It's No Small Wonder

[Thriftylady]

That we have a shortage of providers that can take state payments in my area. It is mostly just the centers, and they are only open daytime hours of course.

I called the local referral and resource to get info today. They aren't even local, but service our county. The gal gave me the info I wanted and asked my what my obstacles were to getting licensed. One being the fence, and the landlord won't allow one. She told me I didn't in fact need one, I had been told wrong, as long as I had a park or something I could take them to.:confused: Didn't make sense so I talked to her some more and she gave me the name of a gal in licensing for more info.

So I called, yes I need either a fence or shrubs to make a "natural barrier around the yard". Then she goes on, I have to have a sub who is background checked and has the classes who comes TO MY HOUSE, because I am not allowed to close and leave parents "in a bad position" if I am sick or need a day off. Yes, licensing has the rule they say. Then she tells me that I must have a air hand dryer or paper towel dispenser for washing hands. I tell her I have washcloths in a basket, that the kids use once and throw in a dirty basket to be washed. She says... and I quote.... "That isn't considered acceptable because we want homes, centers and schools to all use the same system so children aren't confused".:confused::confused::confused: So children are not capable of learning more than one way to do things? What are they a herd of cattle? Yeah I won't be getting licensed. They don't want to license my daycare, they want to run it.

[ChelseaB]

That we have a shortage of providers that can take state payments in my area. It is mostly just the centers, and they are only open daytime hours of course.

I called the local referral and resource to get info today. They aren't even local, but service our county. The gal gave me the info I wanted and asked my what my obstacles were to getting licensed. One being the fence, and the landlord won't allow one. She told me I didn't in fact need one, I had been told wrong, as long as I had a park or something I could take them to.:confused: Didn't make sense so I talked to her some more and she gave me the name of a gal in licensing for more info.

So I called, yes I need either a fence or shrubs to make a "natural barrier around the yard". Then she goes on, I have to have a sub who is background checked and has the classes who comes TO MY HOUSE, because I am not allowed to close and leave parents "in a bad position" if I am sick or need a day off. Yes, licensing has the rule they say. Then she tells me that I must have a air hand dryer or paper towel dispenser for washing hands. I tell her I have washcloths in a basket, that the kids use once and throw in a dirty basket to be washed. She says... and I quote.... "That isn't considered acceptable because we want homes, centers and schools to all use the same system so children aren't confused".:confused::confused::confused: So children are not capable of learning more than one way to do things? What are they a herd of cattle? Yeah I won't be getting licensed. They don't want to license my daycare, they want to run it.

This is the truth. That, and I'm not particularly excited to accept subsidy and have the state dictate my worth as well.... I guess they expect us to give away care as well.

[Thriftylady]

This is the truth. That, and I'm not particularly excited to accept subsidy and have the state dictate my worth as well.... I guess they expect us to give away care as well.

I wasn't going to accept subisdy anyway. I really want on a referral list, and I feel I already provide quality care, so licesnsing wouldn't be an issue. And it wouldn't be but some of that stuff is nuts. And one of the classes is an 8 hour class (thought you didn't want me to close my daycare?) and it is $60. That is fine, but the require ME to pay the classes for my sub. The one that has to come to my house so I can be sick or take my two week vacation. Do the licensing people want people from work in THEIR house while they take vacation? I bet not.

Oh wait that kind of turned into a rant didn't it? Sorry.

[wonderfullisa]

I usually read without looking at the name of the poster.

I started in and thought, sounds a lot like MY state! Because it is.
Unless they changed things, if you have enough towels for single use, that was allowed. They just can't reuse towels.
The classes were a pain, but at least (for the backup) it's a one time thing (other than recertifying every 2yrs for cpr and 1st aid).
In my area, I was able to raise my rates when I became certified.
I believe the yard must have barriers IF that is where you play. If you don't play there, but go to the nearby park, then you aren't supposed to have to mess with that.
For the first couple of years, I have one person on state pay. Now I only have one who isn't!
And I love those PT rates on the kids who are here every other weekend for 8 hours a day. I get four weeks of PT pay for four days of work.

[Thriftylady]

I usually read without looking at the name of the poster.

I started in and thought, sounds a lot like MY state! Because it is.
Unless they changed things, if you have enough towels for single use, that was allowed. They just can't reuse towels.
The classes were a pain, but at least (for the backup) it's a one time thing (other than recertifying every 2yrs for cpr and 1st aid).
In my area, I was able to raise my rates when I became certified.
I believe the yard must have barriers IF that is where you play. If you don't play there, but go to the nearby park, then you aren't supposed to have to mess with that.
For the first couple of years, I have one person on state pay. Now I only have one who isn't!
And I love those PT rates on the kids who are here every other weekend for 8 hours a day. I get four weeks of PT pay for four days of work.

Well it is done by county here I guess, so that must change things. They told me that if they came and saw the children using washable towels they would write it up, and require it be changed because another child could "accidentally touch and extra towel". Um they can't do that with paper. And they told me I was required to have 65 square feet (or was it per child?) outside for a play area. The sub thing is what I saw most outrageous.

[spedmommy4]

Well it is done by county here I guess, so that must change things. They told me that if they came and saw the children using washable towels they would write it up, and require it be changed because another child could "accidentally touch and extra towel". Um they can't do that with paper. And they told me I was required to have 65 square feet (or was it per child?) outside for a play area. The sub thing is what I saw most outrageous.

The sub requirement sounds outrageous because it IS. It took me a year to find a qualified substitute. I can't offer my sub regular hours so as soon as she finds a job I'm sure she'll move on. That is one of the silliest regulations I've ever heard.

[Thriftylady]

The sub requirement sounds outrageous because it IS. It took me a year to find a qualified substitute. I can't offer my sub regular hours so as soon as she finds a job I'm sure she'll move on. That is one of the silliest regulations I've ever heard.

I think part of the issue, is in my county at least, the licensing reps also run the subsidy program. So I am guessing that is why they don't want a provider to take time off. Because then the low income family might have to miss work. But I don't understand what that means that we as providers have to suffer. I mean if I pay for the subs background checks and classes, and then use them once every two or three months maybe two weeks in the summer, I will never find a good one that doesn't get another job or something. As it is, my parents are required to work out their own back up, I told her that and she told me it simply isn't allowed. Nuts nuts nuts!

[spedmommy4]

I think part of the issue, is in my county at least, the licensing reps also run the subsidy program. So I am guessing that is why they don't want a provider to take time off. Because then the low income family might have to miss work. But I don't understand what that means that we as providers have to suffer. I mean if I pay for the subs background checks and classes, and then use them once every two or three months maybe two weeks in the summer, I will never find a good one that doesn't get another job or something. As it is, my parents are required to work out their own back up, I told her that and she told me it simply isn't allowed. Nuts nuts nuts!

It seems like subsidy programs are overlapping in departments/programs that set them up to work in direct opposition to providers. That is a good example. On their end, I'm sure that made sense. Nobody considered that having a substitute is challenging, even for centers.

In my area, the subsidy program has become the competition. They run their own state funded childcare programs, manage the referral list, and funnel all the kids of the parents for childcare into their centers.

I'm not sure who's writing the rules around managing subsidy programs but I'd like to give them a piece of my mind.

[Unregistered]

It seems like subsidy programs are overlapping in departments/programs that set them up to work in direct opposition to providers. That is a good example. On their end, I'm sure that made sense. Nobody considered that having a substitute is challenging, even for centers.

In my area, the subsidy program has become the competition. They run their own state funded childcare programs, manage the referral list, and funnel all the kids of the parents for childcare into their centers.

I'm not sure who's writing the rules around managing subsidy programs but I'd like to give them a piece of my mind.

Speedymom, what part of CA are you in? Just getting started in the process of licesening myself. Hadnt come across anything on the requirement for a sub, is this in CA also?

[NillaWafers]

It seems like subsidy programs are overlapping in departments/programs that set them up to work in direct opposition to providers. That is a good example. On their end, I'm sure that made sense. Nobody considered that having a substitute is challenging, even for centers.

In my area, the subsidy program has become the competition. They run their own state funded childcare programs, manage the referral list, and funnel all the kids of the parents for childcare into their centers.

I'm not sure who's writing the rules around managing subsidy programs but I'd like to give them a piece of my mind.

I wonder if this is why I've received ONE referral in an entire year. I know my subsidy program runs their own centers. My prices are not super high either, actually kinda low for this area. :-\

ETA: Paying workers comp for a sub is ridiculous - I hate CA. I cannot afford to hire a sub because of this unless I find someone who contracts out as a sub everywhere.