Security Measures in Your Daycare

[Learning Daycare]

What type of security measures do you have in your daycare? I know some people have keypads for each family to gain access. Where did you purchase this? How much? What are the maximum amount of codes allowed? When parents do enter, what are your sign in and out methods? Do you use software or just paper? I've been stalking this site for a few months and recall someone mentioning software that takes pictures of the parent at pickup.

P.S. This is my first post! I'm so excited to be among some great ladies with awesome tips/advice! happyface

[Sugar Magnolia]

Welcome to the forum! I have a small center and I simply lock the door after everyone has arrived. Late comers.have to ring the bell. And I use paper sign in and sign out. I'm not tech savvy, but some ladies here use electronic sign in. I have seen the coded doors at Ace Hardware and they are about $90. Next time I need to replace a door knob, I am getting one of those!

[AmyKidsCo]

Since I'm family child care I don't have much formal security. I don't have a sign in front and my entrance is hidden at the back of the house. All doors except the back door are kept locked all day.

If my children were enrolled in a group center I'd want some sort of keypad to control who enters.

[Blackcat31]

What type of security measures do you have in your daycare? I know some people have keypads for each family to gain access. Where did you purchase this? How much? What are the maximum amount of codes allowed? When parents do enter, what are your sign in and out methods? Do you use software or just paper? I've been stalking this site for a few months and recall someone mentioning software that takes pictures of the parent at pickup.

P.S. This is my first post! I'm so excited to be among some great ladies with awesome tips/advice! happyface

Welcome to the forum!

I do not use the coded key pad for parents but I have heard some really good stories about it so if necessary, I would absolutely consider it.

I used to use Cake Child Care Management software that does snap a photo of the parent upon sign in but some of the kinks of the program are still being worked out and it has proven too frustrating at this point for me to continue using it.

Hopefully, they do figure it all out so that future users will have better luck with it.

HTH

[Learning Daycare]

Thanks!

Thank you ladies for the welcome and advice! I was looking into software on this forum a few weeks ago and saw a lot of talk about CakeChildcare. It seemed to be a great program. Hopefully, the developers can figure out a way to make it less frustrating for users. In all, it seems like a great program. I plan to use it once the kinks are figured out.

I plan to open next year right before summer. I want my parents to know their children are safe so, I think having the keypad as an extra measure will be worth it!

Thanks again!

[MarinaVanessa]

I use the keyless entry system. I use the Schlage LiNK which I bought on Amazon because it was the best price I found at the time.

It is pricey and will set you back at least $200 ($191 is what Amazon has it for at the moment). Lowe's and Home Depot also sell it.

Then there is the $10 per month for the Nexia Home Intelligence subscription which allows you to create 19 4-digit codes (you can create permanent codes for household members which work all of the time or you can set codes which work only during specific schedules), lock/unlock your door from anywhere with your phone (app), it keeps a log online of who's code is entered and what time, comes with 2 regular keys in case the battery ever runs out or the power goes out.

It's pricey but I love it. For me it's well worth the investment. I am able to keep my front door locked at all times while still allowing my clients access (open door policy) whenever they want during their scheduled hours and it's EASY to stop clients from trying to get in even a minute earlier and catching clients that are even a minute late because it won't work out of their schedule times.

You can program it for clients that have the same recurring schedule even if the drop off/pick up times aren't the same all week long:
Mon: 8-5 Tues 8-5 Wed: 8-12pm Thurs: X Fri: 9-3:30pm
But only does half hour portions though (8am, 8:30am etc. not 8:15am etc. but I'm not sure).
and if you have clients that have schedules that change week to week you can require that their schedule be turned in the week prior (or earlier) so that you can program their code each week. If they don't turn it in you can disable their code and they are locked out and will have to knock (it has really helped me reduce the times that a client forgets to give me their schedule).

It's also always unlocked from the inside, as in you don't have to unlock it anything to get out. You just have to pull on the lever and open the door even though on the outside the lever is locked. It's easy access to the exit in case of an emergency.

More info about the lock: http://www.nexiahome.com/compatible-...-keypad-lever/

More info about Nexia: FAQ

There also other products that work with Nexia that you can choose to add on later which you can also control online or through the mobile app like temperature control, lighting control, home alarm systems etc. The extra product has an extra cost of course but your $10 per month subscription doesn't go up. You can have all of the products and still only pay $10 per month.

[Learning Daycare]

I use the keyless entry system. I use the Schlage LiNK which I bought on Amazon because it was the best price I found at the time.

It is pricey and will set you back at least $200 ($191 is what Amazon has it for at the moment). Lowe's and Home Depot also sell it.

Then there is the $10 per month for the Nexia Home Intelligence subscription which allows you to create 19 4-digit codes (you can create permanent codes for household members which work all of the time or you can set codes which work only during specific schedules), lock/unlock your door from anywhere with your phone (app), it keeps a log online of who's code is entered and what time, comes with 2 regular keys in case the battery ever runs out or the power goes out.

It's pricey but I love it. For me it's well worth the investment. I am able to keep my front door locked at all times while still allowing my clients access (open door policy) whenever they want during their scheduled hours and it's EASY to stop clients from trying to get in even a minute earlier and catching clients that are even a minute late because it won't work out of their schedule times.

You can program it for clients that have the same recurring schedule even if the drop off/pick up times aren't the same all week long:
Mon: 8-5 Tues 8-5 Wed: 8-12pm Thurs: X Fri: 9-3:30pm
But only does half hour portions though (8am, 8:30am etc. not 8:15am etc. but I'm not sure).
and if you have clients that have schedules that change week to week you can require that their schedule be turned in the week prior (or earlier) so that you can program their code each week. If they don't turn it in you can disable their code and they are locked out and will have to knock (it has really helped me reduce the times that a client forgets to give me their schedule).

It's also always unlocked from the inside, as in you don't have to unlock it anything to get out. You just have to pull on the lever and open the door even though on the outside the lever is locked. It's easy access to the exit in case of an emergency.

More info about the lock: http://www.nexiahome.com/compatible-...-keypad-lever/

More info about Nexia: FAQ

There also other products that work with Nexia that you can choose to add on later which you can also control online or through the mobile app like temperature control, lighting control, home alarm systems etc. The extra product has an extra cost of course but your $10 per month subscription doesn't go up. You can have all of the products and still only pay $10 per month.

Thanks MV! This is what I want to get as well. I love that there are up to 19 codes. Ultimately, it ends up being worth the initial investment. And, only $10/month is awesome since it doesn't increase with multiple products! I'm so excited to get started!

[Baby lady]

MV, that sounds really awesome. I'll have to look into Nexia and the schlage link

[tehck_1014]

Jeez MV! You're like an infomercial You sold me!

[tehck_1013]

Jeez MV! You're like an infomercial You sold me!

[MarinaVanessa]

Jeez MV! You're like an infomercial You sold me!

:: I just really like it. It helped solve a couple of issues that I was having and I like that it's easy to install, set up and manage. My clients like the feeling of security from not having the door unlocked and the ease of not having to wait for me to get the door if it's locked. I use each parent's last 4 mobile digits as their code. I always lose my keys so I like not locking myself out of the house .

[Learning Daycare]

Yeah, same here! When I'm closer to opening, I will invest in this system!

[TwinKristi]

We use a system like this at the vacation rental we use. Everyone has their own code and track arrival, departure, etc.

I don't have any type of formal security setup. We have the door locked during the day and that's it. Parents just knock and no sign in/out. Everyone keeps the same schedule and I mark it in MMK for the food program and save every months attendance and meals in a PDF.

[midaycare]

Welcome!!! I use cake child care for sign in/out, but that is it. It takes pictures.

[lynne]

I lock my doors after my first kidlet and have a intercom system, it has a doorbell tone at first then you can talk to the parents n make sure that its them. My parents really like it, they only have to wait a minute or two till I get to the front door and they like the security. I think I paid $65.00 for the set.