As an early childcare assistant, your primary objective will be to safeguard the safety and well-being of the children in your care. This is a huge responsibility, but by adopting some simple habits on the job, effective childcare safety practices can become second nature to you. What are some of the hazards to keep in mind? And what systems can you and your team put in place in order to create a safe environment for children? Find the answers to these questions below and learn how you can excel in your childcare career after training.Â
1. Select a Designated Gatekeeper After Early Childcare Assistant Training
One of your responsibilities as an early childcare assistant is to keep children occupied and engaged in educational activities. It’s highly likely that children will be in several different settings in and out of the daycare centre throughout the day. This makes it harder to ensure that each and every child in the vicinity is safe. Consider choosing a designated gatekeeper–someone who ensures that each person who enters and exits the centre is accounted for. After early childcare assistant training, you’ll find that many centres choose to use a management system (on paper or digitized) where each visitor is required to sign in and out. The gatekeeper may also be responsible for safeguarding records that may contain sensitive information about the children.
2. Stay on Top of Attendance and RatiosÂ
Young children are highly energetic, and as fun as that can be, it makes it a challenge to keep up with them. You may find children who tend to run away or simply wander to unsupervised areas of the centre, which can pose a risk to their safety. This is why it’s imperative to know who is present each day at all times.Â
In addition, you must always keep track of caregiver-to-child ratios, which ensures that supervision is adequate and equally distributed. Commonly accepted ratios are one caregiver to four to six children within the toddler age range, and one caregiver to ten children for preschool-aged children, though these vary from province to province. Be aware of the rules in your area and keep a close eye on curious wanderers by maintaining the correct ratios.Â
3. Childproof the EnvironmentÂ
Sometimes young children will encounter danger in their immediate environment, even under the watch of safe and attentive professionals. Be sure to remove all choking hazards from the area, install outlet covers to protect children from electricity, get rid of any sharply edged furniture, disinfect toys and surfaces regularly, and keep blinds out of reach. This sounds like a long list of actions, but remember that many of these things should already be taken care of by the daycare where you work. All the same, don’t hesitate to alert higher management when you notice a safety hazard in the environment.
4. Get Adequate Childcare Safety TrainingÂ
There’s so much more to childcare safety than the points we’ve discussed. In order to be fully prepared to supervise a group of children safely, comprehensive training at an early childcare assistant college is your best option. Our Early Childcare Assistant Training Program at Medix College will leave you feeling confident and ready to make a positive impact on the children in your care. Through case studies and the opportunity to gain practical experience in a simulated daycare environment, you’ll receive a holistic education that will lead to a rewarding career nurturing future generations. Â
Ready to earn your early childcare assistant diploma?Â
Contact Medix College to learn more!
