By Roy S. Dickinson, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network
Oklahoma day care center / child care center have a duty to provide adequate and proper supervision of children enrolled in the day care program. Oklahoma law provides for regulations of day care centers pursuant to
the Oklahoma Department of Human Services – Requirements for Oklahoma Child Care Centers. Section 9.1 – Supervision of Children requires that each chid is assigned a staff person who is aware and familiar with the child’s needs, habits, interests, and special problems. Staff members must be present in the room or adjacent bathroom and able to see or hear the infants at all times. For school aged children, a staff member generally is required to be within sight or hearing of the children at all times. Staff ratios are set forth in the regulations and should be complied with to insure proper and adequate supervision of the children.
Unfortunately, Oklahoma children are injured on a daily basis due to improper, inadequate, and / or negligent supervision in day care centers / child care centers. It is clear that properly trained and diligent staffs can help avoid or reduce the number of child personal injuries that take place in the day care setting.