Today’s meeting planner is pulled in multiple directions, requested to do more with less support staff and has increasingly tighter deadlines for planning events, meetings and conventions across the country to find you the best vendors, prices and locations to make your event, meeting or convention a success.
Why Plan for Children?
In today’s fast paced world, parents need to be bale to concentrate on their work and not be distracted and worried about what is going on with their children. This is especially true at meetings or conventions where their time is limited. ACCENT’s goal is to give every parent peace of mind, knowing that their child is safe, secure and having a great time!
To achieve the level of confidence that allows a parent to separate from they child and the child to separate from their parents requires a special kind of knowledge and experience. ACCENT has that knowledge and adds it to its experience in event planning, tour design and curriculum development creating children’s programs where attention to detail shines through.
Benefits of Event Meeting & Child Care
Childcare has become the necessity for the business traveler and more and more corporation are realizing the importance of providing childcare for meetings and conventions
By hiring ACCENT, your staff is saved the time and trouble of scouting our makeshift solutions. In essence, ACCENT is a marvelous, temporary full-service children’s program that complements what you are offering to your members. More importantly, ACCENT knows promotions, logistics and risk management!
- Demonstrates that your organization believes in family values
- Reduces liability issues that arise when attendees bring their children onsite
- Increases membership and attendance
- Attracts younger members
- Offers a broader dimension to meetings and events
- Gives peace of mind and more focus to attendees
- Shows evidence that your organization is cutting edge
- Creates sponsorship opportunities
Do's and Don'ts
Do:
- • Decide whether to hire an outside firm, use an established hotel program or run the program yourself.
- • Plan well in advance. What kind of activities will be planned? How many children are coming? How old are they/ What kind of schedule will you need (half- or full -day child care)?
- • Decide who’s picking up the tab. Make sure attendees know what costs they’re responsible for.
- • Provide children with registration packets and badges. Their printed program should be included in the overall convention program so parent and child know where the other is at all times.
- • Set an age limit on children. Remember that the younger the child, the more supervision required and therefore the more costly the program.
- • Divide child attendees by age category. Two-to four, five- to-eight, nine-to- 12 and 13 and up. Give the younger ones structure; avoid heavily structured programs for teens. Do give teens a “hangout” place to meet other teens.
- • Hire qualified, licensed supervisors. Avoid too many off- property activities to limit the possibility of liability suits.
- • Make the program educational. Consider tying in with established programs such as zoo’s animal programs or science experiments
- • Be careful about religious beliefs, particularly planning activities around the holiday season.
- • Tie in with local attractions. For example, Smithsonian in Washington, DC or the Arch in St. Louis.
Don't:
- • Make the children’s program mandatory.
- • Provide any entertainment that is not considered family-oriented.
- • Think that holding a children’s program limits your site selection.
- Selecting a child care provider need not to be confusing. Consider these 15 criteria, adapted from a list provided by ACCENT on Children’s Arrangements, Inc.:
- Recommendations: Ask the convention bureau at the meeting site to recommend local and national child care providers. Also, check your PCMA directory.
- Insurance: A minimum of $3 million general liability is needed. Read your association’s policy to be sure the proposed program is not among exclusion.
- Waiver or Release: Ask your provider for a waiver or release and have your legal staff review it.
- Standards: Make sure the provider in your destination state meets all day care standards, from staffing to physical requirements.
- Staff- Child Ratio: Look for a favorable child – adult ratio. The National Association for the Education of Young Children proposes a child - to - staff ratio of 3:1 for infants, 4:1 for toddlers and 6:1 for children up to eight years old.
- Security: Check – in and check – out procedures are very important and should be strictly enforced using signatures, proper identification, etc. A security guard is recommended outside of the activity room door.
- Emergencies: Ask your provider how emergencies are handled. Use a medical authorization form for emergencies. An on – site nurse is recommended for large programs.
- Staff: Ask about the provider’s staff requirements. Are they CPR- certified? Do they have education degrees or experience in child care centers? Do they understand children’s needs? Find out who your staff contact will be on site and how you can reach your contact during the day and after hours.
- Location: The child care center should be located near emergency exits but not close to heavy traffic areas. A minimum of 50 square feet per child recommended. Bathroom accessibility is very important. The building must have water sprinklers and an evacuation plan should be posted.
- Communication: the provider should be able to reach meetings staff and/or convention services at all times.
- Staff Orientation: A minimum two – hour orientation is recommended for child care staff to outline check-in/ check-out procedures, child care procedures and familiarization with the location. The bigger the program, the more detailed the orientation.
- Logistics: Think about who will handle crib rental costs, audiovisual equipment, moving of children’s supplies, meals, and snacks, registration badges, etc.
- Parent Orientation: Provide as much information as possible to the parents. Designate staff to answer questions or refer to child care provider with calls.
- Cost: Remember that child care and children’s tours are more expensive than spouse tours. Think about how cost will be met- individual members, sponsorships, subsidies or grants.
- Evaluation: Provider should help planner to establish a method of evaluation.
- Consistency of service is extremely important in child care. Parents like and expect to receive the same type of service year after year.
Team Players
ACCENT Program Managers are responsible for managing the safety and security of the entire program. All Program Managers are CPR Certified and trained in Pediatric First Aid. ACCENT completes a full criminal background check for the last seven years in the city of residence on all of its employees. There is no charge for this. Employees are trained throughly upon being hired regarding all ACCENT policies and procedures. The staff is comprised of ACCENT employees, and all are fully covered by our workman’s comp insurance in all states.
ACCENT on Children’s Arrangements-OCA, located in New Orleans, Louisiana is full service event child care company providing a host of child care and babysitting services for meetings, conferences, conventions and other special events taking place all over the world.