A childcare provider in Colorado was recently sentenced to 10 years in prison after an infant died in her care. She had put the child down for a nap in a crib with many adult-sized sheets. The provider later checked on the child and found the baby unresponsive. The coroner’s office found that the cause of death was undetermined but commented that an “unsafe sleeping environment most likely contributed to the victim’s death.”

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A recent claim caught the attention of one of our loss prevention reps. A child in a drop-in daycare facility went into the bathroom to get her diaper changed, ahead of her teacher by just a few seconds. The staff member who cleaned the bathroom the night before accidentally left a toxic cleaner out and the child grabbed the bottle. Luckily, the child only got some of the cleaner on her clothes and a staff member caught her before anything was ingested.

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By now, anyone who works or lives with children has probably heard about fidget spinners. This new toy craze has infiltrated schools all over the country. While some tout these toys as a remedy for ADHD, many schools and teachers are frustrated by the distraction they cause. An entire classroom of children spinning these toys may not be very conducive to learning.

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Maintaining staff-to-child ratios is a very important part of a high-quality childcare environment. In fact, the number of children allowed per staff member is regulated. While these ratios vary across states, infant ratios are usually four to five babies per teacher.That number typically increases as the children get older and more independent. Most centers will have at least two teachers per classroom.

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Recently, a scary video has been making the rounds on the internet. A mother places her child on a changing table in their home. She turns away for a brief second and the child rolls off the table. Thankfully, the child’s brother runs over and miraculously manages to catch the child before he hits the floor. It’s an amazing video, if you haven’t already seen it be sure to check it out. The infant is very fortunate to have such a quick sibling.

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As a childcare provider, field trips were both my worst nightmare and one of my favorite activities. The stress and anxiety of planning and keeping track of twelve two-year-olds in an unfamiliar place was daunting; however, seeing how much fun and how exciting it was for the kids made it all worth it in the end. That’s why, year after year, we would plan field trips to different places in our city. As much as I sometimes wanted to pull my hair out, it usually ended up being a super fun day.

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Earlier this year, a toddler from a small childcare center in Vermont wandered away from his group during outdoor play. When the child’s parents arrived to pick him up, his teachers realized he had been missing for hours. After a frantic search, he was found in a stream on the property. The child died the next day, leaving behind a devastated family and prosecutors contemplating charges for the childcare providers.

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We spend all winter looking forward to long, sunny days. Then finally summer arrives, bringing some beautiful weather. But summer also can bring dangerous storms with flooding, tornadoes, and lightning. Last Thursday in Duluth, Minnesota, a severe thunderstorm rolled through in the early morning hours. Winds were clocked at over 80 mph in some parts of the region. Local TV and radio stations were knocked off the air. Residents awoke to trees and power lines all over the ground. Yesterday it was reported there were still 7000 homes and businesses without power, five long days after the storm. Imagine if this had happened to your organization in the middle of the day. Are you prepared?

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Every year, as the weather gets warmer, tragedies involving children and hot vehicles appear in the news. These stories are always so devastating. The fear felt by the child and the extreme guilt by the parent or caregiver is heartbreaking. Just in the last few weeks, there have been several examples from all over the country:

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April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Sadly, I continue to hear stories about childcare providers abusing or neglecting children all the time. Parents searching for childcare shouldn’t have to worry about their children being hurt. I worked for many years in the childcare industry and have helped my friends investigate childcare centers they were considering for their children. Luckily, here in Wisconsin, all state inspection and licensing reports are available online.

…continue reading the rest of Choosing the Right Childcare: Understanding State Licensing Reports

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