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Last reviewed: September 2026 · Copy link
Compliance for schools, libraries and preschools
What institutions should request
- A CPC for each children’s product, current and matching the shipped model.
- The underlying test report from a CPSC-accepted lab.
- Tracking label evidence: photos showing the permanent marks on the product.
- For art supplies: LHAMA D-4236 labeling documentation.
The donation corner problem
Donated toys are the classic gap: nobody asked for documents, nobody checked recalls, and the items land directly in play areas. Institutions should apply the same screening to donations as to purchases: recall check, physical inspection, age appropriateness, and certificates where available. A written donation policy makes that enforceable.
Questions people ask
Are libraries responsible for toys in play areas?
Institutions owe a general duty of care for items they provide to children. Screening donations and purchases is the practical expression of that duty, and some insurers expect it.
Do we need to keep the certificates on file?
Keep them for as long as the item is in use: when a complaint or incident happens years later, the file is your evidence of diligence.
What about toys brought from home by staff?
Apply the same screening: recall check, condition, age appropriateness. A written staff policy is the clean way to enforce it.
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