Prevent Injuries 2

As an early care and education professional, you need to comply with state regulations and professional standards in order to:

  1. Prevent injuries.
  2. Prevent the spread of infectious disease.
Regulation Sticker

Regulations are minimum standards that all programs must follow in order to operate legally. The three types of regulated childcare programs in Kentucky are:

  1. Licensed child care centers,
  2. Licensed family childcare homes, and
  3. Certified family childcare homes
  4. Registered childcare providers (see Appendix A for definitions of each).

Professional standards represent high-quality practices that are widely agreed upon by personnel in the early care and education field. While not mandated by law, it is strongly recommended that professional standards be followed.

Preventing injuries: Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death among children one to five years of age.[1] Most common injuries can be prevented by creating a safe environment and by properly supervising children.

Preventing the spread of illness: Children who attend early care and education programs experience a higher incidence of common infectious diseases than children cared for exclusively in their own homes.[2] For example, children in early care and education programs have a significantly higher risk of developing upper and lower respiratory tract infections. Routine sanitation and personal hygiene are effective ways to reduce these infections and other infectious diseases.[3]

[1] The Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati
[2] Holmes, Morrow & Pickering (1996)
[3] American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American Public Health Association (APHA), & National Resource Center (NRC) for Health and Safety in Child Care (2002)

Safety First!

Your #1 priority is to keep children safe while they are in your care. This means that you must:

  • Supervise children.
  • Recognize, remove, and/or limit potential safety hazards.
  • Administer medication properly.
  • Be aware of allergies.
  • Prepare for emergency situations.

Closely Supervise Children:

Be alert. Know where children are at all times. Position yourself strategically so that you can see all of the children. Circulate throughout the room. Be close enough to intervene if necessary. Establish clear, simple, and positive safety rules. For example:

  • We walk inside. Running is for outside. Our toys are for playing.

Remain within range of voice so that you can hear the children and they can hear you. Maintain child/staff ratios at all times

Adult supervising children on playground

Check Your Knowledge: Supervision

  • Think about the questions
  • Look at the corresponding picture.
  • Click the correct “Green Plus sign.”

How do these safety rules differ?  Which is more appropriate?  Why?

What is Wrong with this Picture?

Scenario:  Ms.Todd is interacting with the children and supporting their play in the housekeeping area.  There are a total of 10 three- and four-year-olds in this classroom.  Ms Todd is the only teacher in the room. What is wrong with this picture? Click on the + to reveal the answer.

What the Regulations Say about Supervision

Type I centers and Type II licensed homes (922 KAR 2:120)

Each center shall maintain a child-care program that assures each child will be:

  • Provided with adequate supervision at all times by a qualified staff person who ensures the child is:
  • Within the scope of vision and range of voice; or
  • For a school-age child, within the scope of vision or range of voice [Sec 2 (3a)]
  • If nontraditional hours of care are provided:
  • At least one (1) staff member shall be assigned responsibility for each sleeping room [Sec 2 (12b)].
  • Staff shall:
  • 1) if employed by a Type I child-care center, remain awake while on duty or
  • 2) if employed by or is the operator of a Type II child-care center, remain awake until every child in care is asleep [Sec 2 (12f)].
  • If a child becomes ill while at the child care center, the child shall be placed in a supervised area isolated from the rest of the children [Sec 7 (3a)].
  • A child shall not be left unattended in a vehicle [Sec 12 (11b)].
  • An animal that is considered undomesticated, wild, or exotic shall not be allowed at a child-care at a child-care center unless the animal is:
  • A part of a planned program activity led by an animal specialist affiliated with a zoo or nature conservatory. [Sec 15 (3a)]

Certified family child care homes (922 KAR 2:100)

  • If overnight care is provided, a provider or an assistant shall remain awake until every child in care is asleep [Sec 12 (11)].
  • A child who does not sleep shall be permitted to play quietly and be visually supervised [Sec 12 (10)].
  • A quiet, separate area that can be easily supervised shall be provided for a child too sick to remain with other children [Sec 15 (7)].
  • A child shall not be left unattended in a vehicle [Sec 17 (2)].
  • Each child in an outdoor play area shall be under the direct supervision of the provider or assistant [Sec 11 (14)].
  • A swimming pool on the premises shall be supervised when in use and be inaccessible to children when not in use [Sec 11 (17 c-d)].
  • An animal that is considered undomesticated, wild, or exotic shall not be allowed at a child-care center unless the animal is: [Sec 16 (3)]
  • A part of a planned program activity led by an animal specialist affiliated with a zoo or nature conservatory. [Sec 16 (3a)]
  • A child shall be released from the family child-care home to the child’s custodial parent, the person designated in writing by the parent, or in an emergency, the person designated by the parent over the telephone [Sec 12 (15)].