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Unregistered 12:52 PM 01-09-2011
Having a licensed day care is a huge responsibility. The larger your day care the more people you answer to on a daily basis. You have the children to care for without the children you have no day care, (if the State comes in and closes you down what happens to the children then, will the parents still feel comfortable leaving their children in your care after that?) Your staff needs to be educated and trained properly to care for the children in your care. Meet the health and safety laws that are required of a home day care. This should also include the State day care regulations. You are accountable to State Licensing Agency, Food Program, Liability Insurance company, (this protects you and your business from allegations that can be made against you by a parent or someone who chooses to call you in to Social Services because they are upset with you over something silly. The license is your way of stating that your heart and intentions should be in the right place and you are willing to put yourself and your reputation on the line to care for another persons child. The majority of providers understand whats at stake here they do go the extra mile to put themselves in a bad situation. Situations come from lack of education and not knowing how to protect yourself and your business with less liability. Most allegations are misleading, when the state comes out if your following the rules your allegations will written as unfounded. If your up front and honest with your parents and they know everything that goes on in your day care. They will back you up and support you and your day care. Have written policies in place for parents and employees that cuts down your liability. Know your laws and regulations, yeah you will slip up we are not perfect. The state will always find something that is their job. You also get all the write offs that come with the business when your licensed. Advertising requires that you show your license license number any time you advertise your business and are looking for clients. (On line or in the newspaper) you can be fined for not having a license number. Payroll for your Employees, DOJ clearance on each of your employees, If your unlicensed who is checking up on your help making sure the children in your care are safe and protected from unwanted sexual offenders? How about yourself what kind of guarantee does the parent have that you have a clean bill of health and cleared DOJ/Clear child index record on file. When your licensed, your parents know that you have jumped through all those hoops and everyone in that household over 18 years of age have been cleared and there is a record on all these people should anything go wrong, this protects you. The State keeps track of the people residing in your home. TB tests should be run on the Director to make sure their is no spreading of TB and all Directors and at least one helper should have CPR/Child/Infant, First Aid. You are also accountable to EDD, Workman's Comp, Unemployment taxes, State Disability Insurance, United States Treasury (Federal- for your Self-Employment Taxes), business bookkeeping making sure your cash flow meets the needs of your day care on a daily basis. Large day cares have to have a city permit and be approved by the Fire Department to make sure the children in your care are protected in case of an emergency. It's not fair to the providers who have set up their businesses followed all the laws, pay their taxes on their business while unlicensed providers work under the table and have no legal obligations to follow all the rules we are required to follow. You should have a daily curriculum and activities set up for the children in your care. Yes, licensed providers get written up by the State, as long as your doing your job and your records are in order, and your facility meets the major requirements of the State they are not going to shut you down. Yes, they will hold you accountable for the infractions. But, at the end of the day you have the piece of mind of not having to worry about what's going to happen if someone turns me in for running an unlicensed facility. What happens if a child has a seizure that has been fever induced or someone falls and gets hurt. You have to make an emergency phone call for help. We are required to fill out an Unusual Incident Report which covers us as licensed providers, the emergency providers will file a report with Social Services explaining in great detail the events leading up to the incident and they will report if you are in fact licensed or unlicensed along with how many children were in your care at the time. If your licensed or unlicensed you will get a follow up visit from Social Services with in day or so of that report being sent to them. It's not worth risk of something happening that is out of your control, at that point they are going to scrutinize everything about you, your business, they can talk to the parents, the children, your help, your neighbors you are opening up all areas of your life to the Department of Social Services and heaven help you if they find someone there that has a criminal back ground and no background check or Exemption Status as been issued by the Department of Social Services. I personally would rather fight with all my ducks in row, rather than go in fighting like I may have something to hide by not following the rules and giving them the upper hand in a bad situation that was out everyone's control. This can give then grounds to deny a future day care license to you for endangering the safety and well being of a child while in your care.
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