manondarun 07:08 AM 01-09-2013
We have a student worker at our daycare that wants to be a "nanny" for our children after school, on days off, etc., but still keep her job at the daycare. My children are 4 and 2. Due to my wife's and my work schedule, we would like her to bring our children home from school until either one of us gets home. The worker wants to do it, and we want her to do it.
The principal at the school has said two different things, and I am trying to figure out what to do. She has said that it's illegal for the worker to bring our kids home (to the worker) and she has also said it is an ethics thing (to us).
Are either of these correct? Anyone have any guidance on this topic?
Blackcat31 07:13 AM 01-09-2013
As a parent you can give permission to anyone you would like to transport your children.
There may be a rule or policy for the child care center itself stating that employees cannot transport children but I would think that once the worker is off the clock at the center, she would now be YOUR employee and be allowed to sign your children out of care and transport them home.
Give your written permission to the director at the center.
I would double check that she not only have the appropriate insurance, driver's license and car seat training necessary to know how to properly secure and transport a child.
My guess is the director may have told the worker what she did in fear that the worker will watch your children on a permanent basis and the center will lose not only a worker but your children as well.
Crystal 07:42 AM 01-09-2013
I have student teachers who work at my program. It is against the rules and an agreement I have with the colleges that student teachers NEVER transport children due to liability issues. Now, this is during the time they are here with the children, however I would not risk my mentorship by allowing such an arrangement.
pandamom 10:10 AM 01-09-2013
I think it may depend on the employer. I'm a federal employee working at a NAEYC accredited center. We are allowed as long as the parent fill out the form allowing the employee to pick up child (same form as any other person picking up child that is not the parents). The employee cannot be on the clock when picking child up or transporting in their own personal vehicle.
I've heard of some centers not allowing their employees watch the center children during off hours...
BumbleBee 04:10 PM 01-09-2013
The short of it is it's up to the center. As a parent you can designate who the child can (and cannot) be released to. However, the center can put a policy in place that prohibits staff from caring for center children outside of the center.
I've worked in 2 centers who had 2 different approaches to this exact situation.
Center 1 it was okay but the parents and I had to sign 2 forms written by the center director. The form I had to sign stated that I would not give the children I was caring for after hours preferential treatment over the other children in my care and that I would not call off from work to go take care of the 'after hours' children. The parents had to sign a form releasing the center from all liability if anything should happen after hours while I was with their children.
Center 2 it was not okay under any circumstance for ANY staff member to care for a center child, after hours, while employed. Staff members couldn't even watch each others children after hours. We had to sign a statement that we understood this policy and breeching this policy was grounds for immediate termination.
So while it is NOT in fact, as far as I know, illegal---the center can implement a policy that staff members cannot care for center children after work hours.
As far as the ethics thing, I can see where the principal is coming from in a way. I don't necessarily agree with it but I can understand it. The center that had the 'no staff can care for center children outside of center hours' had a really bad situation happen and it almost cost them their license--hence the policy.
My only advice would be to request a meeting with the principal and find out why she/he is refusing to allow a teacher to take your children home from the center after work. Bottom line is, if the principal says no there's not a whole lot you can do without opening a can of worms & possibly resulting in the teacher losing her job and/or you losing your spots in the center.
manondarun 05:54 PM 01-09-2013
Thank you for all of your responses. I guess we'll have to have a meeting with the director to figure out what her stance is. We don't want to hire away the employee or have her come stay with the kids when she should be working. It's more of a convenience thing for us and can do spot baby-sitting duties when necessary.