Encouraging good behaviour at childcare

When preparing your child to attend kindergarten, your top priority should be to keep them safe. Most schools have policies that govern how children are supposed to behave, what should happen in the event of an emergency and how visitors should be allowed access to the school premises.

As a parent, you should always be aware of what the school policies are and whether they're adequate enough to ensure proper standards of safety. Look out for the following important policies that should be included in the school you choose.

1. Safety policies

The most important policy you should look out for is a detailed safety policy. The policy should cover what happens when an emergency—such as a fire—were to happen at the school.

Make sure all school staff are aware of emergency procedures and are capable of directing the children to safety in a timely fashion. There should also be emergency procedures in place for inclement weather such as cyclones and tornadoes.

2. Health policies

You should also ensure that the health of your child is a top concern while they're at school. Young children may be susceptible to many different illnesses for which they haven't yet developed immunity. For example, a simple cold can infect many other children at school and put them at additional risk.

The kindergarten should have sick days in place to allow recovering children enough time off from school. There should also be policies in place regarding chicken pox, measles and other highly infectious diseases.

In a health policy, the school should put in place requirements for immunizations, sanitation and other medical needs for the children.

3. Pickup and drop-off policies

It's not uncommon to hear cases where a child was picked up by someone they don't know. To prevent this potentially dangerous situation, the school should have polices for drop-off and pickup of children.

Only approved persons should be allowed to pick up children, and their information should be recorded by the school in case a followup is necessary.

4. Anti-bullying policies

The well-being of your child while at school is also an important factor to consider. Cases of bullying are not uncommon, and they can interfere with the psychological health of your child moving forward.

Make sure the school has policies in place to monitor and safeguard children from attack by their peers.

Contact kindergarten centers in your area to learn more about their policies.