If you are in a position of caring for other people's children, like a daycare worker or teacher, you must be sure they are properly supervised. If children get injured because they were not supervised regularly, you, as the person in charge, may be held responsible for the injuries.

Sometimes, however, you have to determine exactly how much supervision is necessary. You do not want to hover, but you do want to ensure you are providing adequate care. If a child gets hurt while in your care, you can face a personal injury lawsuit. To avoid injuries that can not only hurt the child but also result in you paying compensation for damages, you need to be aware of your level of supervision for the child you care for. Consider the following:

The Age and Skills of the Child

One thing to consider when providing care for a child is his or her age. Small and quite young children will need much more supervision than a pre-teen. You do have to be careful, however, as kids of all ages are at different skill levels. You may have to supervise a pre-teen who is unable to swim or has special needs. When in doubt, be sure to ask questions of the parent before they leave the child in your care.

The Activity at Hand

You should also think about the type of activities you are doing with the children while you supervise. If a child is drawing or playing hopscotch, you do not have to pay as close attention as when they playing outside on a playground or using sharp objects, such as scissors. You do not want to leave the children completely unsupervised, even during more benign activities, but you do not have to constantly watch them as you do with more dangerous activities.

Field Trips

You also need to think about supervision and field trips. When you are on a trip with young children, you need to be there at all times. If you are with older children and you are taking them to a fair or other activity, you may be able to allow them to pair off and go in their own direction. You should direct them to meet you back at a certain time and to always communicate with you periodically. However, you should definitely consider the child individually. You may be able to trust some of them more than others, even if they're the same age.  Also, never allow a child to go out of your supervision unless you have explicit permission from the parents.

To prevent any legal trouble and ensure the safety of the children in your care, proper supervision is necessary. If you provide childcare as a way to support yourself financially, you should consider consulting with an attorney from a firm like Wolfe  Jones Wolfe Hancock Daniel & South LLC to ensure you do everything possible to avoid a personal injury lawsuit. As a care provider, you need to protect yourself legally so you are not left paying tens of thousands of dollars in damages.