There are plenty of things to consider before you open your daycare service business. Here are a few things to consider before your doors open.
It’s an exciting time when you launch a new business. If you are a daycare service provider there are plenty of things to consider before you open the doors. There are many scenarios and risk factors that need to be managed and accounted for too.
If you want to ensure that everything is in order, you will need a checklist of things that need to be addressed. These items include things like covering your daycare business from an insurance perspective.
Here is a look at some of the key factors to consider when ensuring the safety of your daycare service business.
Encouraging a culture of safety
You are being trusted to look after children and provide a safe environment for them. This should be enough for any daycare owner to focus all of their attention on how they can foster a culture of safety that runs through every aspect of the operation.
All daycare service providers in this scenario have a legal responsibility to protect the children in their care.
Extreme situations where a child comes to harm or they are abducted from the premises have been known to happen. Each year a growing number of children have been taken from a school or childcare center.
It should go without saying that such an incident would be extremely distressing for all concerned. It would be extremely damaging to the reputation of your daycare business if a security incident like that were to happen.
There a number of effective ways to encourage everyone to think about safety at every step of the way. There are measures and protocols that can be put in place to minimize the potential risk of a security or safety breach.
Picking up and dropping off
The most vulnerable times from a security perspective is when the children are being dropped off and picked up.
During the day, you can secure the premises easily. Very few people will be leaving or entering the secure environment you have created.
There are different licensing rules across different states. Your business needs to liaise with your local city. Make sure rules and procedures are in line with regulatory requirements and guidelines.
As a minimum requirement, your daycare business should create an established check-in and check-out procedure. A verification process regarding the person who has come to collect the child should be in place too.
You cannot afford to deviate from this plan. There cannot be any exceptions to the rules if you want to be as sure as possible that your daycare business offers a secure environment.
Security system for monitoring
Any home or business premises need to have security measures in place. This will protect the building and the people occupying it.
If you are running a daycare center you could argue that your security measures will have to be even more robust as there are plenty of dangers and risk factors that need to be considered so that preventative measures can be put in place.
A good alarm system is essential. The building will require entry and exit sensors together with automated door locks and a video monitoring system.
Video monitoring matters
It is worth singling out video monitoring as an aspect of security that is particularly important.
Having a video monitoring system will allow staff to have a clear view of everything that is happening around the building. This will also enable them to see who has come to collect their child so that their identity can be confirmed before they are allowed to be buzzed through.
A comprehensive video system will also provide a backup system. Allowing you to verify what happened if a child suffers an injury while on the premises.
Business Insurance
Every business needs insurance and that is especially true when your venture is a daycare business.
Daycare insurance tends to be viewed as a niche product because there are a number of unique risks that need to be factored into the coverage.
The majority of states tend to insist that daycare providers have a Department of Health and Human Services license. Liability insurance is a requirement that also needs to be arranged.
A mistake that you need to avoid is to assume that your homeowner’s insurance will suffice if you have decided to trade from your residential premises. If a child is injured, you will probably discover that you are not covered and that could leave you exposed to an expensive lawsuit.
Speak to a broker who has experience in providing daycare insurance. You want to be sure to cover all the bases and get the right level and scope of cover that protects your business from a potential claim.
Specialized coverage
It is also important to note that you should consider widening the scope of your insurance coverage. Protect your daycare business from issues and claims that are more common than you might imagine.
Professional liability insurance is important. Should there be a scenario where a parent claims that you have failed in your duty of care in some way, such as feeding a child some food that it had been noted they were allergic to.
Sadly, there is also the possibility that your business might have to contest an accusation of sexual misconduct.
Photo by Gautam Arora on Unsplash
Abuse and molestation insurance protection it something to consider. Your defense costs are potentially covered while you fight to clear your name and reputation.
As you can see, there are a number of ways to look at ensuring the safety and security of your new daycare business and all they merit your consideration if you want to be sure that you have taken all the right measures to ensure the business is properly protected.
