It Was My First Time And I Had 3

[daycare]

So today was my very first QRIS FCCERS observation and I had 3 lovely ladies that interrogated my whole home for almost 4.5 hours.


is this normal to have 3 of them ?

[DaveA]

I don't know if it's normal, but it is reason #5379 I want nothing to do with QRIS.

Good Luck!

[Crystal]

As an assessor, I have known there to be 2, but not 3. It could have been that 1 or 2 was in training. The reason for more than one is so that there is a consensus on scoring, meaning they have to agree to a firm score before assigning it to you on each element of the FCCERS.

4.5 hours is a long time.....generally 3 at the most.

[Crystal]

When you say your "whole home" do you mean only child-care areas, or other portions of the home that are off-limits to children? They should not be observing areas of the home that are never used for child care.

[Cat Herder]

I don't know if it is normal, but I had two for well over 4 hours as well.

NOTHING ran like it would had they not been there. A COMPLETELY inaccurate representation of our routine.

If it does not become mandatory before my next round, I am opting out. Not worth the effort, IMHO.

[daycare]

lol it was pretty funny, when they were here one of the kids said I am not supposed to talk to you. My teacher said you are just a fly on the wall and to ignore you.

We all laughed so hard.

So basically my whole house is the daycare, excluding the bedrooms. I do have an office which is 100% daycare office and they were in there for an hour alone looking at my books, files and etc.

I dont know why there were 3, but they combed every inch of my daycare with a fine tooth comb. I am almost positive that they read every book and music CD I own. lol

[spedmommy4]

Originally Posted by daycare

lol it was pretty funny, when they were here one of the kids said I am not supposed to talk to you. My teacher said you are just a fly on the wall and to ignore you.

We all laughed so hard.

So basically my whole house is the daycare, excluding the bedrooms. I do have an office which is 100% daycare office and they were in there for an hour alone looking at my books, files and etc.

I dont know why there were 3, but they combed every inch of my daycare with a fine tooth comb. I am almost positive that they read every book and music CD I own. lol

That seems excessive. I have used the ECERS tool before. (as a grad student) I also don't believe they should have been reviewing your files. Those are confidential. Those files are for you and licensing only.

[Annalee]

Originally Posted by daycare

lol it was pretty funny, when they were here one of the kids said I am not supposed to talk to you. My teacher said you are just a fly on the wall and to ignore you.

We all laughed so hard.

So basically my whole house is the daycare, excluding the bedrooms. I do have an office which is 100% daycare office and they were in there for an hour alone looking at my books, files and etc.

I dont know why there were 3, but they combed every inch of my daycare with a fine tooth comb. I am almost positive that they read every book and music CD I own. lol

I had three the first time I had an assessment. (2002) but not sure they do that anymore here. Sometimes we do have 2 assessors, though, but one is usually there for a reliability check of the assessor. I will have my 15th assessment in a few months and it is mandated....NO CHOICE FOR US!

[kitykids3]

I had 2 of them the first uear but the last couple years I have had only one and yes they are here 3-4 hours watching, then leave for a half hour lunch, come back and spend another 2-3 hours on paperwork.

[Gemma]

This might seem like a dumb question but...what does QRIS stand for?
Is it like the HS?

[spedmommy4]

Originally Posted by Gemma

This might seem like a dumb question but...what does QRIS stand for?
Is it like the HS?

Quality rating and improvement systems (I think- it's new here)

[Meeko]

Sounds about right.... three women who don't know you...don't know your kids....don't know their parents...come in and nose around YOUR home and decide in a few hours whether or not you're worth anything. Total garbage.

[Josiegirl]

Originally Posted by Meeko

Sounds about right.... three women who don't know you...don't know your kids....don't know their parents...come in and nose around YOUR home and decide in a few hours whether or not you're worth anything. Total garbage.

My 0-5 mentor was certified to do the assessing in our area and I love her to pieces! She's been here often, has seen me working with the dcks, 'knows' the environment and routine. But for some stupid reason the state had to hire 2 official assessors who are just as you mention! They have no clue but will pass judgement by the book, as to whether I'm 'good enough' or not, never mind I've been doing this over 30 years and have raised my own 3 children. IF(and that's getting to be a bigger and bigger IF) I decide to go from 3 STARS to 4, I will need to have them come into my home and assess. Right now, that's my biggest stumbling block. My mentor did tell me if I decide to do that, she can come prior to the assessors and go through it herself, to support me, show me where I could improve, answer my questions, etc.

[Josiegirl]

Originally Posted by daycare

So today was my very first QRIS FCCERS observation and I had 3 lovely ladies that interrogated my whole home for almost 4.5 hours.


is this normal to have 3 of them ?

Did they let you know right away how you did or is it a waiting game? And how well do you have to score? Is there a chance they'd be able to shut a person down or is it all basically to help a provider improve their program? (see how intimidated this all makes me? I just picture them coming in and taking my job away )

[Controlled Chaos]

Originally Posted by Meeko

Sounds about right.... three women who don't know you...don't know your kids....don't know their parents...come in and nose around YOUR home and decide in a few hours whether or not you're worth anything. Total garbage.

You've been in the business a long time in our state. Do see them moving to it being mandatory soon for us? I am so new, I have no sense of any momentum as I am still a bit dizzy trying to get the hang of it all. It's unsettling.

[midaycare]

I only had 1 visit, and she stayed for 4 hours. I got 4 stars and was written down for things like "held infant too long" (he was screaming - maninly because he was afraid of her), "didn't do a craft with the kids" (because I was holding the screaming infant), and "helped kids washed hands, instead of letting them do it themselves" (All of my kids at that time were under 3 and short. No one could reach the faucet without my help.

Next time I will just take the 3 stars with no observation, thank you very much.

[Meeko]

Originally Posted by Controlled Chaos

You've been in the business a long time in our state. Do see them moving to it being mandatory soon for us? I am so new, I have no sense of any momentum as I am still a bit dizzy trying to get the hang of it all. It's unsettling.

They keep telling us it is not mandatory....but we've seen that promise before in other states.

I will retire the second that any stranger tries to come into MY home and tell me how to run MY business. I have a good relationship with my clients. They know how I run things and they like it. THAT is the only important thing. I follow all licensing regs and have a perfect record with my inspections. I don't want or need anything else.

[Meeko]

Originally Posted by midaycare

I only had 1 visit, and she stayed for 4 hours. I got 4 stars and was written down for things like "held infant too long" (he was screaming - maninly because he was afraid of her), "didn't do a craft with the kids" (because I was holding the screaming infant), and "helped kids washed hands, instead of letting them do it themselves" (All of my kids at that time were under 3 and short. No one could reach the faucet without my help.

Next time I will just take the 3 stars with no observation, thank you very much.

...and she actually got PAID for that nonsense......

[spedmommy4]

Originally Posted by Meeko

...and she actually got PAID for that nonsense......

That IS nonsense. I get that they are supposed to score by the book but it would be great if they could use common sense. I have a little one that would freak out if three strangers came in to assess my program too.

My current group thrives on routine and adding three unfamiliar adults to the mix would throw off our whole routine. I am all for raising quality but most of what I read in the threads on here is punitive (towards providers) and does little to raise quality.

[Josiegirl]

Originally Posted by Meeko

...and she actually got PAID for that nonsense......

Right??!! Our states must have an overabundance of money and don't know what else to spend it on. I've got an idea...pass out more grants, etc. and help us improve our programs. What they're doing by scrutinizing every single thing is NOT going to weed out the bad or under the radar programs. It's just like all the funds they're spending on more academically based programs when every single article we read points to them being developmentally inappropriate!

Oh do NOT get me started! Let kids be kids and providers be providers!

[Meeko]

Originally Posted by Josiegirl

Right??!! Our states must have an overabundance of money and don't know what else to spend it on. I've got an idea...pass out more grants, etc. and help us improve our programs. What they're doing by scrutinizing every single thing is NOT going to weed out the bad or under the radar programs. It's just like all the funds they're spending on more academically based programs when every single article we read points to them being developmentally inappropriate!

Oh do NOT get me started! Let kids be kids and providers be providers!

[Meeko]

If a provider has major problems in her daycare, then it will be noticed by both licensing and parents.

If a provider wants information on making changes or improving her business, she can do research on her own and pick and choose what will work for her specifically.

Having a stranger come in to nose around is completely redundant. They do not have a clue about the home or the occupants, or the daycare families. They only see a glimpse of the surface of the lives in that home. That is never enough to make an assessment. They go by a piece of paper and a checklist.

A home daycare is SOOO much more than a generic checklist. I provide a personal, family-like home setting. An inspector is not part of that "family" and therefore is not qualified to make any comment on it.

They have no idea about MY daycare. And I refuse to become a cookie-cutter facility, raising little robots according to "the checklist" and "stars".