Unlicensed....more kids

[Unregistered]

I am in the process of getting licensed. It is taking forever. I had my license a few years ago but went back to work so I have read the new laws and I am up to date on my information. In my area I can only watch 1 blood relative child and 1 other family.
I only want 3 total, so not a large group. I am set to have 1 child start sept 1st. I had a family contact me for care and they have 2 children. If I could sign them up I would be set. I know my licensing won't be done until the end of October.

I live in an area that is full of providers so I don't want to turn a family away. I don't want to break the rules but it seems so silly to me.

Would you risk having 2 families?

[LysesKids]

Personally no... it's people that do this that make those that run legally licensed exempt a bad name because if one does, a lot of times people think we all do it... that and you risk not getting licensed at all if you are caught. Are you going to tell the children they can't come one day because you have a state inspection? What if licensing pops in announced (which they do) - how would you explain being over ratio? What happens if a child gets hurt in your home before you are legal? Insurance won't cover it & in fact you risk losing your homeowners altogether if they find out

[midaycare]

The inspection is the tricky part. If you get the inspection done before that ... I wouldn't judge if it's a matter of a few weeks.

[KidGrind]

Not worth the risk.

[Solandia]

IMO, the risk isn't the licensing agency part...it is if you tick off a family & they report you. I wouldn't risk it.

I would talk to the licensing worker and ask if everything is done & pending approval, if you can take another family. Back when I first got licensed (oh...it was well over a decade ago, ), it wasn't an issue. Once all the paperwork & inspections were done, a provider was considered to be under a provisional license, and could operate as such. If you were denied your license for whatever reason, then you had fix your numbers to meet legally license exempt status.

Now, a bigger issue would be if your insurance will allow you to have extra kids in your home w/o a license being issued yet. You never know what could happen, until it does.

[Blackcat31]

I am in the process of getting licensed. It is taking forever. I had my license a few years ago but went back to work so I have read the new laws and I am up to date on my information. In my area I can only watch 1 blood relative child and 1 other family.
I only want 3 total, so not a large group. I am set to have 1 child start sept 1st. I had a family contact me for care and they have 2 children. If I could sign them up I would be set. I know my licensing won't be done until the end of October.

I live in an area that is full of providers so I don't want to turn a family away. I don't want to break the rules but it seems so silly to me.

Would you risk having 2 families?

Nope. Not in a million years would I risk it.

In my state (Minnesota) the rules are the same as you posted but there is some talk among policy makers that one of the focuses in the next few years for child care providers is stricter rules for those providing illegal care. (hefty fines/criminal charges/permanently in-eligible to get a license etc)

I also think that morally the right thing to do is follow the law.

I would not risk it.

[AmyKidsCo]

Nope, I wouldn't either.

ITA that it's an ethical/professional thing.

Plus, think of it from the family's point of view - if you're willing to break one rule, why wouldn't you break others, and then can you really be trusted to care for their child?