eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.govhttp://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/health/safety-injury-prevention/safe-healthy-environments/ActiveSupervisio.htm

Active Supervision

All Head Start educators are responsible for making sure that no child is left unsupervised. Active supervision is astrategy that works. It can be used in classrooms, family child care, playgrounds, and buses. It can also be sharedwith families as a tool to use at home. This fact sheet explains what active supervision is and how to use it in yourprogram.

Introduction What is Active Supervision? Strategies to Put Active Supervision in Place What Does Active Supervision Look Like? Self-Reflection Tool Questions to Help You Assess Active Supervision Practices Resources

See PDF Version: Active Supervision: A Referenced Fact Sheet from The Head Start National Center on Health [PDF,140KB]

Introduction

Keeping children safe is a top priority for all Head Start and Early Head Start programs. The Head Start ProgramPerformance Standards require that "no child shall be left alone or unsupervised while under their care" (45 CFR1304.52[i][1][iii]). But what is active supervision and how will it benefit children and staff? Active supervision is themost effective strategy for creating a safe environment and preventing injuries in young children. Educators from allover the world use this strategy to make sure that children of all ages explore their environments safely. Each programcan keep children safe by teaching all educators how to look, listen, and engage.

What is Active Supervision?

Active supervision requires focused attention and intentional observation of children at all times. Educators (all HeadStart staff who care for children) position themselves so that they can observe all of the children: watching, counting,and listening at all times. They also use their knowledge of each child's development and abilities to anticipate whathe/she will do, then get involved and redirect them when necessary. This constant vigilance helps children learn safely.

Strategies to Put Active Supervision in Place

The following strategies allow children to explore their environments safely. Infants, toddlers, and preschoolers mustbe directly supervised at all times. This includes daily routines such as sleeping, eating, and changing diapers or usingthe bathroom. Programs that use active supervision take advantage of all available learning opportunities and neverleave children unattended.

Set Up the Environment

Educators set up the environment so that they can supervise children at all times. When activities are groupedtogether and furniture is at waist height or shorter, adults are always able to see and hear children. Small spaces arekept clutter free and big spaces are set up so that children have clear play spaces that educators can observe.

Position Staff

Educators carefully plan where they will position themselves in the environment to prevent children from harm. Theyplace themselves so that they can see and hear all of the children in their care. They make sure there are alwaysclear paths to where children are playing, sleeping, and eating so they can react quickly when necessary. Educatorsstay close to children who may need additional support. Their location helps them provide support, if necessary.

Scan and Count

Educators are always able to account for the children in their care. They continually scan the entire environment toknow where everyone is and what they are doing. They count the children frequently. This is especially importantduring transitions, when children are moving from one location to another.

Listen

Specific sounds or the absence of them may signify reason for concern. Educators who are listening closely tochildren immediately identify signs of potential danger. Programs that think systemically implement additionalstrategies to safeguard children. For example, bells added to doors help alert educators when a child leaves or entersthe room.

Anticipate Children's Behavior

Educators use what they know about each child's individual interests and skills to predict what he/she will do. Theycreate challenges that children are ready for and support them in succeeding. But they also recognize when childrenmight wander, get upset, or take a dangerous risk. Information from the daily health check (e.g., illness, allergies, lackof sleep or food, etc.) informs educators' observations and helps them anticipate children's behavior. Educators whoknow what to expect are better able to protect children from harm.

Engage and Redirect

Educators use active supervision skills to know when to offer children support. Educators wait until children are unableto solve problems on their own to get involved. They may offer different levels of assistance or redirection dependingon each individual child's needs.

What Does Active Supervision Look Like?

To understand what active supervision might look like in your program, consider the following example. As you readthe vignette, identify the specific strategies used in the bolded text.

Maria and Yasmin have taken their class of 3-year-olds out to the playground for outdoor playtime. The 15-foot squareplayground has a plastic climber, a water/sand table, and a swing set. Maria and Yasmin stand at opposite corners ofthe playground to be able to move quickly to a child who might need assistance.1 The children scatter through theplayground to various areas. Some prefer the climber, while others like the swings. Many of the children play with thesand table because it is new. Maria and Yasmin have agreed on a supervision plan for the children they will observe2

and are always counting the children in the areas closest to them, occasionally raising their fingers to show each otherhow many children are close to them.3

This helps them keep track of where the children are, and to make sure no one is missing. If one child moves to adifferent area of the playground, they signal each other so that they are both aware of the child's change in location.4

Maria has noticed that Felicity loves to play in the sand table. She hears children scolding each other 5 and notices thatFelicity throws the toys without looking. As Maria sees Felicity and Ahmed playing at the sand table, Maria standsbehind Felicity and suggests she put the toy back in the basket when she is done with it.6 By remaining close, she isalso able to redirect Ahmed who has never seen a sand table before and throws sand at his classmates.7 Kellan hasbeen experimenting with some of the climbing equipment and is trying to jump off the third step onto the ground. While

he is able to do this, some of the other children whose motor skills are not as advanced also try to do this. To help thembuild these skills, Yasmin stands close to the steps on the climbing structure.8 She offers a hand or suggests a lowerstep to those who are not developmentally ready.9

Maria and Yasmin signal to each other 5 minutes before playtime is over, then tell the children they have 5 minutes leftto play. When the children have 1 minute left, Maria begins to hand out colors that match color squares they havepainted on the ground.10 She asks Beto, a child who has trouble coming inside from play time, to help her. 11 When thechildren are handed a colored circle, they move to stand on the colored spot on the playground. As the children moveto the line, Maria guides them to the right spot.12 When all the children are in line, both Maria and Yasmin count themagain. They scan the playground to make sure everyone is in place, then move the children back into the classroom.13

They also listen to be sure that they do not hear any of the children still on the playground.14 Yasmin heads the lineand Maria takes the back end, holding Beto's hand.15 When they return to the classroom, there are spots on the floorwith the same colors that were on the playground. The children move to stand on their matching color in theclassroom.16 Maria and Yasmin take a final count, then collect the circles, and begin the next activity.17

Both Yasmin and Maria are actively engaged with the children and each other, supporting the children's learning andgrowth while ensuring their safety. They use systems and strategies to make sure they know where the children are atall times, and to support children in developmentally appropriate risk-taking and learning.

1Position staff [back] 2Set up the environment [back] 3Scan and count [back] 4Scan and count [back] 5Listen [back] 6Anticipate [back] 7Engage and redirect [back] 8Anticipate [back] 9Engage and redirect [back] 10Set up the environment [back] 11Engage and redirect [back] 12Engage and redirect [back] 13Scan and count [back] 14Listen [back] 15Engage and redirect [back] 16Set up the environment [back] 17Scan and count [back]

Self-Reflection Tool Questions to Help You Assess Active Supervision Practices

Note: Please print the PDF for user-friendly versions of the worksheets below.

How do we teach active supervision strategies and support educators to apply these skills in everydaypractice?

How do we arrange the space to create a safe environment in classrooms, playgrounds, and family child careso that it is easy for educators to observe children?

How do we make sure that educators position themselves to be able to see the children at all times and quicklyget to those who need assistance?

How do we ensure that educators continually scan and count children during both indoor and outdoor play?

How do educators assess individual children's skills and abilities, adapt activities to avoid potential injuries, anduse their observational skills to anticipate when a child may need closer supervision?

How do educators engage and redirect children who need additional support?

To understand how this approach will work for you, consider the following tool.

Active Supervision Implementation Plan

Key Strategy Current Practice Action Steps

Set up the environment

Position staff

Scan and count

Listen

Anticipate children's behavior

Engage and redirect

Resources

Relevant Head Start Program Performance Standards 45 CFR 1304.52(i)(1)(iii) 45 CFR 1304.53(a)(9) 45 CFR 1306.32(a) 45 CFR 1306.35(a)(3)

Cryer, D., Harms, T., & Riley, C. (2008). All about the ECERS-R. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education. (2011). Caring for our children.HHS/HRSA/MCHB. Retrieved from: http://nrckids.org/CFOC3/

Northern Health. (2011). Supervision of Children. Retrieved from:http://www.northernhealth.ca/Portals/0/Your_Health/Programs/Community Care Licensing/Supervision of Children 10-410-6024.pdf

Sonja Tansey; for National Childcare Accreditation Council (Australia). (2010). Effective Supervision. Retrieved from:http://ncac.acecqa.gov.au/educator-resources/factsheets/oshcqa_factsheet2.pdf

Tanah Merah Child Care Centre (Australia). (2011). Supervision Policy. Retrieved from:http://www.tanahmerahchildcare.com.au/uploads/supervision_policy.pdf

Active Supervision. HHS/ACF/OHS/NCH. 2013. English. [PDF, 93KB].

Required Viewers:

Last Reviewed: February 2015

Last Updated: August 31, 2015

1

ACTIVE SUPERVISION TOOLKITTogether, everyone can contribute to children’s safety in every Head Start and Early Head Start program. Each person has a responsibility to keep children safe. The Head Start National Centers offer many resources to help programs enhance child supervision. Program leaders and staff can use this toolkit to strengthen their program policies and practices.

The toolkit includes three sections. Each section offers ways to improve child supervision:

1) What is Active Supervision? Provides a broad overview of and resources for active supervision

2) How Do Programs Support Active Supervision?

a) In Early Head Start and Head Start Programs Describes resources specific to the six strategies in each setting

b) Agency-wide Identifies governance, leadership, and management resources to support improved child supervision practices

3) Active Supervision Quick Reference Guide Shows how the resources support active supervision and connects resources to agency-wide efforts to support child supervision

What is Active Supervision?Active Supervision: A Referenced Fact Sheet from The Head Start National Center on Health describes six strategies to help staff intentionally observe children in their care. Like the recommendations in Caring for Our Children: National Health and Safety Performance Standards, Guidelines for Early Care and Education, 3rd Edition (CFOC3), the six strategies of active supervision offer simple ways that staff can build nurturing relationships with children while creating a safe environment for learning. CFOC3 Standard 2.2.0.1 Methods of Supervision of Children states that

Active and positive supervision involves:

a. Knowing each child’s abilities;

b. Establishing clear and simple safety rules;

c. Being aware of and scanning for potential safety hazards;

d. Standing in a strategic position;

e. Scanning play activities and circulating around the area;

f. Focusing on the positive rather than the negative to teach a child what is safe for the child and other children;

g. Teaching children the appropriate and safe use of each piece of equipment (e.g., using a slide correctly —feet first only—and teaching why climbing up a slide can cause injury, possibly a head injury).

2

Active Supervision offers practical strategies that build on CFOC3’s description of effective child supervision. The six strategies are essential for creating safe environments for all children birth to age five. To the extent possible, staff position themselves close to children, especially in infant settings. Repetitive systems for scanning, counting, and listening, once young children become mobile, help staff engage in responsive caregiving and support children’s learning, while keeping track of where children are. Finally, staff’s nurturing relationships with children help staff anticipate when to engage and redirect children in their care.

The webinar Active Supervision offers a basic introduction to each of the strategies. Managers can include it as part of orientation activities for new or inexperienced staff or as a refresher for staff who want to practice these skills.

How Do Programs Support Active Supervision?Applying the active supervision strategies requires planning, leadership, ongoing monitoring, and staff professional development. Programs can use these resources to build an agency-wide approach to active supervision. The strategies are useful in all environments. This includes classrooms, family child care homes, playgrounds, socialization spaces, and buses. The strategies are particularly important to use when children arrive, leave, or transition between activities.

In Head Start and Early Head Start ProgramsChildren’s safety is everyone’s first priority! Program staff are responsible for supervising children at all times (45 CFR 1304.52[i][1][iii]). To keep children safe, staff pay close attention during transitions. This includes times when children are moving from one place to another or whenever there are changes in staffing patterns or children’s routines. In addition, staff recognize when children need additional support and help them solve problems as they arise.

Using active supervision and paying close attention to children’s activities and exploration help staff to support school readiness. There are many resources to help staff learn and use strategies that keep children safe and help them learn. Tips for Keeping Children Safe: A Developmental Guide describes the safety needs of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers who attend center-based programs. Managers can use the information to refresh staff understanding of active supervision strategies. The training activities included in the resources, A Day In The Life: A Child’s Perspective and A Day in the Life: An Adult’s Perspective, teaches participants the importance of ongoing supervision for young children.

Infant and Toddler Settings:Children in Early Head Start and Child Care programs are served in a variety of settings. Some children receive care in center-based programs; others in family child care homes, and others through home-based (home visiting) services. Children in group care settings may be placed with children of similar ages, while others may be placed in mixed age groupings. It is important that staff working in each of these settings use the active supervision strategies in the context of their individual program design.

One thing all programs serving infants and toddlers have in common is that children are cared for in small groups. Low teacher/child ratios and practices like the use of a primary caregiver system encourage responsive interactions between children and their caregivers. Responsive care fosters strong connections between teachers and children, which help staff build awareness of each child’s development. When staff connect more with the children they care for, they are more in tune to their needs and whereabouts. Early Head Start TA Paper No. 6: Individualizing for Infants and Toddlers Part I and II offers resources for managers and staff to practice responsive caregiving in their settings.

3

Nurturing, safe, engaging environments are central to the quality care that supports active supervision. News You Can Use: Environment as Curriculum for Infants and Toddlers and Early Head Start Tip Sheet No. 9: How Do Programs Plan and Implement Developmentally Appropriate Environments that Meet the Intent of the Head Start Program Performance Standards for Infants and Toddlers? are two resources that describe how to create and maintain safe, interesting, and welcoming learning environments for infants and toddlers. EHS TA Paper No. 14: Supporting Outdoor Play and Exploration for Infants and Toddlers outlines issues to consider when taking infants and toddlers outdoors. It focuses on planning and creating outdoor play spaces and learning opportunities as well as program policies and procedures. Planned transitions are another important part of effective child supervision. The resource News You Can Use: Transitions offers ways to support children through the many transitions in Early Head Start.

Ultimately, carefully planned environments; staffing that supports nurturing and engaged caregiving; and well-planned, responsive care routines support active supervision in infant and toddler environments.

Preschool Settings:Staff create safe environments by arranging the classroom or family child care area so that they can see and hear children at all times. A brief video from the Designing Environments 15-minute In-service Suite offers tips for setting up a preschool classroom to support children’s learning and staff supervision.

Staff can best supervise children by positioning themselves strategically so they can easily see and reach each child. Three planning tools help staff think intentionally about positioning: a Staff Zoning Chart, a Classroom Zoning Map, and a Transition Planning Chart. The Zoning to Maximize Learning Suite shows staff how to use zoning to encourage children’s learning and keep children safe. Staff can post Zoning Tips for Teachers in a visible spot to remind themselves to continually scan the environment. It also may remind them to use other effective zoning practices.

Two critical active supervision skills for staff are anticipating children’s behaviors and knowing when to engage and redirect children. The Being Aware of Children’s Needs Suite offers techniques for focusing on children’s needs. The Anticipating Problem Situations Tool offers scenarios to help staff anticipate problems. Supervisors can use this Problem-Solving Observation Form to help teaching staff think about ways to anticipate children’s behavior. The presentation from the Redirecting Behavior Suite helps staff use strategies to address problems before they occur. For example, staff can observe children’s activities to know when to offer support and redirection.

Communicating about children’s needs and schedule changes helps staff work together to keep children safe and the classroom running smoothly. The Teacher-to-Teacher Talk Tip Sheet reminds teachers of the importance of communicating well for effective teamwork.

4

Agency-wide Program leaders set the stage for developing a culture of safety. When everyone understands effective practices and their responsibility for child safety, the result is lower rates of injury and fewer incidents.

Effective governing bodies (Policy Council and governing body) work with the Head Start director and management team to ensure the safety of all children. The Governance, Leadership, and Oversight Capacity Screener helps programs identify areas for quality improvement. It defines the governing body’s important program oversight responsibilities. Some of the key responsibilities include:

• Ensuring representation by individuals with expertise in early childhood education and development.

• Providing oversight of program design and operation.

• Planning program goals and objectives.

• Reviewing program information summaries and strategic plans.

Through each of these responsibilities, the governing body is aware of and supports the program in improving child supervision.

Managers ensure that staff meet all child safety and supervision regulations. Within the resource What Head Start Leaders Need to Know: Laws and Regulations, there is a link to Compliance with Care: A Crosswalk Between the Head Start Program Performance Standards and Caring for Our Children, 3rd Edition. This tool enables readers to align Head Start health and safety requirements with evidence-based recommendations from Caring for Our Children: National Health and Safety Performance Standards, 3rd Edition (CFOC3).

Leaders can use Foundation II: Leadership, Systems, and Service to build and sustain a culture of safety that includes active supervision. This session in the Learning for New Leaders: Head Start A to Z series helps Head Start directors and other leaders examine their leadership style, reflect on organizational change, and link systems and services to improve programming for children and families.

Head Start leaders use the Head Start Management Systems to create an organizational culture that prioritizes safety.

5

Figure 1: Head Start Management Systems ConstellationCreated by: National Center on Program Management and Fiscal Operations

What Head Start Leaders Need to Know: Management Systems is a comprehensive look at the 10 Head Start Management Systems. It includes regulations and resources regarding each of the systems that support active supervision, including:

• Facilities, materials and equipment (including on playgrounds)

• Communication

• Planning

• Recordkeeping and reporting

• Ongoing monitoring

• Human resources

Planning is critical in creating a culture of safety in programs. Foundations in Excellence: Planning in Head Start is a series of papers to help programs set goals, objectives, and outcomes and use data to measure their progress.

Participation in the Management Process is another resource that emphasizes the role of each staff member in supporting high quality programs for children and families.

Active Supervision Q

uick Reference G

uide

Resource Title

Set up the Environment

Position Staff

Scan and Count

Listen

Anticipate Children’s Behavior

Engage and Redirect

Leadership

Systems

Program Governance

A D

ay in the Life: An Adult’s Perspective

http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/health/safety-injury-prevention/

safe-healthy-environments/health_lea_11016_022706.htm

lX

X

A D

ay In The Life: A Child’s Perspective

http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/health/safety-injury-prevention/

safe-healthy-environments/health_lea_11017_022706.htm

l X

X

Active Supervisionhttp://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system

/health/safety-injury-prevention/safe-healthy-environm

ents/ActiveSupervisio.htmX

XX

XX

X

Anticipating Problem

Situations Toolhttp://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system

/teaching/docs/problemsolving-la-

anticipate.pdf X

XX

Being Aware of Children’s N

eeds Suitehttp://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system

/teaching/practice/engage/iss/childrens-needs.htm

l X

XX

Classroom Zoning M

aphttp://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system

/teaching/docs/zoning-areas.pdfX

X

Compliance w

ith Care: A Crossw

alk Between the H

ead Start Program

Performance Standards and Caring for O

ur Children, 3rd Edition

https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/health/school-readiness/goals/

crosswalk.htm

l

XX

Designing Environm

ents Suitehttp://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system

/teaching/practice/engage/iss/design.htm

l X

XX

X

Early Head Start Tip Sheet N

o. 9: How

Do Program

s Plan and Implem

ent D

evelopmentally A

ppropriate Environments that M

eet the Intent of the Head

Start Program Perform

ance Standards for Infants and Toddlers?https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system

/ehsnrc/cde/learning-environm

ents/How

DoProgram

sP.htm

XX

XX

Resource Title

Set up the Environment

Position Staff

Scan and Count

Listen

Anticipate Children’s Behavior

Engage and Redirect

Leadership

Systems

Program Governance

Early Head Start Technical A

ssistance Paper No. 14: Supporting O

utdoor Play and Exploration for Infants and Toddlershttps://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system

/ehsnrc/cde/learning-environm

ents/ehsta14.htm

XX

Head Start G

overning Body and Tribal Council Certificationhttps://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system

/operations/certificationX

Learning for New

Leaders: Head Start A

to Z: Foundation II – Leadership Systems

and Serviceshttp://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system

/operations/learning/learning.html

X

New

s You Can Use: Environm

ent as Curriculum for Infants and Toddlers

https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/ehsnrc/cde/learning-

environments/environm

ent_nycu.htm

XX

XX

X

New

s You Can Use: Transitions

http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/ehsnrc/cde/curriculum

/N

ewsYouCanU

se.htmX

XX

X

Participation in the Managem

ent Processhttps://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system

/operations/mang-sys/planning/

manage_pub_00514_052006.htm

l X

Problem-Solving O

bservation Formhttp://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system

/teaching/docs/problemsolving-

supervisortools.pdf X

XX

XX

Program G

overnancehttp://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system

/operations/mang-sys/program

-gov X

Redirecting Behavior Suitehttp://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system

/teaching/practice/engage/iss/redirecting.htm

lX

X

Staff Zoning Charthttp://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system

/teaching/docs/zoning-staff-chart.pdf

XX

Tips for Keeping Children Safe: A D

evelopmental G

uidehttps://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system

/health/safety-injury-prevention/safe-healthy-environm

ents/keep-children-safe.html

XX

XX

Resource Title

Set up the Environment

Position Staff

Scan and Count

Listen

Anticipate Children’s Behavior

Engage and Redirect

Leadership

Systems

Program Governance

Teacher-to-Teacher Talk: Tips for Teachershttp://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system

/teaching/docs/TeacherTalk_TeacherTips-U

pdate.pdf X

XX

XX

Transition Planning Charthttp://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system

/teaching/docs/classroom-

transitions-planning.pdf X

XX

XX

X

What H

ead Start Leaders Need to Know

: Laws and Regulations

https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/operations/navigating/law

s.html

X

What H

ead Start Leaders Need to Know

: Managem

ent Systems

https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/operations/

navigating/systems.htm

l X

Zoning Tips for Teachershttp://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system

/teaching/docs/ zoning-teacher-tips-rev.pdf

XX

XX

XX

Zoning to Maxim

ize Learning Suitehttps://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system

/teaching/practice/engage/iss/zone.htm

l X

XX

XX

XX

ACTIVE SUPERVISION AT-A-GLANCESIX STRATEGIES TO KEEP CHILDREN SAFE

The following strategies allow children to explore their environments safely. Infants, toddlers, and preschoolers must be directly supervised at all times. Programs that use active supervision take advantage of all available learning opportunities and never leave children unattended.

Set Up the EnvironmentStaff set up the environment so that they can supervise children at all times. When activities are grouped together and furniture is at waist height or shorter, adults are always able to see and hear children. Small spaces are kept clutter free and big spaces are set up so that children have clear play spaces that staff can observe.

Scan and CountStaff are always able to account for the children in their care. They continually scan the entire environment to know where everyone is and what they are doing. They count the children frequently. This is especially important during transitions, when children are moving from one location to another.

Anticipate Children’s BehaviorStaff use what they know about each child’s individual interests and skills to predict what he/she will do. They create challenges that children are ready for and support them in succeeding. But they also recognize when children might wander, get upset, or take a dangerous risk. Information from the daily health check (e.g., illness, allergies, lack of sleep or food, etc.) informs staff’s observations and helps them anticipate children’s behavior. Staff who know what to expect are better able to protect children from harm.

Position StaffStaff carefully plan where they will position themselves in the environment to prevent children from harm. They place themselves so that they can see and hear all of the children in their care. They make sure there are always clear paths to where children are playing, sleeping, and eating so they can react quickly when necessary. Staff stay close to children who may need additional support. Their location helps them provide support, if necessary.

ListenSpecific sounds or the absence of them may signify reason for concern. Staff who are listening closely to children immediately identify signs of potential danger. Programs that think systemically implement additional strategies to safeguard children. For example, bells added to doors help alert staff when a child leaves or enters the room.

Engage and RedirectStaff use active supervision skills to know when to offer children support. Staff wait until children are unable to solve problems on their own to get involved. They may offer different levels of assistance or redirection depending on each individual child’s needs.

http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/health/safety-injury-prevention/active-supervision.html

ACTIVE SUPERVISIONSIX STRATEGIES TO KEEP CHILDREN SAFE

Position StaffSet Up the Environment

Scan and Count Listen

Anticipate Children’s Behavior Engage and Redirect

Everyone has a responsibility to keep children safe! To learn more about Active Supervision visit the OHS website

http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/health/safety-injury-prevention/active-supervision.html

This document was prepared under Grant #90HC0002 for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Head Start, by the National Center on Quality Teaching and Learning.

Winter 2015

Active Supervision Program Reflection Tool Site Name ________________________________________________ Date ____________________________

Please describe action steps to share this plan with site staff: Timeline:

___________________________________________________ ________________________________ Signature of person completing this plan Date