Action 2: Actively Supervise

Children must never be left alone or unsupervised. Program leaders make sure that staff know how to use active supervision strategies with infants, toddlers, and preschool children.

Active supervision includes six strategies that staff can learn and practice. It transforms supervision from just seeing children to intentionally watching and interacting with them in a safe environment to prevent injuries and support growth, development, and learning.

When staff actively supervise, children are less likely to get hurt. In fact, active supervision is the most effective way to prevent injuries in young children.

Actively Supervise

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Action 2. Actively Supervise

Narrator: A child should never be left alone or unsupervised in an early childhood program. When staff actively supervise, children are less likely to be injured. In fact, active supervision is the most effective way to prevent injuries in young children.

Active supervision transforms supervision from just seeing children to intentionally watching and interacting with them in a safe environment to prevent injuries and support growth, development, and learning. The good news is, you can learn the strategies for active supervision to keep children safe. Active supervision includes six strategies.

Set up the environment. Set up the environment so you can supervise children and are always able to see, hear, and reach them if necessary.

Position staff. Plan where you and other staff position yourselves to see and hear all children to ensure you can react quickly when necessary and be close to children who may need additional support.

Scan and count. Scan the entire environment and count children frequently, especially during transitions when moving from one location to another.

Listen. Listen closely to children to identify signs of potential danger. Specific sounds, or the absence of them, may be reason for concern.

Anticipate children's behavior. Use what you know about each child's temperament, developmental abilities, interests, and skills to predict what the child may do next.

Engage and redirect. Offer support by using what you know about each child's individual needs and development. Offer different levels of assistance or redirection depending on each child's needs.

In a culture of safety, all adults understand that children must always be supervised. Every person in the program can learn these six strategies and put them into action.

Active supervision requires cooperation and communication. Staff share information about where they're positioning themselves and which group of children they're supervising. For example, if you can't supervise all the children in your area because you are applying first aid to an injured child, ask another staff member to reposition themselves to supervise your group; or, if you have children who struggle with transitions, make a plan with other staff members to help those children during the transition.

It's important to remember that your own wellness can affect your ability to actively supervise. If you are unwell, distracted by an event outside of work, or feeling stress, you may need to take steps to manage your attention so you can focus on supervision.

You can do a mindfulness breathing activity, take a short break while other staff supervise, or ask for help. In a culture of safety, staff should feel comfortable speaking up when they need help with active supervision. We can all use active supervision to prevent injuries and promote a culture of safety.

Implementation Tips

Use these six strategies in all early childhood settings, including classrooms, family child care homes, socializations, playgrounds, and buses:
- Set up the environment. Set up the environment so you can supervise children and are always able to see, hear, and reach them if necessary. When you group activities together and place furniture at waist height or lower, it is easier to see and hear children. Make sure small spaces are clutter free. Set up big spaces so that children have clear play areas that you can observe.
- Position staff. Plan where you and other staff position yourselves to see and hear all children to make sure you react quickly when children need help. Make sure there are always clear paths to where children are playing, sleeping, and eating. Stay close to children who may need help. Center directors or others may walk around the center to ensure all children are well supervised. When necessary, they also relieve teachers who need to leave the room for a short time.
- Scan and count. Staff are responsible for always being aware of where every child is and what they are doing. Scan the entire environment and count children frequently, especially when moving from one location to another.
- Listen. Listen to children to identify signs of potential danger. Specific sounds or the absence of them may be reason for concern. Consider placing bells or an alarm on doors to alert you when a child enters or leaves the room.
- Anticipate children’s behavior. Use what you know about each child’s temperament, developmental abilities, interests, and skills to predict what the child may do next. Pay attention to changes in a child’s mood or health that may change their behavior. Create challenges that children are ready for, and support them so they can succeed. Recognize when children may get upset or may take a dangerous risk. Use information from a daily health check (e.g., illness, allergies, lack of sleep or food) to anticipate children’s behavior. Planning for anticipated behavior can help you protect children from harm.
- Engage and redirect. Offer support by using what you know about each child’s individual needs and development. Offer different levels of assistance or redirection depending on each child’s needs. Wait to get involved until children are unable to solve problems on their own.
Encourage staff to talk to one another about their position and who they are supervising. Active supervision requires cooperation, collaboration, and communication. As supervision needs change throughout the day, staff should share information often.
Be sure everyone understands the importance of supervision during transitions. Managers and staff can identify transitions and plan strategies for supervision.
Promote staff wellness. The well-being of adults affects their ability to actively supervise. A program-wide culture of staff wellness will help staff feel more comfortable telling someone when they are feeling unwell or distracted by personal issues. Plan staff breaks, use coaches, and ask your program’s mental health consultant to support your team.