Child care nowadays is considered as one of the in demand professions. Different institutions are putting their heads together to give the children their needs in educational and parental aspects. This service is significant to the parents and for the welfare of the children so it is necessary to improve on some safety standards to achieve better child care services.
Statistics of Child Care Business
Based on statistics, the child care business industry is continuously growing and most of the players are categorized as small business. These small time businesses operate in their homes. According the Bureau of US Census, about 70 percent are home-based and 17 percent are using the services of their neighbourhood. Some of the major players in this industry are: La Petite and National Childcare Academies, Gerber, and Kinder–Care.
Laws and Regulations
Recently, rules and regulations were imposed to lessen the occurrence of injuries of babies. The government and parents had joined forces to formulate child safety law that must be strictly followed. One of the components of the law is that daycare must provide a setting of a home. It is a requirement for the child care providers to take their trainings first before operating their business. Their facilities must be visited and checked on a regular basis by the authorities with group of concerned parents in the local neighbourhood. The US law do not allow single provider in admitting more than six children.
Child Injuries
Safety statistics showed that there were exactly 56 casualties in the daycare setting from the years 1990 to 1997, and about half of these fatalities were due to Asphyxia. In 1997, some 31,000 children were reportedly hospitalized due to injuries in relation to child care setting. In recent study of the Society of Pediatrics and Center for the Control of Disease (PSPCCD), disclosed that playgrounds posed as the biggest hazards to the health of a child. This study focused on facilities of federal institutions, private institutes and small businesses. It is hazardous for children to be: in unsafe cribs; on a poor maintained and hard surfaced playgrounds; extra soft beddings; and the absence of safety gadgets.
Safety Measures
It is recommended by professionals to avoid using furniture which can cause accidents to the child. Any elevated unguarded surfaces should be protected and these include stairs. Areas like pools and the main holes, considered as “fall zones”, must be properly guarded because these are significant threats to the welfare of the child. Facilities of the child care must be size and age appropriate for the children.
Other hazardous things, like wires, must be immediately removed to secure the area from accidents. Any electrical appliances are also hazardous because children are fun of putting their fingers or even things in the wall sockets. Therefore, it is required for the provider to secure those openings. Playground equipment must be checked and large swings and slides must be avoided. Stuffed toys must be handled with caution because these can suffocate a very young or small child. It is best to avoid disasters if you have a hundred percent attention and common sense.
For more:
How to start a daycare business by StartADaycare.org
