Significantly revised and updated, the new Model Child Care Health Policies, 5th Edition is a must-have tool to foster adoption and implemenation of best practices for health and safety in group care settings for young children. These settings include early care and education as well as before and after school child care programs. These model policies are intended to ease the burden of writing site-specific health and safety policies from scratch.
They cover a wide range of aspects of operation of early education and child care programs.
Contents include:
- Admission/Enrollment/Attendance
- Supervision and Provision of Social-Emotional Care
- Planned Program, Teaching, and Guidance
- Nutrition, Food Handling, and Feeding
- Physical Activity and Screen Time
- Daytime Sleeping, Evening, Nighttime, and Drop-in Care
- Sanitation and Hygiene
- Environmental Health
- Transportation (Motor Vehicle, Bicycle/Tricycle, or Other Wheeled Toys), Pedestrian Safety, and Field Trips
- Health Plan
- Care of Children and Staff Members Who Are Acutely Ill or Injured
- Security
- Emergencies and Disasters
- Child Abuse and Neglect
- Smoking, Prohibited Substances, and Weapons
- Human Resources/Personnel Policies
- Medication policies
- Numerous sample forms
- Front Cover
- Inside Front Cover
- Copyright Page
- Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Sources for This Edition
- What is a Child Care Health Policy?
- Use of Model Child Care Health Policies
- Developing Site-Specific Health and Safety Policies
- Format and Vocabulary for Model Policies
- Help to Improve and Update Model Child Care Health Policies
- Section 1 Admission/Enrollment/Attendance
- A. Admission
- 1. Diversity
- 2. Review and Signing of Program Policies
- 3. Admission Agreement
- B. Enrollment
- 1. Orientation
- 2. Forms, Confidentiality, and Required Information
- C. Attendance, Daily Record Keeping/Daily Health Checks
- 1. Daily Forms
- 2. Transition to Other Programs
- 3. Termination of Enrollment
- Section 2 Supervision and Provision of Social-Emotional Supportive Care
- A. Child:Staff Ratios, Group Size, and Staff Qualifications
- 1. Overall Supervision Requirements
- 2. Supervision During Nap Time
- 3. Ratios for Specific Activities
- B. Supervision of Children
- 1. Line of Sight and Hearing
- 2. Counting Children
- 3. Evaluation and Removal of Environmental Barriers to Supervision
- 4.
Limits on Independence and Privacy
- 5. Community Outreach and Involvement for School-aged Children
- 6. Active Supervision Measures
- 7. Mixed-Age Groups
- 8. Substitutes and Volunteers
- C. Supervision of Active (Large-Muscle) Play
- 1. Supervised Play
- 2. Counting Children at Timed Intervals
- D. Swimming, Wading, Gross Motor Water Play
- 1. Water Activities
- 2. Supervision of Large-Muscle Water Play
- E. Consultants and Child Care Health Advocate
- 1. Health Consultant
- 2. Health Advocate
- 3. Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant
- 4. Early Childhood Educational Consultant
- F. Family/Staff Communication
- 1. Types of Communication
- 2. Frequency of Communications
- 3. Use of Documented Communications
- Section 3 Planned Program, Teaching, and Guidance
- A. Philosophy of Teaching, Guidance, and Behavior Management
- B. Permissible Methods for Teaching, Behavior Management, and Discipline
- 1. Teacher/Caregiver Interactions With Children
- 2. Coordinated Approach to Discipline
- 3. Handling Physical Aggression and Other Behaviors of Concern
- 4. Prohibited Behaviors
- C. Developmentally Appropriate Care
- 1. Routines for All Age Groups
- 2. Infants and Toddlers
- 3. Preschool-aged Children
- D. Required Clothing for Children and Staff Members
- 1. Suitable Clothing
- 2. Footwear
- 3. Spare Clothing
- E. Transitions
- 1. Communications for Transitions
- 2. Advance Planning for Transitions
- Section 4 Nutrition, Food Handling, and Feeding
- A. Acceptable Food and Drink
- 1. Staff Role
- 2. Beverages
- 3. Fruits and Vegetables
- 4. Meat and Meat Alternatives
- 5. Grain and Bread
- B. Food Brought From Home
- 1. Informing Families About Acceptable Foods
- 2. Supplementation of Food Brought From Home
- 3. Situations When Food May Be Brought From Home
- 4. Preparation, Transport, and Safe Food Temperatures
- 5. Leftovers
- C. Food Prepared at or for the Facility and Served at the Facility
- 1. Food and Nutrition Service Plan
- 2. Supplies, Equipment, Furnishings, and Maintenance for Food Service
- D. Infant/Toddler Feeding
- 1. Written Feeding Instructions
- 2. Breastfeeding Is Welcome
- 3. Formula Feeding
- 4. Feeding Procedure
- E. Preschool/School-age Feeding
- 1. Foods for Meals and Snacks
- 2. Meal Procedures
- F. Feeding of Children With Special Nutritional Needs
- G. Prevention of Obesity
- H. Staff Training for Food and Feeding
- Section 5 Physical Activity and Screen Time
- A. Encouragement of Physical Activity and Outdoor Play
- 1. Role of Teachers/Caregivers
- 2. Teacher/Caregiver Participation in Physical Activity With Children
- 3. Appropriate Clothing
- B. Types of and Plans for Physical Activity
- 1. Types of Physical Activity
- 2. Frequency of Structured Activity
- 3.
Daily Active Play
- C. Equipment and Setting to Support Physical Activity
- 1. Sun and Wind Protection
- 2. Hazards
- 3. Equipment for Infants
- D. Weather and Clothing for Outdoor Play
- 1. Adjustment of Outdoor Play for Weather
- 2. Adjustment of Outdoor Play for Health Conditions
- 3. Outdoor Clothing Appropriate for the Weather
- 4. Avoiding Ultraviolet Radiation Exposure
- E. Limitations for Screen Time (TV, DVD, Computers)
- 1. Infants and Young Toddlers
- 2. Children 2 Years and Older
- 3.
Screen-free Meals and Snacks
- 4. Computer Time
- 5. Content of Screen Media
- Section 6 Daytime Sleeping, Evening, Nighttime, and Drop-in Care
- A. Sleep Practices
- 1. Area/Arrangements for Sleeping and Napping
- 2. Supervision of Sleeping/Resting Children
- 3. Safe Sleep Arrangements for Infants
- B. Sleep/Rest Equipment
- 1. Allowable Sleep/Rest Equipment
- 2. Labeling of Sleep Equipment
- 3. Separation of Sleeping Children
- 4.
Bedding
- 5. Storage of Sleep Equipment and Bedding
- C. Evening and Nighttime Care
- 1. Applicable Policies
- 2. Evacuation Drills
- 3. Preparation for Bed
- D. Drop-in Care
- 1. Definition of Drop-in Care
- 2. Intermixing of Child Groups
- 3. Accessibility of Parents/Legal Guardians
- Section 7 Sanitation and Hygiene
- A. Hand Hygiene
- 1. Hand Hygiene Signs
- 2. When to Practice Hand Hygiene
- 3. Hand Washing
- 4. Hand Sanitizers
- B. Diapers, Clothing, and Changing Areas Soiled by Body Fluids
- 1. Type of Diapers
- 2. Soiled Diapers, Training Pants, and Other Clothing Soiled by Body Fluids
- 3. Changing Location
- 4. Separation of Food Preparation From Items Soiled by Body Fluids
- 5. Disinfecting Changing Surfaces
- 6. Checking Children for Need to Be Changed
- 7. Procedure for Changing/Checking Diapers or Clothing Soiled by Body Fluids
- C. Toileting
- 1. Location of Toilets
- 2. Adaptation of Toilets for Independent Use
- 3. Potties (Potty Chairs, Training Chairs, Non-Flushing Toilets)
- 4. Monitoring of Toileting Procedures
- 5. Privacy for Toileting
- 6. Maintenance of Toilet Areas
- D. Oral Hygiene
- E. Facility Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Disinfecting
- 1. Routine Schedule
- 2. General Cleaning Personnel
- 3. Personnel Responsible for Cleaning and Sanitizing Toys
- 4. Bedding
- 5. Water Play
- 6. Spills
- 7. Rugs/Carpets
- 8. Instruction of Staff for Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Disinfecting
- F. Exposure to Blood and Other Potentially Infections Materials
- 1. Risk Reduction
- 2. Standard Precautions to Avoid Exposure to Body Fluids
- 3. Soiled Clothing
- 4. Hand Hygiene After Handling Contaminated Materials
- 5. Blood-borne Pathogen Exposure Plan
- G. Animals, Including Pets
- 1. Allowable Animals
- 2. Supervision of Animal Contact
- 3. Cleaning Animal Habitats
- 4. Supervision of Animal Care in the Facility
- Section 8 Environmental Health
- A. Avoiding Significant Noxious/Toxic/Infectious Disease Environmental Exposures
- 1. Air Quality/Temperature/Humidity
- 2. Cleaning/Sanitizing/Disinfecting and Other Maintenance; Toxic Supplies and Pesticided
- 3. Water Quality
- 4. Noise
- 5. Food Safety
- 6. Plastics
- 7. Mold
- 8. Furnishings and Equipment
- 9. Art Supplies and Sensory Materials
- 10. Plants
- 11. Sun Safety
- 12. Lead
- 13. Soil and Play Area
- 14. Mercury
- 15. Asbestos and Fiberglass
- 16. Radon
- 17. Recycling
- Section 9 Transportation (Motor Vehicle, Bicycle/Tricycle, or Other Wheeled Toys), Pedestrian Safety, and Field Trips
- A. Motor Vehicles and Drivers Used for Program Activities
- 1. Vehicle Type, Vehicle License, Driver License/Certification, and Insurance
- 2. Emergency Equipment and Supplies
- 3. Vehicle Climate Control
- 4. Prevention of Inappropriate Use
- 5. Forms Carried in Vehicles
- 6. Driver Training
- B. Use of Motor Vehicles
- 1. Selection of Drivers
- 2. Emptying and Locking Vehicles
- 3. Drop-off and Pickup
- 4. Child:Staff Ratios During Transport
- 5. Number of People Transported
- 6. Child Passenger Safety
- 7. Field Trips
- 8. Wheelchair Transport
- 9. Prohibited Activities in Vehicles
- 10. Education About Child Passenger Safety
- 11. Seat Restraint Use by Families
- 12. Route/Trip Planning
- 13. Oversight of Transportation Policies
- C. Walking and Walking Trips
- 1. Teaching and Modeling Pedestrian Safety
- 2. Keeping the Group of Children Together
- 3. Identification of Safety Crosswalks, Drop-off/Pickup Locations, and Bike and Walking Routes
- D. Biking, Riding, and Use of Wheeled Toys
- Section 10 Health Plan
- A. Child and Staff Health Services
- 1. Child Health Assessment
- 2. Adult Health Assessment
- 3. Tracking and Updating Immunizations and Checkup Records
- B. Oral Health
- 1. Food Choices
- 2. Pacifiers and Teething Rings
- 3. Bottles and No-Spill Cups
- 4. Oral Hygiene
- 5. Fluoride in Drinking Water
- 6. Dentist for Each Child
- 7. Tooth Decay and Dental Emergencies
- 8. Oral Health Education
- C. Hazard/Safety Checks and Corrective Actions
- D. Obesity Prevention
- E. Children With Special Needs and Disabilities
- 1. Care Plan
- 2. Orientation and Training of Staff Members
- 3. Specific Conditions
- F. Medication Administration
- 1. Acceptable Requests for Medication Administration
- 2. Symptom-Triggered Medication Administration
- 3. Staff Members Authorized to Give Medication in this Facility
- 4. Storage of Medications
- 5. Expired Medications
- 6. Documentation of Medication Administration
- 7. Medication Errors and Reactions to Medications
- 8. Medication Incidents
- G. Health Education
- 1. Topics
- 2. Health Education Methods
- 3. Calendar-Focused Health Education
- 4. Notification of Families About Sensitive Topics
- Section 11 Care of Children and Staff Members Who Are Acutely Ill or Injured
- A. Admission and Exclusion
- 1. Sharing Information
- 2. Situations That Require a Note From a Health Care Professional
- 3. Authority for Decision to Admit or Exclude for Acute Illness
- 4. Criteria for Excluding Children Who Are Acutely Ill or Injured
- 5. Criteria for Excluding Staff Members Who Are Acutely Ill
or Injured
- 6. Permitted Attendance and Care for Mild Illness
- 7. State Regulations That Apply to Exclusion
- B. Procedure for Management of Short-term Illness
- 1. Complete an Admission Symptom Record
- 2. Develop a Care Plan
- 3. Complete a Symptom Record
- 4. Increasing Symptoms While in Child Care
- C. Reporting Requirements
- 1. Reportable Diseases
- 2. Responsibility for Reporting Illness
- 3. Notification of the Public Health Department
- D. Obtaining Immediate Medical Help
- E. Outbreaks of Disease
- 1. Reporting Outbreaks of Infectious Disease
- 2. Plan for Seasonal and Pandemic Influenza (Flu)
- Section 12 Security
- A. Background Screening for All Workers
- B. Prevention of Access by Threatening Individuals and Sign-in, Sign-out System
- 1. Entrances
- 2. Outdoor Play Areas
- 3. Access for Families
- C. Sign-in/Sign-out Procedure
- 1. Who Must Follow the Sign-in/Sign-out Procedure
- 2.
Method of Documentation
- 3. Pickup of a Child
- D. Action When No Authorized Person Arrives to Pick Up a Child
- 1. Efforts to Contact Each Authorized Contact
- 2. Repeated Failure to Meet Agreed Pickup Arrangement
- E. Communication and Documentation About Attendance
- 1. Daily Attendance Record
- 2. Notice of Planned Nonattendance
- Section 13 Emergencies and Disasters
- A. Urgent Medical or Oral Health Care
- 1. First Aid Kits
- 2. First Aid and CPR Training for Staff
- 3. Management of Injuries or Illnesses That Require Medical or Oral Health Professional Care
- B. Emergency/Urgent Contact and health Information
- 1. Access to Emergency Contact and Health Information
- 2. Updating and Verifying Emergency Contact and Health Information
- C. Emergency Repairs
- D. Serious Illness, Hospitalization, and Death
- 1. Attention to Child Witnesses
- 2. Notification of EMS and Next of Kin
- 3. Contrlling the Scene, Subsequent Communications, and Support
- 4. Notification of Agencies and Authorities
- E. Lost or Missing Children
- 1. Counting and Identifying Location of Each Child
- 2. Prevention and Recovery of Missing Children
- 3. Procedure for Unrecovered Missing or Lost Children
- F. Emergency and Evacuation Plan, Drills, and Closings
- 1. Emergency Preparedness Planning
- 2. Risk Analysis Results
- 3. Evacuation and Lockdown Plans
- 4. Review of Emergency Plans
- 5. Location and Content of Emergency Supplies
- 6. Emergency Contact and Health Information
- 7. Notification of Families About an Emergency
- 8. Evacuation Procedure
- 9. Emergency Drills
- 10. Emergency Training for New Staff
- G. Media Inquiries
- Section 14 Child Abuse and Neglect (Child Maltreatment)
- A. Preventing Overwhelming Situations
- 1. Relief for Stressed Staff Members
- 2. Care for Stressed Children
- B. Layout and Staffing to Reduce the Risk of Child Abuse or Neglect
- 1. Visibility of All Activities
- 2. Two Adults Per Group
- 3. Limiting Privacy
- C. Mandated Reporters of Child Abuse or Neglect
- 1. Who Is a Mandated Reporter
- 2. Where to Report Suspected Abuse or Neglect
- 3. Protection of the Mandated Reporter
- 4. Staff Members Suspected of Child Maltreatment
- 5. Documentation of Observations
- D. Training and Supportive Resources About Child Abuse and Neglect
- 1. Staff Member Participation in Training About Child Abuse and Neglect
- 2. Arrangements for Child Abuse and Neglect Training
- 3. Source of Specialized Resources and Training to Care for Children Who Have Experienced Child Abuse or Neglect
- E. Informing Parents/Legal Guardians About Mandated Reporting
- Section 15 Smoking, Prohibited Substances, and Weapons
- A. Prohibited Substances
- 1. Adherence to Policies Related to Prohibited Substances
- 2. Informing Adults About Prohibited Substances
- B. Weapons
- 1. Specific Types of Prohibited Items
- 2. Response to Any Attempt to Bring a Weapon Into the Facility
- Section 16 Human Resources/Personnel Policies
- A. Background Screening
- 1. Enforcing Background Screening
- 2. Background Screening Includes Verification of Each Individual's Information
- B. Staff Health Assessment
- C. Benefits
- 1. Medical Insurance
- 2. Vacation and Holidays
- 3. Sick Leave
- 4. Retirement Benefits
- 5. Personal and Family Medical leave
- 6. Substitutes for Allowed Absences
- 7. Other Benefits
- D. Breaks and Stress Management
- 1. Staff Entitlement to Breaks
- 2. Scheduling of Breaks
- 3. Maintenance of Child:Staff Ratios
- 4. Stress-reduction Measures
- E. Professional Development/Training
- 1. Compensation for Time Spent on Professional Development
- 2. Preservice Training
- 3. First Aid/CPR/Water Safety Training
- 4. Ongoing Professional Development
- F. Performance Evaluation
- 1. Evaluation Procedure
- 2. Needs Assessment for Professional Development
- 3. Probation and Termination
- G. Grievances
- Section 17 Design and Maintenance of the Physical Plant and Contents
- A. Building and Fire Inspections
- B. General Cleaning of the Facility
- C. Storage and Use of Potentially Toxic Materials
- D. Use of Facility and Grounds
- E. Facility Design, Space Allocation, and Maintenance
- Section 18 Review and Revision of Policies, Plans, and Procedures
- A. Routine Review of Policies
- 1. Review and Acceptance of Policies by Parent/Legal Guardians
- 2. Review and Acceptance of Policies by Staff Members
- 3. Revision of Policies
- B. Review and Approval of Program Policies (Administrators and Consultants)
- C. Review and Acceptance of Applicable Policies by Staff Members or Parents/Legal Guardians
- D. Acceptance of Occupational Risk by Staff Members
- Appendixes
- A. Child Care Admission Agreement
- B. Application for Child Care Services/Enrollment Information
- C. Child Health Assessment
- D. Recommendations for Preventive Pediatric Health Care
- E. Refusal to Vaccinate
- F. Staff and Child Emergency Contact and Child Pickup Information
- G. Special Care Plan Forms
- H. How to Use Special Care Plans
- I. Emergency Information Form for Children With Special Needs
- J. Authorization for Release of Information
- K. Consent for Child Care Program Special Activities
- L. Family/Teacher-Caregiver Information Exchange Form
- M. Instructions for Daily Health Check
- N. Enrollment/Attendance/Symptom Record
- O. Daily and Monthly Playground Inspection and Maintenance
- P. Staff Assignments for Active(Large-Muscle) Play
- Q. Refrigerator or Freezer Temperature Log
- R. Using Stored Human Milk
- S. Fact Sheet: Choking Hazards
- T. Sun Safety Permission Form
- U. Routine Schedule for Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Disinfecting
- V. Major Occupational Health Hazards
- W. Child Care Staff Health Assessment
- X. Medication Administration Packet
- Y. Symptom Record
- Z. Situations That Require Medical Attention Right Away
- AA. Sample Letter to Families About Exposure to Communicable Disease
- BB. First Aid Kit Inventory
- CC. Incident Report Form
- DD. Child Care Initial Rapid Damage Assessment
- EE. Sample Letter of Agreement With Emergency Evacuation Site
- FF. Sample Letter to Parents About Evacuation Arrangements
- GG. Evacuation Drill Log
- HH. What is Child Abuse and Neglect? Recognizing the Signs and Symptoms
- Index
- Back Cover
Text
Audio
Adobe DRM
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