| p>When parents drop off their child at an on-site | | | | changed when they drop off their children. |
| nursery, they always feel a twinge of anxiety. | | | | Parents are less likely to misplace their own cell |
| They will appreciate anything you can do to make | | | | phone than an unfamiliar device. This helps ensure |
| them feel more comfortable about your | | | | they are reachable when you need them. You |
| organization's ability to provide a safe | | | | also aren't responsible for keeping track of who |
| environment. Nursery paging systems play a | | | | has which unit as you would with traditional |
| useful role in enhancing both communication and | | | | pagers. This streamlines the hectic check-in |
| security. Here are some ways you can integrate | | | | process. That's a really good thing if you are |
| text message paging into your child care service. | | | | dealing with lots of little kids who are suffering |
| Easy Accessibility | | | | separation anxiety! |
| With cell phone based paging, parents are never | | | | Additional Security |
| out of range. This is an ideal solution for church | | | | Church nursery paging systems can also be used |
| nursery paging systems since you can use it | | | | to increase security when parents come to collect |
| during regular services and for "Mother's Day Out" | | | | their children. This is especially helpful when: |
| childcare programs. Mom can go shopping or out | | | | - Your facility is responsible for lots of kids |
| for coffee with friends and still receive instant | | | | - You have different volunteers each week |
| communications from nursery staff. | | | | - You have new visitors every week |
| With text messaging, you can also enjoy 2-way | | | | In all of these scenarios, your staff members |
| communication. Sometimes, you just need to ask | | | | probably don't know every parent by name and |
| parents a question about a non-emergency | | | | face. That increases the risk of child abduction. |
| situation. For example, one of your volunteers | | | | Avoiding this worst-case scenario is worth the |
| brings in a tasty treat and you don't have allergy | | | | extra time it takes to put a verification protocol in |
| information on file. "We're having snack time - is | | | | place. Here's how to integrate a text message |
| your child allergic to peanuts? Please text Y or N." | | | | paging system into your check-out process: |
| It's better to be safe than sorry, and parents will | | | | Each week, select a unique code word such as |
| be glad you were thoughtful enough to ask. | | | | 'zebra' or 'tulip'. This information should be on a |
| Best Practices | | | | master list available only to your staff. At pick up |
| A text message nursery paging system helps | | | | time, text each parent the secret word. Then, |
| ensure compliance with check-in protocols in a | | | | ask them to show you the text message on their |
| way that traditional pagers don't. Asking for an | | | | cell phone when they show up to collect their child. |
| emergency contact number is an absolute | | | | For convenience, a parent can hand off their |
| necessity when your pages will go directly to a | | | | phone to a trusted friend or older sibling who will |
| parent's cell phone. After initial set up, you can | | | | then be authorized to pick up the child from the |
| just ask parents if their phone number has | | | | nursery. |