Can You Sleep If You Do Overnight Care?

[Crazy8]

This may sound like a dumb question but if you are watching a child overnight are you allowed to sleep? I am legally unlicensed but in looking over our regulations it states the provider shall be awake and alert to meet the needs of the children at all times. Also says you can not provide care for more than 16 hrs. straight so I don't understand how anyone can do overnight care and daytime care yet I see people advertising they do it all the time.

I was thinking of offering an overnight "parents night out" but sounds like that really isn't allowed.

[permanentvacation]

The rules vary from state to state. You would have to find out the rules in your area. Here, in Maryland, last I knew, you could sleep overnight if you had 3 children or less in care overnight. But I knew of that rule a couple of years ago. I haven't been licensed for overnight for a while - not really a need for it in my area. So when I moved, I didn't set up an overnight room and didn't get overnight on my license.

[jenboo]

Depends on your state. Those people may not be doing it legally.
In Nevada, if you are licensed (5+ kids) you must be awake during overnight care. You are also allowed to be open for 24 hrs. So if i wanted to be open 24 hrs, i would have to hire someone to either work the day shift or night shift since I couldn't stay awake 24 hours. Also, the regulations are very different for night care. For example, I would have to install a fire sprinkler system in the rooms the kids use ($$$$$$).

[JoseyJo]

This may sound like a dumb question but if you are watching a child overnight are you allowed to sleep? I am legally unlicensed but in looking over our regulations it states the provider shall be awake and alert to meet the needs of the children at all times. Also says you can not provide care for more than 16 hrs. straight so I don't understand how anyone can do overnight care and daytime care yet I see people advertising they do it all the time.

I was thinking of offering an overnight "parents night out" but sounds like that really isn't allowed.

In Kansas you cannot. You used to be able to and there were a TON of 24 hour home daycares where the providers had goo gobs of kids all hours of the day and night. We went through a major regulation revamp 2 years ago and now at least 1 provider must stay awake at all times. Children must be physically checked on (not w/ a monitor) every 15 min while asleep ages 1 and up (the rules are more strict for infants) just like at nap.

[Leigh]

I can sleep in my state as long as I am still accessible to the children. They must have a cot or bed (no mats) for overnight care, and they must be able to wake me if they need to. I can sleep in my bedroom with a monitor in their room and be within the rules. During the daytime in my state, I am not allowed to sleep. I find it odd that the rules differ according to time of day, but that's how it is where I live.

[Familycare71]

In ny you can

[GKJNIGMN]

I'm in PA and you can sleep where I am located. I have 2 overnight kids currently. They arrive at 9:30pm. The 5 year old sleeps on a few nap mats and blankets to make it softer. We can actually use sleeping bags here now daytime or night but whatever I use I put several mats and blankets under so she is comfortable. I have the 3 year old sleep in a pack n play still because she is still in a crib at home. I leave my door open so that I can hear them well and with these kids I haven't had a problem. I'm not saying don't do parents night out but keep in mind that if you are able to sleep, sometimes you get kids who climb and get into cabinets and things or try to walk out the door at night. Be very careful who you take. I would also be cautious of taking kids from more than one family unless you are able to separate them just because it's new and interesting to them and they feed off each other's energy Not as bad with siblings that share a room at home anyway like I have.

[sharlan]

8 yrs ago, I was told that I could sleep as long as I had a baby monitor on.

In CA, it all depends on your analyst as to what is reg.

[LK5kids]

In WI you can't offer more than 12 hrs of care if you are licensed or certified. So,that means I can not do overnight unless that's all I do. I am not sure about staying awake, as I never really looked into night care.

If people near you are advertising that is what they offer and they also do daytime hours they are doing it illegally.

[Heidi]

In WI you can't offer more than 12 hrs of care if you are licensed or certified. So,that means I can not do overnight unless that's all I do. I am not sure about staying awake, as I never really looked into night care.

If people near you are advertising that is what they offer and they also do daytime hours they are doing it illegally.

ah, but there is a little caveat'. You can only provide LICENSED care for 12 hours. You can also be certified for an additional 4 hours. It's weird...because the licensing reg. says 12, but then the certification regs say +4.

You CAN do 24 hour care by being unregulated the hours you're not licensed. As long as you don't take state funded kids during that time; or provide care for more than 3 children under 7, you can.

During legally unregulated or certified care, one can sleep when children are sleeping.

If one is LICENSED for 24 hours (and some are), then there needs to be someone awake at all times. Some of the FCC"s in Milwaukee do this, and hire people for the night shift. That person must have all the minimum training. I know they actually have licensors hired to check on those facilities at all hours of the night.

[LK5kids]

ah, but there is a little caveat'. You can only provide LICENSED care for 12 hours. You can also be certified for an additional 4 hours. It's weird...because the licensing reg. says 12, but then the certification regs say +4.

You CAN do 24 hour care by being unregulated the hours you're not licensed. As long as you don't take state funded kids during that time; or provide care for more than 3 children under 7, you can.

During legally unregulated or certified care, one can sleep when children are sleeping.

If one is LICENSED for 24 hours (and some are), then there needs to be someone awake at all times. Some of the FCC"s in Milwaukee do this, and hire people for the night shift. That person must have all the minimum training. I know they actually have licensors hired to check on those facilities at all hours of the night.

Okay, I was was not totally sure about certified...but offering additional care at night is okay because you are not licensed during that time is nutty! ! Hmmmmm, interesting! But more than likely you would have some overlap and that would get tricky!

[CedarCreek]

I think in Texas you can as long as the kids are on the same level of the house as you.

[Heidi]

Okay, I was was not totally sure about certified...but offering additional care at night is okay because you can't get licensed for that is nutty! Hmmmmm, interesting! But more than likely you would have some overlap and that would get tricky!

It sure could...because if someone bills the state for ONE MINUTE they're not regulated, or claim a meal to the food program, they are committing "fraud".

Know what happens then? They get suspended from the food program and/or WI shares, bumped down to a 1-star, recouped an overpayment for EVERY state funded child for EVERY day this happened, and their license is revoked.

State of WI does NOT mess around!