19. Emergency Procedures

Question 1

Emergency Procedures

Child care programs must have procedures for responding to situations.

Answer 1

~ a contingency plan for emergency or disaster situations needs to be included so staff know what to do when it is not possible to follow the standard emergency procedures
~ the emergency procedures must be posted and readily available for all staff and other adults to use in case of emergency
~ as part of the emergency procedures, there needs to be a written plan for reporting to the licensing authority and managing any incident or unusual occurrence that is threatening to the health, safety, or welfare of the children, staff, or volunteers
~ it is important to train staff on how to follow the emergency procedures developed by the child care program so children will be protected if an emergency occurs
~ these procedures must be periodically reviewed with all staff and as part of new staff orientation

Question 2

The following types of incidents must be addressed:

Answer 2

• Lost or missing child
• Suspected maltreatment of a child
• Injury or illness requiring hospitalization or emergency treatment
• Death of a child or staff member
• Presence of a threatening individual who attempts or succeeds in gaining entrance to the program