	Out-of-School Time Services

Introduction

Administration and Management

Service Delivery Administration Standards

Service Standards

PA-OST 8: Nutrition, Health, and Safety

The agency protects and promotes the health and safety of children and youth.

Note: Additional practices key to promoting health and ensuring safety are addressed in other standards. For example, PA-OST 5 references the importance of offering activities that encourage physical fitness, PA-OST 11 addresses the importance of providing adequate supervision, and PA-OST 12 highlights the importance of conducting appropriate background checks. PA-ASE includes additional standards that promote health and safety.

PA-OST 8.01

The agency meets the nutritional needs of children and youth by:

making drinking water readily available at all times;
serving healthful foods;
offering amounts and types of food that are appropriate for the age and size of children and youth; and
providing snacks and meals at appropriate times.

Interpretation: Examples of ways to demonstrate implementation of this standard include, but are not limited to:

Water from sinks and fountains has been tested for quality and is safe for drinking;
Filtered water is available at sites where the water quality is poor;
Drinking water is carried along on off-site visits and field trips;
Personnel allow more time for children to drink water in hot weather;
Clean drinking water is available indoors and outdoors;
Foods high in fats, salts, and sugars are limited;
Personnel serve milk and fruit juice instead of soda and fruit drinks;
A balance of fruits, vegetables, grains, and proteins is served;
Serving sizes are appropriate for the ages and sizes of children and youth;
Personnel support children’s and youth’s need to self-regulate the amount they eat;
Most of the food put out at snack time gets eaten;
Options are provided for children and youth with special dietary concerns (e.g., allergies, vegetarian, diabetic, gluten-free, Kosher);
Snacks are available for children and youth when they arrive;
Children and youth have enough time to eat without rushing;
The timing of snacks is flexible enough to meet the needs of individuals;
Children and youth are notified before snacks are put away;
Children and youth do not complain a lot about disliking the food;
Children and youth do not claim to be tired of having the same foods all the time; and
Food from a range of cultures is served for snacks and meals, and the agency is sensitive to the culture of program participants when deciding what foods to serve.

Research Note: Funding for snacks may be available through the United States Department of Agriculture’s Child and Adult Care Food Program, National School Lunch Program, or Summer Food Service Program.

PA-OST 8.02

Personnel are responsive to the individual health needs of children and youth.

Interpretation: Relevant health needs to be aware of include, but are not limited to, dietary restrictions, allergies, and medication needs. Personnel should also take care to respect the confidentiality of the health needs of children and youth.

Interpretation: Examples of ways to demonstrate implementation of this standard include, but are not limited to:

Personnel are aware of the health needs of individual children and youth; and
Personnel respect confidentiality when addressing health needs.

Note: As noted in PA-OST 2, relevant health information should be collected from children and families, and maintained in the files of children and youth.

PA-OST 8.03

The indoor and outdoor facilities are clean.

Interpretation: Examples of ways to demonstrate implementation of this standard include, but are not limited to:

Floors, walls, and sinks are clean;
Someone makes sure that surfaces are washed and sanitized;
Food service areas are disinfected after each use;
Bad odors do not linger;
Bathrooms are cleaned daily;
Access to restrooms is restricted to prevent public use;
Toilets are not overflowing; and
Basements are not flooded.

PA-OST 8.04

There are adequate supplies and facilities for hand washing, and personnel and children wash hands frequently, especially before preparing food or after using the toilet.

Interpretation: Examples of ways to demonstrate implementation of this standard include, but are not limited to:

Soap dispensers are filled regularly;
Towels are not shared;
Signs or pictures are posted at each sink to show proper hand washing techniques; and
Personnel, children, and youth wash hands frequently, with soap and water.

PA-OST 8.05

The temperature, ventilation, noise level, and light in the indoor space are comfortable.

Interpretation: Examples of ways to demonstrate implementation of this standard include, but are not limited to:

Air quality in and around the facility is acceptable;
Heating systems are functional;
Floor or table lamps are used when needed;
The temperature can be turned up or down; and
Rugs and ceiling tiles are used to help absorb noise.

PA-OST 8.06

When children or youth become ill, personnel:

separate the sick children and youth from other program participants;
take proper health precautions when supervising them; and
notify their parents.

Interpretation: Examples of ways to demonstrate implementation of this standard include, but are not limited to:

There is a designated area to care for ill children and youth; and
Personnel follow written policies and/or procedures when they respond to children and youth who become ill.

PA-OST 8.07

There are no observable safety hazards in the indoor space.

Interpretation: Examples of ways to demonstrate implementation of this standard include, but are not limited to:

Electrical cords, heating pipes, and sharp-edged objects are covered and secured;
All stairs and climbing structures have railings;
The floor is free of dangerous clutter and spills;
The area is free of glass and other unsafe litter;
Windows are secured;
Floor coverings are secured (i.e., there are no loose rugs);
There are no walk-in freezers or refrigerators that do not open from the inside;
Water temperatures are appropriate, not harmful;
There are no unscreened areas or unmarked glass doors;
Entrances and exits are unobstructed and well-lit;
Children and youth do not have unsupervised access to poisons or cleaning agents such as bleach;
Toxic substances are kept in a locked cabinet, out of the reach of children;
Electrical appliances and other objects (e.g., hair dryers, space heaters, radios, toys) are used safely;
Cleaning supplies and other hazardous materials are stored properly;
Dividers, shelves, and cubbies are secured so that they cannot tip over; and
Tables are stored in a safe manner so they will not fall on anyone.

PA-OST 8.08

There are no observable safety hazards in the outdoor space, and equipment for active play is safe.

Interpretation: Examples of ways to demonstrate implementation of this standard include, but are not limited to:

The outdoor space is protected from traffic by fences or by other means;
Program entrance and exit areas are sheltered from traffic;
Fencing is provided when needed to ensure safety;
Large equipment is bolted down;
Equipment is free of rust, splinters, and loose nails or screws;
Swings are placed out of the way of passing children and youth;
All playground equipment is on a resilient surface (e.g., fine loose sand, wood chips, wood mulch about nine inches deep, or rubber mats);
In summer there is shady outdoor space and access to water;
Sidewalks are free of ice, snow, and slippery mud; and
There is a supply of extra coats, gloves, and boots for winter.

PA-OST 8.09

Children and youth receive emergency response training that includes participation in monthly fire drills.

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	PURPOSE: Children and youth who participate in Out-of-School Time Services gain the personal and social abilities and attitudes needed to form positive identities, boost self-esteem, build skills, navigate challenging situations, avoid negative behaviors, assume leadership roles, embrace diversity, and establish healthy connections with others in the community.

RELATED FILES


	SERVICE One or more organization-operated programs or activities that have a common general objective and deploy the organization's material and human resources in a planned and systematic manner. An organization that publicly promotes or identifies itself in writing as offering a service, is licensed to deliver a service, assigns personnel and/or space to a service, or allocates financial resources to a service is considered to offer that service.


	LEADERSHIP A nonprofit organization's leadership consists of its governing body, chief executive officer, and may also include its senior management. In a public agency the term refers to the agency head and administration team. The term "leadership" is not generally applied to for-profit organizations. With respect to COA standards, in for-profit organizations the term leadership applies to the owner and board of directors if one exists.


	COMMUNITY A specific group of people living in the same locality and who may share a common culture, values, and norms. Communities can also be defined by race, religion, ethnicity, age, occupation, political status, tribal affiliation, interest in particular problems or outcomes, or other common bonds. The term "community" encompasses worksites, schools, tribes, residential neighborhoods, business districts, recreational areas, and health and human service sites.


	PRACTICE Established actions or ways of proceeding in the regular performance of organizational duties. Policies and procedures often guide practice.


	SUPERVISION Assumption of responsibility for directly overseeing and evaluating the work or work products of personnel within an organization. Also includes inspecting the act or process of accomplishing a function or activity.


	BACKGROUND CHECK The review of an individual's personal information typically performed by or at the request of an employer, which may include verification of educational credentials or employment experience, as well as an examination of the individual's criminal records, driving records, licensing records, and civil abuse or neglect history.