Safety, Health, and Injury Prevention Recommendations

For Everyone

Key points

  • Early care and education (ECE) providers play a major role in protecting children from injuries.
  • They keep children safe and teach them strategies to prevent injuries.
Group of young children blowing bubbles.

Early care and education providers

ECE providers can help make sure that their programs are located in safe places, keep children safe from serious injuries and harm while in their care (such as by ensuring playground safety and water safety), and protect children from poisoning.

ECE providers also teach children foundational skills about staying healthy and safe and can provide tips to parents about keeping children healthy and safe. ECE providers can also watch for signs that children are not supported at home and protect children by connecting them to child protective services.

An early educator helping a child jump on the playground.
Keep children safe from serious injury, and help children learn skills about staying healthy and safe.
Content Source
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities
About This Page
Published: May 15, 2024
Updated: May 8, 2026

This page was last updated on this date. Updates may include minor edits, image changes, or other modifications to page content.

Reviewed: August 20, 2026

The information on this page was last reviewed by subject matter experts to ensure accuracy.