DSHS -Department of Early Learning - Robin I. Johnson's Own Words about her Murdering 14 Month old Charlotte Wetzel - And Will the Legislature Pass the Fingerprinting Bill in 2011-2012 Session?

When will DSHS and the Department of Early Learning (DEL) protect children in Washington State? The fingerprinting bill is making yet one more rounds through the legislature this 2011-2012 legislative session. I hope the legislature passes the law this year.

I thought I'd re-post this article and opinion piece I wrote back in April 2011 about Robin I. Johnson, a day care provider who murdered fourteen month old Charlotte Wetzel in her care in Washington State and who wrote to DSHS with a suggestion how to figure out if a person like her who had her instability and then not license them.

I thought I'd re-post today as well as DEL is still not complying with the 2007 law to post revocations, suspensions and denial of day care licenses on their website.

Here's my article and opinion piece from April 2011, I've edited and updated some information:

A reader of the Tacoma Tribune had written this comment:

"Do those who the state gives a license to not only get a background check but a physiological and take a polygraph test? If not they should. Who knows what lurks in the minds of those we let take care of our kids. I would like to know that everything possible was done to ensure that those taking care of our children were fully screened and tested before taking care of any child that comes under their care."

Robin Johnson killed 14 month old Charlotte Wetzel in 1998. Robin had stomped on Charlotte's stomach causing internal injuries. Robin had previously abused Charlotte as well as other little girls in her licensed day care. Robin was 33 at the time.

Robin wrote a letter to her former licensor with a suggestion on how to keep children safe from people like her:

"The most important issue, which I feel very strongly about because of the serious, even life-threatening impact it can have on any home daycare. Again, I speak from an insight from personal experience on this issue; the catalyst which played a major role in my crime. There is a dire need for mental health evaluations for all home daycare applicants. According to WAC 388.155.180 providers are expected to to be of sound mental health, but this cannot be truly ensured without proper evaluation. Applicants are carefully screened to ensure the children are placed in a safe, well-prepared, and thoughtfully planned daycare environment, with the exception of an evaluation of the applicant's mental stability."

The letter was received by DSHS on April 22, 1999. Four years before Robin's suggestion in 1995 the legislature strengthened the laws protecting the children in licensed day care.

The unelected government bureaucracy is broken and has been for 2 decades. As a former licensor and current expert witness at a minimum I urge parents to become essentially your own detectives if you must use licensed care. If you use unlicensed care also be your own detective. Both for your peace of mind and the well-being of your child to not believe the government licensing agency or it's contracted agencies. 

This author is fed up with the unelected government bureaucracy blaming parents while not performing fingerprinting background checks and not performing character, competence and suitability evaluations on applicants looking to be approved to work with children.

You cannot trust state employees to follow the licensing laws consistently, in fact, evidence shows that laws enacted by the senators and representatives you elected to represent the health and safety of you as a citizen and of your child in regards to child safety are cavalierly ignored by state employees starting from the top managers on down through the middle managers and then to the supervisors.

Top ranking elected officials such as Governor Gregoire, Attorney General McKenna and State Auditor, Brian Sonntag at a minimum appear impotent to enforce the laws of the legislature. Why is that?

Robin I. Johnson took full responsibility for abusing and killing Charlotte in her 1999 letter. Robin gave the child care licensing agency a suggestion on how to better monitor and evaluate potential daycare providers before giving them a license. Robin wrote:

"The most important issue, which I feel very strongly about because of the serious, even life-threatening impact it can have on any home daycare. Again, I speak from an insight from personal experience on this issue; the catalyst which played a major role in my crime. There is a dire need for mental health evaluations for all home daycare applicants. According to WAC 388.155.180 providers are expected to to be of sound mental health, but this cannot be truly ensured without proper evaluation. Applicants are carefully screened to ensure the children are placed in a safe, well-prepared, and thoughtfully planned daycare environment, with the exception of an evaluation of the applicant's mental stability."

What Robin didn't know and parents aren't told is that her recommendation was all ready a "shall" under the law per RCW 74.15.030(3)to investigate each applicant for "character, competence and suitability". That law allowed and does allow the state today to direct an applicant and other member of the household to get a mental health evaluation on a determination that one is so needed to enforce the intent of the law which had been strengthened in 1995 by the legislature after 4 babies died in licensed foster care (one was a day care baby)in 1993 and 1994.

I reviewed the "home study" the licensor did on Robin Johnson. Those important questions were on the home study and the licensor did not ask them. Robin is right, she was praised for having her environment look good. There was about a 3 sentence write up regarding the home study.

I as a licensor (a social worker 3 who by experience and with a masters in social work) had the expertise to ask the questions to make an evaluation as to the capabilities of the applicant to care for children. I did so. Folks struggling with hidden shame or on shaky grounds around the issue of allowing such a person to be alone with small vulnerable children who avoided or refused to get the mental health assessments I required of them, with that non-compliance I moved and denied the license.

In 1993 when I got my first day care provider caseload of 260 I was appalled at who had been allowed to continue providing care. One day care provider had been fined in court for "child endangerment" and was allowed to keep her license. At the next "bloodied" child complaint, I interviewed her and found her to be very depressed; and probably had been chronically depressed for some time. I revoked her license. Why had DSHS managers allowed her to stay licensed?

In the course of my DSHS career I witnessed the laws made by the legislature ignored. In or around 2004..2005 unelected bureaucratic managers were directing licensors not to investigate applicants per RCW 74.15.030(3)for "character, competence and suitability".


Robin had only worked in a daycare center for one month when she applied to take children into her own private home. With the little girls in her care she had "backhanded them" "pulled their hair" "pushing them down" "shaking, dropping, kicking, stomping" One child "had had an area of hair almost the circumference of a 'pop can' pulled from her head" "Robin had hit her with a white belt, spanking her until she fell down". Robin explained away the many bruises to parents that asked. One child began having "night terrors" waking up "screaming and often not calming down for 30 or 40 minutes."


From the CPS investigation summary report: The grandparents of one little girl stated: "..that they spoke to a pediatrician and to a day care consultant about the fact that (redacted name) was indicating strongly by her crying and her body language that she did not want to be left at the Johnson's home in the mornings. Mr. and Mrs. (name redacted) were told that some crying and reluctance to be left for care was quite normal, and should not be cause for concern. This case would certainly be an object lesson on the fact when a child exhibits these behaviors in regard to their day care situation,the parents and grandparents should make every effort to determine the source of their child's fears and apprehensions, and to report to the agency any information that would indicate abuse or neglect or which would be helpful to the licensor."

This author is fed up with the unelected government bureaucratic managers blaming the parents and not investigating the unelected bureaucratic managers who operated the agency in such a way that has allowed children to be at risk, treated meanly and in some cases to be killed; that the government in essence fools parents and citizens into believing that day care licensing laws mean something; that the government fools parents and citizens into believing the DEL website is giving them vital and complete information when it does not. 

Who was the "day care consultant"? Likely,it was a child care resource and referral agency. They exist because of your federal and tax money. They are not allowed access to child care licensing files to know any of the history on any providers. A false sense of security is provided to parents in the media hype that Child Care Resource and Referral agencies and Child Care Licensing agencies look out for the well-being of your child. The head of the state contracted agency makes over $100,000.00 a year as well.

Then the DSHS Division of Licensed Resources Child Protective Services (the layers of bureaucracy grow like a cancer after x number of deaths happen in child care, the managers stay the same, are often promoted, more taxpayer money is spent, the name of the agency changes, until another threshold of deaths become too much of a media story then the "reform" story and hype repeats itself) does not "investigate" the child care agency for possible neglect or failure of duty in licensing child day care homes and centers.


Robin Johnson suggestion was a good one in 1999. Robin had read WAC 388.155.180 correctly. Robin didn't know and I'm sure Charlotte's parents didn't know the legislature had enacted Robin's "suggestion" in 1995. The unelected government bureaucracy ignored the legislature.

Then that other portion of the unelected bureaucracy (Division of Licensed Resources) "investigated" only Robin and did not investigate the unelected child care licensing agency managers for their failure and neglect of duty to the citizens of Washington State.

Covering the most essential duties to keep your children safe has gotten worse over the years but the financial wealth of these unelected bureaucrats has increased. The number of managers who fail at their jobs has increased as well as their paychecks.

The Communications Managers, Amy Blondin, Communication Manager for the Department of Early Learning (the latest name for child care licensing) brings home at least $93,000.00 a year with health benefits and retirement benefits. Her boss, deputy director, Bob Hamilton brings home $112,000.00 a year with health benefits and retirement benefits.

Yet Washington State is in a dire budget situation.

Robin Johnson's suggestion was a good one in 1999. 12 years ago. It had become law in 1995. 16 years ago. And yet, one more time, in the 2011-2012 legislative session child care advocates will work to get that Fingerprinting bill passed.

The only math going on is towards spending your tax money to enrich these unelected bureaucratic managers who won't comply with the laws to keep your children safe.

DSHS Department of Early Learning WA State vs Program Information New Yorkers can Find

New York State Office of Children and Family Services - Program Information

In New York parents can at least look up the information on-line if a day care provider's license has been suspended, denied or revoked unlike in Washington State. The citizen legislature of Washington State passed such a law in 2007; and the Department of Early Learning (DEL) has simply ignored it.

The New York site shows violations for the last 24 months. This provider where a four month old died in October 2010 had concerning violations. Unfortunately, for New York parents, the violations she may likely have had going back to 2002 aren't listed.

In Washington State before the day care licensing agency became DEL, it had started posting violations of law and regulations regarding day care facilities. The information I received was in combination with a minority of day care providers and the Services Employees International Union (SEIU), they complained about having violations listed on the website for parents to see. So DEL removed important and vital information parents need to make a decision about where to put their children while they must go to work.

The news article lacks important information about the functioning of their child day care licensing agency. This "inspection" occurred the day the four month old died. Then the government agency simply "closed" the investigation.

In my experience as a child day care licensor this is a red flag. It tells me the government agency doesn't want anyone looking too close at its fulfillment of their regulatory functions. The type of "uncorrected" regulations New York cites on their website causes me to want to see the entire history of this facility.

Regulations don't work because unelected government managers aren't enforcing the laws.

In addition, to not enforcing regulations I know and I am the witness from inside Washington State government in my twenty years of evolution in learning and understanding the system that the public and most importantly parents are not given the most vital information they need to make decisions to keep their children safe. In addition, unelected bureaucratic government managers in Washington State ordered the alteration of public records and had public records destroyed.

Meanwhile taxpayer money has given such managers a high income, health benefits and retirement benefits. The deputy direction of DEL in Washington State makes $112,000.00 a year. The communication manager makes $93,000.00 a year. When I pointed that out in another article then got their emails, the deputy director wrote in an email to the communication manager that he was happy to find out he made more than she did. Another email showed him asking her what she was doing. She said she was doing nothing and that she was bored.

The times are hard for so many folks, children have been permanently damaged and some children died; and such a cavalier attitude is not ok.

DSHS Department of Early Learning Website - What You Won't Find

Child Care & Preschool Options - About Licensed Child Care - Child Care Check - Department of Early Learning


When you go to check out a child day care provider on the Department of Early Learning's (DEL) formerly with DSHS, website you won't find:

1) you won't find violations of law and regulations witnessed at a particular day care

2) you won't find day care providers whose licenses were just suspended or revoked

3)  you won't find complaint referrals made on a day care

4) you won't find how to make a complaint on a day care facility, for example, a link to the licensing regulations

5) you won't find any founded CPS (child protective service) reports (and yes, DEL has allowed folks with founded CPS allegations keep their licenses)

6) you won't be informed that in calling child care resource and referrals numbers looking for day care, that agency has no records on the history of
day care provider they are referring you to

7) you won't find, even though a law was passed in 2007, all the licenses that were revoked and denied, and yes, some of them continue to do care after their licenses were revoked and/or denied

8) you won't find valid complaints before July 2005, and, yes, there can be vital information the public has a right to see

9) you won't find information as to when DEL made monitoring visits and the information that DEL only goes out every 18 months regardless of having knowledge the facility has a history of complaints

10) you won't find information showing you the licensing system to be more pro-day care provider than day care parent even though the law makes the health, safety and well-being of the child paramount over the privilege of a person being granted a license

These factors and more, the day care licensing agency, the Department of Early Learning (DEL) won't be telling you, the parent.

As a former day care licensor and whistle blower on DSHS (and now DEL), an insider for twenty-years with DSHS I put this information out to the public to help in your decision making.

To make the best decisions we all need information and when the government doesn't give us that information then the government is in charge, and not, we, the people as created and established under our Untied States Constitution.

Day Provider of the Year Arrested on Felony Charges in death of 2-month-old Avin Rominger

Infant's death leads to arrest of former 'child care provider of the year' - Sacramento City News - sacbee.com

From the article above about Sheila Caceres, child care provider of the year in 2008:

"She also is being charged with "repeatedly" violating the state Health and Safety Code by placing unattended infants in the upstairs of her home, while watching older children on the first floor."

"Caceres' arrest stands in stark contrast to the image she presented in February 2008, when the Sacramento Child Care Coalition honored her as provider of the year at a downtown gala. Nominated by parents, she was lauded by government leaders and education professionals for her "commitment to building strong, trusting relationships" and her welcoming spirit."

What the article does not address is the possible failure of the state licensing agency in California for either giving her the license to begin with or not revoking the license for "repeatedly" violating. The article is not clear when the other "repeats" occurred.

As a licensor in Washington State I witnessed a provider keeping two babies upstairs in two separate rooms with both doors closed. Plus she had six other children hidden in another room. The second floor of her home was not licensed due to the fire codes. She was the only one in the house with 21 children.

Hers, also, was a repeat violation. What did my supervisor, Darcy Taylor, do? Taylor allowed licensed provider Connie King to keep her license.

I made whistle blower reports on that situation and many others to the Washington State Auditor's Whistle Blower program; and I was fired for doing so.

Now I have my own consulting business, I am an author, a trainer and I continue my whistle blowing as a private citizen to get my insider information and documents out to parents here in Washington State and across the nation.

One of my whistle blower reports to the State Auditor concerned state government managers ordering the alteration of public records then having the original records destroyed. Computer systems can make it easy to delete a record.

I advised Attorney General Rob McKenna and Governor Christine Gregoire as well of that violation of that crime. I actually advised Christine Gregoire when she was the Attorney General in 2002, the first time I had ever been ordered to change a public record in my then sixteen years with the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS).

Maybe Bill Gates being a Washingtonian and a computer genius will step forward and make a computer system where the managers can easily be exposed when they delete records out of the state computer systems.

I'll see if I can get my article to him and maybe get a reply.

Hold State Gov't Unelected Bureaucratic Managers Accountable

From my inside view, from being a 20 plus years as a Washington State government social worker, government managers must be held accountable.

I had an intersection moment with Bernie Friedman, the government's attorney hired to lessen risk to children and families by DSHS (Department of Social and Health Services) thus cutting the number of lawsuit payouts, and DSHS Secretary, Dennis Braddock.

I look at the current government players in DSHS and the Attorney General working to remove accountability in Washington State government.

The citizens of Washington have historically demanded that government be accountable to the people, more so than in other states in our great country.

In 2001 we (government social workers and managers) were given investigative training by national high class investigation experts as a result of a lawsuit settlement.

It was the most stellar training I ever had in DSHS. I immediately wrote an email to DSHS Secretary Dennis Braddock to praise him for giving us this training. I wanted to know who pulled together that training. Dennis emailed Bernie Friedman my email; and Bernie emailed me back.

Then behind the scenes two diametrically opposed events (I got emails through public disclosure showing what was unfolding) began to occur.

My child day care licensing managers instead of replicating the original training as conceptualized by the lawsuit settlement began giving training that took out essential elements of an investigation, like calling the referent back, confirming the information contained within the complaint referral and asking additional questions to get a clear picture of the complaint and what evidence might exist; and who else we might interview.

Meanwhile Dennis Braddock's focus was to attempt to change the law whereby citizens of Washington State could hold the government accountable. From the emails I read Dennis' position wasn't how great it was that social workers finally got stellar training on how to conduct investigations ... it was simply to make the government unaccountable.

DSHS put on the their website that the government's child day care licensing agency could not take any action on licensed day care unless there was "imminent harm" to children. DSHS used a CPS (child protective services) law (RCW 26.44) related to private families and applied it to licensed day care rather than identifying the child day care licensing law (RCW 74.15) which states that the health, safety and well-being is paramount over anyone having a right to care for children. .

DSHS would not correct the error on their website even when they admitted (through emails I got) that my take on the law was correct. In addition, DSHS would not tell me who was responsible for writing this untruth that parents would read on the DSHS website.Government secrecy.

Now our current Attorney General, Rob McKenna, appears to be on the same path. One more attorney general that is running for the office of governor. It's interesting to contemplate this trend.

Check out both linked articles below and see what you make of this move to simply make all government all powerful and take away citizens' rights to hold our government accountable.

From the obituary article on Bernie:

"Five years later, under Mr. Friedman — a sharp, blunt, cigar-loving lawyer — the state's most-sued agency had cut its annual payouts to an average of $10 million (this from a high of 47 million dollar payouts). The results seemed to assure Mr. Friedman's job security. But he feared he had stepped on too many toes, especially in the Attorney General's Office, and he resigned when former Attorney General Christine Gregoire became governor."

Washington State Association for Justice

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003182524_friedmanobit08m.html

From the Washington State Association for Justice article:

"The experience of the state has shown that aggressive prioritization of risk management and loss prevention programs is the best deterrent to incidents causing injuries and harm, and subsequent liability for causing that harm. These programs are the best of both worlds—they prevent injuries from occurring while also saving the state money. In 2003 and 2004, when these programs began and were emphasized, payouts dropped an astonishing 75% in one biennium, and stayed in that range for five years. Only when the emphasis faded did payouts start to rise. We need to get back to trying to prevent injuries and suffering, and thus the payouts that can go with them."

Looking back from my historical perspective Bernie Friedman got blow back for taking the stance, hey government managers do a better job.  

Without a Bernie Friedman looks like, in my opinion, the attorneys general and the DSHS managers are perhaps being too chummy which is leading to, hey, let's do away with this citizen accountability law.


Bernie left and things slid back the other way...more children being maimed and dead and instead of hiring another Bernie Friedman to do truth telling to government, the attorney general, governor, DSHS and such other state entities are pushing, in my opinion, on your citizen legislators to simply, to never hold government accountable if they do a poor job, to not allow citizens to ask other citizens in the community through presenting to a jury, "what do you think?"


I've been on a jury and I've testified to a jury. I respect juries. Juries are the citizens, juries are us. It is the citizen holding the government responsible.


From Margaret Meade, anthropologist, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

A jury is a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens.  You, your friends and neighbors are a group of thoughtful, committed citizens.

I encourage all to keep the citizen stewardship in holding Washington State government accountable. Your senators and representatives would be happy to hear you. Otherwise, they have to contend only with special interest groups swarming like locusts through the Capitol and legislative offices during the legislative sessions.

How Come South Dakota Can Give Parents Vital Information But Washington State Won't?

More data added to day care website | The Argus Leader | argusleader.com

Click above to see article and within article is a link to a South Dakota website that gives parents not only inspection information but also revocation and suspension information. And it doesn't appear that a state law was passed like in Washington State to do so. Type in the name "Smith" and see one inspection note.

From the Souix City article:

"The city of Sioux Falls has added revoked and suspended providers to the searchable web page.

The webpage also shows whether a day care has been inspected. Only providers who are new or have complaints are inspected.The move comes after the city revoked day care provider Connie Edwards registration after 4-month-old Meredith Ulmer was found unconscious and not breathing June 30 at the in-home day care of Edwards at 1816 S. Remington Circle in west-central Sioux Falls."

What has to happen for the unelected bureaucratic managers in the Department of Early Learning (DEL) in Washington State to add this information?

Getting State Government Records - Public Records - Day Care & Public Records

In helping a parent to some degree understand the workings of DSHS (Department of Social and Health Services)  I had the opportunity to interface with my old agency (DSHS) in Vancouver, Washington and to meet with a former co-worker who advised the parent could make a public disclosure request; that it would take thirty days.

I advised my former DSHS co-worker, Patrick Dixson, a CPS social worker, the law states five business days to produce a record. With elevated energy he said, no, thirty days.  The law, I confirmed to him, states five days.  I assured him the law states five business days.  He emphatically continued to disagree.  Later the father after he had talked with Mr. Dixson reported Mr. Dixson was told him he wouldn't get records for six to eight weeks.

I've copied in portions of the public disclosure law below. All boldings are mine.  Legal language can be dense so I highlighted portions for a citizen who wants to make a public disclosure request for either their child protective services (CPS) or for day care records.  I've bolded the most important portions and phrasings in the law.

When I worked for DSHS I found the same disregard of the law and when laws were identified to various unelected managers, they seemingly acted as if their pronouncements were law not what the citizen legislature had enacted.

Copied below are relevant portions of the law from Washington State's public disclosure law or the Public Records Act.

---

"42.56.520
Prompt responses required.

Responses to requests for public records shall be made promptly by agencies, the office of the secretary of the senate, and the office of the chief clerk of the house of representatives. Within five business days of receiving a public record request, an agency, the office of the secretary of the senate, or the office of the chief clerk of the house of representatives must respond by either (1) providing the record; (2) providing an internet address and link on the agency's web site to the specific records requested, except that if the requester notifies the agency that he or she cannot access the records through the internet, then the agency must provide copies of the record or allow the requester to view copies using an agency computer; (3) acknowledging that the agency, the office of the secretary of the senate, or the office of the chief clerk of the house of representatives has received the request and providing a reasonable estimate of the time the agency,  the office of the secretary of the senate, or the office of the chief clerk of the house of representatives will require to respond to the request; or (4) denying the public record request.
Additional time required to respond to a request may be based upon the need to clarify the intent of the request, to locate and assemble the information requested, to notify third persons or agencies affected by the request, or to determine whether any of the information requested is exempt and that a denial should be made as to all or part of the request.

In acknowledging receipt of a public record request that is unclear, an agency, the office of the secretary of the senate, or the office of the chief clerk of the house of representatives may ask the requestor to clarify what information the requestor is seeking. If the requestor fails to clarify the request, the agency, the office of the secretary of the senate, or the office of the chief clerk of the house of representatives need not respond to it.

Denials of requests must be accompanied by a written statement of the specific reasons therefor. Agencies, the office of the secretary of the senate, and the office of the chief clerk of the house of representatives shall establish mechanisms for the most prompt possible review of decisions denying inspection, and such review shall be deemed completed at the end of the second business day following the denial of inspection and shall constitute final agency action or final action by the office of the secretary of the senate or the office of the chief clerk of the house of representatives for the purposes of judicial review.

[2010 c 69 § 2; 1995 397 § 15; 1992 c 139 § 6; 1975 1st ex.s. c 294 § 18; 1973 c 1 § 32 (Initiative Measure No. 276, approved November 7, 1972). Formerly RCW 42.17.320.]"

Notes:

Finding -- 2010 c 69: "The internet provides for instant access to public records at a significantly reduced cost to the agency and the public. Agencies are encouraged to make commonly requested records available on agency web sites. When an agency has made records available on its web site, members of the public with computer access should be encouraged to preserve taxpayer resources by accessing those records online."

I'll get a copy to DSHS in Vancouver, Washington and see if DSHS Area Managers, either Bill Paresa or Cindy Hardcastle and see if DSHS will follow the intent of the law.

Erin Brockovich Philosophy and Washington State Daycare

Erin Brockovich Philosophy

The long and winding road of government hiding, concealing, altering and destroying public records and information a parent has a right to know before placing their child in licensed care must stop and instead have transparency become business as usual in Washington State.

I like what Erin Brockovich wrote about philosophy on her website:

"I am an advocate for awareness, the truth, and a person's right to know. I believe that in the absence of the truth, all of us stand helpless to defend ourselves, our families and our health, which is the greatest gift we have."

I see on her website she deals with the toxic issues around mold.

Not too long before I left daycare licensing one of the licensed daycare providers on my caseload called me to warn me that a group of daycare providers were having meetings against me; and inviting my managers to these meetings. She shared another day care provider on my caseload complained about me making her remove the mold from her bathroom. When the provider who called me made a statement at the meeting as to my fairness, she was verbally attacked and taunted that she was "teacher's pet". She shared that SEIU folks were at this meeting as well as a lay representative who represents daycare providers at administrative hearings.

SEIU 925 getting in the daycare business led to the Department of Early Learning (DEL) taking off transparent information that parents could review to make decisions. DEL had started scanning in the Facility Licensing Compliance Agreements (FLCAs), that showed violations of regulations at daycare facilities as well as the plan of correction the daycare provider would accomplish; and posted those documents on the DEL website. We were told SEIU 925 complained and thus DEL removed this information vital to parents making daycare decisions about where to place their child while they are away at work.

We're still waiting for DEL to comply with RCW 43.215.370, a law past in 2007 t0 post revocations, suspensions and denials on their website.

Yes, "a person's right to know"...a parent's right to know.

Liar, Liar Pants on Fire, The Department of Early Learning's Refusal to Comply with RCW 43.215.370

 The Department of Early Learning (DEL) since 2007 has said they don't have the computer capability to post revocation, suspension and denial history.

Yet with with the newest law to post "Unlicensed" child day care providers they came up with that link real fast since the 2011 session ended in April as DEL just described in their August 2011 newsletter:

"Unlicensed care information added to Child Care Check

DEL’s online tool for finding information on licensed child care providers has new information. When you visit Child Care Check at www.del.wa.gov/check you will now find:

 Information about unlicensed child care providers. Senate Bill 5504, passed during the 2011 legislative session, requires DEL to post online information about anyone cited for unlicensed care who does not move to become licensed. A provider will have a red statement about unlicensed care next to his or her name if they are considered unlicensed by the state."

DEL creating this link so easily what now will Deputy Director, Bob Hamilton and Communications Manager, Amy Blondin...what will the say is the reason DEL breaks the law on posting the names of daycare providers who licenses were revoked, suspended and denied?

Some of those folks continued to provide daycare even after a child death in the daycare. It is vital information that a parent would need to protect their children. 

Washington State Auditor Brian Sonntag might run for Governor?

Auditor Sonntag's fights for accountability irk fellow Democrats | Crosscut.com

I have had my sharp criticisms of Brian Sonntag and his office backing off from fully investigating my whistle blower reports related to the health, safety and well-being of the child in licensed child care and my reports of unelected bureaucratic DSHS managers concealing public records, removing documents from public files and ordering public records be altered whereby the managers had the original record destroyed.

I have also seen spot on audits about the child care licensing agency where I worked and my unelected bureaucratic managers who ignored the State Auditor's findings.

I more recently learned that my former union was the impetus on weakening the whistle blower program in 2006.

If voters from both parties do have a high regard for Sonntag his election success could provide, with the backing of Washington State's citizens, that something could happen with these out of control state agencies like DSHS as well as these so called collective bargaining unions that are not, in my research and opinion, unions.

The citizens of Washington State have a lot of power and using it could be history changing.

Pinocchio Thy Name is Elizabeth Winter (DEL), Child Care Licensing Manager

Pasco day care's actions anger parents (w/ pdf of complaints) | Tri-City Herald - The News Tribune

A thank you to the Tri-Cities Herald, the Tacoma Tribune and other media outlets (King 5 News) for doing the job that the Department of Early Learning (DEL) with its millions of dollars is not doing.

Unelected child care licensing manager (DEL), Elizabeth Winter's nose might be growing longer or her training in child care licensing was seriously flawed.

As former licensor and now expert analyst/witness on the failings of the unelected bureaucratic managers let me present that training.

Getting a license is not an entitlement. Like a driver's license, a cosmetology license or dog grooming license getting a child care license is not an entitlement. An initial license is not a job training program. Getting 4 initials license is not an entitlement.

When all Washington Administrative Code (WAC) that can be observed by the licensor are met then an initial license is issued only for DEL to do it's job of observing the day care in action.

DEL is required to make observations when actual children are in care. You see if the provider is still in compliance with the requirements observed at the licensing visit. Then you look at the children. How many are there? Are they happy? Are they treated well? Are staff watching the children? Are there enough staff?

Most important as we learned in Michelle Dupler's, Herald Staff Writer's story on March 27, 2011...ARE THE CHILDREN STILL THERE?

From Dupler's report: "Elizabeth Winter told the Herald, "It doesn't rise to an immediate health and safety danger, however, that would cause us to force them to close immediately."

Two toddlers gone for at least 12 minutes does rise to an immediate health and safety danger. Yes, it does.

DEL would have done their job and taken action if the Tribune had known and written the story back in August 2010.

Like King 5 News story of day care provider Anne Ladale Moore getting $232,000.00 in one year from the taxpayer by the time the story aired, DEL took action to revoke her license.

The Fourth Estate and the reason why our founding fathers with the insistence of Patrick Henry put in the First Amendment in our Constitution, the importance of freedom of the press is demonstrated in the work the media did on these stories.

As a 20 year plus former employee of DSHS and as a former child care licensor, and whistle blower a number of times in my state government career these stories are only the tip of the iceberg.

Parents were and are so dismissed by the unelected bureaucratic managers. It is my opinion there are thousands of parents out there who were treated in a denigrated manner by some day care providers and then treated dismissively by the child care licensing agency.

A thank you again to the Tacoma News Tribune, Tri-Cities Herald, Columbian Newspaper, Willamette Week and King 5 News among others for the work they do.

It is citizens standing up for their children, whistle blowers on the inside and the media who will expose the failures of child care licensing in Washington and other states.

Michael Shinn, Senior Assistant Attorney General

"Criminal penalties including fines and imprisonment will be assessed for the intentional destruction of public records." Quote from website below:

http://www.mrsc.org/publications/mrscpubs.aspx

I received a May 4, 2011 letter from Nancy E. Hovis Deputy Attorney General with a copy to Michael Shinn.

I know Michael Shinn. I worked with Michael Shinn. I like Michael Shinn. On one case we worked together on I helped give Michael his Perry Mason moment that many attorneys wait a life time to get. You know, when on the witness stand and under oath the person admits they lied. On that case, in addition, an apology was made to me on the record by the appellant. We did excellent work together.

Ms Hovis wrote in her May 4, 2011 letter: "...you state that "a reasonable person could conclude that the Attorney General's Office has been covering up wrongdoing." This opinion appears to be related to accusations you make that the Department of Social and Health Services and Department of Early Learning managers somehow (bolding mine)have violated the Public Records Act and the Records Retention Act and is based on the mistaken assumption that the Attorney General is responsible for enforcing criminal statutes prohibiting the destruction, alteration and concealment of public records. The Attorney General has limited criminal authority and may only exercise jurisdiction upon the request of an elected Prosecuting Attorney or others specified under RCW 43.10.232."

One of the subsections (1)(b) Ms Hovis failed to mention is the Attorney General upon the request of the Governor "shall have concurrent authority and power with the prosecuting attorneys to investigate crimes and initiate and conduct prosecutions..."


"somehow"?

I think a reasonable person could conclude that if the Attorney General's Office received allegations that DSHS and DEL managers ordered current and established original public records destroyed...the Attorney General and Assistant Attorney Generals would say, "What!" "Whoa, Nelly!" Then they would say, "We are looking into this!" In addition, if any AGO state employee had information that such allegations may well be true...well...those employees like all state employees could and should make a whistle blower report to the State Auditor to be fully investigated.

"somehow"?

I have documents of my attempts on and off since 2002 to get an opinion directly from the Attorney General herself (Gregoire) and now Rob McKenna, himself, to step forward boldly to proclaimto the unelected bureaucratic managers, "Quit concealing, quit altering and quit destroying public records!"

When the State Auditor decided to not complete a "full" investigation on my whistle blower assertions in 2005, I appealed to the Attorney General and the Governor (allowed under law) to have the full investigation completed. The AG and the Governor did not so direct.

"RCW 40.16.010
Injury to public record.

Every person who shall willfully and unlawfully remove, alter, mutilate, destroy, conceal, or obliterate a record, map, book, paper, document, or other thing filed or deposited in a public office, or with any public officer, by authority of law, is guilty of a class C felony and shall be punished by imprisonment in a state correctional facility for not more than five years, or by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars, or by both."

We have unelected bureaucratic managers who I allege broke this law and I have documents which I do believe a reasonable person could conclude this law was broken by specific unelected bureaucratic managers.

I appreciate Nancy Hovis taking the time to write and copying Michael Shinn and would love to work with them to serve the greater good of the citizens of Washington State.

I'm not an unknown entity and Washington is my home state. I served on Governor Booth Gardner's steering committee. I went to the Governor's Ball with one of the Governor's AAGs. Doug Cochran in the State Auditor's Office is a long time friend, and his wife, Bettie Ingham, a longer time friend. I was her scheduling coordinator in her first election campaign many years ago.

I am here to help. I'm here to be the witness. And I am here to protect children. Just give me a call. We're all looking for heroes. It's never too late to be a hero.

King 5 news Story on child care subsidy and the Cash Cow that is the unelected government bureaucracy system

King 5 News ran the story last week regarding family home child care provider Anne Ladale Moore in Des Moines who collected $232,000.00 in one year.

One year I talked to the Fraud Division and the Child Care Subsidy unit about investigating licensed child care home provider Connie King in Clark County.

I found records where King reported to another state agency she made $2280.50 in June 2004 and worked 160 hours a month. But she did 24 hour day care? The child care subsidy records showed she collected $7,421.00 from child care subsidy in that same month of June 2004. This was the provider I conducted a complaint investigation on in September 2004 who hid 8 children upstairs including 2 babies in unlicensed space; and had a total of 21 children (only licensed for 12) on the premises in that moment; and was the only adult in the home. She was also collecting "fee activity" money for taking the children to McDonald's.

What did I find out? Providers weren't required to send copies of sign in and out attendance sheets with their billing. They just had to put a number in a box on the printed form. Child Care Subsidy program did no investigations of possible concerns, that's what licensing was for I was told or go to the Fraud Division.

With the fraud division I learned being overcapacity was not an issue under their regulations if King, indeed, had 21 children in care at one time and they were all on subsidy. It only became an issue if there weren't 21 children in care at that particular time.

I requested of my supervisor, Darcy Taylor, to be allowed to make a monitor visit on the weekend. She said no.

King's license per RCW and WAC was required to have been revoked in September 2004. This provider was on the "high risk targeted monitor project" that started in January 2005 by the director of the child care licensing agency, Rachael Langen; and then melted away very quickly.

I documented my assessment that her license be revoked in February 2005. I made a number of whistle blower reports that year regarding supervisor, Darcy Taylor, the regional manager and director not taking action as required by RCW and WAC on this and other facilities (as well as them concealing, directing staff what to write in a new SER (the written record on a file) and then having the original SER destroyed in violation of law). That investigation remains open until the State Auditor writes his report.

The pattern of complaints and non-compliance continued. It wasn't until July 2006 her license was revoked. Almost 2 years later.

What does the legislature do with managing the budget? DEL salaries were greatly upped in 2006. Amy Blondin, the Communications Manager who makes $93,000.00 a year with great benefits told King 5 News:

"Now our job is to go in regularly and monitor and make sure they are offering safe and healthy care." What Blondin didn't say is that "regularly" means once every 18 months for family homes, and not at night or on the weekends. If she has data otherwise she should disclose those records to the legislature, King 5 and the public now, please.

"Blondin also points out the big earners may be paying licensed assistants to meet staffing levels." "may be" Again for a family home provider who made $232,000.00 in one year why doesn't this unelected bureaucratic communications manager know that?

Remember the term "sliding fee scale"? In days past before the cash cow that is government grew bigger and bigger there was the concept of community and sliding fee scale.

Also I think it's notable that the junk bond king, Michael Milkin, who went to prison for fraud, got into the daycare business starting back in 1998. Then SEIU has been busy the last number of years bringing their feeding trough to the legislature to get some of that rich tax payer money that was floating around. Andy Stern, the now former president of the SEIU venture, had been a former social worker inside his unelected government bureaucracy and saw the cash cow there.

Perhaps some of these cash cows need to be put out to pasture?

Washington State Whistle Blower Margo Logan steps forward to address child care licensing in Washington State

To parents, grandparents, the public, child care advocates, the media, senators and representatives of Washington State,

On April 22, 2011 the Superior Court of Thurston County affirmed my status as a whistle blower against DSHS (I have the court transcript approved by the judge). I had filed a lawsuit in 2008. I had kept that part of my life private and separate from my new career as a consultant, researcher, analyst and trainer.

At that time in 2008 in an email sent from the Attorney General's Office to the newest name of the state child care licensing agency, The Department of Early Learning (DEL) was told I had right to file a claim and the agency was not discuss to my case. In 2009 another email shows DEL contacted the Attorney General Office about my case. The Attorney General Office emailed back that they couldn't give information about my case, because my case was against DSHS. The DEL manager replied, "Can I call you?"

In February 2011, this year, Deputy Director, Bob Hamilton (who makes $112,000.00 a year and has great taxpayer benefits) email attached a letter to me with copies to senators, representatives, public individuals and another DEL employee) and wrote that I had a lawsuit against DEL. I didn't and I don't. DEL seemingly will use any avenue to not discuss and address why DEL managers don't comply with laws enacted by the legislature.

Since DEL made my case public in February and Thurston County Superior Court found this month in April I was (and am)a statutory whistle blower, I am making my whistle blower status public and I am willing to talk to the media, parent groups, child care provider groups (or individuals) and discuss the wealth of documentation I have to back up my testimony.

I will continue to testify to legislators. I thank so many of them who took right action in passing laws to protect your children.

My first and top priority is children being treated kindly and nurtured, and to expose those who hurt, maimed and in some cases killed children; or because of neglect children died in licensed and unlicensed homes.

My focus goes deeper to expose the unelected bureaucratic DSHS and DEL managers who failed in their duties to protect children through not adhering to the child care licensing laws and regulations.

I have also been an expert witness for child care providers whose rights were violated by DEL's unelected bureaucratic managers. Those cases were stunning in DEL's actions towards those licensed child care providers.

Thus the cases I have been on as an expert witness have been fairly balanced between helping parents whose children were hurt or died; and providers whose rights were violated.

I was certified by Pierce County Superior Court and the Yakima Office of Administrative Hearings as an expert on licensed child care.

In verifying to the Court of my whistle blower status I submitted over 500 pages of documents. Most of those documents I acquired myself, DSHS was either not asked by the Attorney General's Office to give discovery or DSHS once again on their own decided to conceal public records.

In 2002 I had made whistle blower reports, I was harassed, retaliated against, the usual drill when one reports wrong doing on the managers. The managers were having public records altered then they had the originals destroyed. DSHS didn't want the public and parents to know about applicants who had criminal histories, domestic violence, drug, child abuse, termination of parental rights, potential risks of homicidal and/or suicidal behaviors, etc. I fought their retaliation and won in 2003. DSHS settled with me and for a short time I got to do my job without being ordered to break the law. In 2003, we had the best supervisor, high productivity and high morale. Then he left in 2004. The settlement the DSHS managers and I signed was to be kept confidential. I did so. But just like in February of this year by 2004 it was not kept confidential by the DSHS managers.

In 2004 the DSHS managers started up again concealing, altering and destroying public records as well as not revoking licenses on child care providers that put children at risk.

Yesterday King 5 News reported on Anne Ladale Moore in Marysville making more than $232,000.00 in one year doing day care. Amy Blondin, Communications manager who makes $93,000.00 a year with great benefits from your tax dollars told King 5 News DEL monitors the 24/7 daycare homes. No they don't. DEL is open Monday-Friday 8 am -5 pm. Now today DEL has closed Moore down and taken her off the website in violation of RCW 43.215.370, a law to post on the website what enforcement action had been taken on the provider.

Overcapacity has been a huge issue for years. DSHS and DEL managers would not enforce the licensing capacity laws. I found Connie King in Vancouver alone with 21 children (after I looked upstairs and found 8 up there, 6 in one room, and 2 babies each in separates rooms with the doors closed. There was no fire escape from the 2nd floor. These were repeat violations. My supervisor would not revoke her license. King discouraged parents from coming into her home to pick up their own children. They had to sign in and out at the door.

Parents have been treated so badly by these unelected bureaucratic managers. Information is hidden from them. Child Care Resource and Referrals are another way to cut the budget. It is no more than a smoke screen giving the illusion that because they have a list of names of providers they know the providers histories. Resource and Referrals aren't allowed access to the histories. Parents believe because they are licensed they are safe, kind places for their children. At least one company head of that agency makes over $100,000.00 a year again your tax payer money.

I am not a disgruntled former DSHS employee, I am a determined former DSHS employee and any elected government official who will step forward to hold and expose these unelected bureaucratic managers I will be there to support and honor their courage in taking those steps.

Yesterday I made a visit to the State Auditor, Brian Sonntag's office. I was treated most courteously and respectfully by Jim Brittain and other staff in Brian's office. I have a request in to meet with Brian Sonntag. Until the State Auditor writes a report addressing every assertion (it's part of the whistle blower law) I made in 2005 all those whistle blower investigations remain open.

I am willing to move forward to help the State Auditor,Brian Sonntag, Governor Gregoire and Attorney General Rob McKenna to address this problem the state of Washington has with these unelected bureaucratic managers who did not and the ones currently who will not follow the laws enacted by the Washington State Legislature.

If the whistle blower laws needs to be strengthened I will be glad to testify to how that can be done.

Colby Thompson 9 months old and Senator Eide's Unlicensed Care Bill passed 2011

A thank you to Senator Eide for caring about this baby, Colby Thompson, who sustained horrible permanent damage to his little soul by an unlicensed family home child care provider in 2010.

There is all ready an RCW & WAC (regulation)regarding unlicensed care and a history by the child care licensing agency of not complying with that regulation and/or failing to give the unlicensed person full knowledge of the full content of and consequences of the law.

Again and historically the unelected bureaucratic managers will simply ignore this RCW like they did with RCW 74.15.100, RCW 74.15.030(2)(b)(3), RCW 43.215.330, RCW 43.215.340, RCW 43.215.370, RCW 43.215.250, RCW 43.215.005(4)(d)(i) to name a few.

When I was a licensor I would send out the letters to unlicensed folks enclosing the law and the penalties for not following the law. Supervisor Darcy Taylor on June 1, 2005 wrote me an email: "Dear Margo, I am directing you to discontinue sending a copy of the RCWs with unlicensed letters." Before Taylor became supervisor, under supervisor Glen Berringer, he not only let me send out the letters he allowed me to do follow up, he had the Attorney General's Office send injunction letters and then went out with me, sometimes repeatedly to make the point to the unlicensed person...stop doing unlicensed care. In my 13 years of being a child care licensor that was the only year and the only manager who pragmatically and consistently supervised the agency per RCW and WAC.

DEL will not comply with postings to a website regarding RCW 43.215.370 or RCW 43.215.005(4)(d)(i)and there is nothing coming out from any unelected bureaucratic DEL manager that they will honor this child, this mom or respect this senator with the passage of Senator Eide's bill.

I will write a follow up post about another unlicensed home in Clark County where a baby died and then the unlicensed (formerly licensed) provider continued providing unlicensed care and the supervisor did not investigate when a concerned citizen called in to report unlicensed care was still happening in that home. In a whistle blower investigation on that DEL supervisor she was promised before the investigation that no disciplinary action or retaliation would happen to her for cooperating with that investigation.

Again a thank you to all the senators and representatives who work to do the business of the citizens of the state of Washington.

Training suggestion from day care provider Robin Johnson who murdered 18 month old Charlotte Wetzel

In Robin I. Johnson's 1999 letter to her former licensor she wrote: "There is a serious need for mandatory training hours in the area of positive alternatives to discipline, as well as anger and stress management. Workshops instructing providers how to appropriately deal with the stress of behavior problems common among young children (especially toddlers and pre-schoolers) would be a positive step toward the prevention of abuse."

10 hours of annual mandatory training WAS put into the family home child care licensing regulations in 1999. Then in 2004 DSHS program manager Mary Oakden re-wrote the regulations and TOOK OUT that annual training requirement. 7 years ago.

But Deputy Director, Bob Hamilton with his $112,000.00 a year salary and Amy Blondin, Communications Manager with her $93,000.00 salary can't fill out one of those little expedite-this-form (that could have been done back in 2004) that would get that requirement put back into the Washington Administrative Code (WAC).

Amy Blondin is the "Communications" manager and she won't add a link to the DEL website to be in compliance with RCW 43.215.370.

With the money, health care benefits and retirement benefits they get from you the parents and grandparents who use day care, you the taxpayer who provide financially very well for Bob and Amy, they seemingly don't care about your children or your peace of mind when you go off to work. Does Director Betty Hyde care? Does her boss, Governor Gregoire care?

If the issue is not intentional failure of duty by civil servants what other explanation is there? Are you, the parent, the grandparent, to believe that Bob can't read, that Amy can't read? Betty can't read? Are we to believe the "education" governor, Christine Gregoire hired folks without such basic reading skills as to how to read RCW and WAC? Then to follow the law? Is that too much for the taxpayer to expect.

It's ironic that a provider who murdered an 18 month old girl made a suggestion that providers be trained properly to protect children and the unelected bureaucratic managers of the Department of Early Learning went in the opposite direction and took out that training requirement.

But Bob and Amy are doing well...with your money.
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DSHS - Robin I. Johnson murdered 18 month old Charlotte Wetzel-Her Words to Day Care Licensing

When will DSHS and the Department of Early Learning (DEL) protect children in Washington State? The fingerprinting bill is making yet one more rounds through the legislature this 2011-2012 legislative session.

I thought I'd post this article and opinion piece I wrote back in April 2011 about what a day care provider who murdered a fourteen month old in her care wrote to DSHS with a suggestion how to figure out a person who had her instability and not license them.

Here's my article and opinion piece from April 2011:

A reader of the Tacoma Tribune wrote a comment:

"Do those who the state gives a license to not only get a background check but a physiological and take a polygraph test? If not they should. Who knows what lurks in the minds of those we let take care of our kids. I would like to know that everything possible was done to ensure that those taking care of our children were fully screened and tested before taking care of any child that comes under their care."

Robin Johnson killed 18 month old Charlotte Wetzel in 1998. Robin had stomped on Charlotte's stomach causing internal injuries. Robin had previously abused Charlotte as well as other little girls in her licensed day care. Robin was 33 at the time.

Robin wrote a letter to her former licensor with a suggestion on how to keep children safe from people like her.

The letter was received by DSHS on April 22, 1999. Four years before Robin's suggestion in 1995 the legislature strengthened the laws protecting the children in licensed day care.

The unelected government bureaucracy is so broken and has been for 2 decade. As a former licensor and current expert witness at a minimum I urge parents to become essentially your own detectives if you must use licensed care. If you use unlicensed care also be your own detective. Both for your peace of mind and the well-being of your child.

This author is fed up with the unelected government bureaucracy blaming parents.

You cannot trust state employees to follow the licensing laws consistently, in fact, evidence shows that laws enacted by the senators and representatives you elected to represent the health and safety of you as a citizen and of your child in regards to child safety are cavalierly ignored by state employees starting from the top managers on down through the middle managers and then to the supervisors.

Top ranking elected officials such as Governor Gregoire, Attorney General McKenna and State Auditor, Brian Sonntag at a minimum appear impotent to enforce the laws of the legislature. Why is that?

Robin I. Johnson took full responsibility for abusing and killing Charlotte in her 1999 letter. Robin gave the child care licensing agency a suggestion on how to better monitor and evaluate potential daycare providers before giving them a license. Robin wrote:

"The most important issue, which I feel very strongly about because of the serious, even life-threatening impact it can have on any home daycare. Again, I speak from an insight from personal experience on this issue; the catalyst which played a major role in my crime. There is a dire need for mental health evaluations for all home daycare applicants. According to WAC 388.155.180 providers are expected to to be of sound mental health, but this cannot be truly ensured without proper evaluation. Applicants are carefully screened to ensure the children are placed in a safe, well-prepared, and thoughtfully planned daycare environment, with the exception of an evaluation of the applicant's mental stability."

What Robin didn't know and parents aren't told is that her recommendation was all ready a "shall" under the law per RCW 74.15.030(3)to investigate each applicant for "character, competence and suitability". That law allowed and does allow the state today to direct an applicant and other member of the household to get a mental health evaluation on a determination that one is so needed to enforce the intent of the law which had been strengthened in 1995 by the legislature after 4 babies died in licensed foster care (one was a day care baby)in 1993 and 1994.

I reviewed the "home study" the licensor did on Robin Johnson. Those important questions were on the home study and the licensor did not ask them. Robin is right, she was praised for having her environment look good. There was about a 3 sentence write up regarding the home study.

I as a licensor (a social worker 3 who by experience and with a masters in social work) had the expertise to ask the questions to make an evaluation as to the capabilities of the applicant to care for children. I did so. Folks struggling with hidden shame or on shaky grounds around the issue of allowing such a person to be alone with small vulnerable children who avoided or refused to get the mental health assessments I required of them, with that non-compliance I moved and denied the license. In 1993 when I got my first day care provider caseload of 260 I was appalled at who had been allowed to continue providing care. One day care provider had been fined in court for "child endangerment" and was allowed to keep her license. At the next "bloodied" child complaint, I interviewed her and found her to be very depressed; and probably had been chronically depressed for some time. I revoked her license. Why had DSHS managers allowed her to stay licensed?

In the course of my DSHS career I witnessed the laws made by the legislature ignored. In or around 2004..2005 unelected bureaucratic managers were directing licensors not to investigate applicants per RCW 74.15.030(3)for "character, competence and suitability".

Robin had only worked in a daycare center for one month when she applied to take children into her own private home. With the little girls in her care she had "backhanded them" "pulled their hair" "pushing them down" "shaking, dropping, kicking, stomping" One child "had had an area of hair almost the circumference of a 'pop can' pulled from her head" "Robin had hit her with a white belt, spanking her until she fell down". Robin explained away the many bruises to parents that asked. One child began having "night terrors" waking up "screaming and often not calming down for 30 or 40 minutes."

From the CPS investigation summary report: The grandparents of one little girl stated: "..that they spoke to a pediatrician and to a day care consultant about the fact that (redacted name) was indicating strongly by her crying and her body language that she did not want to be left at the Johnson's home in the mornings. Mr. and Mrs. (name redacted) were told that some crying and reluctance to be left for care was quite normal, and should not be cause for concern. This case would certainly be an object lesson on the fact when a child exhibits these behaviors in regard to their day care situation,the parents and grandparents should make every effort to determine the source of their child's fears and apprehensions, and to report to the agency any information that would indicate abuse or neglect or which would be helpful to the licensor."

This author is fed up with the unelected government bureaucratic managers blaming the parents and not investigating the unelected bureaucratic managers who operated the agency in such a way as to allow children to be at risk, treated meanly and in some cases to have died.

Who was the "day care consultant"? Likely,it was a child care resource and referral agency. They exist because of your federal and tax money. They are not allowed access to child care licensing files to know any of the history on any providers. A false sense of security is provided to parents in the media hype that Child Care Resource and Referral agencies and Child Care Licensing agencies look out for the well-being of your child. The head of the state contracted agency makes over $100,000.00 a year as well.

Then the DSHS Division of Licensed Resources Child Protective Services (the layers of bureaucracy grow like a cancer after x number of deaths happen in child care, the managers stay the same, are often promoted, more taxpayer money is spent, the name of the agency changes, until another threshold of deaths become too much of a media story then the "reform" story and hype repeats itself) does not "investigate" the child care agency for possible neglect or failure of duty in licensing child day care homes and centers.

Robin Johnson suggestion was a good one in 1999. Robin had read WAC 388.155.180 correctly. Robin didn't know and I'm sure Charlotte's parents didn't know the legislature had enacted Robin's "suggestion" in 1995. The unelected government bureaucracy ignored the legislature.

Then that other portion of the unelected bureaucracy "investigated" only Robin and did not investigate the unelected child care licensing agency managers for their failure and neglect of duty to the citizens of Washington State.

Covering the most essential duties to keep your children safe have gotten worse over the years but the financial wealth of these unelected bureaucrats has increased. The number of managers who fail at their jobs has increased as well as their paychecks.

The Communications Managers, Amy Blondin, Communication Manager for the Department of Early Learning (the latest name for child care licensing) brings home at least $93,000.00 a year with health benefits and retirement benefits. Her boss, deputy director, Bob Hamilton brings home $112,000.00 a year with health benefits and retirement benefits.

Yet Washington State is in a dire budget situation.

You, the public, parents and and most certainly most of your teenagers know how to put a website up on-line in 15 minutes (if you don't know, Google Siteskins to do that), but these two highly paid child care licensing bureaucrats who make over $200,000.00 a year can't or more precisely won't comply with RCW 43.215.370 passed in 2007 (almost 4 years ago) to post those providers who hurt children, put them at risk or where children actually died as a result of being in a licensed provider's care. The Department of Early Learning is on FACEBOOK and could comply that way as well as on their own website. But they refuse to comply with this law.

Robin Johnson's suggestion was a good one in 1999. 12 years ago. It had become law in 1995. 16 years ago.

The only math going on is towards spending your tax money to enrich these unelected bureaucratic managers who won't comply with the laws.