Childcare Drop-Off and Pick-Up SOP Template

1.Purpose

To make sure every child is signed in and out accurately, checked for signs of illness or injury on arrival, and released only to a parent or an authorized person.

2.Scope

Applies to daily arrival and departure of enrolled children at the center. Field trip departure and return are covered by a separate procedure.

Definitions

Authorized pick-up person

Anyone listed on the child's enrollment form as approved to pick up the child, in addition to the parent or guardian.

Daily health check

A quick visual and verbal check for signs of illness, injury or distress performed as the child arrives.

Sign-in/sign-out log

The record, paper or electronic, showing exactly who dropped off or picked up each child and at what time.

3.Responsibilities

Lead Teacher

Greets children, performs the daily health check and verifies identity of the person dropping off or picking up.

Assistant Teacher

Supports sign-in and sign-out and helps children transition into the classroom.

Center Director

Maintains the authorized pick-up list, handles custody disputes and reviews sign-in records.

Parent/Guardian

Provides accurate authorized pick-up information and updates it whenever it changes.

RACI matrix

R = Responsible, A = Accountable, C = Consulted, I = Informed

4.Materials and PPE

Materials, tools and systems

• →Sign-in/sign-out log or electronic kiosk
• →Current authorized pick-up list per child
• →Photo ID verification process for unfamiliar pick-up people
• →Daily health check checklist
• →Custody documentation on file where applicable

Personal protective equipment

• →Disposable gloves for health checks

5.Procedure

1. 5.1

   Greet the child and family at arrival

   Lead Teacher

   Greet the child and parent or guardian by name at the door or designated drop-off area, keeping the entry point supervised at all times.

2. 5.2

   Perform the daily health check

   Lead Teacher

   Check the child for visible signs of illness, injury, fever or distress, and ask the parent about anything relevant since the last day at the center.

   Checkpoint: A daily health check is completed and any concern is discussed with the parent before they leave.

3. 5.3

   Sign the child in

   Assistant Teacher

   Record the child's arrival time and the name of the adult dropping them off in the sign-in log or kiosk before the child enters the classroom.

4. 5.4

   Confirm any care instructions for the day

   Lead Teacher

   Ask the parent about any changes to naps, feeding, medication or pick-up plans for that day, and note them for the classroom team.

5. 5.5

   Transition the child into the classroom

   Assistant Teacher

   Help the child settle into the classroom activity, keeping the arrival area supervised until every drop-off is complete.

6. 5.6

   Keep the authorized pick-up list current

   Center Director

   Update the authorized pick-up list whenever a parent adds or removes a person, and confirm the classroom team has access to the current list.

7. 5.7

   Verify the identity of anyone picking up a child

   Lead Teacher

   Confirm the person picking up the child is the parent, guardian or someone listed on the authorized pick-up list, checking photo ID for anyone not personally recognized.

   Checkpoint: Every pick-up person is confirmed against the current authorized pick-up list before the child is released.

8. 5.8

   Never release a child to an unauthorized person

   Lead Teacher

   If the person is not on the authorized pick-up list and cannot be verified, do not release the child, and contact the parent and the director immediately.

   Warning: Never release a child based on the person's word alone. Check the authorized pick-up list and ID every time.

9. 5.9

   Watch for signs of impairment

   Lead Teacher

   If the person picking up appears to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, do not release the child and follow the center's escalation procedure.

   Warning: Do not release a child to anyone who appears impaired. Contact the director and another authorized contact immediately.

10. 5.10

    Hand off belongings and daily notes

    Assistant Teacher

    Return the child's belongings and provide a brief update on the day, including meals, naps, mood and any incidents, to the person picking up.

11. 5.11

    Sign the child out

    Lead Teacher

    Record the departure time and the name of the person who picked up the child in the sign-out log or kiosk.

12. 5.12

    Handle a custody dispute calmly

    Center Director

    If two people both claim the right to pick up the child, do not release the child until the director reviews the custody documentation on file and makes a decision.

6.Quality checks

• →Every child has a documented daily health check on arrival.
• →Sign-in and sign-out logs are complete with accurate names and times.
• →No child is released to a person not on the current authorized pick-up list.
• →Custody documentation is reviewed and current for any child with a custody arrangement on file.

7.Records

• →Sign-in/sign-out log
• →Daily health check notes
• →Authorized pick-up list per child
• →Custody dispute or unauthorized pick-up incident reports

8.KPIs

• →Percentage of arrivals with a completed health check logged
• →Sign-in/sign-out log completion rate
• →Number of unauthorized pick-up attempts caught
• →Time to update the authorized pick-up list after a parent request

9.Common mistakes

• →Releasing a child to a familiar face without checking the current authorized list.
• →Skipping the daily health check when the classroom is busy at drop-off.
• →Leaving the sign-in log incomplete because a parent was in a hurry.
• →Not confirming identity for someone new who says a parent sent them.

10.Revision history