Quick Question! Would You Allow A Therapist To Observe Your Daycare?

[LovetheSun]

Hello everyone,

Briefly, we have a child that started Physical Therapy, Behavior Therapy and is been tested for ADHD/Austin.

I asked to speak to the therapist, because I've been very worried. She asked permission to observe the child during daycare hours.

Would you allow it?

Also I was thinking to ask each family their permission. I should right?


Thank you guys!

[Heidi]

Yes, I would and I have.

[finsup]

I wouldn't ask permission per say but I would notify them that it would be going on and the day and time. If they didn't feel comfortable they could keep dck home. Basically, if I had decided to allow it, and one parent said no, then what? I only give parents (or anyone really) a choice when it actually IS a choice. Personally I'd have no problems letting a professional observe if I thought it was beneficial

[daycare]

I do allow for it, I do tell other parents we will have an outside visitor, however I do not need their permission.

I do require the therapists to sign a contract with me that states they will not physically interact with the other children in care at any time and at no time will they be allowed to be left unattended with any child, even the child receiving services. anything that this person does is still on my time, so I need to make certain that I also watch them too. I don't need to hang over them, but I do keep my eyes and ears on them within a distance.

the reason I do this is because what if they do something to the kid. OR one of the other kids. Years ago I had a parent that always came and sat down with her child at drop off and would linger. I would be in and out of the room. I didn't know any better back then, I think this was first or second year when this happened. Well what do you know, later that night I get a phone call from one of the other parents. Their child said that the linger mom hit her hand because she took a toy away. OMG and I had no way to confirm this did or didn't happen. I was upset at myself because I allowed for someone who is not my staff be left attended with the kids. It was the dcms word against the kids word. I seriously only left the room for a second to go answer the door. I am pretty sure it didn't happen, but i had to change my rules that very day and it took a lot to convince the dcm that accused the other parent of hitting her child to come back.

After that day I have a rule that at no time can a parent be left in any part of the house unsupervised. This means that if you are here for pick up and I need to tend to something I can't until you leave. so this makes it nice for when I say make drop off and pick up quick.

hope this helps some. I never want anyone to have to experience that. it was horrible. So for liability reasons, I require 100% supervision of the parents and they are only to have access to their own child.

that was a hard lesson learned for me.

Sorry if I went all over the place I got pulled away many times while writing this..

[littletots]

During the interview process I tell parents my license & accreditation has many unannounced observations. Quarterly fcc inspection, quarterly usda inspection, annual DOD, once every 3 yrs NAFCC. I never ask permission. dcp know it's part of my program. I wouldn't think twice about having a therapist stop in.

[Sunchimes]

Until last month, I had at least 3-4 therapists a week. One child aged out, so we are down to 4 times a month. All of the parents know at the interview that I specialize in special needs kids and we have a lot of visitors. I have never worried about them being with the kids. They are professionals and all have background checks. Our ECI's directive is to blend into the child's environment as much as possible. So, if the are doing an activity with a child and another walks up, they include that child.

I would not accept a family that had objections.

[Play Care]

Until last month, I had at least 3-4 therapists a week. One child aged out, so we are down to 4 times a month. All of the parents know at the interview that I specialize in special needs kids and we have a lot of visitors. I have never worried about them being with the kids. They are professionals and all have background checks. Our ECI's directive is to blend into the child's environment as much as possible. So, if the are doing an activity with a child and another walks up, they include that child.

I would not accept a family that had objections.

There is a huge difference, IMO between a therapist coming in to provide services, and a visitor who is just hanging out. In my state if the child is receiving therapy, they can be alone with the therapist who has had the necessary background checks - and this has nothing to do with me/my license (this was made emphatically clear in a training by licensing with the head of the division of licensing sitting right there). Obviously if you actually witness inappropriate behavior on the part of the therapist then you should speak up, but how often would that realistically happen?

[Laurel]

I would allow the therapist to come and not notify other parents. It is none of their business. It is a professional and not just random person off of the street.

[Cat Herder]

I allow it and do not inform parents of the specific reason an observer was in the classroom. It could be a privacy violation otherwise.

I casually mention at pick up that we had an observer and any other pertinent details of their child's day.

We have observers often. State inspections, QRIS observations, OT/PT visits, DCFS and routine State monitoring visits.

No biggie.

[Febby]

There is a huge difference, IMO between a therapist coming in to provide services, and a visitor who is just hanging out. In my state if the child is receiving therapy, they can be alone with the therapist who has had the necessary background checks - and this has nothing to do with me/my license (this was made emphatically clear in a training by licensing with the head of the division of licensing sitting right there). Obviously if you actually witness inappropriate behavior on the part of the therapist then you should speak up, but how often would that realistically happen?

My state is the same; therapists can be alone with the child they are providing therapy to. You cannot, of course, leave them to supervise and direct your entire group.

Somewhere in my center's parent handbook it states that we allow outside observers such as licensing inspectors, fire inspectors, health inspectors, STARS observers, etc. and that children in the class may receive therapy (speech, behavioral, etc.) and that it may take place with the group. Parents aren't really given a choice. Of course, I work at a large center (over 250 children and 12 classrooms) so informing parents ahead of time would be a headache.

[Play Care]

I would allow the therapist to come and not notify other parents. It is none of their business. It is a professional and not just random person off of the street.

I'll be honest, it kind of bothers me that this is even a question (should I allow a therapist to come in?) So often providers come here to complain that parents are not taking their concerns about their child seriously and not getting them services that would be beneficial (speech, OT, PT, etc) Then when they do, we try to insist that they do it on their time, refuse to "allow" it, etc.
I've found most therapists to be awesome in giving me choices about times, and such. Usually they might work within the group and then maybe take the child out for a bit for 1:1. Most are excellent at including all the kids, and then being able to separate when the time comes - it's what they do for a living.
I feel as though in home providers especially have a reputation for being uneducated and "backwards" or glorified SAHM's - who are basically "sitting" while the kids play. So when they "refuse" to allow a licensed, background checked therapist in the program I feel as though it cements the idea in many people minds that the "sitter" is being shady, sneaky, etc and has something to hide.
If a child is at my house most of their waking hours, all week long, it makes sense that the therapist would want to come here.

[LovetheSun]

I'll be honest, it kind of bothers me that this is even a question (should I allow a therapist to come in?) So often providers come here to complain that parents are not taking their concerns about their child seriously and not getting them services that would be beneficial (speech, OT, PT, etc) Then when they do, we try to insist that they do it on their time, refuse to "allow" it, etc.
I've found most therapists to be awesome in giving me choices about times, and such. Usually they might work within the group and then maybe take the child out for a bit for 1:1. Most are excellent at including all the kids, and then being able to separate when the time comes - it's what they do for a living.
I feel as though in home providers especially have a reputation for being uneducated and "backwards" or glorified SAHM's - who are basically "sitting" while the kids play. So when they "refuse" to allow a licensed, background checked therapist in the program I feel as though it cements the idea in many people minds that the "sitter" is being shady, sneaky, etc and has something to hide.
If a child is at my house most of their waking hours, all week long, it makes sense that the therapist would want to come here.

I hear your perspective. In this case, it been over a year I've been working very hard with this family and strongly strongly recommended a therapy (turns out he needs behavior therapy, physical and had ADHD).
We always done our best, I even speak on the punk with the theraphist.
My concerns was the others children and the families. I was wondering if they would be against it as their children attend.

I find it reassuring that is common which I can then mention to parents who might be against it.