AN ANALYSIS OF PRESCHOOL EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN TERMS OF CHILD HEALTH AND SAFE

Children who spend a significant portion of their time in preschool education institutions have not yet developed the ability to protect their own health and safety. Therefore, during the time children spend at school, the institution's indoor and outdoor spaces should be equipped to be safe and functional, meeting basic needs in terms of temperature, humidity, ventilation, cleanliness, and health conditions. The compliance of preschool education institutions with physical/spatial conditions concerning child health and safety was evaluated using descriptive analysis techniques based on the opinions of 57 school administrators in the Kırıkkale province.İn terms of spatial suitability, 70.2% of schools with open play areas did not have separate areas arranged for greening efforts, animal care, and plant cultivation. Regarding physical suitability, 87.7% of the schools did not have an infirmary, 75.4% lacked a sleeping room, and in terms of health and safety, 93% did not have a nurse, 78.9% did not have a teacher with first aid certification, and 47.4% did not conduct routine health screenings for students. Additionally, it was found that most schools (61.4%) did not have a fire escape, 52.6% lacked a fire exit, and 38.6% did not have a security guard at the entrance doors.Accordingly, this study demonstrates that the physical and spatial conditions of preschool education institutions are insufficient in terms of child health and safety, and it suggests improvement efforts to address these deficiencies.