Active Supervision

Introduction

Keeping children safe must be our top priority at all times. Licensing requires that we ensure no child is left alone or unsupervised by staff, consultants, contractors, or volunteers while under our care. To ensure this, we utilize active supervision. But what is active supervision and how will it benefit our students and staff?

Active Supervision is the most effective strategy for creating a safe environment and preventing injuries in young children. It transforms supervision from a passive approach to an active skill. Staff use this strategy to make sure that children of all ages explore their environments safely. WPCC can keep children safe by teaching all staff how to look, listen, and engage.

What is Active Supervision?

Active supervision requires focused attention and intentional observation of children at all times. Staff position themselves so that they can observe all of the children: watching, counting, and listening at all times. During transitions, staff account for all children with a name to face recognition by visually identifying each child. They also use their knowledge of each child’s development and abilities to anticipate what they 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 must be directly supervised at all times. This includes daily routines such as sleeping, eating, and diapering or bathroom use.

Set Up the Environment - Staff set up the environment so that they can supervise children and be accessible 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.
Position Staff - Staff 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.
Scan and Count - Staff are always able to account for the children in their care. They continuously 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.
Listen - Specific 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.
Anticipate Children’s Behavior - Staff 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.
Engage and Redirect - Staff use what they know about each child’s individual needs and development to offer support. Staff wait until children are unable to problem-solve on their own to get involved. They may offer different levels of assistance or redirection depending on each individual child’s needs.

Please take a few minutes to watch each of the videos below that expand and provide real-world examples of active supervision.

*Please note that WPCC is not a Head Start program, but WPCC requires the same level of supervision for all students and the methodology of active supervision is the same.

Active Supervision - Leave No Child Unattended

Managing the Classroom - Classroom Transitions

Staffing - Zoning to Maximize Learning

To understand what active supervision might look like at WPCC, use the information you just learned, to identify the specific active supervision strategies used in each example.

1. Maria and Yasmin stand at opposite corners of the playground to be able to move quickly to a child who might need assistance. *

2. Maria and Yasmin have agreed on a supervision plan for which children they will observe and are always counting the children in the areas closest to them, occasionally raising their fingers to show each other how many children are close to them. *

3. If one child moves to a different area of the playground, Maria and Yasmin 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. Maria notices that Felicity throws the toys without looking. Maria moves to stand behind Felicity and suggests she put the toy back in the basket when she is done with it. *

6. By being close by, Maria is also able to redirect Ahmed who has never seen a sand table before and throws sand at his classmates. *

7. Kellan has been experimenting with some of the climbing equipment and is trying to jump off of 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 them build these skills, Yasmin stands close to the steps on the climbing structure. *

8. Maria and Yasmin signal to each other 5 minutes before playtime is over, then tell the children they have 5 minutes left to play. Maria begins to hand out colored popsicle stick that match color squares they have painted on the ground. *

9. Maria asks Beto, a child who has trouble coming inside from play time, to help her hand out colored popsicle sticks to the other students. *

10. When all children are in line, both Maria and Yasmin count the children again. They scan the playground to make sure everyone is in place, then move the children back into the classroom. *

11. As they make their way inside, Maria & Yasmin also listen to be sure that they do not hear any of the children still on the playground. *

12. Yasmin heads the line and Maria takes the back end, holding Beto’s hand. *

13. When they return to the classroom, there are spots on the floor with the same colors that were on the playground. The children move to stand on their matching color in the classroom. *

14. Maria and Yasmin take a final count, then collect the circles and begin the next activity. *

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