Inspection ... grrr

[midaycare]

So I had an inspection on Tuesday, finally. It's my initial one and they finally got around to it. There is another woman who does home daycare who lives in the next town over. She has the exact same name as me (or I as her ...?) and she was up for a renewal at the same time I was applying for my initial inspection.

Well this just confused everyone. So I finally got my inspection done.

They found 2 things, and both of them kind of tick me off.

1) She stated that I did not have a discipline policy that separated the under 3's and over 3's. I had rewritten my policy but not printed it off and placed it in my filing system. So ... I was written up and she treated the new one as non-existing.

2) I have a very extensive emergency plan in place. I spent 2 days writing it, and everything I could ever need is in there. She said my emergency plan is "too extensive" and needs to be more "1, 2, 3, 4" with steps an assistant can follow quickly. I understand that, but ... she wrote me up as NOT having an emergency plan in place.

The things I thought she would check - child proof locks, bathroom, outdoor space - she didn't even look at. Didn't ask to see a first aid kit. She spent most of the time reading out loud the regulations to me, making sure I understood them. Blech. I'm glad it's over though!

[coolconfidentme]

Sometimes they go over the documentation with a fine toothed comb..., nerve wracking to say the least. Crazy cause I would be looking at safety features with more diligence.

[Naptime yet?]

I'm glad you made it through and I can understand your frustration. The same thing happened to me with an inspection regarding paperwork, even though I had what she was looking for it apparently wasn't in the right place & I was written up :confused:.

Breathe easy for awhile! And remember, in case of a zombie attack:

1. Run
2. Run
3. Run
4. Run

:hug:

[DaveA]

I understand your frustration. Sometimes I swear I could have clowns juggling chainsaws in the backyard and a rep wouldn't notice. Forget to check off one thing on my inspection or drill log and they'll catch that every time.

[melilley]

So I had an inspection on Tuesday, finally. It's my initial one and they finally got around to it. There is another woman who does home daycare who lives in the next town over. She has the exact same name as me (or I as her ...?) and she was up for a renewal at the same time I was applying for my initial inspection.

Well this just confused everyone. So I finally got my inspection done.

They found 2 things, and both of them kind of tick me off.

1) She stated that I did not have a discipline policy that separated the under 3's and over 3's. I had rewritten my policy but not printed it off and placed it in my filing system. So ... I was written up and she treated the new one as non-existing.

2) I have a very extensive emergency plan in place. I spent 2 days writing it, and everything I could ever need is in there. She said my emergency plan is "too extensive" and needs to be more "1, 2, 3, 4" with steps an assistant can follow quickly. I understand that, but ... she wrote me up as NOT having an emergency plan in place.

The things I thought she would check - child proof locks, bathroom, outdoor space - she didn't even look at. Didn't ask to see a first aid kit. She spent most of the time reading out loud the regulations to me, making sure I understood them. Blech. I'm glad it's over though!

That is ridiculous, I would be talking to her supervisor!
No where does it state that we have to have a separate discipline policy for any age groups.

As far as the emergency plan, it doesn't state how simple or extravagant it needs to be. I can't believe she wrote you up for not having one when you do. Makes no sense. Sounds like she's on a power trip. I got lucky and have a really nice group of consultants here.

[midaycare]

I'm glad you made it through and I can understand your frustration. The same thing happened to me with an inspection regarding paperwork, even though I had what she was looking for it apparently wasn't in the right place & I was written up :confused:.

Breathe easy for awhile! And remember, in case of a zombie attack:

1. Run
2. Run
3. Run
4. Run

:hug:

Lol to the zombie attack! I wonder if I need that in the emergency plan???

[midaycare]

I understand your frustration. Sometimes I swear I could have clowns juggling chainsaws in the backyard and a rep wouldn't notice. Forget to check off one thing on my inspection or drill log and they'll catch that every time.

Right??? She barely looked at my home. She was very paperwork oriented though.

[midaycare]

That is ridiculous, I would be talking to her supervisor!
No where does it state that we have to have a separate discipline policy for any age groups.

As far as the emergency plan, it doesn't state how simple or extravagant it needs to be. I can't believe she wrote you up for not having one when you do. Makes no sense. Sounds like she's on a power trip. I got lucky and have a really nice group of consultants here.

She did seem nice, but those write ups just seem ridiculous to me.

[SignMeUp]

Right??? She barely looked at my home. She was very paperwork oriented though.

"Better childcare through paperwork."
My slogan for the year ::

Last year was "Taking the 'family' out of family child care."

My mission statement is, "Dark humor is better than no humor at all. Use it!"

[Play Care]

Right??? She barely looked at my home. She was very paperwork oriented though.

What I have found over the years is that each visit they tend to focus on something else - so one visit it may be the paperwork, another visit may be the child proofing, etc. better to have everything set even if they don't get around to checking it. Really if they went through all the regs they'd be at our programs for days.

I'm probably going to be the odd ball here - but I don't get caught up in the "I got written up!" Aspect of inspections. Some years I've had perfect inspections, other years something slipped through the cracks and I get a letter (a missing signature here, forgot to post something there, etc) I guess I feel like it the big deal is the actual care and supervision of the children, and for that you will never see a note in my file

[melilley]

She did seem nice, but those write ups just seem ridiculous to me.

They are ridiculous.
The technical assistance manual says this about having a discipline policy:
"Assuring that the policy addresses the methods that are appropriate for children of different ages and levels of understanding".

As long as you have different ways of handling discipline according to developmental ages/stages stated in your policy, then she should not have written you up for that! Nowhere does it say that we have to have a policy written up for any specific age group!

[midaycare]

"Better childcare through paperwork."
My slogan for the year ::

Last year was "Taking the 'family' out of family child care."

My mission statement is, "Dark humor is better than no humor at all. Use it!"

Sarcasm is my friend

[AmyKidsCo]

Wow, that really is picky. It's frustrating how some licensors are common sense and others are nit-picky. I had a common sense one but my new one is nit-picky.

[KiddieCahoots]

I understand your frustration. Sometimes I swear I could have clowns juggling chainsaws in the backyard and a rep wouldn't notice. Forget to check off one thing on my inspection or drill log and they'll catch that every time.

::::::.........

I'm due for a renewal licensing visit, any day now.
It's gonna be hard for me to keep a straight face, with the vision of clowns juggling chain saws in the back yard, if I get written up on something stupid, !

[mom2many]

I tend to be very detail oriented, so I have never been cited for a paperwork issue...but then again, here in CA, I have never had an analyst scrutinize things like what the OP experienced! That was just plain CRAZY! Yikes!!!! It sounds like this analyst wasn't going to be satisfied until they found something wrong!

I have had analysts get fixated on a minute issue that was approved and totally okay for decades by numerous individuals! I'm all about a safe environment...but as my dh (who did safety on construction sites for years) says, "One can always find something wrong, if they look hard enough!" With that said... I always dread seeing licensing at my door!