NJ Quality Standards for Afterschool: Safety and Environmental Health Self-Assessment Rubric

a. Staff are aware of youths' dietary restrictions, allergies, medications, and other individual health needs, and they keep this information confidential. Staff may carry a list of youth with food allergies during snack or mealtime as an added precaution.

Performance Level 4: Staff training includes education in the dietary restrictions, allergies, medications, and other individual health needs of program youth, and this information and training is updated on an ongoing basis. Training includes the importance of confidentiality. All staff members carry an updated list of youth with food allergies during snack and meal time.
Performance Level 3: Administrative staff are aware of the updated dietary restrictions, allergies, and medications, and other individual health needs of program youth. Frontline staff receive information about the individual health needs of program youth, but training is not always updated or comprehensive. Staff members do not carry an updated list of youth with food allergies during snack time.
Performance Level 2: Administrative staff are generally aware of the individual health needs of program youth. However, this information is not always updated and does not always translate effectively to frontline staff.
Performance Level 1: There is no policy or practice for collecting and maintaining information about the individual health needs of program youth.

a. Staff recognize potentially dangerous conditions as they appear and take immediate precautions to protect youth from any serious hazards they see in the indoor and outdoor environment.

Performance Level 4: Staff are trained to recognize common potentially dangerous conditions as they appear and how to take immediate precautions to protect youth. Youth are never exposed to serious hazards in the indoor and outdoor environment.
Performance Level 3: Staff are trained to recognize common potentially dangerous conditions as they appear and how to take immediate precautions to protect youth. However, this training is not always comprehensive in terms of content, and/or not all staff members are trained equally. Youth are rarely exposed to serious hazards in the indoor and outdoor environment.
Performance Level 2: There is no formal training for staff in recognizing common potentially dangerous conditions as they appear and how to take immediate precautions to protect youth. However, staff generally do address dangerous conditions as they appear. Youth are occasionally exposed to serious hazards in the indoor and outdoor environment that staff may have corrected if more alert.
Performance Level 1: Staff frequently miss potentially dangerous conditions that appear in the indoor and outdoor environment, neglecting to take immediate precautions to protect youth from serious hazards. Youth are frequently exposed to serious hazards in the indoor and outdoor environment due to this neglect.

a. The program conducts daily, periodic, and bi-annual inspections and uses an appropriate check-list for each. See the resources section for sample check-lists. (Note: NJ Licensing includes basic requirements in the areas of cleanliness and environmental hazards. In some cases, the NJ Afterschool Quality Standards sample check-lists go beyond licensing requirements.)

Performance Level 4: The program has comprehensive, written daily, periodic, and bi-annual check-lists to guide indoor and outdoor safety and environmental health checks. Program staff always conduct these checks on time and follow procedures for documenting the results of the checks in a written and organized manner.
Performance Level 3: The program has one or more written check-list to guide safety and environmental health checks. However, the check-lists are not comprehensive. Program staff generally conduct these checks on time and follow procedures for documenting the results in a written manner. However, documentation is not always organized in such a way that it can be easily tracked in the future.
Performance Level 2: The program has one or more written check-list to guide safety and environmental health checks. However, the check-lists are not comprehensive. Additionally, staff members do not always conduct checks on time or document the results in a written manner.
Performance Level 1: The program does not have any written check-list to guide safety and environmental health checks.

b. The program addresses any problems with hazards or cleanliness quickly by either making immediate corrections or ensuring youth are not exposed to the hazard. If the hazard requires longer term remediation, the program follows up as necessary.

Performance Level 4: When problems with environmental health or safety hazards arise, staff fix the problem that day when possible. If immediate correction is not possible, staff develop a plan within the week for addressing the problem. Plans for remediation are realistic in terms of time and funds required, and the administration ensures the work progresses until the problem is resolved. Program youth are always protected from any ongoing environmental health or safety hazards through the use of physical barriers or other protections.
Performance Level 3: When problems with environmental health or safety hazards arise, staff fix the problem that day when possible. If immediate correction is not possible, staff develop a plan within two weeks for addressing the problem. However, plans for remediation are not always realistic in terms of time and funds required, and the administration does not always ensure that the work progresses until the problem is resolved. Program youth are always protected from any ongoing environmental health or safety hazards through the use of physical barriers or other protections.
Performance Level 2: When problems with environmental health or safety hazards arise, staff do not always correct the situation immediately even when such correction would be possible. There is no policy or procedure for developing a plan for longer-term remediation when immediate correction is not possible. Program youth are generally protected from environmental health or safety hazards through the use of physical barriers or other protections, but this is not always the case.
Performance Level 1: Environmental health or safety hazards periodically arise in the program, and youth often are not protected from them.

a. The program conducts annual state and federal background checks (or confirms that background checks already have been conducted) on enrichment providers, presenters, and volunteers who will be alone with youth at any time, in addition to regular staff. A staff person is present at all times when non-staff without background checks are with youth. Non-staff sign in and out when visiting the program. The program makes families aware of these policies.

Performance Level 4: There is never a staff-person, enrichment provider, presenter, or volunteer alone with youth who has not gone through a background check, interview, and reference check process. Even when a staff person or visitor has been through this process, efforts are made to avoid one-on-ine situations with youth in which the pair is not visible to others. Individuals who are not regular staff members and who visit the program always sign in and out. Families, youth, current staff, prospective staff, and visitors are all made aware of these policies, and clarity and effective communication are prioritized during this process.
Performance Level 3: There is never a staff-person, enrichment provider, presenter, or volunteer alone with youth who has not gone through a background check. However, there is not a policy of conducting interviews and reference checks with all of these individuals. Individuals who are not regular staff members almost always sign in and out, but occasionally this does not occur. The program takes steps to communicate these policies to families, but despite this, families are not always clearly aware of the policies.
Performance Level 2: The program requires background checks for regular staff members but not for enrichment providers, presenters, or other volunteers who may be alone with youth. There is no policy requiring that individuals who are not regular staff members sign in and out when visiting the program, or else there is a formal such policy but it is not generally followed. There is no policy or procedure for communicating screening policies to families.
Performance Level 1: The program does not meet the basic NJ Licensing requirements for background checks. There is no policy requiring that individuals who are not regular staff members sign in and out when visiting the program.

b. All of the doors to the program's spaces are locked to the outdoors and monitored from inside.

Performance Level 4: Doors are always locked to the outdoors and monitored at all times from inside.
Performance Level 3: Doors are almost always locked to the outdoors and monitored from inside, but there are periodic errors that leave doors unlocked or unmonitored.
Performance Level 2: There is a policy that doors should be locked to the outside, and they sometimes are, but there are errors that frequently leave them unlocked. There is no policy to monitor doors from the inside.
Performance Level 1: Doors are rarely locked to the outside or monitored from the inside.

c. The program's outdoor space is secured to protect youth from various hazards, including cars, strangers, and animals.

Performance Level 4: The program’s outdoor space is fully secured to protect youth. Youth are never at risk of exposure to hazards from outside the program space, such as cars, strangers, and animals.
Performance Level 3: The program’s outdoor space is generally secured to protect youth. However, there are sometimes gaps in the measures used, and youth are occasionally at risk of exposure to hazards from outside the program space, such as cars, strangers, and animals.
Performance Level 2: There are attempts to secure the program’s outdoor space to protect youth, but these measures are not generally effective. Youth are often at risk of exposure to hazards from outside the program space, such as cars, strangers, and animals.
Performance Level 1: There are no attempts to secure the program’s outdoor space to protect youth from various hazards, including cars, strangers, and animals.

d. There are policies or procedures in place to ensure youth move safely from one space to another.

Performance Level 4: There are policies in place to ensure youth move safely from one space to another. Staff always follow these policies, and they are effective. Movement from one space to another within the program is always safe.
Performance Level 3: There are policies in place to ensure youth move safely from one space to another. Staff generally follow these policies, the policies are generally effective, and movement from one space to another within the program is generally safe. However, there are lapses.
Performance Level 2: There are procedures to help move youth safety from one space to another within the program. However, these procedures are not formalized and are often not followed. Alternatively, these procedures may be formalized and followed but not fully effective at maintaining safe movement between program spaces. Youth are often at risk while moving between program spaces.
Performance Level 1: There are no policies or procedures to help move youth safety from one space to another within the program. Youth are often at risk while moving between program spaces, and there are periodic incidents in which youth are hurt during such movement.

e. Parents or guardians periodically update signed forms allowing non-parents/guardians to pick up youth.

Performance Level 4: Parents or guardians are prompted every three months to update signed forms allowing non-parents/guardians to pick up youth. Staff follow up adequately in order to ensure that all appropriate updates are processed.
Performance Level 3: Parents or guardians are prompted annually to update signed forms allowing non-parents/guardians to pick up youth. However, staff follow-up is not generally adequate to ensure that all appropriate updates are processed.
Performance Level 2: Parents or guardians are prompted to sign forms allowing non-parents/guardians to pick up youth. However, this prompting does not generally re-occur after youth are initially registered for the program.
Performance Level 1: Parents or guardians are not required to sign forms allowing non-parents/guardians to pick up youth.

f. The program has a policy on release of youth to walk home. If programs allow youth to walk home, it is based on an assessment of the safety of the walking route for that particular location and time and the developmental level of the youth.

Performance Level 4: The program has a policy on release of youth to walk home. If programs allow youth to walk home, it is based on an assessment of the safety of the walking route for that particular location and time and the developmental level of the youth.
Performance Level 3: The program has a policy on release of youth to walk home. However, the policy is not based on an assessment of the safety of the walking route and the individual youth.
Performance Level 2: The program has a written policy on release of youth to walk home, but staff do not generally follow the policy.
Performance Level 1: There is no policy on the release of youth to walk home, and the program does not address this issue.

g. Staff periodically assess security at the program, identify potential problems, and address potential problems quickly.

Performance Level 4: Staff are trained in how and why to recognize and address common security problems as soon as they arise. The administration intentionally assesses security at the program at least monthly. Youth are never exposed to security risks at the program.
Performance Level 3: Staff are trained to address security problems as soon as they arise; however, this training is not comprehensive. The administration intentionally assesses security at the program at least twice annually. Youth are rarely exposed to security risks at the program
Performance Level 2: The administration assess security at the program annually and takes steps to rectify situations that pose major security risks. Staff are not adequately to address security problems as they arise, and youth are sometimes exposed to security risks at the program.
Performance Level 1: The administration does not assess security risk at the program, and youth are often exposed to security risks while there.

a. The program has a "go kit," which contains essential information and items to take quickly in case of an emergency evacuation. The kit should be portable and reachable in case of evacuation. See the resources section for "go kit" check-list and recommendations.

Performance Level 4: The administration assembles a “go kit” using careful consideration of needed items in case of an emergency evacuation, and they revisit and update the kit at least annually. The kit is portable and reachable enough that administration and staff can obtain the kit and carry it off program grounds within five minutes.
Performance Level 3: The administration assembles a “go kit” in case of an emergency evacuation. However, the kit is missing some items, and it is not updated annually. The kit is portable and reachable enough that administration and staff can obtain the kit and carry it off program grounds within 10 minutes.
Performance Level 2: The administration has a procedure for bringing key items off program grounds in the case of an emergency evacuation. However, these items have not been assembled into a “go kit,” and there are many key items not included in the current procedure. The procedure has not been updated in over two years. It takes over 15 minutes for staff to assemble and carry the items off program grounds using the current procedure.
Performance Level 1: There is no procedure for bringing key items off program grounds in the case of an emergency evacuation.

b. The program has emergency information on file about both youth and staff. This includes emergency contact information and information about necessary medications or extreme allergic reactions. Staff check that emergency information is updated at least two times a year. This file should be portable and reachable in case of evacuation. The program follows a policy to keep emergency information about staff and youth confidential.

Performance Level 4: The program has emergency information on file about both youth and staff. This includes emergency contact information and information about necessary medications or extreme allergic reactions. Staff check that emergency information is updated at least two times a year. This file should be portable and reachable in case of evacuation. The program follows a policy to keep emergency information about staff and youth confidential.
Performance Level 3: The program has emergency information on file about youth and staff, including emergency contact information and information about necessary medications or extreme allergic reactions. Staff check that emergency information is updated at least once per year. The file it not fully portable and reachable in case of evacuation. The program follows a policy to keep emergency information about staff and youth confidential.
Performance Level 2: The program has emergency information on file about youth. However, emergency information about staff is missing, and the youth emergency information includes contacts but not necessary medications or extreme allergic reactions. Youth emergency information is not updated on an annual basis. The administration intends to keep emergency information about staff confidential but does not have a formal policy covering this.
Performance Level 1: The program does not have any organized file of emergency information about youth.

c. The program has an "emergency preparedness plan," developed in consultation with the host agency, law enforcement, fire department, health professionals, and the county Office of Emergency Management. This includes a plan for emergencies that occurs during the arrival or departure portions of the program.

Performance Level 4: The program has an "emergency preparedness plan," developed in consultation with the host agency, law enforcement, fire department, health professionals, and the county Office of Emergency Management. This includes a plan for emergencies that occurs during the arrival or departure portions of the program.
Performance Level 3: The program has an “emergency preparedness plan.” It was developed in consultation with at least one but not all of the following parties: the host agency, law enforcement, fire department, health professionals, and the county Office of Emergency Management. The plan does not cover emergencies that occur during the arrival or departure portions of the program.
Performance Level 2: The program has started to develop an emergency preparedness plan, but it is not completed, and the administration has not consulted with any of the relevant parties or outside agencies.
Performance Level 1: There is no emergency preparedness plan.

d. Staff are trained in the emergency plan, and trainings are redone periodically. The emergency plan has designated lead people, and these leaders review the plan periodically.

Performance Level 4: Staff are trained in the emergency plan two times per year. There are at least three staff members who are designated as lead staff in case of an emergency, and these leaders received additional training. The emergency plan leaders review and update the plan two times per year.
Performance Level 3: Staff are trained in the emergency plan once per year. There are at least two staff members who are designated as lead staff in case of an emergency. The emergency leaders review and update the plan once year year.
Performance Level 2: Most but not all staff are trained in the emergency plan, but this training is rarely updated or redone. There is only one staff member who has taken on a leadership role in coordinating the emergency plan.
Performance Level 1: Staff are not trained in the emergency plan.

e. The program communicates the emergency plan to parents.

Performance Level 4: The program communicates the relevant components of the emergency plan to parents in a thorough, clear, and engaging manner at least once per year.
Performance Level 3: The program communicates the relevant components of the emergency plan to parents at least once per year. However, the method of communication is not thorough, clear, or engaging enough to ensure it is effective.
Performance Level 2: The program does not use any formalized methods for communicating the emergency plan to parents. Some parents know of the plan or key procedures due to informal methods of communication.
Performance Level 1: Parents are unaware of any program emergency plan or procedures.

f. Staff and youth practice the emergency plan and conduct emergency drills.

Performance Level 4: Staff and youth practice the emergency plan and conduct emergency drills at least once every two months. Drills cover all major types of emergencies that the program may encounter. Staff adjust the plan as needed based on any problems that appear in the emergency plan during drills.
Performance Level 3: Staff and youth practice the emergency plan and conduct emergency drills at least two times per year. Drills cover at least two major types of emergencies that the program may encounter.
Performance Level 2: Staff and youth practice the emergency plan and conduct emergency drills at least once per year. Drills cover at least one major type of emergency that the program may encounter.
Performance Level 1: Staff and youth do not practice an emergency plan or conduct emergency drills.

a. The program requires use of age-appropriate safety restraints.

Performance Level 4: Program youth and staff always use safety restraints when riding in vehicles during the program, and these safety restraints are always age-appropriate. There is a policy requiring this, and the policy is communicated effectively to program staff and youth.
Performance Level 3: Program youth and staff generally use safety restraints when riding in vehicles during the program, and these safety restraints are generally age appropriate. There is a policy requiring this, but the policy is not always communicated effectively to program staff and youth.
Performance Level 2: Program youth and staff sometimes use age appropriate safety restraints when riding in vehicles during the program. There is a policy requiring this, but it is not clearly communicated to staff and youth and not consistently followed.
Performance Level 1: There is no policy requiring the use of age-appropriate safety restraints for youth and staff riding in vehicles during the program. It is common for youth and staff riding in vehicles during the program to neglect to use age-appropriate safety restraints.

b. The program maintains documentation of vehicle inspection and drivers' driving records.

Performance Level 4: The program maintains documentation of vehicle inspection and drivers’ driving records. Vehicle inspection is updated when legally required and never lapses, and checks of drivers’ driving records are updated every year. These documents are readily accessible when necessary.
Performance Level 3: The program maintains documentation of vehicle inspection and drivers’ driving records, and these documents are readily accessible when necessary. However, driving records are only checked once, and/or vehicle inspection lapses occasionally for short periods of time.
Performance Level 2: The program maintains some documentation of vehicle inspection and drivers’ driving records. However, not all drivers' records are checked, vehicle inspection sometimes lapses for long periods of time, and/or documents are not readily accessible when necessary.
Performance Level 1: The program does not maintain documentation of vehicle inspection and/or drivers' driving records.

c. If the program uses buses to transport youth, the administration considers the number and ages of youth to decide whether to provide a bus monitor. This person's role would include tracking youth and monitoring behavior and safety. For any transportation arrangement with a driver who is not program staff, the program provides a bus monitor.

Performance Level 4: For any transportation arrangement with a driver who is not program staff, the program provides a bus monitor. But monitors are trained to track youth and monitor behavior and safety, and they perform these tasks effectively. In situations in which the driver is a program staff member, the program still providers a bus monitor when this is helpful due to the number and ages of youth.
Performance Level 3: For any transportation arrangement with a driver who is not program staff, the program provides a bus monitor. Bus monitors are trained to track youth and monitor behavior and safety, and they perform these tasks effectively. In situations in which the driver is a program staff member, the program does not provide a bus monitor, when this would be helpful due to the number and ages of youth.
Performance Level 2: For any transportation arrangement with a driver who is not program staff, the program provides a bus monitor. However, monitors are not trained effectively to track youth and monitor behavior and safety, and/or they do not perform these tasks effectively. In situations in which the driver is a program staff member, the program does not provide a bus monitor, when when this would be helpful due to the number and ages of youth.
Performance Level 1: The program does not provide bus monitors, even in situations when this would improve program safety. This includes situations in which youth are transported by a driver who is not program staff.

a. Staff and youth use appropriate safety gear during these activities, and there is proper instruction about how to use it.

Performance Level 4: Staff and youth always use appropriate safety gear during activities requiring an increased attention to safety, and they always use this gear in the proper manner. Instruction about how to use the safety gear is effective.
Performance Level 3: Staff and youth always use appropriate safety gear during activities requiring an increased attention to safety. However, instruction about its use it not always effective, and the gear is not always used in the proper manner.
Performance Level 2: Staff and youth generally use safety gear during activities requiring an increased attention to safety. However, this is not always the case, the safety gear used is not always the appropriate type, and/or the instruction in its use is often incomplete.
Performance Level 1: Staff and youth often participate in activities requiring an increased attention to safety without using safety gear.

b. If these activities involve the use of any special materials or equipment, staff and youth have proper instruction about their use.

Performance Level 4: If these activities involve the use of any special materials or equipment, staff and youth have proper instruction about their use. The instruction is clear and engaging and is effective at ensuring that staff and youth use the special materials or equipment properly.
Performance Level 3: If these activities involve the use of any special materials or equipment, staff and youth have proper instruction about their use. However, the instruction is not always clear, engaging, or effective, and staff and youth sometimes use the special materials or equipment improperly.
Performance Level 2: If these activities involve the use of any special materials or equipment, some staff and youth receive some instruction about their use. However, this instruction is not comprehensive in terms of content or in terms of reaching all relevant staff and youth.
Performance Level 1: If these activities involve the use of any special materials or equipment, staff and youth generally do not receive instruction about their use.

c. There is increased supervision during these activities.

Performance Level 4: There is always increased supervision during these activities, as measured by an increase in staff-to-youth ratio.
Performance Level 3: There is often increased supervision during these activities, as measured by an increase in staff-to-youth ratio.
Performance Level 2: There is occasionally increased supervision during these activities, as measured by an increase in staff-to-youth ratio.
Performance Level 1: There is rarely increased supervision during these activities, as measured by an increase in staff-to-youth ratio.

d. The program conducts a risk assessment of these activities to determine what precautions are necessary.

Performance Level 4: The administration conducts a written risk assessment of these activities before making the final decision to include the activity in the program. The risk assessment is based on recommendations from relevant experts and experienced colleagues. The administration uses this risk assessment to make the final decision about whether to include the activity, what policies to create around it, and the necessary budget.
Performance Level 3: The administration conducts a risk assessment of these activities in order to determine what policies to create around it and the necessary budget. However, this assessment is completed after the decision to include the activity in the program, it is not a written assessment, and/or it is not based on the recommendations of relevant experts.
Performance Level 2: The administration considers the risks associated with a potentially dangerous activity. However, it does not conduct any kind of organized assessment or base any decision-making on these considerations.
Performance Level 1: The administration does not consider the risks associated with potentially dangerous activities offered at the program.

a. The indoor temperature is within a safe and comfortable range.

Performance Level 4: The indoor temperature at the program is almost always within 66-76 degrees Fahrenheit.
Performance Level 3: The indoor temperature is generally within 66-76 degrees Fahrenheit. However, there are occasional periods of time in which it goes below or above this range for an hour or more.
Performance Level 2: The indoor temperature is often within 66-76 degrees Fahrenheit. However, There are frequent periods of time in which is goes below or above this range for two hours or more.
Performance Level 1: The indoor temperature is below 66 or above 76 degrees Fahrenheit for at least half of the time that the youth are in the program.

b. The indoor environment is well-ventilated.

Performance Level 4: The indoor environment is always well-ventilated.
Performance Level 3: The indoor environment is well-ventilated.
Performance Level 2: The indoor environment is poorly-ventilated.
Performance Level 1: The indoor environment has inadequate ventilation. This restricts program activities (such as painting or gluing).

c. When outdoors, youth have access to shade.

Performance Level 4: Youth always have access to shade when outdoors on a sunny day or hot day.
Performance Level 3: Youth often have access to shade when outdoors on a sunny or hot day. However, on a particularly hot or sunny day, there is not enough shade in the outdoor space to accommodate all youth seeking it.
Performance Level 2: Youth seeking shade in the outdoor program space on a sunny or hot day often have difficulty finding it.
Performance Level 1: When outdoors on a sunny or hot day during program hours, youth rarely have access to adequate shade.

d. Youth always have access to drinking water, including when outside.

Performance Level 4: Youth are never denied access to drinking water while at the program, regardless of the activity or location.
Performance Level 3: Youth are rarely denied access to drinking water while at the program. However, this does happen occasionally during unique activities or in special locations when the program has not planned adequately.
Performance Level 2: Youth are sometimes denied access to drinking water while at the program. This often happens during unique activities or in special locations when the program has not planned adequately, and/or it occasionally happens during regular program activities.
Performance Level 1: Youth are frequently denied access to drinking water while at the program.

e. Youth always have access to restrooms, including when outside.

Performance Level 4: Youth are never denied access to restrooms while at the program, regardless of the activity or location.
Performance Level 3: Youth are rarely denied access to restrooms while at the program. However, this does happen occasionally during unique activities or in special locations when the program has not planned adequately.
Performance Level 2: Youth are sometimes denied access to restrooms while at the program. This often happens during unique activities or in special locations when the program has not planned adequately, and/or it occasionally happens during regular program activities.
Performance Level 1: Youth are frequently denied access to restrooms while at the program.

f. There is a supply of extra coats, gloves, and boots for winter, to the extent possible.

Performance Level 4: There is a supply of extra coats, gloves, and boots for winter, to the extent possible. Extra coats, gloves and boots are clean, in good condition, in gender-neutral colors, and in appropriate sizes for program youth.
Performance Level 3: There is a supply of extra coats, gloves, and boots for winter, to the extent possible. Extra coats, gloves and boots are generally clean and in good condition.
Performance Level 2: There is a supply of extra coats, gloves, and boots for winter, to the extent possible. Extra coats, gloves and boots may not be clean, in good condition, in gender-neutral colors, and in appropriate sizes for program youth.
Performance Level 1: There is not a supply of extra coats, gloves, and boots for winter.

Self-Assessment Rubric: Safety and Environmental Health

a. Staff are aware of youths' dietary restrictions, allergies, medications, and other individual health needs, and they keep this information confidential. Staff may carry a list of youth with food allergies during snack or mealtime as an added precaution.

a. Staff recognize potentially dangerous conditions as they appear and take immediate precautions to protect youth from any serious hazards they see in the indoor and outdoor environment.

b. The program addresses any problems with hazards or cleanliness quickly by either making immediate corrections or ensuring youth are not exposed to the hazard. If the hazard requires longer term remediation, the program follows up as necessary.

b. All of the doors to the program's spaces are locked to the outdoors and monitored from inside.

c. The program's outdoor space is secured to protect youth from various hazards, including cars, strangers, and animals.

d. There are policies or procedures in place to ensure youth move safely from one space to another.

e. Parents or guardians periodically update signed forms allowing non-parents/guardians to pick up youth.

f. The program has a policy on release of youth to walk home. If programs allow youth to walk home, it is based on an assessment of the safety of the walking route for that particular location and time and the developmental level of the youth.

g. Staff periodically assess security at the program, identify potential problems, and address potential problems quickly.

a. The program has a "go kit," which contains essential information and items to take quickly in case of an emergency evacuation. The kit should be portable and reachable in case of evacuation. See the resources section for "go kit" check-list and recommendations.

d. Staff are trained in the emergency plan, and trainings are redone periodically. The emergency plan has designated lead people, and these leaders review the plan periodically.

e. The program communicates the emergency plan to parents.

f. Staff and youth practice the emergency plan and conduct emergency drills.

a. The program requires use of age-appropriate safety restraints.

b. The program maintains documentation of vehicle inspection and drivers' driving records.

a. Staff and youth use appropriate safety gear during these activities, and there is proper instruction about how to use it.

b. If these activities involve the use of any special materials or equipment, staff and youth have proper instruction about their use.

c. There is increased supervision during these activities.

d. The program conducts a risk assessment of these activities to determine what precautions are necessary.

a. The indoor temperature is within a safe and comfortable range.

b. The indoor environment is well-ventilated.

c. When outdoors, youth have access to shade.

d. Youth always have access to drinking water, including when outside.

e. Youth always have access to restrooms, including when outside.

f. There is a supply of extra coats, gloves, and boots for winter, to the extent possible.