Licensing Inspection

[Preschool/daycare teacher]

We're due for our licensing inspection sometime this summer or early fall. What do we need to do to make sure everything is ready and prepared? I'm an assistant, so I don't know all the details, but want to make sure we're ready and following all the rules. Also, incase the inspector comes when the owner isn't there, would that be a problem? And what would I need to do while they're there? Exactly what are the liscensed home daycare rules (including the obvious ones like safety plugs on the wall sockets, hazardous chemicals where children cannot access them, etc).
Thanks for any help!

[Michael]

You can find information here on page 13:

https://www.daycare.com/newyork/new-...-handbook.html

[melskids]

you're in NY right?

https://www.ocfs.state.ny.us

you can find the regs on there.

[Former Teacher]

Word of advice...do NOT change a diaper if front of licensing...they will watch you like a HAWK.

If the child has a poopie of course you need to change them but just be very careful!

[Preschool/daycare teacher]

I'm in Indiana. Former Teacher, when I was working at my last preschool, the director told us to be prepared for the inspector to ask us to change a diaper even if we didn't need to while they were there. Thankfully the inspector came during nap/quiet time, so all the children were either asleep, or laying quietly on their cots. It was also during a power outage, so he couldn't see as well to do his inspections! He still wrote us up, though, for having a roll of toilet paper on the back of the toilet. Couldn't figure that one out...
Do your inspectors seem to purposely try to find something, anything, to write you up for? This one we had at my old preschool sure seemed to. When I looked online to see how the other daycares and preschools had fared, it looked as if their inspector had been the same way. The silliest things were listed on there

[Childminder]

Do your inspectors seem to purposely try to find something, anything, to write you up for?

My last inspector was the best - she said that they always find something to put down and that I was the first one she had that didn't get a violation. "Yeah Me!" We hit it off great and probably could have chatted all day or gone for drinks later

[Preschool/daycare teacher]

Do your inspectors seem to purposely try to find something, anything, to write you up for?

My last inspector was the best - she said that they always find something to put down and that I was the first one she had that didn't get a violation. "Yeah Me!" We hit it off great and probably could have chatted all day or gone for drinks later

Wow! That's great! Sounds like you would be full of good advice for us. Any idea what some of the less obvious things are that providers often miss or do wrong?

[Former Teacher]

I'm in Indiana. Former Teacher, when I was working at my last preschool, the director told us to be prepared for the inspector to ask us to change a diaper even if we didn't need to while they were there. Thankfully the inspector came during nap/quiet time, so all the children were either asleep, or laying quietly on their cots. It was also during a power outage, so he couldn't see as well to do his inspections! He still wrote us up, though, for having a roll of toilet paper on the back of the toilet. Couldn't figure that one out...
Do your inspectors seem to purposely try to find something, anything, to write you up for? This one we had at my old preschool sure seemed to. When I looked online to see how the other daycares and preschools had fared, it looked as if their inspector had been the same way. The silliest things were listed on there

Oh yes! I can write a book about licensing. I don't know if you have read any of my posts but I have NO respect WHATSOEVER for licensing.

As for your rep and diaper changes...our rep went as far as to feel kids foreheads to see if they were running fevers.

Grrr..I can go on and on.....

But just go about your business and act like they aren't there. You will do fine

[Janet]

Licensing dings me every time for small stuff.

It's pretty annoying! I know that they're just trying to do their jobs but it's like they are trying to find anything to nail people on. I got nailed for throwing a diaper away in the bathroom garbage that didn't have the proper lid! WHAT! Also, I had a bottle of infant tylenol on the kitchen counter but it was pushed against the wall and it was too far out of reach for any of my kids. Oh well, they're just doing their jobs...

[MarinaVanessa]

yeah I remember at one visit I was in trouble for leaving liquid hand soap in the bathroom on the counter (well how else am I supposed to wash everybody's hands????). I just took the soap out completely and used the push pump soap dispenser installed in my kitchen sink to wash everybody's hands but the next time licensing came over and she looked in the bathroom I was questioned on where I kept the soap and I said "Oh, last time I got reprimanded for leaving it in the bathroom so I just don't use soap anymore" ::. The look on her face was a crack-up. The next 20 minutes that I had to spend convincing her that I was joking wasn't.

[melskids]

i have been sooooo lucky. my licensor comes in, sit down at the table, has a cup of coffee, and chats. she never looks at anything. however, i am now sweating a bit. she just put her 2 weeks notice in. now i dont know what is gonna happen!

[Veggie Mom]

The look on her face was a crack-up. The next 20 minutes that I had to spend convincing her that I was joking wasn't.

Oh my! you have my sense of humor. I better keep it to myself when the inspection comes due

[Childminder]

Wow! That's great! Sounds like you would be full of good advice for us. Any idea what some of the less obvious things are that providers often miss or do wrong?

Every inspector is different and I've never had the same one twice. One shadowed me so badly that I turned around and stepped on her foot. She gave me a violation because I wasn't in the same room with a 2yr old for direct supervision. WTF? I don't take all six in the bathroom with me. Most are sticklers for paperwork so make sure you have your parent forms filled out COMPLETELY and all of your licensing papers up to date. One checked my diapering the others have not. One told me that I needed exit signs above all my exits - it's a home for goodness sake not a center and the next one said I don't have to have any such thing. Geesh!

My best advice is don't act nervous cause they will zero in on that and assume you're doing something wrong. Don't get lax and leave something on a counter or where a child could climb up and grab it. If you don't agree with the ruling or don't believe it is valid, very nicely, state your ignorance and ask to see the State 'Rules and Statutes' technical assistance book that spells it all out in layman's terms. " Oh my, I did not know that! Or " That isn't at all how I interpreted that rule, I guess I need for you to explain it to me." Even if they give you a violation it's usually something minor and you just have to send in a compliance form stating that you won't do it again or whatever. Make sure you get down to the child's level and see what you could get in trouble for if you were the biggest 'pita' kid that you have ever known and fix it.

"It's pretty annoying! I know that they're just trying to do their jobs but it's like they are trying to find anything to nail people on"

They are that's their job.

[emosks]

This post is making me nervous!! We are up for our renewal inspection since right now we have our Provisional License. We passed the initial before we could even open inspection pretty easily but we didn't have kids here yet.

[Preschool/daycare teacher]

You can find information here on page 13:

https://www.daycare.com/newyork/new-...-handbook.html

Can you send that link again, only for Indiana this time?
And Melskids, can you send your link again also, only for Indiana's? I really appreciate the responses. Plese keep them coming. I'm ignorant when it comes to inspections