Today I am a bit frustrated. I know I opened a tiny daycare in my home and am required to give the State my physical home address, phone numbers, and email addresses. No problem.

My understanding was that they could give my information out, IF AND WHEN I had openings to prospective clients who contacted them with special needs. I have not had one for years....

I was not aware they would be publishing this information for the entire world to see.

When I interview new families, I do not give out my physical address until I have done a phone interview and contacted their references. I have been known to run a background check or two in my day as well when I had my doubts. Typically I already know a few generations of each of my families BEFORE the interview.

Many of my clients are public safety/law enforcement and as such NEED to know their children's location is private to be able to concentrate on their job, YKWIM?

I don't feel safe knowing that some freak out there knows I am home alone with 6 kids. WTH were they thinking?????

I won't even go into the constant junk emails or almost daily calls I get from people wanting to sell me stuff and "training" offers that are not even accredited.

Do I not have a right to my privacy? Am I the only one who feels this way?

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What state are you in? Is there any sort thing you can do to remain "unpublished" while your daycare is full? Is there anyone in authority that you can discuss your concerns with?

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"Standard Policy to better serve our families."

Everyone registered is published.

We have no choice.

They call a few times a year to see if I have an opening, but I don't remember the last time I did. I work from my waiting list strictly from word of mouth. I do not advertise. They know this.

That was why I assumed I was not on the list...but I was wrong. It was right there in black and white.

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I worry about that too. I want to build a website, but I'm afraid to put too much information on it. I don't want any pictures of the front of my house, and I don't want my address on it.

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Here licenses are public record and are listed on the division of child developments website. It's not something we have a choice in.

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Our state does the same thing. If you are licensed, your information is on the web for anyone to find, address, phone number, and licensing distinction. This is maintained by the state department of family services, not the referral organization.

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I swear that people are not thinking clearly nowadays. Can you appeal it bc of the certain clientele you have?

This is one of the main reasons I choose to be unregistered in my state. It is far too easy to find out where I am with these precious little ones eachday. Any nut off the street could find us.

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In NJ we could choose not to be on the referral list. If a provider wants to be on it, it gives the first name, no last name, and street name with no house number. It lists the phone number (which of course if you're listed, your address could be reverse looked-up). Anyway, I'd think you should be able to "opt-out" of something like this.

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I've never been very happy about having this information published, either. Here they have even sold the list of licensed home daycare providers to marketers. I hate it, but I need to be licensed in order to make a decent living, so I don't have a choice.

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I think ours is posted online as well, if not I know someone could get a big list via email. I know I helped my sister find care for her 4 little ones and email the state of South Dakota and her area and they sent me two decent-sized lists without even asking who I was. It gave out the full name, full address, and phone number. I was shocked how easy that was and I don't like my personal information being shared that easily. At least if you register a business cell phone (one you can change the number when too many calls come in) then they can't reverse lookup for the home address. That is what I want to do as long as I'm not required to hand a land-line.

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