Crisis Management Plans for Child Care Centers

Emergency Preparation

• Emergency preparation is the first step of crisis management. This step ensures that the child care center anticipates crisis that could occur. It calls for the center to make a list of all possible crises ranging from fire to disease outbreaks and should involve all staff members to allow for wide range of ideas on crises. This ensures that the center fully anticipates all possible crises.

The Plan

• After listing all possible crises, the center should have a plan in place to address any crisis. The plan includes a strategic overview on how the center should deal with any particular crisis or emergency. It should be written down and every member of staff informed about the same.

Functionality of the Plan

• Functionality of the plan involves rehearsing the plan by conducting regular drills. The center should regularly conduct different emergency or crisis drills that tests whether the plan is viable. These drills should be conducted together with other common drills such as fire drills. Regular drills ensure preparedness of your staff to effectively respond in case of emergencies.

Regular Training

• Regular training is an important part of crisis management plan. The center should provide crisis management training to all staff, children, parents and all stakeholders. Regular training ensures that all members understand the concepts and are well equipped to respond to any disaster.

Identification of Parties Involved

• Identification of all parties involved with the crisis management plan is crucial. This process involves developing a list of all members who will play a major role in crisis response. It also identifies other outside parties, such as the government child offices, fire department and the town sheriff. The crisis management team should develop a contact list and keep updating it. In this step, the center should also obtain all emergency response numbers such as 911.

Evaluation

• Evaluation of the crisis management plan is essential. At this stage, the center should evaluate all critical stages of the plan. This should be done during staff meetings where all members contribute with their opinion. The team should also identify the appropriate equipment to handle any disaster.