Health and Safety
What systems and daily practices do I need to put in place to ensure children are safe, healthy, and well supported as my child care business begins or grows?
he Health and Safety Section supports Orange County’s future, current, and expanding child care providers by bringing together essential guidance for creating safe, healthy, and developmentally appropriate environments for children. This section includes focused information for both Family Child Care Homes (FCCs) and Child Care Centers, offering practical tools to help providers meet health and safety expectations and maintain compliance as their services grow.
Family Child Care Homes and Child Care Centers each play a vital role in protecting children’s health and well-being. FCCs operate within home environments where daily routines, mixed-age supervision, and household systems require intentional safety planning. Center-based providers manage larger settings with multiple classrooms and staff, requiring coordinated health and safety systems and clear shared responsibilities. This section highlights the unique needs of each setting while reinforcing a shared commitment to children’s safety and care.Across both business types, providers will find clear guidance for establishing, maintaining, or strengthening health and safety practices. Topics include hazard-free indoor and outdoor environments, safe sleep practices, emergency preparedness and drills, sanitation and cleaning routines, medication and poison safety, communicable disease procedures, health and immunization requirements, and required postings. Additional guidance addresses active supervision, age-appropriate safety practices, public health reporting, pest management, and the safe use and storage of cleaning materials and chemicals, aligned with Caring for Our Children standards.
Whether opening a new child care business, maintaining an existing license, or expanding services to include infants, toddlers, or additional age groups, this section is designed to help providers build strong, consistent health and safety systems that protect children, support families, and strengthen trust across Orange County.
