A Real-Time IoT-Based Child Safety and Wellbeing Monitoring System for Smart Childcare Centers

Abstract

Child safety and wellbeing in childcare centers remain important challenges for smart and inclusive communities, particularly when caregivers must simultaneously supervise multiple young children. This paper presents a real-time Internet of Things (IoT)-based monitoring system designed to support child supervision, physiological monitoring, and communication among authorized users in a childcare center. The proposed prototype integrates a wearable bracelet equipped with an ESP32-C3 microcontroller, a MAX30102 sensor, and a SIM800L EVB cellular communication module. It also includes a Flutter-based mobile application, a Flask REST API, and an SQL database for data processing, storage, visualization, and notification management. The system was evaluated through cellular transmission tests using two mobile network operators, a 15-minute heart-rate sensing trial, backend request optimization, and a usability survey involving 31 participants, including parents, educators, and childcare coordinators. Communication tests produced average transmission times of approximately 3.5 and 6 seconds, depending on the network operator. The wearable prototype successfully captured heart-rate readings when properly fastened, although interruptions caused by device movement highlighted the need for an improved attachment mechanism. Backend optimization reduced application request time from approximately 3 seconds to 1 second. Participants also reported a generally positive perception of the system's usability and usefulness. These preliminary results demonstrate the technical feasibility of integrating wearable IoT devices and mobile applications to support safer and more responsive childcare services. Nevertheless, longer-term evaluations, stronger privacy safeguards, improved wearable ergonomics, and validation across additional childcare environments are required before operational deployment.