BetaCard library
Browse the full 52-card Risky Kid Business scenario library or filter by category.
A child under your supervision has been wearing the same outfit for the last few days.
1. How do you determine what to document?
2. How do staff members know when to elevate these types of observations?
A child under your supervision showed up today with a urine-like smell, but they do not appear to be in wet clothes.
1. How do you determine what to document?
2. How do staff members know when to elevate these types of observations?
3. What if the smell was a distinct chemical-like smell instead?
A new child under your supervision is saving snacks and meals and asking their peers and staff for extra food.
1. How do you determine what to document?
2. How do staff members know when to elevate these types of observations?
A staff member walks into the bathroom and finds feces smeared on the walls, toilet, and door. This has never happened with this group.
1. What are your next steps?
2. What details, if any, would you raise to other staff members and supervisors?
3. What interventions will you use?
On a routine walk-through a staff member finds what appears to be blood smeared on the walls. This has never happened before and you cannot tell how long it has been there.
1. What are your next steps?
2. What details, if any, would you raise?
3. What interventions will you use?
A child in your care says a staff member gives them “sleepy pills.” You do not know what this means, and your organization does not routinely give this child any medication.
1. Does your organization document a child’s disclosure such as this?
2. What are your next steps, and does your organization provide guidance to help navigate those next steps?
An older youth in your care makes a “joke” about a staff member giving all the children “special pills.” You do not know what this means, and your organization does not routinely give this youth any medication.
1. Does your organization document a child’s disclosure such as this?
2. What are your next steps, and does your organization provide guidance to help navigate those next steps?
A child in your care is acting uncharacteristically upset. The child cannot be soothed/calmed down and they appear fearful at pick up time. This continues all week.
1. How would you approach a conversation with the parent or guardian?
2. What information do you share, and how do you and your peers practice potentially difficult conversations?
An older youth in your care is acting uncharacteristically upset. The youth appears anxious and fearful at the end of the day. This type of behavior has been occurring for several weeks.
1. How would you approach a conversation with the parent or guardian?
2. What information do you share, and how do you and your peers practice potentially difficult conversations?
Two children in your care have charged at one another. You are the only adult in the immediate area.
1. What are your next steps?
2. What de-escalation techniques will you use?
3. How would a newer staff member know how to use these techniques?
A child in your care begins throwing objects, including hurling objects at other children and staff members. You are one of two adults in the immediate area.
1. What are your next steps?
2. What de-escalation techniques will you use?
3. How would a newer staff member know how to use these techniques?
A child has just run up to a staff member to say that another child has a “weapon.” A child is carrying a very bulky backpack. You ask to see what is in the child’s bag and they refuse.
1. What de-escalation techniques will you use?
2. How would a newer staff member know how to use these techniques?
3. Does your organization have written policies/procedures for these types of concerns?
4. Are the policies/procedures easy to follow? Are they followed?
A child in your care comes to you crying. They report bullying on multiple social media platforms.
1. How would you recommend responding if asked by a new staff member for advice?
2. What additional information do you need and how will you gather the information?
You see two children in your care showing one another something on a cell phone. They are whispering in the corner while looking at the cell phone. You have a hunch that something is up.
1. How would you recommend responding if asked by a new staff member for advice?
2. What additional information do you need and how will you gather the information?
A child comes up to you and says they are “feeling sad.” This disclosure has made you reflect, and this child has seemed a little down for the past few days.
1. What training have you received to respond to these types of situations?
2. How are these observations shared with other staff members and/or parents/guardians?
3. Do you document this information?
You are playing with the children and observe that one of the children in your care has signs of recent self-harm on their arms and legs. The child has a documented history of self-harm. After the game the child has come over to talk to you one-on-one.
1. Do you document this information?
2. What training have you received to respond to these types of situations?
3. How are these observations shared with other staff members and/or parents/guardians?
You are on a field trip outside and notice that a youth in your care has old signs of self-harm on their arms and legs. You were not aware of the youth having a history of self-harm. You are now concerned that you do not have a full background on this youth.
1. What training have you received to respond to these types of situations?
2. How are these observations shared with other staff members and/or parents/guardians?
3. Do you document this information?
A parent of a child with a limited vocabulary told you that the child had bruises when they left your care. You review staff member notes and reports from the day and there is no documentation about bruises.
1. Does your organization have written procedures to address these types of concerns? Are they easy to follow? Are they followed?
2. What ideas do you have to improve direct supervision over children during care hours?
3. Does your response change if the child is able to explain what happened?
A parent of a young child sent you an email after hours. The email explains that “something happened in the bathroom” while in your care. You review notes, reports, and video but do not read or see any concerns.
1. Does your organization have written procedures to address these types of concerns? Are they easy to follow? Are they followed?
2. What ideas do you have to improve direct supervision over children during care hours?
3. Does your response change for an older child, or a child with cognitive delays?
A staff member has told you that a child in your care has been injured. The visible injuries are minor. Staff members cannot say how or when the injuries happened.
1. What are the steps in your response to this information?
2. Does your response change if the injuries were visible and serious?
3. Does your organization have written policies/procedures to address these types of concerns? Are they easy to follow? Are they followed?
4. What ideas do you have to improve direct supervision over children?
A staff member has just reported that another staff member was “joking” saying they “sometimes feel like smacking the kids” while on break.
1. How will you respond?
2. Has the organization anticipated frustrated staff members, and what supports are needed?
Someone covering for a sick staff member has had all they can handle, screamed that they were leaving, and left the campus, leaving the children unattended.
1. How will you respond?
2. Has the organization anticipated frustrated staff members, and what supports are needed?
You have just learned your coworker is an alleged perpetrator in a child abuse and/or neglect investigation. How do you respond, and does your response differ depending on if the allegations are abuse or neglect?
1. Does your organization have reporting requirements for these types of issues?
2. Are the requirements followed, and does your response differ based on the role of the individual (intern, coworker, supervisor, board member)?
On social media and/or the local news you see that a staff member has been arrested for a crime.
1. Does your organization have reporting requirements for these types of issues?
2. Are the requirements followed?
3. Does your response differ based on the role of the individual (intern, coworker, supervisor, board member)?
4. Does your response differ depending on whether the allegations are non-violent vs. violent?
Your community is facing extreme weather (ice, snow, flooding, etc.), and several staff members will not be able to make it to campus for their shift. Some staff members currently on duty need to make it home to care for their families.
1. Does your organization have a policy/procedure for these types of issues?
2. Is your organization able to pivot when emergencies around staff coverage occur?
3. How will your organization ensure adequate supervision?
A coworker shows up for their shift but something seems off. They are slightly slurring their words.
1. What action, if any, do you take?
2. Have staff members been trained to spot these types of staff concerns?
3. What policies, procedures, and organizational culture signals can help avoid these situations?
A shift supervisor walks over to your group to see how everyone is doing. You are not positive but they smell like marijuana. From what you can tell, they are behaving “normal.”
1. Do you say something? Why or why not?
2. Have staff members been trained to spot these types of staff concerns?
3. What policies, procedures, and organizational culture signals can help avoid these situations?
You are catching up with a coworker about their weekend. The coworker shares that they “met up” with one of the former children served by the organization. The coworker says it was to “say hi” and to “see if they were doing ok.”
1. What types of reporting protocols exist for these types of concerns?
2. Do you report these concerns immediately? Why or why not?
3. Would you say that your organization has a “see something, say something” culture?
It is a busy day with full attendance and you see a staff member one-on-one with a child under your supervision in the corner of the facility. You have seen that coworker spend extra time with that child lately.
1. What actions might you take after witnessing this situation?
2. What types of reporting protocols exist for these types of concerns?
3. Is it important to report these concerns immediately?
4. Would you say that your organization has a “see something, say something” culture, and why?
After the shift, staff members are catching up on missed calls and messages on their personal cell phones. You happen to see a name flash across your coworker’s phone. It’s the same name as one of the older youth currently in your program.
1. Do you say something? Who would you talk with?
2. What types of reporting protocols exist for these types of concerns?
3. Is it important to report these concerns immediately?
4. Would you say that your organization has a “see something, say something” culture, and why?
A child under your supervision comes to you and says their parent has a new “friend” who lives with them. Unprompted, the child says the new “friend” is “mean” but does not elaborate.
1. Do you ask the child for more details?
2. Do you mention this comment to the parent?
3. How do you know what to say back to the child in the moment?
4. How would you pass on your tips to an intern or volunteer?
5. Have these types of situations happened to you or a coworker?
A child under your supervision says they have moved and now have a new big sibling. The child keeps chatting and also adds that they share a bed with the new sibling.
1. How do you respond?
2. Does your response depend on the age of the child? Does your response depend on the sexes of the children?
3. How do you know what to say back to the child in the moment?
4. How would you pass on your tips on how to handle this situation to an intern or volunteer?
A parent shows up at the facility while children are present. They are banging on the front door and windows, and demanding to see their child. This is not “normal” behavior for this parent.
1. How are you going to de-escalate this situation? Who can support you?
2. Has this type of incident happened before?
3. Have you conducted “drills” on these types of safety concerns?
4. Do you still have areas of vulnerability? Are they physical (lack of fencing, locking doors, etc.) or procedural (no specific reporting chain, no back up for staff members), or both?
Someone you do not recognize walks on to the playground or campus property with children present. The stranger says they are picking up their child, naming a child currently in your care.
1. Have you been trained on how to respond to this type of incident?
2. Have you conducted “drills” on these types of safety concerns?
3. Do you still have areas of vulnerability? Are they physical (lack of fencing, locking doors, etc.) or procedural (no specific reporting chain, no back up for staff members), or both?
A parent documented in the enrollment paperwork that there is a “court order” to protect their child from the child’s other parent. Only one parent ever picks up the child. Today, a different adult calls, says they are the parent, and asks questions about the child.
1. What do you say to this individual?
2. Have you conducted “drills” for these types of safety concerns?
3. Do you have areas of vulnerability?
4. Are they physical (i.e. no fencing, unlocked doors) or procedural (i.e. no reporting chain or back up staff members)?
You are “friends” with coworkers on social media. While on a break you check your phone and see pictures/video of the children in your care posted by the coworker.
1. Do you share this information?
2. Does your organization have written policies/procedures to address these types of concerns?
3. Are policies/procedures on this topic easy to follow? Are they followed? Explain your rationale. What best practice suggestions can help avoid these situations?
Over the weekend you see a “rant” post about some families served by your organization. The post has very specific details about the family.
1. Do you share this information?
2. What should happen in this situation?
While on duty a staff member is taking photos of a child. You ask why and they say they will not post the photos anywhere. They say they “just want to remember the kids.”
1. Is this acceptable behavior, and do you report this information?
2. What should happen in this situation?
3. Does your organization have written policies/procedures to address these types of concerns?
4. Are policies/procedures on this topic easy to follow? Are they followed? Explain your rationale.
When necessary, your organization administers prescription medication to children. You document when medications are given, but the number of pills in the bottle and the number of medications given do not match.
1. Does your organization have written policies/procedures to address these types of concerns?
2. Are policies/procedures on this topic easy to follow? Are they followed? Explain your rationale. Does the organization have drills or training to practice this type of critical incident?
A child in your care has refused to take their prescribed psychotropic medications. After weeks of administering medication, you learn that a child has been secretly hiding their psychotropic medications, pretending to take the meds.
1. With whom and how do you share this information?
2. What operating procedures do you have to address these types of issues? Are they followed?
3. Does the organization have drills or training to practice this type of critical incident?
It is snack time. There is one child with food allergies in the group. While you were busy distributing snacks to everyone, children have exchanged their snacks and the child with allergies may have eaten non-safe food.
1. What operating procedures do you have to address these types of issues?
2. Are the operating procedures on this topic followed? Why or why not?
3. Do you report your concern to your co-workers or supervisor?
The children are having a meal/snack and you check your allergy sheet but your new children were not added to the list. You do not know if they have food allergies.
1. What operating procedures do you have to address these types of issues?
2. Are the operating procedures on this topic followed? Why or why not?
3. Do you offer these children food?
A new staff member has just started their onboarding training and has several more topics to cover. However, one of the direct care staff members just called in sick and staff-to-child ratios will now be off.
1. Should the new staff member step in? Why or why not?
2. Have these situations happened to you or a coworker?
3. What best practice suggestions can help avoid these low-staffing situations?
Your organization has required annual training curriculum/hours. The deadline for completion is next week. There are several staff members who are short on hours.
1. Have these situations happened to you or a coworker?
2. What best practice suggestions can help avoid these last minute deadlines?
3. Does your organization support your ability to complete training requirements prior to the deadline?
Your organization has required annual certifications (such as CPR, First Aid, Medication Administration, Lifeguard, etc.). Certifications for multiple staff members will lapse tomorrow.
1. Have these situations happened to you or a coworker?
2. What best practice suggestions can help avoid these last minute deadlines?
3. Does your organization support your ability to complete training requirements prior to the deadline?
For regulated/licensed/accredited organizations (this could also include health inspections), your regulator/licensing/accrediting authority has called to announce an unexpected monitoring visit tomorrow.
1. How will you prepare?
2. How does your response change if you were alerted that monitoring will occur next month instead?
During a surprise monitoring visit you witness a critical incident (such as a runaway in progress, children locked in unauthorized rooms, staff members spanking children, etc.).
1. How will you handle this situation?
2. Does your organization have a culture of operating as if monitoring could occur at any moment? Elaborate to explain. What initial steps could be taken in the next three months, and by whom, to promote a culture of consistent compliance with health and safety related policies and standards?
During a surprise monitoring visit a child runs up to you and reports concerning information (such as spanking, lack of food, lack of supervision, access to dangerous tools).
1. What immediate steps will you take to address this disclosure?
2. Does your organization have a culture of operating as if monitoring could occur at any moment?
3. What initial steps could be taken in the next three months, and by whom, to promote a culture of consistent compliance with health and safety related policies and standards?
While on duty a staff member has reported to the supervisor that their coworker’s work notes are not accurate, and they are concerned this has been happening for weeks.
1. What should happen next?
2. Has this type of concern happened before, and how was it addressed?
3. What are the consequences of inaccurate and potentially fraudulent records for staff members and for the organization?
In preparation for a monitoring visit you are reviewing records. During the review you find concerning reports related to child safety (self-harm, restraints, excessive alone time, very few therapeutic services, etc.). You did not know or hear about these concerns before your review.
1. How do you respond?
2. What specific steps would you take to address this concern?
3. What are the consequences of inaccurate and potentially fraudulent records for the organization?
Yesterday a staff member had to step in and briefly physically restrain a child under your organization’s supervision. You review yesterday’s records and find no documentation of the restraint.
1. What do you do next?
2. Does your organization have policies/procedures related to restraints?
3. Are the policies/procedures on this topic easy to follow? Are they followed? Explain your rationale. What best practices can help improve important documentation practices for restraints?
A child in your care comes up to you, points to a bruise around their elbow, and says a staff member “did this.” You review the logs for the last few days and see that the child was restrained by a staff member five days ago. The report says the child was not injured.
1. Do you update the documentation to note the injury?
2. Do you report the new information? If so, who should be notified?
3. What best practices can help improve important documentation practices for restraints?