Establishing and Maintaining Safe and Healthy Environment for Children - Desklib

This article discusses a case study on establishing and maintaining a safe and healthy environment for children. It covers topics such as childcare safety considerations, supervision levels, and indoor play environment design. The article also provides a sample floor plan for a long day care service with 20 children aged 3-4 years.

Case study
It is 4.45pm. Cala and Amy are on late shift. There are still 8 children at the service. Cala has
noticed the number of preschool children staying later has increased over the last few weeks. It
has been a very hot, windy day and the children have had to spend much of the time indoors.
It is now much cooler and Cala and Amy decide the children need some time outdoors.
Cala carries Lim (6 months) and takes the hands free phone and intercom for the front door with
her. Amy brings the basket of washing to fold while she’s supervising. Lim has been unsettled all
day and has needed almost constant attention. When Cala sits him in on a rug he becomes very
distressed so Cala asks Amy to quickly go inside and get him some water in a sipper cup. Amy
goes inside taking three children with her.
Cala sits on the grass with Lim on her lap. Sarah (3.4 years) and Jessie (3 years) are hosing the
garden. They have dragged the hose across the bike path. Two toddlers are riding their bikes
on the bike path. Mitch runs over the hose on the bike track and tips his bike over. He
screams and when he sits up Cala can see there is blood around his mouth and on the front of
his T-shirt.
Cala places Lim on the rug, runs over to grab some gloves from the container in the shelf, but
the container is empty. She calls for Amy and moves towards Mitch. As she moves she calls
again for Amy, and notices that Sarah is now hosing Jessie who has started crying. Carla calls
out to them but they do not respond.
Both Mitch and Lim are now crying loudly. Amy wanders out with Lim’s sipper and the three
children – she is unaware of what has happened. Cala tells Amy to go and turn off the hose
while she wipes the blood from Mitch’s mouth using his T-shirt.
When everyone is gathered together they all go inside. Mitch is not seriously injured. Lim is
over the indignity of being left on the rug and everyone is calm.
15 minutes later there are only two children remaining so Cala goes to get the accident book
so that she can record Mitch’s injury. The accident book is not in its usual location and is
nowhere to be found. Cala quickly writes a report on a sheet of paper and leaves it in the
Director’s in-tray.
When the last child leaves Cala takes the opportunity to talk to Amy about the incident and asks
Amy why she took so long in the kitchen. Amy replies she thought she’d help out and unpack the

dishwasher with the children. Before the conversation can continue they are interrupted by
Amy’s boyfriend blowing the car horn. Amy grabs her bag and rushes out leaving Cala to lock up.
Ten minutes later Cala leaves for home feeling very stressed
and annoyed. It is the responsibility of the middle shift to restock the outdoor supplies and empty
the dishwasher.
The next morning Cala is ready to talk to the Director Trish – she is concerned about supervision
of the children and tasks not being completed.
Question(Based on case study above)
In the time between the accident happening and before Amy returned list the decisions that Cala
had to quickly make in relation to the children?
Here, Cala made decision to take gloves to follow the guideline for the proper sanitisation and to
prevent any infection to the Lim. Cala also need to take care of Jessie and Sarah during the situation.
Cala also decided to place Lim on the rug.
Question no. 2 (4 points Answer enough for this Question)
a. List the safety considerations that would need to be taken into account
when supervising the children (consider children’s age and skills, space,
equipment and restricting the number of children who might access the
area at any one time).
-List of consideration are as follows: -
Placing equipment at their right place.
There should sufficient number of supervisor according to number of children.
Communication should be always clear for every work.
All safety measures should be followed.
b. Identify the level of supervision
required:
• High = close and constant;
• Medium = stay nearby;
• Low = minimal – regularly check
Identified level of supervision required is Medium= Stay nearby.

TODDLERS: 18MTHS – 3YEARS
Experience Setup/Supervision Requirements Supervision level
ii. Building with large
foam blocks
What things should be kept in mind when an educator
supervise and setup the large foam blocks building
activity for toddlers ?
There is need to ensure about the safety and
connectivity to each child. There is also need to meet
the child requirements. There should always safe reach
to each child and place.
Tick one suitable form of supervision level ?
There is need for high level of supervision to take care
of each child. So the suitable form of supervision level
is high.
HIGH
MEDIUM
LOW
Question 3
When designing the childcare environment educators need to ensure that safety has been
addressed and that the play areas are arranged to ensure the children can use the play spaces
easily and comfortably to engage in meaningful experiences.
Considering the above, your task is to design an indoor play environment for a group of twenty 3
- 4 year old children in a long day care service.
Your design must include the following areas:

• Dramatic play
• Blocks
• Books/library area
• Games/puzzles
• Art area
• Computer/technology centre
• Space for small and large group experiences
Your plan must address:
a. Educator supervision points;
b. The types of active and quiet experiences you have provided in your design;
c. How you have set the room up to enable children to engage in active and quiet spaces;
d. How you would manage grouping of children in each learning area e.g. limiting
numbers to prevent overcrowding.
e. How you have used boundaries and pathways in your design to define spaces and
ensure supervision and safe access through the room.
f. Emergency exits from the room.
Document your design on the attached ‘Indoor Environment Design’ Template.
INDOOR ENVIRONMENT DESIGN

List the active and quiet experiences have you provided for children in your design.
 Activity table
 Book shelf
 Play space
 Play table
 Rug with different shape
 Writing center
 Chair
 Toy section
 Couch
 Block shelf
 Medical help desk
 Supervision center
 Entrance/Exit
How have you designed the environment to enable children to engage comfortably in
active and quiet experiences (e.g. limiting numbers to prevent overcrowding)?
•Note you need to add;
• A design inserting all mention things
•Name of the activities 3 to 4 educator ratio
•Explain the design what to put in which corner where to put
•Design will be attaché with the assessment only for references
•must mention supervision points of educator in the indoor environment
• How does your design ensures supervision and safe access through the room.
Entry/exit points must mentioned,no need to put kitchen room, help desk,staff locker ,wash room, no furniture
explain the design accordingly.

FLOOR PLAN
Babies play
space
Writing centre
Entrance/Exit
Activity
rug
supervision
couch
couch
rug
Toy section
Activity table
Puzzle solving
rug
Toy play
rug
Play
area
Shelf couch setting chair
Medical shelf

There is a rectangular space in which there are many mentioned things and section for the proper
child area for their play and performing various activity. Entrance and exit passage is there in the
middle of one side. Supervisor section should on nearby middle of the section to easily supervise
and look after all the children. There is activity table where children can play games and different
activity like painting, puzzles and others in one corner and another corner should have television
for the entertainment purpose. There is also writing table to learn writing for pre-school children
and primary school children. There is also couch for sitting comfortably for children. This area
includes seating, rugs, table and shelving which have different structure with interesting looks for
seems familiar with children. There is also watch section for the supervision purpose with easy
access to all the place in order to safety and looking after. There is also area for small and large
group. There is also emergency exit form room through the three middle wall of room.
How have you designed the environment to enable children to engage comfortably in
active and quiet experiences (e.g. limiting numbers to prevent overcrowding)?
Designed should have enough space to play at least 4 children at a time in every section. There is
also need to limit number of children at the particular space which can help to manage better and
open environment to engage every child comfortably.
How does your design ensure supervision and safe access through the room?
There is need to includes supervision area in specific place form where supervisor can able to reach
their sight to maximum number of children at the particular time. This can help to supervise
effectively. Safe access through the room should be in front of supervisor desk to notice each activity
and entrance of every individual.