School is a second home for most children nowadays that responsible to nurture our child. Well, when I mentioned “school”, I refer to nursery, childcare center or kindergarten! What are the areas that we need to observe before we send our child to a school that we think it’s safe for him? Is the school provide a safe environment to nurture our child’s health and safety?

We cannot guarantee safety at all times for our children but we can and must do all we can to prevent them being harm either at home or in school. As parents, we can always from time to time inquire the school operators or teachers on the safety guidelines that they have implemented in the school. This serve as a reminder to the school that “I am very concern about my child’s safety when he is in your care and please make sure that he is safe!”. Moreover, we are not just doing it for our own child in the school, but all the children will be benefited indirectly when the school takes notes of the parents’ concern and improve its environment in order to create a safe environment for the children. Both parties - parents and school are now working more closely for the best of the children! Here are some school safety guidelines that both parents and school need to take note:

Gate safety during reception and pick up time

• ensure the gate is always latched to prevent children from running out
• check the children’s bags for any sharp instruments or toys
• give clear direction to the school in writing of the people responsible to pick up the child

Playground safety

• check types of playground equipments available for children and suitability for different age group of children
• check if there’s any broken equipment or objects in the playground
• check the teacher/caregiver and children ratio during playtime

Safety inside the school

• find out the teacher/caregiver and children ratio according to different age group
• set a list of safety/ground rules in the environment
• children have to be educated and reminded of the safety/ground rules from time to time
• furniture should have rounded corners and not to be too light to prevent fall
• check if there is any broken toys or equipment that is broken or unsuitable for play
• ensure that toys and equipments are appropriate according to the age of the children
• Inspect the toilet if it is cleaned and basic toiletries such as toilet roll, hand wash, hand paper towel are prepared
• sinks and toilets must be child-sized

Fire safety

• each teacher/caregiver must know the number of children present in her group at any given point of time
• the supervisor or school operator must have a proper attendance list so that she is aware of the number of children in the school at any point of time
• check if there’s any fire extinguisher in school and if it’s accessible in case there’s a fire
• check the expiry date of the fire extinguishers in order to get replacement immediately
• check if there’s fire drill arranged for the children by the school (minimum 3 times a year as part of the licensing requirement in Malaysia)
• Teachers/caregivers must aware of the location of the fire extinguisher and know how to use it in case there is fire
• If possible ensure that every room has smoke detectors and sprinklers

Water safety

• never leave buckets or basins of water (e.g. baby bathtubs) unattended
• keep the bathroom door latches above child height to prevent any child lock himself in
• fence off any swimming pool

Food safety

• ensure the kitchen and serving utensils are clean and kept away from pests and rodents
• visit the kitchen of the school before you decide to enroll your child in that particular school (Most parents do not do the inspection, which in fact a must!)
• ensure all food is prepared in hygienic spaces and cooked well

First Aid and Emergencies

• find out the First Aid and Emergency procedures in the school before enroll
• find out the nearest clinic or hospital to the school in case any emergency
• each room must have a first aid box and it is fully equipped with essential first aid items

I personally will recommend parents to inspect the toilets and kitchen of the school before enrolling. I’ve seen school with nice setting, but horrible toilet or kitchen condition. Also, look around the surrounding of the environment such as shelves, carpets, door mats etc.. Some are covered up with dust and dirt!

Nurturing our child’s safety is our responsibility, therefore lets create a safety consciousness among the parents and school board!