Unannounced Inspection

[mom2many]

For the first time in 26 years, I had an analyst call me to ask if I was still doing daycare. She showed up the next day for an unannounced visit. I was due for a visit in August, but having it come a month early---just 3 days after having my daughter's wedding at our home with 100+ guests was a bit much! It went great, but I was stressed wondering if I'd gotten everything back into place!

That same week I had a mandatory training meeting with my food program. They discussed in detail the 1% milk being used for children 2 years and up. Even said we could add chocolate flavoring to make it taste better?! Seriously, you are concerned with calories and are going to allow this???????:confused::confused::confused:

When licensing showed up and stayed during afternoon snack, she told me I could only serve one cup of juice per day. I questioned this, since I had JUST been to the training meeting the night before. She assured me it "WAS THE LAW"! Not wanting to argue the point, I let it go.

That night I emailed my food program rep and asked about this. She adamantly denied that this was NOT a law and that it was merely "a suggestion by a university" She said, "Licensing is NOT able to dictate food guidelines and that is strictly 100% mandated by the USDA & only them! It was almost like there was a power struggle going on between the two agencies. She assured me that as long as I followed the USDA guidelines for the menus I was fine. Once again CA has it's issues and as a provider, I can only shake my head and do the best I can!

[DaisyMamma]

I also find it strange that they want to know about your food & beverages.

I feel for you. I had a couple of citations from the state in the past few weeks. It's really stressful. ((((((((HUGS))))))))))

[Crystal]

For the first time in 26 years, I had an analyst call me to ask if I was still doing daycare. She showed up the next day for an unannounced visit. I was due for a visit in August, but having it come a month early---just 3 days after having my daughter's wedding at our home with 100+ guests was a bit much! It went great, but I was stressed wondering if I'd gotten everything back into place!

That same week I had a mandatory training meeting with my food program. They discussed in detail the 1% milk being used for children 2 years and up. Even said we could add chocolate flavoring to make it taste better?! Seriously, you are concerned with calories and are going to allow this???????:confused::confused::confused:

When licensing showed up and stayed during afternoon snack, she told me I could only serve one cup of juice per day. I questioned this, since I had JUST been to the training meeting the night before. She assured me it "WAS THE LAW"! Not wanting to argue the point, I let it go.

That night I emailed my food program rep and asked about this. She adamantly denied that this was NOT a law and that it was merely "a suggestion by a university" She said, "Licensing is NOT able to dictate food guidelines and that is strictly 100% mandated by the USDA & only them! It was almost like there was a power struggle going on between the two agencies. She assured me that as long as I followed the USDA guidelines for the menus I was fine. Once again CA has it's issues and as a provider, I can only shake my head and do the best I can!

Actually, the food program monitor is incorrect. It became law on January 1st:

1596.808. (a) Commencing January 1, 2012, except as provided in
subdivisions (b) and (c), a licensed child day care facility shall comply with
all of the following requirements for beverages served by the day care
provider to children in the provider’s care:
(1) Whenever milk is served, serve only lowfat (1 percent) milk or nonfat
milk to children two years of age or older.
(2) Limit juice to not more than one serving per day of 100-percent juice.
(3) Serve no beverages with added sweeteners, either natural or artificial.
“Beverages with added sweeteners” does not include infant formula or
complete balanced nutritional products designed for children.
(4) Make clean and safe drinking water readily available and accessible
for consumption throughout the day.

[Country Kids]

Actually, the food program monitor is incorrect. It became law on January 1st:

1596.808. (a) Commencing January 1, 2012, except as provided in
subdivisions (b) and (c), a licensed child day care facility shall comply with
all of the following requirements for beverages served by the day care
provider to children in the provider’s care:
(1) Whenever milk is served, serve only lowfat (1 percent) milk or nonfat
milk to children two years of age or older.
(2) Limit juice to not more than one serving per day of 100-percent juice.
(3) Serve no beverages with added sweeteners, either natural or artificial.
“Beverages with added sweeteners” does not include infant formula or
complete balanced nutritional products designed for children.
(4) Make clean and safe drinking water readily available and accessible
for consumption throughout the day.

I think this was last August the poster was talking about. I think I actually remember her posting about it.

We are allowed here to add chocolate, strawberry (poweder/syrup) and olvatine flavoring to milk.

[Crystal]

I think this was last August the poster was talking about. I think I actually remember her posting about it.

We are allowed here to add chocolate, strawberry (poweder/syrup) and olvatine flavoring to milk.

Ah...didn't realize it was in August. That must be why she was only informed of it.

Good info to have now though

[Childminder]

Actually, the food program monitor is incorrect. It became law on January 1st:

1596.808. (a) Commencing January 1, 2012, except as provided in
subdivisions (b) and (c), a licensed child day care facility shall comply with
all of the following requirements for beverages served by the day care
provider to children in the provider’s care:
(1) Whenever milk is served, serve only lowfat (1 percent) milk or nonfat
milk to children two years of age or older.
(2) Limit juice to not more than one serving per day of 100-percent juice.
(3) Serve no beverages with added sweeteners, either natural or artificial.
“Beverages with added sweeteners” does not include infant formula or
complete balanced nutritional products designed for children.
(4) Make clean and safe drinking water readily available and accessible
for consumption throughout the day.

Is this USDA or your states ruling?

[sharlan]

Crystal is correct. I believe it is only a CA law but will check.

I was aware of the law, but decided to play dumb until licensing knocked on my door. Well licensing knocked on my door. Plus, my youngest grandson asked for chocolate milk right in front of the analyst. I was out of chocolate, but he was given a glass of 2% milk in front of the analyst.

I do not like 1% milk so I don't buy it. I did promise my analyst that I would switch when I finished the 5 gals I had in the fridge. So this weekend, I will switch.

[Crystal]

Is this USDA or your states ruling?

States regulation. I pulled that from the licensing website.

[sharlan]

AB 2084 (BROWNLEY), Chapter 593, Statutes of 2010 Affects: Child Care Centers (CCCs) and FCCHs – No Action Required until January 2012. Subject: Nutritious Beverages in Child Care Facilities
Summary: AB 2084 added Section 1596.808 to the Health and Safety Code related to nutritious beverages and affects all licensed child care facilities. The law will not go into effect until January 1, 2012 and will allow the department to adapt the provisions by bulletin, as specified. The new law requires CCCs and FCCHs to comply with the following beverage provisions:
• Whenever milk is served, serve only lowfat (one percent) milk or nonfat milk to children two years of age or older.
• Limit juice to not more than one serving per day of 100 percent juice.
• Serve no beverages with added sweeteners, either natural or artificial. “Beverages with added sweeteners” does not include infant formula or complete balanced nutritional products designed for children.
• Make clean and safe drinking water readily available and accessible to children throughout the day.
The law provides for the following exceptions to the bill’s requirements regarding beverages served at a licensed child day care facility:
• If a child has a medical necessity documented by a physician that includes the need for “medical food” as defined by Section 109971 of the Health and Safety Code, a licensed child care facility shall be exempt from complying with the beverage requirements to the extent necessary to meet the medical needs of that child.
• This section shall not apply to beverages at a licensed child day care facility that are provided by a parent or legal guardian for his or her child.The CDSS will only determine compliance during a regularly scheduled, authorized inspection, and shall not be required to conduct separate and independent visits. Since this law will not go into effect until January 1, 2012, specific implementation procedures will be published prior to that date.

[sharlan]

As my analyst said the other day, there is a lot of rumor and misinformation out there.

[Crystal]

As my analyst said the other day, there is a lot of rumor and misinformation out there.

Do your parents provide food and drink for their children? That would let you off the hook on that one. However, the reg only does not apply IF the parents provide it.

[Crystal]

I decided to check the CCFP regs on Milk and juice. So far, I have found nothing about juice, but did find that the milk requirements have changed and children over two must be served 1% (or lower fat) milk. This is from a the Monitor's handbook:

Offering technical assistance to providers is an important part of a monitor’s job. Providers may need to be reminded that the meal pattern requirements for milk have changed. Whole and reduced-fat (2%) milks may not be served to participants over two years of age because they contain high amounts of saturated fat.
Fat-free and low-fat (1/2%-1%) milk options have the same amount of calcium and important nutrients as whole and reduced-fat milks, but much less fat. Explaining these changes and the reasons behind them, as part of the technical assistant you provide, may help providers remember these important meal pattern requirements.substitutions because of a disability. Food intolerance is when there is a reaction to a food, such as a stomachache. A medical professional might recommend that the food is avoided, but does not order that the child cannot have it. A disability is condition where a medical professional finds that an impairment limits a life activity (such as breathing) to the extent that the food should not be eaten at all by the child, and orders it by addressing the above points.
Parents or guardians may ask for non-dairy milk substitutions without providing a medical statement. For example, if a parent has a child who follows a vegan diet, the parent can submit a written request to the child’s caretaker asking that soy milk be served in lieu of cow’s milk. The written request must identify the medical or other special dietary need that restricts the diet of the child.
As part of your review, make sure appropriate documentation for all substitutions is on file.
If a provider is making substitutions for an enrolled child with a disability or intolerance, make a note of that on your review paperwork. If the provider does not have a proper medical note on file, you will have to disallow those meals that do not meet the meal pattern requirements.

[sharlan]

I provide all food and beverages. I don't want to deal with seperate jugs of milk for each child so I will switch. I knew the law, but was being a butt-head about it.

[Crystal]

I haven't had a chance to read this, but thought it would be good for all FCCP to have. It is the USDA Food Program Monitor's Handbook for FCCH:

http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/care/Publications/pdf/Monitoring_Homes.pdf

[sharlan]

double post