Plan to Correct

At Holy Cross learning Center, we are always upset when children are bitten in our center. While biting is not the right thing to do we know that toddlers bite for several reasons. At Holy Cross we will not focus on punishment for the biting but rather on effective techniques that address the issue. When a child bites there should be 4 main responses: 1. First care for and help the child who has been bitten. 2. Document the incident on an accident report carefully putting down all pertinent details. As well as the report talk to the parent personally about what took place. Do not label or name the child who bit. Reassure them by telling how you handled the situation and involve the parents in planning how to prevent and handle future incidents. If a mark is left take a picture of the injury. 3. Help the child who bit by taking the time to carefully observe the biter in your classroom setting. Watch to see when the biting happens, what and who are involved, what happened before and after. Is there a pattern to the situation and the times, places, and other children? Adapt your classroom environment, schedule, or guidance methods to teach gentle and positive ways not to bite. 4. Supervision is key to maintaining safety in a classroom. Always be in a position to have eyes on all the children in your care and try to be in a position to get to a child quickly. If you can not get to a child because for instance you are changing a child at the changing table, bring the biter with you along with a toy or book that way they are within your reach and separate from the other children while you are occupied. 5. Training will be offered if needed to help the teacher better handle the situation. Resources such as books and other documentation on biting will be made available to the teacher. 6. Your ultimate responsibility is to be aware the ongoing behaviors and activity of the children in your care and to be near enough to intervene if needed.

Regulation Description

340:110-3-287(a) - Supervision. Supervision is the function of observing, overseeing, and guiding a child or group of children, including an awareness of, and responsibility for, the ongoing activity of each child, and being near enough to intervene when needed. The program is required to maintain supervision at all times.

Plan to Correct

I intend in the future to pay closer attention to the incident reports and track the number of incidents regarding an injury whether it is biting or any other. I have changed the policy on biting to require all teachers of infants and toddlers to take a class on biting to be more proactive in the future and to lessen the chances of it happening. Future staff meetings will include resources, training , and input from other experienced teachers to refresh and help the teachers in this age group to better cope with the problem of biting. We will also provide refresher training on supervision responsibilities. Supervision is taken very serious in our learning center and will remain top priority from here on out.

Regulation Description

340:110-3-284(c)(2)(C) - demonstrate prudent and responsible behavior reasonably ensuring children's health and safety;