Safety

As part of our mission, our first priority in environment is safety - we are dedicated to keeping children safe. That why at Little Acorns we check daily for any safety hazards and discuss safety in detail with the children. We know that children not only need to be safe, but they also need to feel safe to fully explore their environment. Therefore we reassure the children that we, as caregivers, know how to keep them safe, that we like them, and that we always have their best interests in mind.

Safety in the Center

Little Acorns features the latest in security. We have a door that is locked at all times and only accessible through the use of a personal pin number.
Little Acorns has a strict pick-up policy. All new people picking up, even those on the emergency card, are required to show ID regardless of relation. If someone new whose name is not on the emergency card comes to pick up, authorization, including the full name, for the person to pick-up must be given in writing prior to pick up. That person will also be required to show ID. If a new person picks up who is not on the emergency card and we have not been notified in writing, the child will not be released.

Safety in the Classrooms

We are committed to prevention of injury instead of reaction to injury. We train our staff to stop any unsafe behavior as soon as it starts. To lessen unsafe behavior that comes from the desire to explore, we offer safe alternatives for exploration. To lessen unsafe behavior that comes from emotion and conflict, we offer safe opportunities to release and discuss emotion and teach skills for safe conflict resolution.
When in the care of our staff, all children are accompanied, supervised, and in line of sight at all times without exception.
All of our staff members are CPR and First Aid certified.

A Sense of Security

We believe that children need to feel safe and secure before they are able to freely be and grow into themselves. This safe and secure feeling does not come from knowing that their new caregiver is CPR certified. Rather, it comes from hearing two things “I know what I’m doing” and “I really like you.” Of course, all children are different and hear these things in different ways, but the need is the same. Children need to know that adults are both capable and caring.

Capable: children need to know that adults are capable of many things. They need to know that they are capable of helping, of keeping them safe, and of being in charge at all times.
Caring: children also need to know that adults truly care for them, have their best interests in mind, and really like spending time with them.

It is our desire to first provide this feeling of safety and security to all children in order that they may more freely grow as individuals.