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e.j. 12:27 PM 08-21-2020
Originally Posted by Cat Herder:
At least one Staff person with a satisfactory Comprehensive Records Check Determination shall supervise Children at all times appropriate to the individual age, needs and capabilities of each child.
This policy, as typed, makes sense to me.
In my state, it's not just staff that has to have background checks. All family members over 13 years of age who live in the house have to undergo a background check and fingerprinting each time I relicense, whether they have contact with the kids or not. My husband and adult kids work during the hours my day care is operating. They pretty much have zero contact with the dc kids. I'm paying an extra $105 (plus my own $35) this year to have them all fingerprinted. On the very rare day they aren't at work while I'm watching kids, they're either sick and in bed upstairs or have an appointment of some kind and are out of the house. The last thing any of them want to do is spend time with my dc kids.

Originally Posted by Cat Herder:
Such supervision must include, but not be limited to, indoor and outdoor activities, mealtimes, naptime, transportation, field trips, and transitions between activities.

"Supervision" means Staff members are providing watchful oversight to the children, volunteers and Students-in-Training.

The person(s) supervising in the child care area must be alert, positioned to maximize their ability to hear and see the children at all times, and able to respond promptly to the needs and actions of the children being supervised, as well as the actions of the volunteers and Students-in-Training, and provide timely attention to the children's actions and needs.
Most of this makes sense to me, too. Sad they feel as though they have to spell it out but I'm sure they've run into situations where providers are physically present but not paying attention to the kids in their care.

The regulation in my state is that we have to be able to see OR hear the kids at all times which makes more sense to me. I'd never be able to use the bathroom without bringing the kids in with me if I had to be able to see them at all times. I understand the importance of active supervision but there are times when nature calls and being able to hear the kids seems sufficient for those couple of minutes when I can't see them.

Originally Posted by Cat Herder:
Staff shall be attentive and participating with all children during mealtimes and shall be seated within an arm’s length away from children thirty-six (36) months of age and younger.
Crazy. I wouldn't be able to do that easily. If I'm sitting, it's usually only because I have a child who is too young to feed himself. Otherwise, I'm up and busy getting kids seconds, wiping ups spills, etc. I have a rectangular table the kids eat at. I couldn't literally be within arms reach of EVERY child sitting at the table unless one or two were sitting in the middle of it. If a child were to start choking, I'm certainly close enough to help in an instant.

Originally Posted by Cat Herder:
Plans shall be made to obtain additional Staff help in cases of emergencies.
?? As a family child care provider, are they saying you have to have standby staff to call on in case of an emergency? Here, I can call on a neighbor or friend for help in a true emergency. Under your state guidelines, they wouldn't be able to help because "at least one staff person with a satisfactory Comprehensive Records Check Determination shall supervise Children at all times" - unless they agreed to undergo the check on the off chance you needed their help at some point. Would this regulation force you to pay someone to be "on staff" just in case you have an emergency?
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