After School Pick-ups

[i<3kids]

Hi!
I run a large daycare in California and am a member of the food program. I recently had an inspection and was written up because I was over capacity. My helper was out picking up children from school and it was nap time for us so all of the kids were napping during the inspection. I was told that my helper should take half of the children with her to pick the other children up and that just sounded crazy.
I was just wondering how you other providers handle after school pick ups if you are a large?

[Nickel]

Are you a center or a home daycare? I know here in Texas home daycares are still required to be in ratio during naptime. Center's however have a reduced ratio during nap. Also when I worked at a center in NJ we had a 4:1 ratio during the day (so 12:3 in my room) but during nap it was 12:1. Only one child was allowed to be awake and the rest had to be asleep. If more than one child woke up we needed a second teacher. I'm not sure that helped to say, maybe you could apply to be a center? I'm not sure how it works in your state. Could you hire another assistant to pick up the children?

[cheerfuldom]

If your state requires you to be in ratio at all times of the day, there are only two choices: Hire someone else to go do after school pickups, or no longer provide pickup service and the school or individual parents have to get their child to your daycare on their own.

[familyschoolcare]

Since it was the food program rep who told you this check with your lic. rep. Send her an E-mail saying it came to my attention that during afterschool


pick ups which is our nap time I can not send my helper alone to pick up the children because it leaves me with X napping children. The food program rep

is required to check to make sure your are in ratios. However, lic. regulations is not thier job so check with the person whose job it is. The if your lic. rep.

says what you are doing is O.K. then sask her get put it in writing for the next time the food program rep. comes by.

[proudmommyofthree]

I also run a large family childcare in California. I have an assistant here from 7:30am to 3:30pm.

When I pick up children after school and the kids are napping I do take children with me if she will be over. So lets say She has 10 Children with her. I usually take my son and 2 other children with me. It's usually the kinder kids. Most of the time they are awake. If not I wake them.

It's a chance I do not want to take. If I have 8 Children then I leave all the kids with her.

In California if you have more than 8 kids there must be 2 people caring for them, wether they are sleeping or not.

I know it's a pain during nap but I just wouldn't take the chance.

You will most likely get a visist from licensing because the food program will notify licensing and you will get a visit.

This happened to my friend during an inspection from the food program. She was over by 1 child and they reported her to licensing. I beleive within a week she was got a visit from licensing.

[DaisyMamma]

I hate waking kids to get older kids off the bus. The bus stops right in front of my house, but I have to be out there for the kids to get off - per the school and licensing. And I cant leave sleeping kids alone - per licensing.

You will either have to hire someone to do pickups, wake up kids, or no longer offer after school pickups.
You could also hire someone to do pickups, but put the cost off to the parents. Tell the parents to either provide transportation from the bus stop to your front door, or pay X amount per week so you can hire someone to do it.

[sharlan]

Hi!
I run a large daycare in California and am a member of the food program. I recently had an inspection and was written up because I was over capacity. My helper was out picking up children from school and it was nap time for us so all of the kids were napping during the inspection. I was told that my helper should take half of the children with her to pick the other children up and that just sounded crazy.
I was just wondering how you other providers handle after school pick ups if you are a large?

You cannot be over capacity at any time for any reason in CA. There is no variance. It doesn't matter if the kids were asleep or not.

[sharlan]

Since it was the food program rep who told you this check with your lic. rep. Send her an E-mail saying it came to my attention that during afterschool


pick ups which is our nap time I can not send my helper alone to pick up the children because it leaves me with X napping children. The food program rep

is required to check to make sure your are in ratios. However, lic. regulations is not thier job so check with the person whose job it is. The if your lic. rep.

says what you are doing is O.K. then sask her get put it in writing for the next time the food program rep. comes by.

Licensing will not ok this. In their eyes, over capacity is over capacity and the fine isn't worth it. I'm not positive, but I believe the fine is either $150 or $250.

[i<3kids]

Thanks guys

This is the first time that I have posted and you guys really helped me out with your responses. Thank you for all the info and now I get to go hire another helper