OHS Region X Conference March 4-6, 2014

Louise Gill, OHS Program Specialist Liz Dilley, Region X TTA Grantee Specialist

Session Outcomes: Increase potential for compliance Go beyond compliance in regards to safety Explore a variety of strategies for ensuring

child safety Decrease unexpected gaps in coverage,

oversight or human error.

Creating a Culture of Safety Active Supervision Responding to the “UNEXPECTED”

TABLE DISCUSSIONS

Introduce yourself, program, job title Share your program strengths Share your program challenges

General Program Considerations for Child Safety

Significant/Related Standards: PS 1304.52(i)(1)(iii): (i) Standards of

Conduct. (1) Grantee and delegate agencies must ensure that all staff, consultants, and volunteers abide by the (iii) No child will be left alone or unsupervised while under their care; program’s standards of conduct.

Head Start Act Sec. 637(2)(A)(i): (2) The term ‘deficiency’ means– (A) a

systemic or substantial material failure of an agency in an area of performance that the Secretary determines involves—(i) a threat to the health, safety, or civil rights of children or staff.

Self-Assessment

Program Governance

Fiscal Management

ERSEA

Child and Family

Outcomes Human

Resources

Child and Family

Outcomes

Communication Record-

keeping & Reporting

Facilities, Materials & Equipment

Planning

Ongoing Monitoring

• •

• •

•

Transportation – Bus/Self-transport Indoor Learning Environment Outdoor Learning Environment Daily Transitions Fire Drills Field Trips OTHER?

Transportation - Transitions to and from the classroom:

COUNTING CHILDREN REVIEW ATTENDANCE LIST

Transportation - Transitions to and from the classroom:

PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE SCAN AND COUNT EXTENDED WAITING ACTIVITIES

Transportation – Loading and Unloading:

CROSS CHECKING *Bus vs. Classroom Attendance *One Way Riders/Increase Attendance *Roll call/Staff Initialing

SUPER “SAFETY” SWEEP Sweep the Bus Checking Under Seats Final Confirmations

SELF-TRANSPORT CHILDREN

Signing In & Out Emergency Release Procedures Unexpected Changes Clear Visual Pathways

CHILD SAFETY TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PLAN Staff Substitutes Volunteers Parents

Assignments/Tasks Tools Documentation Environmental Changes

• Current/Up to date • Are there new policies/procedures

needed?

Policies and Procedures

• Who, What, When, Where, How • Does the TTA Plan reflect the need? Training

• Strategies, Tools, Documentation • What are the gaps in our system? Monitoring

Potty?

Mental Break?

Water?

TOP PRIORITY: Keeping children safe! HS Program Performance Standards

Requirements

Active Supervision - most effective strategy Look, Listen, and Engage/Redirect.

Focused attention and intentional observation

at all times.

Watching, counting, moving about, and listening at all times.

Individualizing and Redirection Constant Vigilance

Arrange furniture to see children Clutter free play spaces Educators “plan ahead” for the day Clear pathways to respond quickly Safety Rules

Accountability of Care Scanning: Observing and Moving Frequent Child Counts - Transitions

Specific Sounds Listening Closely Think Systemically Environmental Enhancements

Anticipate Children’s Behavior Teach Expectations & Individualize Ready Responsiveness Child Health Considerations Informed and Prepared

Know when to offer children support. Observe and take notes. Support children’s problem solving. Provide a range of different levels of

assistance or redirection

Focus on the Positive: Engage in frequent positive interactions ◦ Provide friendly, helpful directions ◦ Proactively respond to children’s needs ◦ High rate of delivery and consistency ◦ Positive Reinforcement ◦ Immediate and contingent on behavior ◦ Non-argumentative, non-critical ◦ Specific to behavior ◦ Correct, model, practice, reinforce ◦ Deliver Consequence ◦ Neutral, fair

Avoid Distractions Multi-Tasking Balance Activities and Daily Schedule Toileting Transportation Greeting Children

Discuss current practices Review the questions Identify next steps for program improvements in

the following strategies: “Look” Setting Up the Environment Positioning Staff Scan and Count of children

“Listen” “Engage” and “Redirect” Anticipate Children’s Behavior Support Problem Solving Engage in Positive Interactions/Feedback

Steps for responding to the “Unexpected”!

Conduct your own internal investigation of

the incident. Gather and document the facts. Talk with

staff involved. Take appropriate personnel actions as per

Human Resources policies and procedures Notify appropriate stakeholders

Parent/Community Complaints? Media Articles? Child Protective Services Grantee Reports? Illnesses in Grantee’s Centers? “Lock Downs”? Inclement weather -closure’s? Environmental Impacts? Licensure Issues?

LIZ & LOUISE

Head Start Program Performance Standards

ECLKC – National Center on Health Email: nchinfo@aap.org http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov Health Child Care America Toll Free: 1-888-227-5409 Email: childcare@aap.org http://www.healthychildcare.org

CREATING A CULTURE OF SAFETY ONGOING MONITORING

• Assignments/Tasks • Tools • Documentation • Environmental Changes

ACTIVITY: Table groups discuss current program practices for “Ongoing Monitoring” of child safety.

1. Are monitoring tasks assigned to supervisors, managers, other staff done on a regular basis?

2. Are there checklists and tools available for monitors? Where is this evidence/documentation kept? Who is responsible for making sure monitoring is occurring on a regular basis?

3. Consider performing unannounced monitoring visits? 4. Someone should be assigned the responsibility for reviewing monitoring checklists for

completion, errors, corrective follow-up, etc. 5. Are child safety responsibilities included in job descriptions and annual reviews to ensure

staff understand their responsibilities? 6. Are there consequences for not following established policies and procedures? 7. What other occasions i.e. transitions, bathroom trips, outside time, fire drills, field trips,

etc. 8. When there is a new staff member, substitute staff or volunteer, consider using children’s

name tags for assisting new staff to learn children’s names. 9. Are there individualized plans for children that have difficulty with physical transitions. 10. Do you need to install bells or door alarms to alert staff when a door has been opened? 11. Do you have site safety plan regarding children during transitions posted in the

classroom?

Active Supervision: Reflection Questions Please use this worksheet to answer the reflection questions offered during the Active Supervision webinar. You will have an opportunity to respond when the presenters ask these questions throughout the webinar. Set Up The Environment: When you create your space, you need to think about the following questions:

• How and where will children play in the room?

• Is the furniture the right height to be able to see all children?

• Are loud and quiet activities distributed through the room so staff can always hear the children?

• Can adults quickly and easily reach children if needed?

• Are there enough materials and toys to reduce conflicts between children?

1

Position Staff In each play space, consider

• What is the best place to see, hear, and reach children in order to prevent injuries?

• Where have previous injuries and incidents occurred?

• Where are the children?

• What areas of the environment are the most challenging?

• Where (in what locations) and when do children need the most support?

• Are there particular children who need more support or supervision?

• How does positioning help staff supervise children?

2

Scan and Count: After the scan and count activity,

• How did counting several times help you determine what was going on?

• Could you quickly tell something was missing by closely scanning and repetitively counting?

• What is this like in the real world? What are the challenges and how do you deal with them?

• How can you integrate this strategy into your own environments? Listen: When thinking about your own settings,

• How well you are able to take in all of the noises in the environment?

• What are some key ways you listen for signs of trouble?

3

Anticipate Children’s Behavior: When thinking about your own settings,

• How do you involve families?

• How do you use what you know about the children you serve and active supervision strategies to protect children from injury?

Engage and Redirect: When thinking about your own settings,

• When and how do you engage and redirect children in your program?

• Do you have plans, policies and/or procedures to help you make these decisions?

4

Questions to Help You Identify Next Steps

Ideas for Improving Our Program Practices

How will we teach “active supervision” strategies and support staff to apply these skills in everyday practice?

How do we make sure that staff position themselves to be able to see the children at all times and quickly get to those who need assistance?

How do we ensure that staff continually scan and count children during both indoor and outdoor play?

How do staff assess individual children’s skills and abilities, adapt activities to avoid potential injuries, and use their observational skills to anticipate when a child may need closer supervision?

How do staff engage and redirect children who need additional support?

Active Supervision Implementation Plan

BACK HOME SAFETY PLAN Policies and Procedures Professional Development Ongoing

Monitoring • Current and up to date • Are there new policies and

procedures needed?

• Who, what, when, where, how? • Does TTA plan reflect the need?

• Strategies, tools, documentation • What are the gaps in our system?

Creating a Culture of Safety

“Safety Sisters”

LIZ & LOUISE

We’re the “Safety Sisters” and we’re here to say

A “Culture of Safety” is the one true way!

So strengthen your systems and strategies of care,

And “Active Supervision” if you dare!

Look, Listen, Engage and Redirect

Ensures child safety is in effect!

Lead the staff as you support and train,

And “Excellence of Care” is what you’ll gain.

If you follow these steps for creating safe play,

Surely you will keep the “UNEXPECTED” away!