4 Safety Essentials in Illinois Day Care Centers

 Posted on May 20, 2022 in Premises liability

As a parent, you may already be nervous about putting your child in daycare. Many new parents find the first time they drop their children off nerve-wracking even if they have thoroughly researched the facility. Most of the time, daycare centers are perfectly safe places for children. The vast majority of daycare centers are very careful about the safety of the children in their care. Unfortunately, not all of them are as cautious as they should be, which can lead to children suffering injuries. It is important for you as a parent to familiarize yourself with the safety protocols a child care facility should be using. If you suspect that there is something not right about the daycare your child attends, it is important that you take prompt action to protect your child. If your child has already been harmed due to a lack of safety protocols in a daycare, an attorney may be able to help you recover damages on their behalf.

Steps a Day Care Center Should be Taking to Keep Children Safe

There are certain measures every daycare must take in order to protect the children in their care. These steps include:

• Background checks - Every employee or volunteer in a daycare center should have submitted to a complete background check that includes their criminal history. Bad actors who would prey on children may attempt to find employment that gives them access to their desired victims. A solid background check should weed out the vast majority of those with bad intentions.
• Proper ratios - The Department of Children and Family Services determines what ratio of caregivers to children of varying ages is safe and appropriate. If a daycare center fails to adequately staff its facility, there may not be enough adults around to keep your children safely supervised.
• Security cameras - Cameras in the care areas are an absolute must. If a child is injured, these cameras will show everyone exactly what happened. Daycare centers that have nothing to hide and are not interested in covering anything up will have no problem with cameras, as they can equally protect the daycare center.
• Cleaning protocol - While in some cases, infections like pink eye or strep throat will spread among young children no matter what, proper cleaning protocols can minimize or limit the spread. Staff should refuse to allow sick children to be dropped off.

Parental instincts are one of your best tools when it comes to keeping your children safe. If something does not seem right or safe, it probably is not.

Call an Illinois Personal Injury Attorney

If harm came to your child while they were in daycare, Quinn Law Group, LLC wants to help you recover compensation. Our dedicated Glenview daycare injuries lawyers are experienced in investigating unsafe daycare situations and proving how their negligence caused your child's injury. You can start with a free consultation by calling 847-232-7180.

Source:

https://www.childcareaware.org/families/choosing-quality-child-care/selecting-child-care-program/child-care-center-checklist/