CCTV Systems in Child Care Settings

Caring for other people’s children is more than a business. It’s a trust. You are responsible for the most precious thing in another person’s life – and you are responsible for the lives of those children in your care. It’s vital to have your eyes on those children every moment that they’re in your care. Increasingly, daycare centers around the nation are turning to CCTV systems to provide video coverage of their operations in order to protect both the children and their staff.

Security cameras and CCTV systems may seem like an awkward mix with a daycare setting, but many of the top daycare centers in the country are using them – and marketing their use of surveillance cameras as a cutting edge technique. Placing a CCTV system in your daycare center provides a number of advantages for your business and your clients.

Protect children from intrusion. Some of the most horrific acts of violence in the past few years have targeted daycare centers. A CCTV surveillance system can keep your building safe from intruders and vandals and protect your children from harm.

Keep track of all children. A CCTV system makes it easier to keep track of where each child and staff member is located in your facility. This can be especially useful if your charges include little “wanderers”. You can easily locate the “missing” child without deploying half of your staff to hunt for him.

Give parents peace of mind. Many daycare centers set up wireless CCTV systems with IP cameras and give the web address to the parents of the children in their care. This allows parents to check in on their children at any time and reassure themselves that their child is being well cared for.

Protect your employees. Video records of your care can protect your daycare center and your employees from false accusations of abuse. You can easily review the footage from your CCTV camera installations to see exactly what happened.

Considerations for CCTV systems in Childcare Centers

Place cameras in public areas only. Keep them out of dressing rooms and bathrooms to respect privacy concerns.

Make sure that all your parents are aware of your use of a security system and video surveillance.

Security cameras on the playground and classroom areas help you monitor the children in all public settings.

A CCTV camera in the parking lot provides additional security for your staff and protects their cars from theft and vandalism.

Keep a security camera trained on exits and entrances to get clear pictures of everyone that enters and leaves your facility. The footage can be invaluable in protecting your children from intruders and identifying them for police if necessary.

Whether you run a daycare center in your home or operate a larger childcare center, a CCTV system can be an invaluable aid in keeping all of your charges – both children and staff – safe from intruders and violence.

Options for Home Security CCTV Systems

Home security systems have come a long way from the basic burglar alarm that makes a lot of noise when someone opens a door they shouldn’t have touched. Today, CCTV systems are cropping up in state of the art home security systems and allowing homeowners to keep an eye on their properties when they’re away from home. There are many options for homeowners who want to protect their homes by taking advantage of the latest advances in CCTV camera technology. Many of them are easy enough for the typical DIY homeowner to set up. If you’re familiar with the various CCTV systems components on the market, you can easily create your own configuration and tailor a security system that’s perfect for your home.

Security Cameras

Security cameras are the eyes – and often the ears – of your home CCTV system, and there are literally dozens of styles and options available to choose from. They include wireless and wired cameras, security cameras designed to be used outside and others with special lenses and lighting to be used for areas that have little natural light. You can choose from black and white CCTV cameras or color ones, choose fixed security cameras or those that swivel, rotate, pan, tilt and zoom so that you can focus in on important happenings while you’re surveying your property.

When choosing the right security cameras for your CCTV system, keep in mind that they must work with the software that runs your DVR or that is running on your PC. You should also be aware of the number of frames per second (FPS) they can capture and the resolutions at which they can film. Those factors will determine how much detail your security cameras capture.

DVR or PC

In addition to your security cameras, you’ll also have to choose the medium by which you’ll display what your cameras are watching. You can choose to display live footage, record surveillance footage for later viewing or do both. Your CCTV security cameras can record directly to a DVR or record to software running on your PC. If you choose an IP-based CCTV system, you can broadcast the images being recorded by your cameras over that address and log into it from any web-based browser to view what’s going on at home.

Choosing CCTV cameras, a monitor and DVR for your home security system is the first step to protecting your home. A good CCTV system allows you to monitor what’s happening when you can’t be there so that you can respond appropriately in case of an emergency or a break-in.

Choosing the Right CCTV Systems for Your Needs

Onsite surveillance is one of the most valuable types of security you can provide for your place of business or your home. CCTV systems with security cameras can provide any level of security surveillance that your property needs. It just takes a little research to choose the right CCTV cameras and system to suit your needs. These tips on designing a CCTV security system and choosing security cameras and equipment can help you make the best choices for your property.

Determine where you need surveillance. One of the most important choices you’ll make is how many and what type of CCTV cameras you’ll need for your full system. Your first step in deciding the number of surveillance cameras you’ll need is deciding what you want to be able to watch.

In a home, you should have a camera covering the main entry points to your home – the front and back doors – as well as your driveway and any areas of your home that our out of sight from the windows.

In a business, you’ll want security cameras transmitting the view from any areas of the store or facility that aren’t observable from the counter. In addition, you should have a security camera trained on the point of sale, not so much to keep your employees under surveillance as to protect them from customer malfeasance. A security camera recording all transactions can provide valuable evidence if the drawer is short or a customer makes an accusation of mistreatment.

Decide whether you want to record or just watch. The increasing use of PC-based CCTV security systems makes it easier than ever to record surveillance for later perusal or to save in case it’s needed. Whether you choose a DVR security system or a PC-based system, you’ll find it’s considerably easier to record and store security footage than it used to be to store VHS tapes with security footage on them.

Decide whether you want a wired analog system or a wireless/network-based system. Each type of CCTV security system has its own advantages. Wireless security cameras offer flexibility and the ability to rearrange your security system configuration at need. Wired systems generally have better recording and better resolution than most wireless cameras. Depending on the systems and components you choose, you may be able to put together a hybrid system that will work with both wired and wireless security cameras.

Consider your budget. CCTV systems range in price from a few hundred dollars to many thousands of dollars. If you shop carefully, you’ll find security cameras, DVRs and other CCTV system components that fit your budget and your needs perfectly.

Outdoor CCTV Systems Enhance Your Security

Whether you’re securing a home or your business premises, you’re only partially protected if your security system starts at your front door. Outdoor CCTV systems are a valuable addition to your home or business security system. Even adding as little as a front door security camera gives you an added layer of safety by allowing you to view those that approach or knock on your front door. If you’re not sure about expanding your CCTV systems to cover the outdoors as well as inside your business or home, consider these important points.

A Visible CCTV Camera Provides a Deterrent to Burglars and Thieves

Simply putting up a security camera provides a deterrent to many would-be thieves and break-in artists. Burglars are far more likely to pass your home by if there’s a camera watching what they’re doing. Mounting a security camera where it’s easily seen buttresses your other security measures.

Outdoor Security Cameras Suit Your Budget

Visible security cameras are among the least expensive and most useful additions to your CCTV system. They’re available at prices ranging from as little as $50 to high res security cameras with bells and whistles that cost many thousands of dollars. You can easily find a CCTV camera that will suit your budget and your needs if you shop around.

A Parking Lot Security Camera Enhances Employee Safety

If you’re doing security for a business, placing a visible security camera to cover your parking lot enhances your business security as well as increasing employee safety. Your CCTV system can monitor the parking lot, ensuring that your employees reach their vehicle safety. This is especially important for entertainment venues where employees, servers and other staff may be leaving the building late at night.

CCTV System Monitoring Lowers Your Liability and May Decrease Insurance

Insurance companies look very favorably in security cameras and CCTV system use in both homes and businesses – so favorably, in fact, that they’re likely to reduce your premium for installing them. In either case, an outdoor security camera can provide evidence after an accident or a break-in that can lead to the recovery of stolen property, aid law enforcement in prosecution or help the insurance company assign liability properly after an accident or incident on your property.

If you’re setting up security for your home or business, or want to enhance your family’s or employees’ safety, check out the many types of CCTV systems and security cameras that are suited to outdoor use. Why stop protecting the people you love at the front door?