Safety Concerns When Leaving Your Child At A Child Care Centre
Safety is paramount for a child and when the day comes to send them to a child care centre, it is perfectly natural for mum to worry, as she and her child have been inseparable for a couple of years. As the time approaches to send your child to the care centre, your concerns are the safety of your child, and with that in mind, here are a few things to look out for when hunting for an early learning centre. Childcare centres like those recommended by Toddle should address all these.
- Approved and Accredited – Not just anyone can look after young children and any potential child care centre should be accredited and approved by the local authority. It is extremely difficult to obtain a licence to run a child care centre, and for good reason when you consider that young lives are at stake. There is, for example, affordable child care in Brisbane from a household name that has branches in many states and sets a very high standard, especially when it comes to safety.
- Soft Play Areas – Kids love to burn off excess energy and romping around is part of the growing process. With soft play areas inside and out, rest assured that your child can safely explore the world around them. There are special soft fall playground surfaces that are designed with kids in mind, and any early learning centre should have this type of surface on their playing areas. A soft room allows children to explore their physical abilities in relative safety. The layout of the child care centre should reflect child safety, with no sharp edges evident.
- The Right Environment – It isn’t a question of finding a child care centre nearby where you can deposit your child for a few hours. It is recommended that you first have a couple of visits before making up your mind. While safety is always a concern, you also want your child to receive the right guidance and develop positive social skills. By visiting during opening hours, you can also observe how the kids respond to the environment. If you would like some further reading on the importance of early learning, there are articles you can read that examine the pros and cons. A quick online search will lead you to these articles.
- Qualified Carers – While there would likely be some trainees working at the early learning centre, they would be working under the supervision of qualified and experienced carers. This ensures best practices and that the children are supervised at all times – something that is essential. Overcrowding is not ideal so look for a child care centre that limits group sizes and by taking your child one time (a few days before their first day) the transition will be smooth and uneventful.
If you are not comfortable with the level of safety at your chosen child care centre, then you will not have peace of mind while away from your child. By keeping in mind all the things mentioned above on what you should look for in early learning venues, you will find the ideal early learning environment for your child.