Ensuring that the preschool is licensed is the first step in protecting your child. The National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education (NRC) records the licensing requirements for childcare centers for all 50 states, according to the article titled "What Do States Require for Child Care Centers and Family Child Care Homes to Operate?" on the NRC website. So, be sure that a preschool adheres to your state's licensing requirements before enrolling your child.
Preschools should have check-in guidelines that include labels to identify each child so that staff can quickly locate a preschooler if the need arises, according to the article titled "Preschool Security/Health & Safety Guidelines" on the Concord Baptist Church website. Church preschools, in particular, issue a numbered tag for the child and the parent so that when the school flashes a number on an electronic bulletin board in the sanctuary during a time when the church is meeting or having an activity, the parent with the matching number can pick up the child.
Leaving toys all over the floor is a safety hazard, so preschool teachers should collect them and make sure that they are not broken, according to an article titled "The Signs of a Good Preschool" on the Preschool Rock website. Toys with sharp, broken edges can cut a child. In addition, staff should disinfect toys as well as cribs before, during and after each day of play, according to the Concord Baptist Church website.
The preschool should have a trained nurse on staff and a written sick-child policy so that you know when to keep your preschooler at home, according to the Preschool Rock website. Typical conditions for keeping a child home include runny nose, fever, vomiting or diarrhea within the past day; skin infection; sore throat; excessive coughing; eye infection; head lice; and childhood diseases such as scarlet fever, measles, mumps, chicken pox or whooping cough, according to the Concord Baptist Church article.
Since preschool children's immunity systems are still developing, dining and restroom facilities should be clean, according to the Preschool Rock website. Preschool teachers should change diapers using a glove and a disposable sheet on the diaper changing table, according to the Concord Baptist Church.
Windows, heaters and other pieces of equipment should be out of reach of the children, says the Preschool Rock website. Additionally, fire detectors and extinguishers should be clearly visible and easily accessible.