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This is a case I have been following for a while. The experienced provider had a number of violations but specifically to a child getting caught in a railing it is informative. You can see the fencing at about the minute mark in this video.
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OMG! The parents should never had allowed their kid there due the provider having too many kids. The fencing looks like it would pass any regulations and I wonder how she managed to get into it. Poor family.Celebrate! :
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Just from watching this small snippet, it almost looks like this was as much about the children being left either unsupervised or undersupervised as it was about the safety of that particular piece of picket fence type thing. 14 kids in care seems (assuming it was just the provider and not some assistants) way too high as well. I am licensed for eight at any given time, but I have almost never been that high, I normally keep it to 6 as it is a much more manageable number. Those poor parents, I wonder if they had any idea that she had that many children in her care?Comment
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I too have been watching this case for awhile. In the state of KS, up until June, daycare providers could be either registered taking care of a maximum of 6 kids, or licensed and able to provide care for up to 10 kids. Registered homes are not surveyed prior to opening by the state dept of health and environment as are licensed homes. They do have to pass a fire inspection, but as long as there are no complaints the state surveyor does not visit. It is now a law that all homes will transition to becoming licensed as their certificate renewal comes up, meaning that by June there will no longer be registered providers in KS. It is first and foremost the providers fault for what happened. From what I understand, there was a small wooden fence separating the babies and toddlers and Ava was interested in babies. The child pushed a chair toward the fence, stood on top of the chair, fell on the fence and her neck got stuck between the slats. She was strangled. The children were in the basement and the provider had gone upstairs when this happened. I do think though that the parents of all of the other children attending this daycare should have been aware of the providers registered status and her ability to only legally care for 6 children. Someone should have been aware that there were too many children there. My parents know the maximum amount of children I can care for because I tell them at their interview. It is very tragic that this occurred and just goes to show you that it only takes a quick second for something to happen.Comment
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That is absolutely heartbreaking. Nannyde, thanks for sharing it, although it's hard to think about something like this, it's a good reminder for all of.Comment
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This is sad and eye opening. Thanks for sharing.
On a lighter note I am happy that I am able to provide safe care for children, as I am know you all do too! Unlike this lady who perhaps was just in it for the money.Comment
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She just published a book less than a year ago and one of the articles I read said she dedicated it to the child who died in her care:
http://www.amazon.com/Your-Childs-Da.../dp/143920313X
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Oh wow
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OMG. How dare she write a book on this subject under those circumstances. The only excuse would be if she was donating 100% to that child's family. And I don't think she is.Comment
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i agree with nannyde about a child being able to jump off from the chair. moving that would be an easy fix - even if you aren't able to change anything else at the moment. it only takes a second as you found out. he could've just as easily climbed on the chair and jumped over in the time it took him to climb through the bars. just take it as a lesson learned and don't turn your back anymore when the kids are in that room! my son could climb over those bars without even needing a chair to stand on - he actually climbs up the walls in the doorway just using his hands and feet to grip. you just need one brave kid (like mine) and one quick trip to the kitchen for a disaster to happen. trust me, i've done stupid things (if you read the highchair story) but i think that is some good advice.Comment
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I just want to say that while it is clear that you want to protect your daycare kids, I don't think you are being honest with yourself. That area, as it stands, is NOT safe. It would take a child about 2 seconds to flip that laundry basket over and use it as a step. The fact that a child hasn't climbed the railing, doesn't mean that one won't in the future. As for "the drop being fairly short" in that area...that will NOT protect you from a lawsuit or even jail if someone falls. It won't matter if they are not seriously hurt...in all liklihood you will be sued.
I would get the plexi-glass. It will eliminate the problem of a child trying to climb or getting stuck. It might not be a bad idea to get a set of cubbies and place it in front of the railing and use that as a "toy box."
I totally get that you want to pay off those credit cards, but think of all that could be lost if you don't fix this problem TODAY.
Can I ask a question? Did you tell the parent of that child what happened? Can you imagine telling her and then letting them know that you want to fix it, but you're trying to pay off the credit cards?
You were very, very lucky. Please don't let this wake up call go unheeded!Comment
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Okay, so opinions please. Do you guys honestly think it would be safer to put shelves in front of that railing, all along the long side? (No, I can't put anything on the short end because the built-in baby gate swings back there and if it can't go back, it blocks the hallway) The shelves I'd be putting would be taller than the railing by a bit--I'm thinking I could move the play kitchen (heavy, wooden, by KidKraft), the bin shelf of play kitchen accessories, and enough of the other toy shelves to cover it up to the end.
I love how my playroom is set up now--so that the kitchen/dramatic play stuff is separated from the blocks/other toys, but ya'll have got my brain chewing over this problem endlessly and I'm scrambling to find a solution that will work. I luckily have kids all young enough to not think of these things (my own kid is the oldest) and Daredevil Boy is the only one I worry about at all right now--and I know my kids.
I had written a long response to the credit card thing, but thought better of it. I'm just going to say that excuse me, you do NOT know our financial situation and please don't judge. I CAN'T fix it today, and I CAN'T fix it through any means that costs thousands and thousands of dollars. We do.not.have.that.money. We live hand to mouth; paying down credit cards is the only way we will EVER have the money to change that railing and climb up out of the hole we're in. My DD and the daycare kids are NOT the only children to have spent lots of time in this house--two generations of the family who lived here for 40 years previously grew up here and survived. I know it needs changed; but the house *did* pass a home inspection when we moved here a year ago so it's obviously to some code somewhere and that's good enough for me until we have the money to change it drastically.I totally get that you want to pay off those credit cards, but think of all that could be lost if you don't fix this problem TODAY.
Can I ask a question? Did you tell the parent of that child what happened? Can you imagine telling her and then letting them know that you want to fix it, but you're trying to pay off the credit cards?
Yes, I told his mom. Amazingly enough, to you I suppose, she understood--she knows her son. She was grateful that he was all right, understood that I was right there when it happened, understands that we can't prevent everything that can happen. She appreciates the measures I've taken already to prevent it happening again. Even she was amazed that he fit through there at all.Hee hee! Look, I have a signature!Comment
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How about hanging a piece of lattice from the cieling to the railing. You can hang it from hooks and some nice twine, and then twine it along the bottom to the railing. Then you can use it as a nice bulletin board, even twining some nice looking seasonal foliage through the lattice to make it look sort of "outdoors/natural"
I wouldn't put shelves in front of it, because those could be climbed. I would find a way to make it look attractive, but cover the space that is open so there is no possibility of them climbing over.
And, ignore the "judgement" you get here. YOU know what your space is like and what your children are like. You clearly supervise them, so let it roll off your back.
Besides, if you passed inspection, then I imagine it's fine, or they wouldn't have cleared you for business. Do the best with what you have and move on.
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After hanging the lattice, I would turn the rocking chair with the back of it facing the railing and place the book shelf I can barely see in your pic next to it so it's a little reading nook and then you have a nice space with the buleetin board behind it emphasizing current themes and seasons. It will also keep the children away from the lattice so they cannot mess with it.Comment
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The shelves would make it safer I think. You could try it to see if the set up is something you could live with.
I have a few cheap shelves with toys on them and my little 2 year old pulled it on top of herself a while back, she is okay I was right there! I bought the clips that connect the shelf to the wall, that is the only thing that I would worry about with the shelves.Comment
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