51 Child Deaths In Virginia Unlicensed Care?

[Blackcat31]

Found that article!

Is was a SIDS article.

It's sad when any child dies no matter where they are. I would be interested to see a breakdown of all of the deaths licensed/vs unlicensed and it would also be interesting to see how much higher the death toll is when they are not in our care. I imagine not in our care would be the highest (family/abusive/boyfriends/mom etc) but that is just purely a guess.

The article was written by a licensor in one county of our state. Many of the statistics she quoted were linked (some directly) to the report I posted.

I wasn't saying your info was wrong.... just that I read different statistics/numbers but either way, NO child should die in child care due to negligent unsafe sleep practices.

As for the number of kids that die in other settings, it would be interesting to see the numbers there..... but I suppose there isn't really a good way to track that info. I think Nan has posted some statistics before about the family/abuse/boyfriends etc deaths and I DO think more kids die in the care of their parents than in child care for sure.

[Cozy_Kids_Childcare]

I live in Virginia and have an licensed exempt daycare. I never get inspected. We have hundreds and hundreds of ads on criaglist everyday from your regular everyday fly by night providers. They charge 90$ a week and probably half or more don't have an idea about regulations. (I used my college English papers as a way to research every single regulation they have for home daycares.) They are certainly over numbers to be able to live off of that amount. I'm allowed 5 kids not including my own but can't have over 16pts without an assistant. I'm not licensed because they require you to have cribs for each infant as we are not allowed to use pack-n-play for naps. I do not have enough space for cribs until my garage is finished or we move. I can tell you that here people can careless if your licensed or not. It's all about how much you charge. I am too scared to even consider going over my numbers because anything can happen. I worry about a fire. I could toss a load of laundry in the dryer during nap and it catch fire or lord forbid we have a severe tornado outbreak again. I also have a neighbor that certainly would call and report me if I ever did go over my numbers. She watches and counts heads every morning. I try to run my daycare how I would want the daycare my daughter went to would be ran. Parents will leave their kids with anyone for the right price is what I have learned in my 4-years.

[Blackcat31]

It has increased the number of illegal daycares....there were over 3000 FCC programs in 2001-02 when QRIS started, today there are 819.:confused::confused::confused: over 2000 providers went underground and many are keeping as many children as I have in my program....totally illegal, but unless they get turned in the state will NOT check them out! :confused::confused:

Since most the families in my state do receive some sort of assistance for their child care costs, they must use a licensed provider to use the funds so that alone decreases the number of illegal providers.

I think California (?) has a daily fine ($200 per day) for illegally unlicensed child care providers.

For licensed child care providers in my state there is a fine PER violation if you are caught over ratios or operating against policies. My state (my county for sure) is really good about checking into ANY reports of providers (both licensed and unlicensed) operating illegally.

[Annalee]

Since most the families in my state do receive some sort of assistance for their child care costs, they must use a licensed provider to use the funds so that alone decreases the number of illegal providers.

I think California (?) has a daily fine ($200 per day) for illegally unlicensed child care providers.

For licensed child care providers in my state there is a fine PER violation if you are caught over ratios or operating against policies. My state (my county for sure) is really good about checking into ANY reports of providers (both licensed and unlicensed) operating illegally.

Licensed providers are fines per violation but I think an unregistered daycare has to be caught twice before being fined but rarely are they caught the first time..:confused: Unregistered homes can receive state assistance but it is considerably less than a licensed provider would receive.

[LysesKids]

In my state, if you are the highest star in QRIS you get 4 unannounced visits annually plus 1 announced visit from licensing. If you are a 0 star, you get 6 unannounced visits and 1 announced visit. All this on top of quarterly visit from USDA food program, 2 visits per year from health/environment, 1 visit from fire inspector. This is all in addition to the annual mandated assessment that can take 4-6 hours....Yep this is all since QRIS started dictating what/how/when/why for everything providers do from community events to materials in the daycare....:confused:

Because my house was a new set, I had electrical engineers, fire dept and city inspect before they could even clear me to move in, then the community had to approve me doing childcare for 4 babies because I rent private property... that was all before the food program got involved; I take the free trainings they offer and because I am respite care for Foster babies the state has to keep background /fingerprint/safety checks up to date just like a licensed home. I wanted TN to License me, but in a way I am grateful I don't have to do the stars program

[NeedaVaca]

The article was written by a licensor in one county of our state. Many of the statistics she quoted were linked (some directly) to the report I posted.

I wasn't saying your info was wrong.... just that I read different statistics/numbers but either way, NO child should die in child care due to negligent unsafe sleep practices.

As for the number of kids that die in other settings, it would be interesting to see the numbers there..... but I suppose there isn't really a good way to track that info. I think Nan has posted some statistics before about the family/abuse/boyfriends etc deaths and I DO think more kids die in the care of their parents than in child care for sure.

Oh I didn't take it that way I'm AWFUL with numbers/statics so I very well could have been wrong . I don't see any good way to get real statics anyway...There are just too many variables. Licensed vs unlicensed then you have to do it state by state and look at how each state handles inspections, how many per year, how many unannounced, ratios-do providers have too many kids and they can't handle those numbers, daytime care vs 24/7...I'm sure the list could go on and on.

[SignMeUp]

Regarding only sleep deaths, the SID Center here says that about 20% of deaths occur in child care. No one seems to know why more seem to have occurred in home daycare than centers.

[Blackcat31]

Regarding only sleep deaths, the SID Center here says that about 20% of deaths occur in child care. No one seems to know why more seem to have occurred in home daycare than centers.

They also make mention of the provider working alone.

I bet the numbers are different for centers because there are more staff and more staff can sometimes, increase accountability as well as notice things a ton faster than a provider working alone..kwim?

[Annalee]

Because my house was a new set, I had electrical engineers, fire dept and city inspect before they could even clear me to move in, then the community had to approve me doing childcare for 4 babies because I rent private property... that was all before the food program got involved; I take the free trainings they offer and because I am respite care for Foster babies the state has to keep background /fingerprint/safety checks up to date just like a licensed home. I wanted TN to License me, but in a way I am grateful I don't have to do the stars program

Like I said many times before, I have rolled with change so I am in for the long haul, but licensed child care is NOT what I would encourage anyone to enter as a new provider in my state.

[Blackcat31]

Oh I didn't take it that way I'm AWFUL with numbers/statics so I very well could have been wrong . I don't see any good way to get real statics anyway...There are just too many variables. Licensed vs unlicensed then you have to do it state by state and look at how each state handles inspections, how many per year, how many unannounced, ratios-do providers have too many kids and they can't handle those numbers, daytime care vs 24/7...I'm sure the list could go on and on.

I agree...

I'm sure I will catch flack for this but honestly, I think there needs to be one set of regulations that ALL states follow.

I think there should only be two options: Licensed or unlicensed...

...and I think unlicensed should not be able to provide care to more than one related family.

This would help put a stop to many of the illegal child cares out there AND would help parents understand what the rules/regulations are.

Sadly many parents have no idea what ratios are for their state, what licensing requirements are or even if their provider is licensed. I state that I am, provide my license number on my web-site etc yet have never once in two decades of child care been asked if I was or wasn't licensed. I could have made those numbers up and I don't think a parent would know or even know how to find out if I did.

[SignMeUp]

They also make mention of the provider working alone.

I bet the numbers are different for centers because there are more staff and more staff can sometimes, increase accountability as well as notice things a ton faster than a provider working alone..kwim?

I have heard speculation at meetings that included both FCC and center staff, that maybe it's because babies don't all sleep soundly at centers, because they are either in the same room as the active & awake infants, or they are in a room that is crib-to-crib. I don't know that it's one of the things that they "know" or if it's pure speculation, that it may be during the most sound sleep that some infants may "forget" to breathe.

[SignMeUp]

I agree...

I'm sure I will catch flack for this but honestly, I think there needs to be one set of regulations that ALL states follow.

I think there should only be two options: Licensed or unlicensed...

...and I think unlicensed should not be able to provide care to more than one related family.

This would help put a stop to many of the illegal child cares out there AND would help parents understand what the rules/regulations are.

Sadly many parents have no idea what ratios are for their state, what licensing requirements are or even if their provider is licensed. I state that I am, provide my license number on my web-site etc yet have never once in two decades of child care been asked if I was or wasn't licensed. I could have made those numbers up and I don't think a parent would know or even know how to find out if I did.

Me either. My license is posted on my door, but no one ever looks. I always flip through all of the things we are required to post when parents interview, but to my knowledge, those things become invisible shortly thereafter

Only problem with the idea of having the licensed/unlicensed go nation-wide is the enforcement. Around here, they don't enforce as far as I can tell.
It's related to the reasons that I think the paperwork has gone to a ridiculous level - they could just enforce the rules they already have and save themselves (and us) the trouble.

[Cat Herder]

I agree...

I'm sure I will catch flack for this but honestly, I think there needs to be one set of regulations that ALL states follow.

I think there should only be two options: Licensed or unlicensed...

...and I think unlicensed should not be able to provide care to more than one related family.

This would help put a stop to many of the illegal child cares out there AND would help parents understand what the rules/regulations are.

Sadly many parents have no idea what ratios are for their state, what licensing requirements are or even if their provider is licensed. I state that I am, provide my license number on my web-site etc yet have never once in two decades of child care been asked if I was or wasn't licensed. I could have made those numbers up and I don't think a parent would know or even know how to find out if I did.

No flack here. I think one set of standards would go a long way to solving our problems.

[nannyde]

Did you know that Federal guidelines for states accepting federal dollars for state funded kids are changing to not allow unlicensed or unregistered providers to receive the subsidy. Iowa just announced that they were not going to approve unregistered homes for funding.

It males me suspicious that they are tying this to deaths when really the state will not get the federal dollars if they don't comply. They won't get ANY of the block grant funding if they don't comply.

In Iowa they pay about $15 bucks a day to unlicensed homes as opposed to about $25 for lucensed. It's a huge savings to pay the unregistered. Instead of requiring registration they just cut off the unregistered from the state funding.

I can't see in this report where they say 51 kids and the time frame they kept the data. Is there a video?

[nannyde]

I agree...

I'm sure I will catch flack for this but honestly, I think there needs to be one set of regulations that ALL states follow.

I think there should only be two options: Licensed or unlicensed...

...and I think unlicensed should not be able to provide care to more than one related family.

This would help put a stop to many of the illegal child cares out there AND would help parents understand what the rules/regulations are.

Sadly many parents have no idea what ratios are for their state, what licensing requirements are or even if their provider is licensed. I state that I am, provide my license number on my web-site etc yet have never once in two decades of child care been asked if I was or wasn't licensed. I could have made those numbers up and I don't think a parent would know or even know how to find out if I did.

I don't. I have read all 50 states and they are SO different. They are set to meet the needs of their people.

I think, in this day and age, where moms can go online and research ANYTHING child related and join groups of like minded people on every single child rearing practice... they can easily research child care regulations.

If they can spout African Tribes extended breastfeeding practices, deaths and injuries in circumcision, Dr Sears 7 B's in attachment parenting, anti vax research, car seat installation guidelines, etc. They can research their states daycare regs before they have a kid.