign a consent form outlining the policies and procedures at the facility. The rules should incorporate a plan for emergency release of children. The Wisconsin Department of Children and Families states that child care facilities should have a policy in place so that the child "is not released to someone that the parent has not authorized to pick up the child."
A contact telephone number should be on file at the daycare so any emergency retrievals by people other than the authorized individuals on the student's release card may be confirmed by a phone call. If this safety precaution is not in the contract, put the directions in writing and ask that the information be placed in the student's file.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Child Day Care Services
- National Child Care Information & Technical Assistance Center: State Child Care Regulations & Emergency Preparedness
- U.S. Department of Education: National Center for Education Statistics
- California Department of Social Services: Family Child Care Consumer Awareness Information
- Wisconsin Department of Children & Families: Is your child care center secure?
