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I'm a "listed" provider in TX which means I can watch 3 unrelated children. Listed providers are not regulated by the state, but I would like to watch a few more and so I would need to get "registered" or licensed with the state. My question is, what's it like when the state comes? Do they sit for 2 hours and watch you like a hawk? Is it stressful? It's not that I'm worried I would be doing something wrong, it just seems like a lot of stress!
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I am in CT so it may differ from Texas. I have been open 11 months and the state came for their unannounced visit in December. I follow rules to the tee, but still get nervous under pressure. They came around 3:30pm right after one of my new dcks had gotten dropped off for his first day! They didn't observe me for long since I believe they had been doing inspections all day. They looked around my entire home, looked through my files, checked my outside area, and asked a few questions. The lady was very nice and was gone after about 1.5 -2 hours. It was just annoying because we had 6 kids full of energy, 1 who it happened to be his first day who weighed 30 pounds and I had to hold throughout the entire visit, etc. If you do things right on a daily basis, you have nothing to worry about. Hope this helped! -
When I lived in Vegas, they only checked paperwork. They never looked at the other rooms in my house or anything.
It was frustrating only because my kids would act up horribly when she was there.Comment
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Our state inspector seems nice but does not interact with the kids at all, is very stoic and business like. One situation here got her to chuckle which I thought was a big break through.
But all she did was look briefly at the rooms we use, the bathroom, walked around outside, checked my paperwork and when I gave her all the kids' folders she said I only have to check 25% of them. First time she came she 'caught' lots of providers(I had been 1 of them) without a form for topical creams, ointments, that type of thing, so I wrote up the most comprehensive form for the folders. Plus she found that the shelf of my LT cube climber was cracked and unsafe and recommended I take it out which I did. The 2nd time she came those seemed to be her main areas of focus. And she was in a hurry that day so wasn't here much more than 45 minutes.
I've heard horror stories from other providers but I haven't found that to be true to my situation. I just love being able to breathe that sigh of relief when she walks out the door.
Until the past maybe 6 years or so, inspections were very sporadic in my state due to staffing; they'd come maybe every 3-4 years or so. But since the increase of STARS providers there seems to be a ton more involvement and checking on the state level and they come within every 18 months. Which reminds me that I'm coming up due soon.
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Ours isn't too bad. We have to be licensed unless we are only watching one child or two if they are from the same family.
We know what month they are coming though. We just don't know the day or time. She came every few months. I am retired now so I forget if it was every 3 or every 4 months.
What she did is sat at my dining room table looking over my records. Then she'd walk around looking into each room briefly. Then look out to my play area. She rarely actually went outside though she was probably supposed to.
It really depends on the monitor (as they are called here). I had generally nice ones but the lady that opened us was a pain in the butt. Luckily she just did openings so we just had her once.
It's a little stressful because most people don't enjoy being evaluated but ours only stayed about an hour or so. One thing I learned is don't volunteer any information. Just answer questions as simply as possible (yes or no works just fine) and be polite.
It seems like the providers who had trouble with them were the ones who weren't following the rules. We all had little complaints at one time or another but all in all it wasn't that bad.Comment
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Like the PPs said, they tend to concentrate on paperwork. I have a really good rep- if he says I need to do/ not do something, he can show me where in the regs it says it. Some have a reputation for "I want this so do it" junk, but mostly they are pretty reasonable. The first couple of visits you'll miss a bunch of little ticytac things, but after a while they become easier. Like jenboo said DCKs tend to act wild when visitors are there, so be prepared. Generally my visits are a little under an hour of him setting at the table reviewing files and doing a quick once over of areas DCKs have access to. As for number of visits, starting out you'll have a few extra visits, but mostly in IL it's one scheduled visit and a couple extra unannounced visits a year.Comment
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When I was in KS, most of the time was spent on checking paperwork. I did get "written up" a couple times over really little things. Like once a pot holder on the stove was considered a fire risk. She told me that day that she has to write every provider up for something or her boss will say she isn't doing her job since nobody is perfect. But for me it was always the littlest stuff and at worst I had to write a letter saying I wouldn't do it again.Comment
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That's where I would have had a cow and thrown a very loud fit! I would have told her that I wasn't going to take a ding just to make her look good. I have had many "perfect" inspections. In Utah, if it's not clearly written in the rules...they cannot write you up. Their personal opinion doesn't mean diddly...and that's the way it should be.Comment
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I'm in Tx--I've had several different reps over the years. They were all different in how they went about things, but none have been a bad experience. My current one is the most relaxed--he spent a chunk of time playing with my dog last time he was here.
I've never had one that sits and watches me with the kids. They typically ask for the paperwork right off the bat, and sit at my dining room table to look through it. While they are doing that, I go about my business with the kids. They will ask if they need anything or have questions. Then they check the rooms the kids use, ask to hear the smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector. They check the yard for safety hazards, then come in and go over everything with you.Comment
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I knew my inspection was due.
She came at 11:45 today. It went very well and she only stayed maybe half an hour or so. Paperwork, looked through the bathroom, checked out the playroom, first aid kid, attendance forms for the past couple months, asked what a normal day looks like, watched me interact with the dcks during story time and putting them down for quiet time(probably the best time of day she could've come!!)checked out my 2 pack n plays, asked tons of questions like where do you change kids and yes, never offer any info. I told her I changed the 2 smallest ones on a changing pad that I move from room to room, clean in between with Lysol wipes. Then she asked if I washed their hands after each change. So stupid me instead of just saying yes, I said sometimes I take them into the bathroom and use the soap and water or if I'm really busy I'll use the baby wipes. So now because I had diarrhea of the mouth I have to post a notice in sight for 30 days or have each dcp sign it and file it away, saying I'm supposed to wash the baby's hands with running soap and water after each change(no wipes allowed), plus I have to send her a copy of my notice. Oh well....
Oh and her visit came on the heels of a fun lunch time because when I put pizza in the oven for lunch and started prepping the rest of the stuff, I heard my oven pop, hiss, and smoke started pouring out! So we had just barely recovered from that episode and improvising lunch when I saw her pull in the driveway.
After she left my first thought was phew, at least today is Friday. And my 2nd thought was $hit, no it's not.
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