Parents - Insist on Many References from a Day Care Facility

The Marietta Daily Journal - Recent incidents at day care centers shine light on child safety issues

What licensed center director Marnie Stevens had to say is valuable for parents, her recognition of the problems with her state licensing agency and her insistence that the parents coming to her facility to contact references, many of them not just a select few. She determines if they did or did not:

"Insist on many references," she said. "They don't know it, but I quiz people on my references. I put people on the list with wrong phone numbers. I ask 'Did you talk to Jane? I miss her kids so much.' If they say yes, I know they're lying."

Many people don't take enough time in not only checking references, but researching facilities in general, Thompson said."

As a former licensor in talking to parents I'd urge them to ask any and all questions of a provider; and if the provider reacted in any way defensively and/or with any hostility (subtle or not) to trust their intuition. Yes, and like in this article licensing isn't out monitoring very often, but what I couldn't tell them is that my managers, too many times, were not allowing me to perform my job per law and the regulations of Washington State.

It's hard on parents between Child Care Resource and Referrals and the Department of Early Learning who does the licensing a reasonable person could conclude proper oversight, monitoring and action is occurring, but that too often isn't the reality.

There are excellent day care providers and I had some on my caseload. One in particular each time I visited her would ask, "Why do you let them keep their licenses? It isn't that hard to follow the licensing requirements." And again I couldn't get into the dynamics I was seeing in the state government with the unelected managers who operated the child care licensing agencies.

Recommendation: Do all the independent investigating you can do before putting your child anywhere and like the director suggested ask for many references; and ask those references very detailed questions. Any hesitation on their part or it appears they can't answer very specific questions, that a clue; and again honor your intuition if something doesn't feel right.

Two parents did in the daycare home where Jaclyn Frank died December 1, 2005; and took their children out of the home, but they didn't call the department to lodge a complaint (which can be understandable if you don't believe the regulatory body will do anything), they called after Jaclyn's death. It's likely, that even if they had called, the department would not have taken action, but I know they will always have that on their minds that if only...

So I urge parents and citizens to call...even if you don't believe the agency will do anything. Do it for your own peace of mind.