License Exempt

[KIDZRMYBIZ]

I have been sleuthing around to find what other providers in my town are charging, and what is included with those fees. I am surpised to find that there are many, many, many people choosing to advertise they are "license exempt," which is *supposed* to mean they will never care for more than 3 children in addition to their own at a time. But...

...when pretending to be a potential client on the phone, they are telling me that they have 4, 5, or 6 kids from clients. And they are charging just as much or more as any other licensed providers. Never less than I am (I offer the whole ball of wax).

[Michael]

Well, they are breaking the law. Do they do unannounced inspections in your state?

[finsup]

Yeah, that's common here too Its really a little fruesterating because I *do* operate license exempt but I do so legally. Here we're only allowed 2 kids before getting liscesned and I stick it that. It's honestly all I have room for when you add in my own 3 (our own don't count in our numbers unless we're liscesned). There are so many illegal providers here who are flat out lying to parents, and provide sub par care that it gives "liscesned exempt" a bad rep.
As for price, I'm about average with home providers both liscesned and unlicensed. Sometimes on the higher side of average but I offer way more then most, and have the degree/education/experience to justify charging more. I've found for the liscesned exempt ones that are lying they often have to charge low rates to get people.

[Preschool/daycare teacher]

It is frustrating when people do that. It's extremely common in my state. They're everywhere. And they call it "babysitting" so they think they can get by with it. And then they aren't counting it on their taxes... I think some people just honestly don't know the childcare laws and to them they are "just babysitting" so they don't think about it being illegal. I know one lady in particular who "babysat" for many years and she'd be posting pictures on her Facebook of things the kids were doing, and in the summer especially when she'd have school age kids in addition to the younger ones, she'd have over 12 kids there (12 is the maximum for a licensed class 1 home daycare and only two little ones under age 16 months with an assistant! And she'd have babies on up to school age with no helpers) My state only allows for five kids before you have to be licensed. She was bragging about running a daycare one time and later I found out about the maximum of five kids, but at that time didn't realize she had more than five, so I was asking her about licensed vs unlicensed, and which she'd recommend, and she immediately got defensive and said, "I have several police officer's kids and they've never had a problem with it!" So then I knew she was operating illegally and I never asked her anymore questions. At that time I was curious about starting my own daycare so I innocently asked the question thinking she'd be a good one to help me out with questions and exactly what was involved.

[Unregistered]

The above situation described by preschool teacher is scary. I certainly hope nothing happened with that "babysitter" in all those years ...

To play devil's advocate, perhaps that first (op) situation was talking about clients total not clients present at one time?

I worked for a bad fcc once myself. Even at that time, when I had no idea what any rules were or where I would find the rules, I could see she was doing some bs, like falsifying records. I left immediately. I was 24 maybe and I had no understanding of reporting or anything. I should have, but I was clueless.

[Kelly]

I don't see anything wrong with a license-exempt provider charging the same as licensed providers as long as they are within the limits for attendance. License-exempt doesn't mean that they don't do the same things that licensed providers do.

I am license-exempt because I can have 3 dcks at a time and that is all I want. I follow the same rules and regulations that licensed providers do. I (and my 3 adult kids who live at home) have had background checks and fingerprinting done because I accept state subsidy payments. I am a certified teacher who worked almost 20 years in public schools. My daycare includes an authentic Montessori preschool program. I actually charge a little more than some licensed providers around here do because I feel that what I offer is worth it.

[Thriftylady]

I am license exempt and can have up to six at a given time. I don't think that impacts the rate, as I still strive to run a quality program, in fact I offer many services that others don't. I know for a fact there are people here who are over their numbers for being exempt. I try not to worry about it though. To me, it is up to parents to make sure their children are getting good, quality care. If they choose not to it is sad, but there isn't anything I could do to convince them otherwise and to try would likely look like I was jealous or something. I just try to make sure I am doing what is right and not worry about what others are doing UNLESS I know there is abuse or neglect, in which case I have to say something.

[LysesKids]

I have been sleuthing around to find what other providers in my town are charging, and what is included with those fees. I am surpised to find that there are many, many, many people choosing to advertise they are "license exempt," which is *supposed* to mean they will never care for more than 3 children in addition to their own at a time. But...

...when pretending to be a potential client on the phone, they are telling me that they have 4, 5, or 6 kids from clients. And they are charging just as much or more as any other licensed providers. Never less than I am (I offer the whole ball of wax).

I am legally allowed 4 at anytime, but have 7 kids on my roster; Some are Drop-ins and only show when one of the 4 spots are open, so the provider could still be running legal when she says she has 4 or 5 kids as long as only 3 of them are there at one time - I've been known to have 5 kids in a day because one would leave & another would come in an hour later

[KIDZRMYBIZ]

To clarify, in NE, we are allowed to watch only 3 children that are not our own at a time before requiring a license (and then when you have said license, our own children DO count in the numbers - go figure).

I love the optimism that they are all part-time kids changing shifts or scheduled opposite days, however that was never mentioned when asked how many and what ages "my kids" would be playing with.

I don't blame people for doing it this way. The state is making it awful difficult. I wish I had the kahunas to just drop my license and go on as is. I've often expressed that it would be so grand to go back to the days of the neighborhood babysitter of yesteryear (like I went to when I was a kid).

I was just so surprised that their weekly fee is just as high or higher than mine, and apparently DCFs are fine with paying it, as their posted pics have plenty of kids in them!