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By
Catherine M. Pruissen
Welcome
to the first special of our "Getting to know
you..." series. Throughout the next few weeks
we'll introduce you to the many child care agencies,
organizations and related services who can help you
with your child care needs and concerns.
The
fact is, there are many services available to asssit
parents, caregivers and employers. Most are as close
as your computer or your telephone.
DAYCARE
LICENSING OFFICES
Before
a parent begins the all encompassing task of choosing
quality child care, they would be well advised to
learn as much about daycare as possible.
Now
that doesn't mean spending weeks in seminar sessions
or reading every book there is on the subject, although
that would be ideal. But it does mean doing a little
research on the rules governing minimum staffing,
health and safety regulations, and licensing of both
center-based and family care in their area.
It
is important to keep in mind that these regulations
provide a MINIMUM standard of care and that in many
instances enforcement is irregular at best. Quality
care rises above this minimum standard. Once a parent
has a basic knowledge of what the conditions of good
care are, they can ensure it for their child.
Fortunately,
licensing regulations are not difficult to understand,
nor are they hard to get. The trick is knowing who
to contact. To locate a local office, the government
pages of your phone book are a great place to start,
or parents could check out our Registry
for their provincial/state Resource and Referral agency
or Community Information Service. A local daycare
operator may assist as well. These offices will be
able to tell parents what standards apply to daycare
centers, family daycare homes, and any other type
of care under legislation. Some licensing offices
will also give a complete list of licensed programs
in their state or province, and in some cases inform
parents of any complaints registered against a particular
program.
Equally
as important, licensing agencies will tell parents
how to report a violation of local child care codes.
In effect, licensing offers parents a certain amount
of consumer protection, assuring their child's well-being
by imposing restrictions on:
- group
size
- staff/child
ratios
- and
discipline, while at the same time reinforcing
- health
and safety standards
- programming
- staff
training
- and
parent involvement, all of which are key components
of quality care. (For a further breakdown of these
components refer to the article: Components
of Quality Child Care? in our Resource
Centre.)
OTHER LICENSING REQUIREMENTS
Although the licensing requirements noted above are,
from a parent's perspective, the most important aspects
of child care, they are far from conclusive. Indeed,
as the list that follows indicates, there are many
other factors to consider when choosing and monitoring
daycare.
Physical
environment - the actual building the children
will be housed in should have adequate space, doors
and windows. All equipment used for and by the children
must meet national safety standards.
Health
and safety issues such as immunization records,
reporting of minor injuries, administering of medication,
storing of poisonous substances are addressed in most
state and provincial licensing requirements. (See
our Business Forms
section for these and other valuable reports.)
Nutrition
is a major concern and many licensing boards require
facilities to follow national food guides in their
provision of both meals and snacks.
Parent
involvement, which may include the establishment
of a Parent Advisory Council, or in the very least
give parents complete access to any part of the facility
where care is provided, is not mandated in all states.
Parents should pay close attention to this portion
of their local licensing requirements.
Administrative
procedures outlining hours of operation, staff
names and telephone numbers, program objectives, and
so on, are usually required to be posted where parents
can view them. (These can also be found in our Business
Forms section.)
Fire
safety often falls under local jurisdiction (i.e.
municipal Fire Marshall), and parents may have to
contact their local fire inspector for more information.
Basic
hygiene includes hand washing, food preparation,
toilet training and diapering areas. These too, may
be regulated by local health officials.
Other
regulations may include a criminal background
check, medical examination, and reference verification
of anyone who is interested in providing care for
children. Again, this may not be the case in certain
areas. First aid and/or CPR training is usually mandatory.
If
this list seems rather tedious, there is good reason
- just as there is good reason for parents to learn
about child care -to protect our children.
Should
parents necessarily worry about each portion of their
local licensing requirements? Perhaps that is too
much to ask. After all, it took a great many years
and a great many studies for even these few laws to
be developed. Parents should, however, be aware of
them, for only through knowledge can we understand
what is and what is not good child care.
RESOURCES:
Current State Day Care Licensing Offices
Child
Care Action Campaign
330 Seventh Ave., 17th Floor
New York, NY 10001
(212) 239-0138
START & RUN A PROflTABLE
HOME DAY CARE
by Catherine Pruissen
Self-Counsel Press
For
the licensing office in your state or province, please
visit our Licensing Registry
Additional
Resources in our Getting to know you series...
Child
Care Resource & Referral
Child Care Organizations
Child Care Agencies
Family Resource
Centres and Toy Libraries
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