There has been a significant number of media reports that highlight concerns that need to be considered when designing a childcare facility.
The first is to do with how the building responds to fire and/or smoke spread. There have already been reports where parents have lost children in fires that have occurred because of the speed with which the fire spread.
The second is the issue of the design of enclosures for children who are out of their cots during sleeping hours. These enclosures must be designed so as to prevent a child from crawling through it and falling or climbing out and injuring themselves. There have been tragic accidents where children, whether because they were unsupervised or because the enclosure was not childproof, have climbed out of their enclosures and fallen to their deaths.
The third issue is that where children are in areas adjacent to busy areas like kitchens or dining/playrooms, it is important to ensure that there are good acoustics so as not to cause a disturbance. There should also be anti-glare and anti-reflective coatings on windows to ensure that children are not disturbed should other activities be taking place.
These considerations need to be considered by any childcare build facility owner or design professional, especially in light of the increased number of daycare facilities being built/constructed at the moment.
When building a childcare facility, there are three main considerations which are of paramount importance and need to be in implementation to ensure a safe design.
This first point will be more than just a consideration if and when the area is required to perform an evacuation of the facility. If the childcare facility is required to have a fire evacuation plan, then it will be necessary that everyone inside knows exactly what they need to do and where they need to go. This means that all doors must open easily from both sides. Second, all doors must remain unlocked during the hours of operation. The second consideration is for the enclosures where children are placed while they are out of their cots during nap time. Finally, regarding acoustics, if there are ever lessons or other activities taking place in the childcare facility, all rooms must be designed to keep noise contained within the room where it is originating.
In conclusion, these design considerations are important not only for the owners/operators of childcare build but also for parents who entrust their children to such facilities.