9.2.5.2: Transportation Policy for Small Family Child Care Homes

Written policies should address the safe transport of children by vehicle to and from the small family child care home for any reason while the children are attending child care. Policies should include field trips or special outings. The following should be provided for:

1. Child:staff ratio during transport;
2. Backup arrangements for emergencies;
3. Use of seat belt and car safety seat, including booster seats;
4. Accessibility to first aid kit, emergency ID/contact and pertinent health information for passengers, and cell phone or two-way radio;
5. Licensing of vehicles and drivers;
6. Maintenance of the vehicles;
7. Safe use of air bags;
8. Maximum travel time for children (no more than forty-five minutes in one trip);
9. Procedures to ensure that no child is left in the vehicle at the end of the trip or left unsupervised outside or inside the vehicle during loading and unloading the vehicle;
10. Use of passenger vans.

RATIONALE

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children between one and fourteen years of age in the United States (1). It is necessary for the safety of children to require that the caregiver comply with minimum requirements governing the transportation of children in care, in the absence of the parent/guardian. Children have died because they have fallen asleep and left in vehicles. Others have died or been injured when left outside the vehicle when thought to have been loaded into the vehicle. The process of loading and unloading children from a vehicle can distract caregivers/teachers from adequate supervision of children either inside or outside the vehicle. Policies and procedures should account for the management of these risks.

TYPE OF FACILITY

Early Head Start, Head Start, Small Family Child Care Home

RELATED STANDARDS

1.1.1.4 Ratios and Supervision During Transportation
6.5.2.2 Child Passenger Safety
6.5.3.1 Passenger Vans
9.2.5.1 Transportation Policy for Centers and Large Family Homes

REFERENCES

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. 2008. Web-based injury statistics query and reporting system. http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/wisqars/.