After-School Program Daily Operations Safety Check

After-school programs serve school-age children in a setting that must balance structured support with age-appropriate independence. This daily operations checklist ensures child safety, staff coverage, authorized pickup compliance, and program quality meet state childcare licensing requirements for school-age programs.

  • Industry: Childcare and Education
  • Frequency: Daily
  • Estimated Time: 15-20 minutes
  • Role: Program Director / Site Coordinator
  • Total Items: 30

Facility and Arrival Preparation

Prepare the facility before children arrive.

  • All activity areas inspected and safe before children arrive?
  • Adequate staff present to meet licensing ratios for school-age children?
  • Afternoon snack prepared and safe for all children including allergy accommodations?
  • Activity and homework materials prepared and accessible?
  • Daily attendance roster prepared with expected children listed?

Arrival and Check-In Procedures

Verify all children arrive and are signed in safely.

  • All expected children accounted for at program start?
  • Absences confirmed with school or parent?
  • All children signed in with arrival time recorded?
  • Brief health observation conducted at arrival for any obvious illness?
  • Any special notes from school or parents reviewed?

Homework and Enrichment Activities

Inspect homework and activity areas.

  • Homework area well-lit with adequate table space?
  • Staff present to supervise homework area at all times?
  • All craft, science, or enrichment materials safe for school-age children?
  • Computer and tablet use supervised with internet filtering?
  • Active play area or gym space safe and supervised?

Behavior Management

Monitor behavior and safety of school-age children.

  • Any significant behavioral incidents today?
  • Any bullying or conflict situations addressed?
  • Positive guidance and redirection strategies used consistently?
  • Parents notified of any behavioral incidents?
  • Program discipline policy followed with no corporal punishment?

Dismissal and Authorized Pickup

Verify all children depart with authorized individuals.

  • Authorized pickup list reviewed by staff at dismissal?
  • Photo ID verified for any picker not personally known to staff?
  • All children signed out with time and pickup person name?
  • Any late pickups documented and fees applied per policy?
  • Final headcount confirms all children departed?

Program Closeout

Complete program closeout procedures.

  • All program areas cleaned and materials stored?
  • Incident and accident reports completed and filed?
  • Attendance and sign-in/out records filed?
  • Remaining food properly stored or discarded?
  • Director briefed on any significant events?

Related Childcare Education Checklists

Related After School Programs Checklists

Why Use This After-School Program Daily Operations Safety Check?

This after-school program daily operations safety check helps childcare and education teams maintain compliance and operational excellence. Designed for program director / site coordinator professionals, this checklist covers 30 critical inspection points across 6 sections. Recommended frequency: daily.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the After-School Program Daily Operations Safety Check cover?

This checklist covers 30 inspection items across 6 sections: Facility and Arrival Preparation, Arrival and Check-In Procedures, Homework and Enrichment Activities, Behavior Management, Dismissal and Authorized Pickup, Program Closeout. It is designed for childcare and education operations and compliance.

How often should this checklist be completed?

This checklist should be completed daily. Each completion takes approximately 15-20 minutes.

Who should use this After-School Program Daily Operations Safety Check?

This checklist is designed for Program Director / Site Coordinator professionals in the childcare and education industry. It can be used for self-assessments, team audits, and regulatory compliance documentation.

Can I download this checklist as a PDF?

Yes, this checklist is available as a free PDF download. You can also use it digitally in the POPProbe mobile app for real-time data capture, photo documentation, and automatic reporting.

Browse More Checklists