Childcare administrators must ensure staff practice appropriate hygiene and are friendly. They must also make sure state licensing regulations are being followed for staff/child ratios. Other important responsibilities are to ensure safe, positive interactions with the children and to provide adequate training for staff in child development and classroom management techniques. Parent/staff relationships are vital to the success of a childcare center. Parents should feel secure with the individuals they leave their children with each day.
Children should never--under any circumstance--be left alone. Adequate staffing should keep this from becoming an issue. To ensure there is appropriate health and safety expectations, the center should have a developmentally appropriate discipline policy and training to be sure all staff are aware of the discipline procedures. It is important to adopt a system of positive behavior reinforcement rather than a punishment-based system and to be sure all staff are trained in active supervision and the discipline policies.
If a child has a contagious illness, he must be symptom-free before he can return to school. Be sure parents are aware and understand this policy. Rigorous hand washing procedures should be in place to help stop the spread of germs. This is for both adults and children in the childcare. Be sure there is a policy in place for medication administration and that parents are aware. Be sure diapering stations, toys and tables are sanitized regularly.
Feeding children appropriately while at childcare is an important responsibility. A childcare center must provide nutritious meals. Staff must have a method to keep track of which children have food food allergies and make this known to all staff. Keep food pieces small and be aware of choking hazards on the menu. Teachers and caregivers should model healthy eating behavior. For centers serving infants and toddlers, it is critical to be aware of procedures for warming and storing bottles.
A childcare center can never be too careful about the safety of its facility. Staff should do routine safety checks of play areas and play equipment being sure to observe children closely while playing on the equipment to ensure its safety. All toxic materials need to be stored out of reach and in a locked cabinet. All play areas need to be maintained and cleaned on a regular basis.