When Disaster Strikes, Will the Children in Your Care be Safe?

Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/when-disaster-strikes-will-the-children-in-your-care-be-safe/5021320/

Part 1 of a 3-Part Series on Child Care Emergency Preparedness and Response

From the devastation of Superstorm Sandy and the Oklahoma tornadoes to the harrowing tragedies of Sandy Hook Elementary and the Boston Marathon bombings, the past year’s events have reminded us that disasters, whether ­natural or man-made, can strike at any time, including the many hours children are separated from their families in a child care setting.

With more than 100 years of combined experience, Save the Children and Bright Horizons know that in emergency situations, children are at their most vulnerable, requiring clear, calm, and comforting guidance to meet their unique needs in an otherwise chaotic and often very frightening situation.

From the first warning signs of a disaster or emergency until each child is safely reunited with his or her family, all child care providers need an emergency plan in place to anchor their response and maintain control when the unthinkable happens. To be clear, the worst time to plan for an emergency is during an emergency. If children and staff don’t know what to do in an emergency, such as knowing how to evacuate from a room, they may panic, adding an extra obstacle to an already challenging situation. ...