By Molly J. A. Childers
November 18, 2008, 8:30 am

In my time as an educator and childcare provider in La Plata County, I have worked with some of the most amazing, caring professionals in the field and many wonderful kids. I write this article for the children of this community hoping I can relate some of my experiences and express my concerns about the childcare crisis in La Plata County.  

It’s well documented that our county is currently experiencing a childcare crisis – too many kids and not enough daycare providers. I won't go into detail about the numbers here.  After a few eye opening experiences, I cannot help but wonder if this crisis goes deeper than a simple issue of statistics, or whether it’s supply and demand.

At one job site I was told that the center was new, that it had only been open for a few weeks, and that one of the classrooms was still under construction.  There was evidence of this everywhere when I went for my interview, including trash, moldy old carpets, building materials, tools, and other construction-related items.  I assumed that there was a plan to remove the debris, but to-date, it still remains on site, and some of it sits on a playground that children use every day.
 
Other instances of safety and sanitation I have encountered while working in this field locally include:

• Unsecure playground – an unlocked gate of an infant playground adjacent to a parking lot and near a busy street.  I was told by a co-worker that infants had managed to open it and get out on several occasions.
• Visits from wildlife – raccoons, deer, stray cats, skunks, black widows, earwigs, fire ants, snakes, moles, frogs, lizards, and in one memorable case, a half dozen peacocks!
• Drowning hazards for infants and young children – standing water in wading pools, sandboxes, coolers, buckets, and other containers.
• Unsafe objects in outdoor play areas – broken glass, tile, rusted nails, cigarette butts, trash, metal shingles, plastic lids from food containers, other debris, protruding wires, unsafe toys and playground equipment.
• Sanitation/cleanliness – dishes left unwashed overnight, food leftovers on the counter at room temperature for several hours, bathroom sharing by staff and students, dirty laundry on bathroom or laundry room floors for days, dirty floors not vacuumed, high chairs not cleaned after meals, toys not sanitized daily, and trash bags in hallway overnight.

As I stated, there are some truly caring educators and childcare providers in La Plata County.  They perform a difficult job with grace and heart, and I salute them. Unfortunately, there are some who are not cut out for this profession. Some are bone-lazy, uncaring, or downright mean.  I will name no names here. 

I worked with one young woman who was too busy talking on her cell phone to notice that I was trying to comfort a screaming infant, listen to a parent's concerns about the menu, and serve chicken ala king to a dozen preschoolers, all at once.  Another girl commonly arrived late, left early, or called in sick, and then attempted to falsify her time card so that she was paid for a full shift on each of those short days, including days she wasn't even there!

On one occasion, I heard a teacher tell a young boy who was being potty trained that he would have to stay in “time out” all day unless he "sat on the potty like a big boy".  I later heard the same woman tell another child, who was embarrassed because he had just had an accident, that he would have to stay in his urine-soaked clothes until he admitted he was dirty and used the toilet.  Later, I heard her discuss this with a co-worker, saying that if he was uncomfortable and wet, it would accelerate his training and serve as a reminder to use the toilet next time.  I was appalled by this. Apparently, discomfort and humiliation are her "teaching tools".

I have also observed many children in different centers, even infants, subjected to physical discipline such as extended time outs for up to thirty minutes.  That's the least of it . . . in one case, a child was spanked because he wouldn't be quiet during nap time.  I have also seen co-workers slap a child's hand or wrist when they are doing something "bad" like not sharing a toy or accidentally pulling another child's hair.  I have also seen co-workers forcibly pick up or move a child or infant by one arm which can cause dislocation of an arm or shoulder.  One crying child was quieted by a caregiver, not with a hug or a story, but with her hand clamped over his mouth.

These events all occurred at licensed daycare centers in La Plata County.  It may be disturbing to some or difficult to believe that a person in a position of trust would treat children this way, endangering their health and safety, but I have seen these things first hand.  Although I wanted to turn my eyes away, I found that I could not help but look, and then make others aware of what I have seen. I write this from a deep concern for the children of our fair county who cannot speak for themselves. 

When choosing a childcare center for your kids, please visit the site in person, several times, and at different times of the day.  Look around carefully.  Ask questions, even if they get annoyed with you, and then ask a few more.  Eat lunch with the kids, play on the playground with them.  Watch carefully, like a fly on the wall.  Ask yourself a few questions, too, and don't leave until you know the answers.  Here are a few to get you started:

• How are kids interacting with their caregivers and other kids?
• How are they disciplined?
• Is the type/philosophy of discipline employed safe?  Is it respectful of the child's individual needs and consistent with your core values?
• How often do you hear a caregiver praise a child? How often do you hear the word "no!"?
• Is the kitchen clean?  Is the food healthy and of good quality?
• How clean is the bathroom for students?  For staff?  Are adults and children using different restrooms? 
• Are toys and furniture sanitized daily? 
• How often is laundry done and who does it? (Some schools ask parents to take laundry home. Others do it on site.)
• Is the playground safe for your child? 
• Is the facility understaffed?  (Infant, toddler, and preschool kids have different caregiver ratios than elementary school children which vary from state to state.) 
• Are they cutting corners, and if so, where? 

Don't be afraid to ask about staff qualifications, licensure, background checks for staff and volunteers, school menus, rules for identifying visitors, and sign out policies.  A good childcare center takes these things seriously and wants to keep your children safe and healthy.  I strongly suggest that you look at all of your options before you make this important decision. Printer Friendly Version