Families want to know how you intend to protect and ensure safety while their children are in your care. Child safety encompasses more than strict adherence to policy and procedures. It also involves creating an environment that prioritizes communication and transparency, where kids feel safe and included.
Here are eleven tips for creating a safe and inclusive environment.
1. Create a Supportive Atmosphere
Start your time by gathering together. This will help you assess the children, set the tone for yourself and your students, create trust, promote collaboration, and help kids feel important. It’s a great time to welcome new visitors and help them join in new activities.
2. Respect Differences
Families are unique and come in all colors, shapes, and sizes, so providing them with a sense of belonging is important. For kids and families who may not always feel welcome, these small acts of inclusion help everyone.
3. Allow for Personal Space
To feel safe, some children need space. This doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t want to participate, they may be more introverted or unsure. It’s hard to know the environments kids come from, and time in your care may be the respite they need.
4. Smile — a Lot
Smiling is a simple act we rarely think about in the day-to-day hustle. Yet, it’s powerful, sends a message, helps improve our health, positively affects those around us, generates warmth, and encourages others to engage. It’s been estimated that children smile as much as 400 times a day.
5. Incorporate Music
Music provides many benefits to a children’s program or classroom. Strategically incorporating it into your routine will help reduce anxiety and stress, create a good first impression, and improve focus.
6. Build Trust
Trust is an essential building block for strong, long-term engagement with families. Building trust can be done by being honest, communicating effectively, offering helpful guidance, and showing that you care. Families value when someone they depend on is transparent.
7. Ask for Feedback
Gaining feedback is a vital part of building trust and engaging families. When asking for input, don’t miss the opportunity to capture how families feel about issues, services, or day-to-day processes. An annual family survey gives families a chance to be heard, and it gives you the opportunity to understand what’s working and what’s not.
8. Establish a Check-In & Out Process
Children’s check-in is about much more than attendance tracking! It is often referred to as the front door to your organization and has a huge impact on a new family’s decision to return. Whether using pen & paper or an electronic solution, a secure children’s check-in will help strengthen child safety, increase data accessibility, and connect you with families.
9. Be a No-Bully Zone
Bullying comes in many forms: physical, cultural, verbal, emotional, sexual, and cyberbullying. Regardless of the factors involved, bullying’s effects can last a lifetime. By having a zero-tolerance policy for bullying, you will foster an environment that encourages transparency, prioritizes communication, and empowers kids to respect and support each other.
10. Communicate Often
Clear, consistent communication can be transformative for an organization both in the short- and long-term. Developing better communication skills can be difficult when your to-do list constantly grows. Remember that your quick and easy-to-read communication sent via email, text, or through social media can make an impact.
11. Commit to Screening Candidates
While you can work hard to include the other tips and offer a supportive and inclusive environment, if you are unaware of whom you give direct access to kids, you will undoubtedly encounter an unfortunate incident. The value of screening candidates to work with your kids and youth can’t be overstated. Screening prevents bad behavior, provides higher quality volunteers, and protects families, staff, and the organization.
You can access this entire magazine for free here: Edition 44
