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Child care emergencies: Do you know the plan at your child's preschool?

Recent weather events have caused widespread power outages forcing many preschools and child care centers to close. Whenever a preschool or child care center faces an emergency, it is essential that they are prepared to handle the situation, and that parents are aware of the emergency plan.

A 2015 Mott Poll found that parents with children in preschool and child care centers may not be as informed as necessary about the plans in place for emergency situations. Among parents with children in preschool or child care:

  • 65% said the preschool or child care center had emergency contact and health information stored digitally
  • Only 37% said the emergency plans were accessible online
  • 39% said their center had a method of identifying children during an evacuation
  • Two-thirds of parents said their preschool or child care center had a plan for rapid communication of emergency evacuation plan to parents

Emergencies can happen at any time. If an evacuation from preschool or child care becomes necessary, it is crucial that parents are aware of the plan and are able to pick up their children quickly and safely.

Parent report of emergency plans for their child's preschool or child care center

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If you’re unaware of the emergency plans at your child’s preschool or child care center, check with your child’s teacher or the center director to make sure you’re on the same page.