Daycare Staff-to-Child Ratio and Supervision Check
Maintaining proper child-to-staff ratios is one of the most critical and commonly cited licensing compliance requirements. This checklist helps directors and lead teachers document ratio compliance throughout the day, including during transitions, meals, outdoor play, and nap time.
- Industry: Childcare and Education
- Frequency: Daily - Multiple times per day
- Estimated Time: 5-10 minutes per check
- Role: Center Director / Program Supervisor
- Total Items: 30
Infant Room Ratio (Birth to 18 months)
Verify infant room meets required ratios.
- Current number of infants in room
- Current number of qualified staff in infant room
- Infant room ratio compliant with state requirement (typically 1:4 or 1:3)?
- Infants never left unattended even for brief periods?
- All infants within sight or sound of a staff member at all times?
Toddler Room Ratio (18 months to 3 years)
Verify toddler room meets required ratios.
- Current number of toddlers in room
- Current number of qualified staff in toddler room
- Toddler room ratio compliant with state requirement (typically 1:4 to 1:6)?
- All toddlers under direct supervision with staff actively engaged?
- Group size within state-required maximum for toddler age group?
Preschool Room Ratio (3 to 5 years)
Verify preschool room meets required ratios.
- Current number of preschoolers in room
- Current number of qualified staff in preschool room
- Preschool room ratio compliant with state requirement (typically 1:8 to 1:10)?
- All preschoolers under supervision with staff aware of each child's location?
- Preschool group size within state-required maximum?
Ratio During Transitions
Verify ratios are maintained during transitions and group movements.
- Required ratios maintained during outdoor play?
- Required ratios maintained during meal and snack times?
- Sleeping children supervised with staff monitoring all sleeping areas?
- Ratios maintained during transitions between activities and locations?
- Mixed-age groupings meeting ratio requirements for youngest age in group?
Substitute and Float Staff
Verify substitute and float staff coverage.
- All substitutes meeting minimum qualification requirements for their assigned room?
- Float staff available to maintain ratios during breaks and transitions?
- Emergency coverage plan in place if staff member becomes ill?
- Substitutes briefed on children with special needs, allergies, or custody issues?
- Ratio compliance documented in daily log for all check times?
Quality of Supervision
Assess active supervision practices.
- Staff actively supervising rather than engaged with phones or unrelated tasks?
- Staff positioned to see all children within their supervision area?
- No areas where children are out of staff line of sight?
- Staff actively engaged with children and responsive to needs?
- All ratio checks documented with time, room, and child/staff counts?
Related Childcare Education Checklists
- Daycare Health and Illness Exclusion Check
- Daycare Emergency Drill Documentation
- Daycare Center Annual Licensing Compliance Review
- Daycare Sanitation and Cleaning Log
- Daycare Parent Communication and Engagement Review
- Daycare Classroom Environment Setup Check
- Daycare Substitute Staff Orientation Checklist
- Daycare Incident and Injury Report Checklist
Related Daycare Centers Checklists
- Daycare Center Daily Opening Inspection - FREE Download
- Daycare Child Sign-In and Sign-Out Procedure Check - FREE Download
- Daycare Health and Illness Exclusion Check - FREE Download
- Daycare Emergency Drill Documentation - FREE Download
- Daycare Center Annual Licensing Compliance Review - FREE Download
- Daycare Sanitation and Cleaning Log - FREE Download
- Daycare Parent Communication and Engagement Review - FREE Download
- Daycare Classroom Environment Setup Check - FREE Download
- Daycare Substitute Staff Orientation Checklist - FREE Download
- Daycare Incident and Injury Report Checklist - FREE Download
Why Use This Daycare Staff-to-Child Ratio and Supervision Check?
This daycare staff-to-child ratio and supervision check helps childcare and education teams maintain compliance and operational excellence. Designed for center director / program supervisor professionals, this checklist covers 30 critical inspection points across 6 sections. Recommended frequency: daily - multiple times per day.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Daycare Staff-to-Child Ratio and Supervision Check cover?
This checklist covers 30 inspection items across 6 sections: Infant Room Ratio (Birth to 18 months), Toddler Room Ratio (18 months to 3 years), Preschool Room Ratio (3 to 5 years), Ratio During Transitions, Substitute and Float Staff, Quality of Supervision. It is designed for childcare and education operations and compliance.
How often should this checklist be completed?
This checklist should be completed daily - multiple times per day. Each completion takes approximately 5-10 minutes per check.
Who should use this Daycare Staff-to-Child Ratio and Supervision Check?
This checklist is designed for Center Director / Program Supervisor 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.