Having a child in an unsafe daycare is a big fear for parents. Safety is so important that any sign a child care program might be dangerous is rightfully a dealbreaker for parents. Here are 10 signs of a dangerous daycare that parents might not know about.
Teachers looking at their phones
Poor food handling practices
Unengaged supervision when on the playground
Diapering children without proper cleaning protocols
Teachers yelling when overwhelmed
Babies put to sleep in swings
Emotionally immature teachers
Playgrounds without fencing
Violations for failure to do background checks
Unsecured furniture in the classrooms
I know that when I was looking at daycare programs for my kids I paid special attention to any signs that showed it might not be completely safe. Intentional or not, any safety violation was a no-go for me as it is for many parents.
Parents worried about daycare safety are justified in their fears and policies have been developed to make sure that licensed child care programs prioritize safety. The Center for American Progress highlights how the federal Child Care Development Block Grant has added safety measures for daycare programs to improve safety across the board. Some of these measures are common sense: lower teacher-child ratios, first aid and CPR training, and background checks.
But what about some less obvious signs of a dangerous daycare? When you’re touring child care programs you want to look for these more subtle signs that the program is not prioritizing safety. Below we detail 10 signs of a dangerous daycare that you may not know of.
1. Teachers looking at their phones
Distracted teachers is one of the primary ways in which children get hurt. Many times teacher distractions are not intentional. Daycare teachers are pulled in many different directions and it is a genuine challenge to constantly be ‘on’ for hours and hours at a time. One child cries and then another makes a mess of an art project, and a couple of other kids get into a fight…it’s easy to see how it would be hard to juggle all of these events plus keep the rest of the class on track.
But there are some distractions that are within teachers’ control. One of the most important of these is looking at a phone too often. A teacher who is preoccupied with her phone is not a teacher that has the bandwidth to manage the many needs of the children in her class. Certainly, there are times when looking at a phone momentarily is okay. When it is nap time, for instance, it’s reasonable for a teacher to check her phone for messages or attend to any urgent matters.
But frequent checking of phones constitutes a serious safety risk for children in that teacher’s classroom. When touring child care programs, watch out for teachers who are consistently pulling out their phones. Each instance of a teacher looking at her phone instead of working with kids is a chance for a safety mishap to happen. And repeated instances of this mean a multitude of threats to safety.
Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the director of the program to set a policy for teacher phone use. Great daycares will have a policy in writing that outlines how they handle phone use, how the policy is monitored, and what is done to retrain teachers should any slippage in the policy be observed.
2. Poor food handling practices
A major source of daycare safety that parents may not consider is proper food handling and preparation. Now, parents whose children have food allergies (about 8% of all children, according to the CDC) are probably accustomed to paying special attention to the food their children receive. And that attention definitely extends to child care. Parents should work with their child’s daycare program to develop a plan for how their child’s allergy will be handled safely.
The good news is that most high-quality child care programs will have an existing procedure for how to handle food allergies. Inquire at any daycare program you’re considering to learn more about what their procedure includes. At a minimum, the policy should cover how food for children with allergies is kept separate from other children’s food, teacher training on ensuring that children eat the food they are served, and a protocol for if a child ingests a food they are allergic to.
Proper food safety in daycare programs doesn’t just pertain to kids with allergies. All children may be negatively impacted if food is not handled safely. Some general food preparation concerns include, using clean surfaces and utensils during food prep, putting away perishable food promptly, ensuring young children get food they can chew and swallow, and making sure food is cooked to proper temperatures.
States will have food handling procedures outlined in their child care licensing standards. Refer to your state’s standards to learn more about what is to be expected of daycare programs. Watch for any improper food handling while touring child care programs. Look up the program on your state’s child care licensing website to see if they have received any violations related to food handling. Follow-up with the program’s director with any questions or concerns you may have.
3. Unengaged supervision when on the playground
The National Association for the Education of Young Children notes that outdoor play is essential for the healthy development of young children. Physical activity is important not only for keeping children’s bodies healthy, it’s also important for their mental and emotional health as well. Mass General notes that physical activity helps children improve concentration, reduce anxiety and establish a strong sense of self.
One of the primary ways that children get physical activity when they are at daycare is through playing on a playground. A playground is so essential to a high-quality child care program that the absence of one may indicate that daycare that is not serious about integrating physical activity into their program.
Since a playground and it’s outdoor space is so important it is equally important that the playground is suitable for kids of all ages. A daycare program that has unsafe playground equipment and unsafe teacher practices on the playground is a strong sign of a dangerous daycare.
So what are some indicators of a dangerous daycare playground? A few may include:
Equipment not maintained, rusted, or with noticeable cracks
Children allowed to play on parts of the playground that they are not developmentally ready for
Disengaged teachers on the playground who are not playing close attention to the children
A playground base (wood chips, rubber tire shreddings, sand) that is not replenished frequently
Lack of shady areas for hot, summer days
Should you see any of these indicators of a dangerous child care playground it could indicate a serious safety violation for the program. Any of these indicators warrant a follow-up conversation with the program’s director and serious reflection as to whether the program is safe overall.
4. Diapering children without proper cleaning protocols
One of the most important safety practices for babies is proper diapering practices. A daycare that does not follow proper diapering practices is potentially an unsafe and dangerous one.
Why are diapering practices so important for daycare safety?
Well it’s not just the diapering practices, it’s also that poor diapering practices can be a sign that overall the daycare program is not well-organized. Not having a standard process for diapering may be an indication that the daycare program has not developed a robust procedure for how to keep the physical space of the program clean.
First, safe diapering practices are important for the physical health of babies. Babies and toddlers who are not changed frequently are at risk of developing diaper rashes. Additionally, babies’ comfort is important and there is no reason they should be walking around wet and uncomfortable. Second, poor diapering practices play into the overall cleanliness of the program. Daycare teachers who do diapering also are responsible for food handling and the personal care of children. Poor diapering practices put the health of other children at risk if teachers are not properly washing their hands or are not diapering in specific areas.
5. Teachers yelling when overwhelmed
Taking care of young children for eight hours a day, five days a week can be a stressful job. Even the most patient daycare provider will have moments when she feels overwhelmed by her classroom. This is normal. Daycare teachers must develop coping skills to be able to deal with stressful situations with grace.
While it is understandable that daycare teachers get stressed from time to time, teachers who are unable to deal with these feeling can contribute to a dangerous daycare situation. Yelling at kids is harmful to their healthy development and puts the teacher-child bond at risk. A teacher who is prone to yelling when stressed may not have a good handle on staying calm.
When touring daycare programs, watch for how the teachers interact with the children, especially during times when a child is acting out. How a teacher handles this situation, and her ability to stay even-keeled, will give you a sense of her coping strategies during stressful times.
6. Babies put to sleep in swings
Tired parents will do just about anything to get their baby to sleep. Many parents have resorted to putting their baby in a swing or rocker to get them down for a nap. And in limited circumstances, this can be safe if the parent is themselves awake and able to keep an eye on the baby. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics advises that it is not safe for babies to sleep in swings for long periods. The reason for this is because babies, particularly very young ones, can get turned around in a swing in such a way that their breathing is restricted.
In a daycare center, teachers are constantly pulled in different directions so putting a child to sleep in a swing is especially unsafe. Daycare providers don’t have the luxury to sit and watch a sleeping baby to make sure they are okay. This is why daycares using swings to get babies to sleep is an especially concerning sign of a potentially dangerous daycare. Should you see this happening in any daycare you tour, talk to the director about their concerns. A responsible daycare will have standard procedures for safe sleep practices and a director will be able to talk you through how they they use baby swings safely.
7. Emotionally immature teachers
In October 2022, a viral video circulated showing teachers at a daycare in Mississippi scaring children while wearing masks. While the teachers described this as a ‘practical joke’ it was clear the children did not interpret it that way. And why would the children? A three-year-old doesn’t not have the developmental understanding to get that kind of joke. They were plainly just scared.
This event raises another important type of safety for daycare programs: the emotionally safety of the children. A dangerous daycare is one that does not pay attention or care about this type of safety. One sign of such a dangerous daycare is teachers who are not emotionally mature enough to recognize the developmental needs and limitations of young children. Not attending to children’s emotional needs puts them at risk of attachment issues and anxiety. At a minimum, a daycare program’s teachers should understand that children cannot be treated as adults would.
8. Playgrounds without fencing
An important and easy way for daycare programs to ensure playground safety is to have adequate fencing. Fencing is an important feature of child care playgrounds because there are usually many children on the playground at once. Additionally, because this include very young children there is the risk that a child might easily run away and into the street, putting them in harm’s way.
9. Violations for failure to do background checks
An important part of the process of getting and staying licensed as a daycare provider is to complete the state’s process for background checks on employees. Background checks for daycare teachers are a required by federal law. The specifics of how these checks are done varies from state to state.
Failure to complete background checks is a serious violation of licensing standards that could be dangerous for children’s safety. Not doing background checks promptly can cause daycare programs to lose their licenses. Background checks insure that children are cared for by staff that do not have serious criminal histories, including child sexual assault. When searching for a new daycare, make sure to check the licensing record of any program you’re considering to see that they do not have any violations for failure to do background checks.
10. Unsecured furniture in the classrooms
Every year thousands of children are injured by improperly secured furniture. All furniture in a daycare program should be properly anchored to the wall. Note that this doesn’t just apply to tall furniture. Short furniture is at risk of tipping if a child attempts to climb it. So even relatively short furniture, like dressers or bookshelves, need to be anchored. When touring a child care program, check to make sure the furniture in the classroom. Also, talk to the teacher about the steps they take to ensure children don’t climb furniture in the classroom.