Best Practices for Maintaining a Safe and Secure Child Care Environment

The health and safety of children in licensed care is a shared responsibility. In California, that responsibility is reinforced by some of the strongest child care protections in the nation. By staying informed, proactive, and prepared, providers can create environments that are secure, compliant, and trauma-informed for children, families, and staff.

Here’s a concise guide to keeping your program protected and ready.

Additionally, utilize this resource from the Public Counsel on best practices. 

Recognizing a Community Care Licensing Visit

The Community Care Licensing (CCL) Child Care Program conducts routine, unannounced inspections of licensed facilities. When a Licensing Program Analyst (LPA) arrives:

• They will introduce themselves.

• They will provide official identification.

• They carry a California state badge or official business card.

Building a professional relationship with your assigned Regional Office helps reduce confusion and supports smoother inspections.

See this guide from CCLD

What To Do If an Incident Occurs

If an incident threatens a child’s physical or emotional safety, act immediately:

1. Emergency Response
Call 911 or local law enforcement if there is an immediate threat.

2. Parent Notification
Notify the child’s parent or guardian as soon as possible regarding any injury or act of violence.

3. Report to CDSS

• Initial notification: Contact CDSS by phone or fax before the close of the next working day for serious incidents (e.g., death, injury requiring medical treatment, or unusual incidents threatening safety).

• Written report: Submit within seven days using:

  • LIC 624 (Child Care Centers)

  • LIC 624B (Family Child Care Homes)

Timely reporting protects children and ensures compliance.

Review & Strengthen Your Policies

Safety goes beyond emergency response. Regularly evaluate and update policies related to:

• Visitor access and security protocols

• Authorized staff responses to government officials

• Emergency evacuation and contingency planning

• Authorized pick-up procedures

• Secure storage of confidential records

• Communication systems for urgent updates

Providers may deny entry to unauthorized individuals whose behavior poses a risk. Proactive policy review reduces risk and increases confidence during unexpected situations.

Immigration Enforcement Protections

California law provides strong protections for licensed child care programs:

• Immigration officers must present a judicial warrant signed by a judge to enter private areas.

• Administrative warrants signed by ICE officials alone do not grant access.

• Even with a judicial warrant, entry generally requires director approval.

• Access should be limited to areas where children are not present.

• Staff may not share confidential information about children, families, or immigration status.

Child care facilities remain recognized as sensitive locations where enforcement actions should be avoided whenever possible.

See our post here for more resources.

Active Intruder & Disaster Preparedness

Licensed programs must maintain written disaster and mass casualty plans that include human-made threats.

Best practices include:

• Conduct disaster drills at least every six months.

• Incorporate lockdown and shelter-in-place drills alongside fire and earthquake drills.

• Ensure classroom doors can lock from the inside.

• Identify “hard corners” out of sight from windows.

Preparation reduces panic—and protects children.

Family Separation & Emergency Planning

Programs should:

• Maintain multiple authorized pick-up contacts.

• Keep emergency contact information current.

• Document all attempts to reach authorized individuals if a parent is detained or unreachable.

Preparedness ensures continuity of care during family emergencies.

Operational Safety Best Practices

Strong programs go beyond minimum requirements:

• Practice active supervision at all times.

• Maintain secure check-in and check-out procedures.

• Monitor staff-to-child ratios closely.

• Conduct and document regular drills.

• Post evacuation maps in every classroom.

• Keep first-aid kits stocked and telephones operational.

Creating Places of Care, Not Chaos

Safety is not a one-time checklist. It is an ongoing commitment to preparedness, compliance, and care.

By maintaining clear reporting procedures, practicing drills, protecting confidential information, enforcing visitor protocols, and updating emergency contacts, providers build resilience into their programs.

When safety becomes culture, not just compliance, children thrive.