Daily Childcare Safety Checklist

How to use this checklist

Safe childcare starts before the first child walks through the door. This checklist helps you carry out a thorough daily safety inspection of your childcare facility each morning, before children arrive, so that every room is secure, clean, and ready for the day ahead. The inspection is organised into three areas: 1. **Pre-arrival safety inspection** — checks the whole facility before anyone enters, covering exits, handwashing routines, cleaning supplies, electrical safety, and the outdoor play area. 2. **Classroom environment and safety standards** — covers the condition and arrangement of rooms, furniture, toys, and each child's personal storage. 3. **Infant room** — adds the specific requirements that apply to babies, including sleep safety, feeding, diapering, and equipment. Answer each item **Yes**, **No**, or **N/A**. Where an item is not compliant, record what you found and what you did about it in the summary section. Whether you run a single room or a full centre, working through these checks consistently each day is one of the simplest ways to keep children safe and to show that you take that responsibility seriously.

Frequently Asked Questions

Use it as a documented morning routine. A staff member walks the facility before children arrive, works through the pre-arrival, classroom, and infant room items, and records the results. Items marked non-compliant should be logged with a corrective action in the summary section, and the completed record should be retained as part of your compliance documentation.

The checklist covers three inspection areas. Pre-arrival items include unobstructed exits, a smoke-free environment, locked storage for staff belongings, daily bleach solution preparation, stocked hygiene supplies, outlet covers, secured blind and curtain cords, and a playground check for debris, standing water, and animal waste. Classroom items cover clean and clutter-free rooms, secure storage of chemicals, no air fresheners, furniture and toys in good condition, heavy items on low shelves, individual storage for belongings and nap items, and tables and chairs not stacked while children are present. Infant room items include diapering supplies within arm's reach, cribs and cots at least three feet apart or separated by barriers, safety gates, intact screens, accessible first aid kits, labeled bottles refrigerated on arrival, back-sleeping, cribs free of soft bedding, firm tight-fitting mattresses, clean high chairs, and properly fastened harnesses and restraints.

The opening items record who is conducting the inspection, when, and where, and confirm the health screening and handwashing routine at arrival. The closing section captures the room or area inspected, the overall result, the number of non-compliant items, your rating of overall safety compliance, any concerns and corrective actions, a signature, and the start and end times. This gives you a complete record for each day.

Prepare by confirming hand soap, paper towels, toilet paper, lined trash receptacles, and warm running water are stocked. Mix fresh bleach solution, label it with its contents and date, and store it out of children's reach. Assemble diapering supplies before any change. Check that exits are clear, outlets are covered, blind and curtain cords are secured, and the playground is free of hazards. Confirm first aid kits are present and unexpired.

Each item is answered Yes, No, or N/A. Yes confirms the standard is met, No records a non-compliance, and N/A applies when the item does not apply to that space or day. Log every No in the summary with the corrective action taken, then sign and record the start and end times.

Yes. The infant room section covers diapering supplies within arm's reach, cribs and cots spaced at least three feet apart or separated by solid barriers, assigned or sanitized sleep surfaces, safety gates, intact screens, labeled and refrigerated bottles, back-sleeping, cribs free of soft bedding, firm tight-fitting mattresses, clean high chairs, and properly fastened harnesses and restraints on infant seats, swings, strollers, and high chairs.

Written by

Arne Reis

Founder

Process optimizer with 25 years of expertise, focused on operational excellence in quality, maintenance, EHS, and commissioning. Emphasizes innovative solutions and top-quality standards.

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