Originally Posted by Meeko:
I am a fully licensed provider. My state has two levels of licensing. Residential certificate at a lesser level and fully licensed at a higher level. I am fully licensed and it is not hard. Some of the regs bug me as being pointless..... (After 20+ years of child care and four kids of my own, I despise going to training classes that teach me how to diaper a baby).....But many of the rules and requirements are for the kids and that's what it's all about.
I personally believe that if you are running your day care the way it should be and keeping safety etc a major concern...then there is no reason not to be licensed.
Please do not take this wrong...I know that many of you are not licensed and run wonderful caring home day cares. But there are many out there who would not pass an inspection and the parents only care that it's cheap.
The state is trying to stop the homes where one women will try and care for 25 kids by herself and in conditions you shouldn't keep animals. My own licensor has been to LICENSED homes to do un-announced visits and found horrific things. She came to my home in tears one day after having been to a home where she found a 3 yr old duct taped to a pipe in a laundry room because he had mis-behaved. Who knows what the so-called provider would have done if she knew she wasn't ever going to be inspected. She lost her license and the kids in her "care" are safer now. Imagine if the provider had been un-licensed and knew there was no chance of an inspection?
The state is not perfect. They have many rules that don't really work well for those of us who actually DO child care.....There is waaaay too much paperwork involved.......they don't come often enough to catch a lot of the bad stuff....and too often for those of us who know we are doing a good job and hate the interruptions........but I believe that things would be horrible if child care was suddenly off radar. "Day cares" would pop up all over with kids being taken to women who are not equipped to take are of them.
I think in a perfect world that the PARENTS should be the ones who best know what the best day care is for their kids. But lets get real. We have ALL had kids in our care who's parents are pretty much a waste of space and the kids are just lucky to be in a safe enviroment with us. Those same parents wouldn't bat an eye in taking their kids to a day care down the street that was dirty and overcrowded if it meant saving some money. Sad...but it's a reality.
The state is trying to stop that from happening and to keep day care as good as it can.
Sorry to be so long-winded! Believe me, the state child-care leaders of this state know my name. I am not backward when it comes to telling them that some of their regulations are just plain stupid......but I know they are trying to keep the KIDS safe and not just make MY life easier. So we put up with each other!!
Agree wholeheartedly! My state inspects every year with more possible. The state I am in requires very strict standards. Kids in my town are no longer cared for with a ratio of 12/1. Things are so improved. The state has every right to require quality FCC centers and stick their nose in when it comes to children's care.