New Law in IL Re: Expulsion From Preschool

[MissAnn]

In 11 years I've done 1 immediate term one DCK for behavior. The kid I termed got threw a wooden block at a toddler's head then tried to throw the rest of the box of blocks at me. All because the toddler was sitting where he wanted to go. I'm not losing 3 other families who are worried about their child's safety so some DCFS REMF can feel like they've "done something".

Bottom line is it's my program- I decide who's in it and who's not.

I termed a boy who because of his apparent NEED for THAT easter egg (Easter egg hunt from he**).....ended up pushing a kid and causing a cut close to his eye that needed several stitches on the same day his grandpa was getting his leg amputated. The next week he threw a large rock at another kid because he was mad. This was also my only term because of a child.

I termed a parent because he stood in my way and kept me from being able to get out of my kitchen. He as acting in a threatening way and made me feel unsafe. He was telling me I should tell all the parents to beat their kids like he does. I stayed very calm while he wagged his finger at me and made me feel trapped. He left and I cried and shook but was so proud of myself for keeping calm. I still had several kids present. Yes...I called DCS.

[Pestle]

You CANNOT change the outcome for the child with a prek program- it's TOO late. You have to CHANGE HOME first.

[Blackcat31]

And that is why the home visiting program is being pushed here. They want us actually teaching parents child development, health/safety, nutrition and discipline techniques in their own homes.

I resisted at first because I saw the over reach into other peoples homes and a drain to my time and resources when my kids also needed me. Now that I am empty nest, I can see an opportunity to serve my community in a real way.

Imagine what all those retired teachers could do.

That is the job description for home visitors working with Head Start. While good in theory, I don't believe it makes a positive impact or provides tools for positive parenting in future years.

As an empty nester I see it as a positive way to give back for sure but I don't see the idea WITHIN Head Start or Child Care programs as worthwhile or beneficial.

[Cat Herder]

That is the job description for home visitors working with Head Start. While good in theory, I don't believe it makes a positive impact or provides tools for positive parenting in future years.

As an empty nester I see it as a positive way to give back for sure but I don't see the idea WITHIN Head Start or Child Care programs as worthwhile or beneficial.

Exactly. It is linked in with meals-on-wheels, soup kitchen, child advocacy office, DV shelter, rehab and the family court system in my town. (I pm'd you a link)

[amberrose3dg]

I have found the opposite, unfortunately. This may be an economic factor, but in my cases of extreme behaviors in children, the parents were the over the top, coddling, helicopter type.



INSANITY. I would change my hours, or call for pick up (can't term, didn't say you HAD to keep the child in care) until the parent terminated, etc.



I agree, and I am SO saddened with the way this is going.

I also agree to the rest of the bolded, these children NEED help. From cradle to bars. Head start is a total failure. I honestly think we need parent education, parent initiatives. Want free childcare? Show up to these parenting classes, complete a home study, maintain on time attendance. You CANNOT change the outcome for the child with a prek program- it's TOO late. You have to CHANGE HOME first.



lovethis

I meant that the children have issues because of the parents.
For example I had to terminate a little boy who hit and kicked and would not listen. He was out of control at 3. His dad was a wonderful dad on the surface. Older gentleman(he was like 55 with a 3 year old) who loved his kid and was there for him. He would not correct his kid and he was a spoiled brat.Dad would tell me he would take away his games, ipad etc not get that special cheeseburger treat to fix his behavior. Dad never stuck to his word. They were just empty threats. He hit one of the kids in a head with a toy because he wanted what the kid had and refused to wait his turn."I want it and I want it now!" I was done. Dad had to go back to driving him an hour each way to and from daycare since no one else would take him.He should be old enough to be in school now and I can bet his behaviors did not improve because his dad wanted to be his best buddy.
Children like this are not safe in a group setting. No law should force a provider to put up with that. We are not miracle workers we cannot fix these behaviors on our own. If they are like this more than likely the parents are clueless , powerless or do not care to do anything about it.

[nannyde]

Here is a webinar explaining it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qO9mjTggMnE

One very important take away is that the parents are not required to do ANYTHING in the process of assessment, planning, implementation, or transitioning.

They "have the right" to remove their child or switch programs but they are not required to be a part of the process in any way. If the child is short term suspended then they would have to find care but other than that, I can't see where they have anything they MUST do.

They also aren't required to divulge to the receiving care provider that the child received a dis-enrollment plan developed over the long and arduous process of terming the child from the previous caregiver. Once that information is on the table the parent will have a hard time finding an open slot.

This was discussed on the Illinois Child Care board on Facebook. This is some of my response:

"I am gobsmacked that there is zero responsibility on the parents.

Parents of violent children need to be required to take extensive parenting classes before their child qualifies to not be expelled without all these requirements are placed on the provider. The parenting classes need to include extensive in home visits.

I don't want a mental health child worker in my business teaching me to care for a violent child.

Why can't we have a ZERO tolerance for violence? Who came up with this notion that violence in small children is normal?

Ask your grandparents and great aunts and uncles if they ever witnessed a child kicking, biting, spitting, cursing, and hitting an adult. Ask your relatives that are over the age of forty if they witnessed that.

What the state doesn't get is we are in this business to make money. We should not be required to engage in mental health training and keeping children who require one to one care because they cost too much staff time and put our relationship with our other clients at risk of leaving.

If one group of children are at risk of expulsion require they take parenting and intensive therapy classes BEFORE they are allowed to enroll in daycare using state funds. One expulsion and YOU are required to keep the child out of care until YOU have been trained. If you don't want to take classes and have home workers then make private arrangements and keep your kid out of child care.

The State doesn't require gas stations, fast food restaurants, and stores to offer only healthy food because we have an obesity epidemic which far surpasses the issue of early child care expulsions.

They also threw in that birth to five exclusions are higher than k to 12. Well no duh
Schools have principals, counsellors, multiple aides, funding for the care of special needs kids, SPACE to separate.

An in home provider has none of that. A centers profit margin is too small to offer that.

I keep thinking of the New York City preschools who put their applicants thru multiple interviews with testing of the children and extensive interviewing of the parents. They offer limited slots and being rich doesn't guarantee your child a slot. Wealthy parents are a dime a dozen.

Why are they allowed to be so selective and term services so easily and we aren't? I promise the State would NEVER impose something like this on a profession of men.

It's time for providers to be VERY VERY selective of the parents and children BEFORE enrollment and have a no fee interview and testing process that includes having the child attend one day to a week before an enrollment is offered. Each parent needs to know that there are multiple families vying for the slot or slots and they will be notified by x day if they are chosen. No excuses given for not being chosen. Nothing in writing about behavior and no discussion of behavior. Just do free days without enrollment and end the free days if the child exhibits behavior that will not fit for the business.his infuriates me.

Children with disabilities are already covered under the Disability act. Now they have given the same protections to children who behave badly.

I would highly recommend a FREE pre enrollment period of at least a week wherein you don't offer enrollment until you are able to assess the behaviors. This will be markedly cheaper than going through their disengagement process.

I would also have a parental behavior contract where you can sever services for the parent without mentioning the child's behavior.

I do three interviews before I offer a slot. I do not offer a contract for three to six months.

This is a bully move."

[nannyde]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrJY20it_G0

[Blackcat31]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrJY20it_G0

That was disturbing.
On several levels

[nannyde]

That was disturbing.
On several levels

And when he enrolls in an Illinois daycare they must keep him. They must document his behavior. They must develop behavior plans. They must have mental health consultants come to work with them to work with him. They must document the intervention and his response. They can short term suspend but they must let him back as soon as possible. They must develop a transition plan before they can term him. They must come up with some plan that includes a place that he can go to. They must work with and report to every mental and health worker that serves him of their plans and have their input.
They must report to their state all documentation, intervention, and assessments. They must report to their state his age, ethnicity, and tenure in care.

All that work on them and his mother doesn't have to do a single thing except arrange care on his short term suspensions.

She doesn't have to be a part of any plan, doesn't have to work with any professionals, doesn't have to be involved in any assessment, and doesn't have to participate in any way in a transition plan which would markedly delay an actual transition.

The child care gets to devote very expensive resources that they aren't compensated for in any way and the parent gets all the services for her kid for free.

The poor kids that are unfortunately under the same roof get to be his victims both physically and emotionally. They get no protection. The staff who deal with him not only have to lay witness to his violence but also get to get brutalized by him. He's quite experienced with females who are the recipients of his violence and can't or won't do anything but say words to him or attempt distraction rewards that escalate in time and reward as his behavior escalates.

The business gets to loose the business of his victims too.

It's so ridiculous. It's so wrong. Violent children have no place in group child care unless the business CHOOSES to serve their violence. It should not be forced upon them without choice or very very high compensation.

[LysesKids]

I termed a boy who because of his apparent NEED for THAT easter egg (Easter egg hunt from he**).....ended up pushing a kid and causing a cut close to his eye that needed several stitches on the same day his grandpa was getting his leg amputated. The next week he threw a large rock at another kid because he was mad. This was also my only term because of a child.

I termed a parent because he stood in my way and kept me from being able to get out of my kitchen. He as acting in a threatening way and made me feel unsafe. He was telling me I should tell all the parents to beat their kids like he does. I stayed very calm while he wagged his finger at me and made me feel trapped. He left and I cried and shook but was so proud of myself for keeping calm. I still had several kids present. Yes...I called DCS.

I had a father do that to me my first year, in front of my own children, as well as the daycare kids (I was widowed already); they were termed that day after the police escorted him out of my home (My older dd called 911)... worse, the only reason his kids came is because SAHM wanted private time & they took 6 weeks vacation yearly. I grew a backbone pretty damn quick

[Homebody]

http://chicagotonight.wttw.com/2017/08/14/parent-expelled-3-year-old-one-day-we-had-child-care-next-we-didn-t

Check out this article.

[Unregistered]

Here is a webinar explaining it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qO9mjTggMnE

One very important take away is that the parents are not required to do ANYTHING in the process of assessment, planning, implementation, or transitioning.

They "have the right" to remove their child or switch programs but they are not required to be a part of the process in any way. If the child is short term suspended then they would have to find care but other than that, I can't see where they have anything they MUST do.

They also aren't required to divulge to the receiving care provider that the child received a dis-enrollment plan developed over the long and arduous process of terming the child from the previous caregiver. Once that information is on the table the parent will have a hard time finding an open slot.

This was discussed on the Illinois Child Care board on Facebook. This is some of my response:

"I am gobsmacked that there is zero responsibility on the parents.

Parents of violent children need to be required to take extensive parenting classes before their child qualifies to not be expelled without all these requirements are placed on the provider. The parenting classes need to include extensive in home visits.

I don't want a mental health child worker in my business teaching me to care for a violent child.

Why can't we have a ZERO tolerance for violence? Who came up with this notion that violence in small children is normal?

Ask your grandparents and great aunts and uncles if they ever witnessed a child kicking, biting, spitting, cursing, and hitting an adult. Ask your relatives that are over the age of forty if they witnessed that.

What the state doesn't get is we are in this business to make money. We should not be required to engage in mental health training and keeping children who require one to one care because they cost too much staff time and put our relationship with our other clients at risk of leaving.

If one group of children are at risk of expulsion require they take parenting and intensive therapy classes BEFORE they are allowed to enroll in daycare using state funds. One expulsion and YOU are required to keep the child out of care until YOU have been trained. If you don't want to take classes and have home workers then make private arrangements and keep your kid out of child care.

The State doesn't require gas stations, fast food restaurants, and stores to offer only healthy food because we have an obesity epidemic which far surpasses the issue of early child care expulsions.

They also threw in that birth to five exclusions are higher than k to 12. Well no duh
Schools have principals, counsellors, multiple aides, funding for the care of special needs kids, SPACE to separate.

An in home provider has none of that. A centers profit margin is too small to offer that.

I keep thinking of the New York City preschools who put their applicants thru multiple interviews with testing of the children and extensive interviewing of the parents. They offer limited slots and being rich doesn't guarantee your child a slot. Wealthy parents are a dime a dozen.

Why are they allowed to be so selective and term services so easily and we aren't? I promise the State would NEVER impose something like this on a profession of men.

It's time for providers to be VERY VERY selective of the parents and children BEFORE enrollment and have a no fee interview and testing process that includes having the child attend one day to a week before an enrollment is offered. Each parent needs to know that there are multiple families vying for the slot or slots and they will be notified by x day if they are chosen. No excuses given for not being chosen. Nothing in writing about behavior and no discussion of behavior. Just do free days without enrollment and end the free days if the child exhibits behavior that will not fit for the business.his infuriates me.

Children with disabilities are already covered under the Disability act. Now they have given the same protections to children who behave badly.

I would highly recommend a FREE pre enrollment period of at least a week wherein you don't offer enrollment until you are able to assess the behaviors. This will be markedly cheaper than going through their disengagement process.

I would also have a parental behavior contract where you can sever services for the parent without mentioning the child's behavior.

I do three interviews before I offer a slot. I do not offer a contract for three to six months.

This is a bully move."

I'm over 40. My mother is almost 70. I'll never forget I went to a training and the younger women there called my mother a bad mother because I had told them when I went to kindergarten I was unruly one day and my teacher called me stupid. When I was picked up, my mother was told of what I did and how stupid I was. Furthermore, if I kept acting such away I could stay at home until I learned to stop being unruly. My mother made me apologize to the teacher. Oh, how times have changed.

[Unregistered]

other options?

Hi there! I have just been made aware of Sec. 5.10. I'm appalled that we have to tolerate abusive behavior by children in our preschools. I'm a small (just me), private preschool that should be able to let a child go because of violent behavior.

Can anyone fill me in on how they were able to keep a safe environment for their students & still abide by this???

Thanks so much!

[Cat Herder]

Hi there! I have just been made aware of Sec. 5.10. I'm appalled that we have to tolerate abusive behavior by children in our preschools. I'm a small (just me), private preschool that should be able to let a child go because of violent behavior.

Can anyone fill me in on how they were able to keep a safe environment for their students & still abide by this???

Thanks so much!

Document. Document. Document.

Conferences, assessments, evaluations, behavioral plans, observations, interventions, etc.

or we terminate based on adult issues.

[Unregistered]

other options?

Thank you for your response!

Yes, I absolutely document everything.

What about in the case of a very violent child who is making the other children fearful?

It's absolutely & without a doubt unfair to the other kids to be subjected to this.

My preschool is morning only and run during the school year. By the time that I've done everything outlined, the school year could be halfway over & the first preschool experience would have been ruined for the other kids in the class.