Default Style Register
Daycare.com Forum
Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Ughh, I hate Being State Registered
gbcc 11:12 AM 12-16-2009
Does anyone have issues with their registration agency? I live in NYS and they are a freaking nightmare. I wish I had stayed non-registered it was so much easier. The state is telling me I have to put up a barrier on my property. The town doesn't agree and wont let me put up a fence. They wont tell me what other barrier I could ue. I have 4 trees that I use. The children are not stupid they know not to go past the trees. I said, well maybe a colorful rope or caution tape. No, they could get through that. Well, there are many types of fences they can get through as well. WTF people. You say you are there to help us, but all I see you doing is preventing me from getting my lisence and offering no assistance to change that. I don't have that income until I get the town and state to agree. Right around x-mas time too. Great, I hope they have a wonderful freaking x-mas for their kids too.

Really, I know they are the "state" but is it really that hard to help out or offer some advice?
Reply
jen 11:32 AM 12-16-2009
I don't know about your state licensing, but our is most defnitely not here to help us...only to police us. Sad, but true.

Good luck.
Reply
gbcc 11:38 AM 12-16-2009
Here, you can go through the county agency that contract with the state if you want 8 children or less. If you want more than 8 children or to hire an assistant you need to go through just the state.

When I went through the county agency, they were awesome. Very helpful and to the point.

The state is policing me and I'm not even registered yet, what's to police? They won't answer any questions and tell me to figure it out on my own because they aren't allowed to tell me what to do? What, yes you are. I don't want a fence but you are making me want one because I can't get the lisence unless I put one up.

It's really a shame. They should be there to help you. They complain about all the un-registered providers but they don't help convince providers to become registered. To be honest, I am only registered because of the food program. I get a $500 check per month toward my grocery bill. That is worth the hassel most of the time! Does your state have that? What state are you?
Reply
tymaboy 02:13 PM 12-16-2009
I am registered too. & agree it can be a pain. When I got registered they had a fit cuz of where a smoke alarm was - it was right outside the bathroom door upstairs (which is 2 feet from the stairs) they had us put another alarm at the very top of the stairs. The last time they came they told me I had to change the size of my no smoking signs & my emergency signs I had to mark all the arrows with the word fire or tornado, I had them color coded explaining what the colors meant at bottom of the page.
Reply
gbcc 03:17 PM 12-16-2009
I do understand they are concerned about safety, but they get carried away. I don't have to have no smoking signs or exit signs. I have to have fire alarms on every floor, outside each playroom, in the kitchen and near the furnace. I also have to have a fire extinguisher within 3 feet of the furnace and another in kitchen. I even have to have safety plugs in plugs that I can't even reach without a chair!
Reply
Chickenhauler 06:19 PM 12-16-2009
Originally Posted by gbcc:
I do understand they are concerned about safety, but they get carried away. I don't have to have no smoking signs or exit signs. I have to have fire alarms on every floor, outside each playroom, in the kitchen and near the furnace. I also have to have a fire extinguisher within 3 feet of the furnace and another in kitchen. I even have to have safety plugs in plugs that I can't even reach without a chair!
That's gotta be about the dumbest place to have the extinguisher....3 ft from the furnace (potential source of fire).....wouldn't it make more sense to have it 5-10 ft away?

I mean, what good is an extinguisher if you can't get to it because it's too close to the fire?
Reply
originalkat 08:04 PM 12-16-2009
In my state you have two options...Registered (up to 6 kids including your own) in which you pay the yearly fees and fill out a yearly safety checklist and other background check info and mail it in. They do not come check my house unless someone files a complaint. OR you can be Licensed where you can have more kids, but they come and check you yearly and you have to have a fire inspection. etc... I am Registered right now and dont know if it is worth it to get licenced. But the advantage is in my State you can be on the food program if you are Registered or Licensed.
Reply
laundryduchess@yahoo.com 04:12 AM 12-17-2009
What do you mean the town wont let you? Here there are subdivisions and neighborhoods with rules governing what you can and cant do on your property. They are in the covenants. If your town has these covenants- they are public record and have probably been in force since the neighborhoods were established.- You are either going to have to move, apply for a varience siting why you should be allowed when others are not ,.. or not be a provider. This is one of the hard things about childcare,... in some places you cant provide care in your home. Period. Cant fight it just have to find somewhere else to do it. If the state guidelines say you have to have a fence or natural barrier,.... then you need one. You have to provide the environment to fit your need. I couldnt imagine providing care without a fenced area for the kids to play,.. I couldnt imagine someone being licensed or registered without one. I know you say the kids arent stupid,.. and they probably arent,.. but are you honestly willing to take that chance with someone elses child? Thats like saying, Im a good driver,.. and not buckling a child,... you may be a great driver,.. but everyone is not. The children may be smart, wonderful non wandering kids,.. but what about the stray dog who just wandered into your yard while you are out playing????



Originally Posted by gbcc:
Does anyone have issues with their registration agency? I live in NYS and they are a freaking nightmare. I wish I had stayed non-registered it was so much easier. The state is telling me I have to put up a barrier on my property. The town doesn't agree and wont let me put up a fence. They wont tell me what other barrier I could ue. I have 4 trees that I use. The children are not stupid they know not to go past the trees. I said, well maybe a colorful rope or caution tape. No, they could get through that. Well, there are many types of fences they can get through as well. WTF people. You say you are there to help us, but all I see you doing is preventing me from getting my lisence and offering no assistance to change that. I don't have that income until I get the town and state to agree. Right around x-mas time too. Great, I hope they have a wonderful freaking x-mas for their kids too.

Really, I know they are the "state" but is it really that hard to help out or offer some advice?

Reply
originalkat 07:14 AM 12-17-2009
My state does not have fence/natural boundary laws unless your property is near a dangerous area such as a busy road, railroad, body of water etc... or unless it is bordered by another childcare facility. Our property is laid out kind of strange. We dont really have a backyard. Where the kids play is really the side yard and there is not a good way to fence it in. I dont think you HAVE to have a fence to offer safe childcare (although, honestly I would prefer to have one).

Some cities have their own local home childcare restrictions that you have to abide by beyond the State ones. When we lived in Missouri there were a lot of towns that had these. When we were looking to buy that was a MAJOR factor in where we would live. Some are very restrictive. However, usually you can request a variance from the city and they will have public hearing/meeting where the neighbors etc could attend and contest your request. Basically you give your request and reasons why you need it and why it would not cause a problem to others in the area. Then the city makes their final decision.

Obviously it would be a big pain to do this, but you might look into some of these options with your city.
Reply
gbcc 10:05 AM 12-17-2009
Originally Posted by originalkat:
In my state you have two options...Registered (up to 6 kids including your own) in which you pay the yearly fees and fill out a yearly safety checklist and other background check info and mail it in. They do not come check my house unless someone files a complaint. OR you can be Licensed where you can have more kids, but they come and check you yearly and you have to have a fire inspection. etc... I am Registered right now and dont know if it is worth it to get licenced. But the advantage is in my State you can be on the food program if you are Registered or Licensed.
That must be nice. In NY you can only be Registered. There is no option for a License. However, we don't have yearly fees. It is all free.
Reply
gbcc 03:27 PM 12-17-2009
Originally Posted by nrserafin:
gbcc - where in ny are you??
Near Rochester, are you from NY?

When I went through the Child Care Council here in the County it was awesome. I loved them. They were very helpful and seemed to be on your side.

Now going through the state, they want me to make so many changes that the ccc didn't think necessary. The problem is they wont tell me what exactly they want and give no advice. It's not right. If they can't show you a specific regulation then I don't feel they have a right to mandate it. That's NYS for you though.
Reply
gbcc 07:13 AM 12-18-2009
Are you familiar with Livonia? Its about 15 min south of Hennrietta.

My issue isn't with the ccc at all. They are strict with some rules, but at least they help you get into complience and explain the necessity. I have a huge ditch in my front yard. It is lined with stones. To them this was sufficient. They said if a ball was to go in the road, the ditch would stop it. Also the rocks would make it hard for the children to run out into the road. It's with the actual state. I am trying to go from Family to Group for some extra income.

Hey, are you also... I can't remember your name. Do you have 2 boys and a nephew?
Reply
gbcc 09:23 AM 12-18-2009
Yes, they want me to build a fence but my small town doesn't like giving building permits unless it is necessary. They don't feel this is a necessity for the property. Of course the state wont write me a statement that says they are requireing it, they say they can't because they can't tell me to do it. But they are.. basically they are telling me if I want my lisence I have to do. Isn't that a requirement?

I belong to another group (RochesterMommies) where there is another women from Rochester that does daycare. I thought maybe it was you.
Reply
Tags:license, policing, registered
Reply Up