Question - Kiddie Pools??

[Hunni Bee]

As some of you know, I'm at a center. Anyway, we have "Splash Days" once a week throughout the summer. The kids 3 and up go to the local pool, while the littles are supposed to have it at the center. We are planning on buying a large kiddie pool for them, but a parent told us that we are now required to chlorinate the water because its unsanitary for kids that little to share regular tap water.

We require all potty-training kids to wear Little Swimmers in order to get in the water.

I haven't heard this. I can see why something like that might be required, and we have the chlorine test strips that we use to test our sanitizing water. I just wondered had anybody else heard of this...

[MamaJ]

that's not required for here in MI (i'm not a center, just residential). Pools just must be clean and free of debris, emptied and cleaned after each play period or immediately if contaminated....and must be empty when not in use.

[SilverSabre25]

Best thing to do is going to be to call the licensing agency and ask them...seems like if something like that had gone into effect, you would have been notified.

[spud912]

Originally Posted by Hunni Bee

I haven't heard this. I can see why something like that might be required, and we have the chlorine test strips that we use to test our sanitizing water. I just wondered had anybody else heard of this...

The chlorine test strips you use for the sanitizing water only test higher concentrations of chlorine. For pool water, you would want significantly less chlorine to prevent skin and eye reactions (which would be undetectable on the test strips you have). The test strips will change color at approximately 25 ppm, whereas bodies of swimming water should have chlorine concentrations of 1 to 5 ppm. The test kits that detect that amount of chlorine are only available where pool supplies are sold.

As far as whether to chlorinate the water or not, I would follow the pp's advice and speak to your licensing agency.

[countrymom]

if you are emptying it after use then I see no need for chlorine, obviously if the pool gets dirty you would clean it.

[DBug]

Totally depends on licensing. At the center I worked at, we had to chlorinate the water in the indoor water table .

[Cat Herder]

It is definitely based on each States rules and regs.

I prefer sprinklers for this reason.

I do occasionally fill the little resin pools and add baby wash to make bubbles (especially on spaghetti day).

I am required to have the kids in swim diapers and empty it immediately after use, though.

[Country Kids]

We are allowed no kiddie pools of any kind Very irratating especially when it get very, very hot here at times. It seems its either rainy or hot! If we do have any type of pool it has to be behind a 6 or 8 foot fence and childproof lock. Then if we allow the dcks to use it wehave to have the health dept. come out and put it through all the regs. for a public pool. Once it passes that we can use it with the dcks. Scary thing is then you are certified as having a public pool and I can so see someone carrying to far as saying they would have the right to use it.

They are so strict here that one time the little turtle sandbox wasn't filled yet with sand. Licensing was here and became all conserned that I was going to use it as a wading pool! I had to explain I hadn't bought the sand yet but I think they actually made me put it up till I bought it.

[familyschoolcare]

I do not know about chlorinating. However, I do know that here in California any container holding water must be dump eminently after use. Was told during orientation that this was now subject to a fine it was very large (I think $500) and did include any container including mop buckets.

[MarinaVanessa]

Originally Posted by DBug

Totally depends on licensing. At the center I worked at, we had to chlorinate the water in the indoor water table .

Wow, and I thought CA was bad. Seems a little excessive to me.

[familyschoolcare]

Originally Posted by MarinaVanessa

Wow, and I thought CA was bad. Seems a little excessive to me.

Not sure if it is because of the children's safety or about mosquito population reduction. The lady giving the origination implied that the law did not come down form child care licensing. But still.

[kathiemarie]

FYI..little swimmers only hold soild waste. So, if they pee it leaks into the water.

[KEG123]

We have the choice to either dump after each use, or chlorinate. And yes, pee totally leaks out of little swimmers. It's really just to catch the floaters.

[Cat Herder]

Originally Posted by kathiemarie

FYI..little swimmers only hold soild waste. So, if they pee it leaks into the water.

Yep, but it still does more than bathing suits...

IMHO, The best route, again, is sprinklers....

[sharlan]

I cannot find anything in CA regs regarding this.

[familyschoolcare]

Originally Posted by sharlan

I cannot find anything in CA regs regarding this.

I do not think it is in the regulations from licensing, it is something I was told at the orientation and the lady said it was a new law. She also did not explain why or have stories to go with as to why like she did for other regulations. (example when one person said so i can not use a bouncing seat at all. The lady said in the past providers where leaving children in then for 6 hours a day) Just said "we now have to fine you for ...." This leads me to believe that it is not a licensing regulation but a state law that as state workers the reps. are required to help enforce. I do not know if this information helps I only know what I was told at orientation.

[mom2many]

Originally Posted by joynerportia@yahoo

I do not think it is in the regulations from licensing, it is something I was told at the orientation and the lady said it was a new law. She also did not explain why or have stories to go with as to why like she did for other regulations. (example when one person said so i can not use a bouncing seat at all. The lady said in the past providers where leaving children in then for 6 hours a day) Just said "we now have to fine you for ...." This leads me to believe that it is not a licensing regulation but a state law that as state workers the reps. are required to help enforce. I do not know if this information helps I only know what I was told at orientation.

Hi! I am new to this forum, but have been a licensed provider for 25 years. I've seen so many changes over the years...what bothers me is how are providers supposed to be privy to these new laws that those in orientations are told about!

Two years ago I had an unannounced site visit and passed 100% and then 5 months later another LPA came out and said the child proof locks on my bathroom vanity were unacceptable. I explained that in previous inspections that they'd been approved and that even just a few months prior they were totally okay with the last LPA! She informed me that in orientation they tell new providers only the "tot lok" was okay to use. She could not tell me when this had changed or where it was in regs. She went on to write me up for all of the hazardous items that had been behind the child proofed locked doors!

I am totally 100% in favor of making sure my home is safe for the children in my care, but when things change, providers should be informed! I was cited for a Type A, which in CA is a huge, big deal! Parents have to sign a form notifying them of the violation and it has to be posted as well. I'm extremely conscientious and this was horrible!

I appealed this, and it was denied. The LPA's supervisor stated that it the type of childproof devise that is approved is NOT actually in the regs and even within the state of CA each county has its own "interpretation" of what constitutes making it childproof!

I was and am still so appalled at the lack of consistency and frustrated with getting cited for something that had previously been approved by their own agency! I understand gray areas, but my argument is that they should be working with us as providers and informing, not citing us if things change!

[Hunni Bee]

I looked it up. For VA, where I am, we don't have to chlorinate the water. But we can't have any kids who aren't potty trained using it, Little Swimmers notwithstanding. So a kiddie pool has no purpose here.