MamaBear317 05:26 AM 07-10-2014
My child (3 years old) was taken on a field trip last Thursday to a neighboring town's playground. His class was transported on a small school bus. I found out about the trip when I picked him up that afternoon. There was no permission slip signed and I was not made aware that he would be leaving their premises for any reason. Last night, I picked him and found out that he went to a movie theater for a movie.. 20 minutes away. I spoke to the owner and was told that because I signed the enrollment form, that gave them permission. My whole point was that I would like knowledge of any future trips - a schedule or agenda - so that I know where he is on any given day. My question is: should they be required to have individual permission slips signed for each trip? Is there any law that says they should be required to do so, or by signing the enrollment form, have I signed a blanket permission slip?
This is a Pennsylvania daycare center and they are a part of the Keystone STARS program.
Any information or help would be greatly appreciated.
- Angry Mama Bear
Laurel 07:58 AM 07-10-2014
I've never heard of anything like that. Here you have to have parents sign for each outing.
In fact, as a home provider, my inspector questioned me taking babies/toddlers for stroller rides and not having a permission slip for each ride. What the heck? I had a blanket one that parents signed that it was okay to take children on a stroller ride/walk around the neighborhood or to a park within walking distance.
I had to object to that request. I told her that we would just go on the spur of the moment if the weather was especially nice or we just felt like being someplace different or the baby was fussy then a walk helped calm the baby. She agreed to let me do a blanket one with some different wording where I listed possible times we would be out of the house. The thing is I had been using the old blanket form for YEARS and she had never mentioned it before.
All that rambling to say, they should inform you of the trip and have you sign a permission slip each time. Period. I've never heard of such a thing anywhere but I guess you could check your local regulations.
Laurel
MamaBear317 07:26 AM 07-14-2014
Every person I have talked to regarding this has said that they can't believe they don't have individual permission slips for parents to sign. I just can't believe they go anywhere without even telling the parents. Some of the older kids went to a water park and their parents didn't know about it. That's just irresponsible. I have a hard time trusting their judgments now and I've even considered finding new care for my son.
Blackcat31 07:36 AM 07-14-2014
I'd like to know exactly what it says in their handbook/contract about field trips.
Does it say they will be taken regularly?
Does it actually say they have to have an individual permission slip from each parent for each trip?
If it's a bigger center and the contract or enrollment papers state clearly that they do take regular field trips, I can see them not wanting to do individual ones as parents rarely remember to return them by xx dates and then the center is left having to deal with kids who "technically" can't go and having extra staff on site for those kids etc...
So the deciding factor is going to be what (exactly) your enrollment/handbook says about this.
Some big centers have schedules up on their website only in order to cut down on paper being sent home. Maybe you did give permission when signing one of the many sheets during enrollment and then you would need to check in monthly for a schedule of trips posted on the website. It doesn't sound like you have grasped how this center works yet. I would ask them, not us.
Leigh 03:13 PM 07-14-2014
I am not required to do so, but I do have a permission form to take children off premises at my discretion. My state does not require it, but I do this to prevent parents from claiming that they didn't know that trips away from daycare are common. We go to the zoo, local parks, library, etc. I would never ask a parent to sign a slip for every outing-they already get annoyed with all the signatures the state asks them for!