Do You Allow Parents To "Drop In" Anytime They Want?

[Blackcat31]

Oh for heaven's sake.

I have a great licensor, but man, she's going to get an earful from me in May. I'm already PO'd that my middle schooler is going to have to get fingerprinted and get an FBI file created on her just because her mom wants a job in daycare. I'm so fed up with this state.

I hear you.... there are several veteran providers in my area that are seriously considering going unlicensed. There are less regulations and even less penalties than when licensed. It makes zero sense to me....

[MomBoss]

I hear you.... there are several veteran providers in my area that are seriously considering going unlicensed. There are less regulations and even less penalties than when licensed. It makes zero sense to me....

Wouldnt they only be able to have 1 family if they did that? Big loss of income.
Im pretty sure my licensor never looked at my policy book last year. Her visit was only an hour, super quick! This year is my surprise inpection/off year and from other providers I heard its very quick, less than 30 min. Just a quick overview of your place and skiming paperwork to make sure its all there.
I feel like im missing something because i looked at all the changes and they didnt seem too bad to me. :confused:

[Blackcat31]

Wouldnt they only be able to have 1 family if they did that? Big loss of income.
Im pretty sure my licensor never looked at my policy book last year. Her visit was only an hour, super quick! This year is my surprise inpection/off year and from other providers I heard its very quick, less than 30 min. Just a quick overview of your place and skiming paperwork to make sure its all there.
I feel like im missing something because i looked at all the changes and they didnt seem too bad to me. :confused:

You are now required to provide licensing a copy of your policies so they can keep them in your file. If you change anything you must put it in writing and give the updated copy to licensing.

Licensors now use an electronic check list to make sure all areas (licensing requirements) are met.

As for the providers that I mentioned wanting to go unlicensed...I meant illegally. As in, take the same # of kids and take their chances... apparently the only recourse is you can't get liability insurance I guess. I don't know...I couldn't do it....my parents ingrained following the rules into my psyche so I just couldn't do it (be illegally unlicensed).

[Blackcat31]

Wouldnt they only be able to have 1 family if they did that? Big loss of income.
Im pretty sure my licensor never looked at my policy book last year. Her visit was only an hour, super quick! This year is my surprise inpection/off year and from other providers I heard its very quick, less than 30 min. Just a quick overview of your place and skiming paperwork to make sure its all there.
I feel like im missing something because i looked at all the changes and they didnt seem too bad to me. :confused:

I PM'ed you the electronic check list licensors will now be looking at during your re-licensing visit.

[Unregistered]

Drop off during nap time

I work in a dc here in Alabama and we just had our annual inspection found out that if your CAN form is outdated you have to get a new one which is no big deal.

My question regarding naptime and drop off is that we allow parents to pick up whenever they choose to plus drop in as well, We have a sign on our door that they cannot drop off between the hours of 12 & 2pm because of nap/rest period. Do we need to take the sign down and reword it or do ya'll think its ok? Thanks for your input.
(Logged out because I forgot my password and can't get it reset)

[Blackcat31]

I work in a dc here in Alabama and we just had our annual inspection found out that if your CAN form is outdated you have to get a new one which is no big deal.

My question regarding naptime and drop off is that we allow parents to pick up whenever they choose to plus drop in as well, We have a sign on our door that they cannot drop off between the hours of 12 & 2pm because of nap/rest period. Do we need to take the sign down and reword it or do ya'll think its ok? Thanks for your input.
(Logged out because I forgot my password and can't get it reset)

What is your user name?
I can send you a password reset link...

[MomBoss]

You are now required to provide licensing a copy of your policies so they can keep them in your file. If you change anything you must put it in writing and give the updated copy to licensing.

Licensors now use an electronic check list to make sure all areas (licensing requirements) are met.

As for the providers that I mentioned wanting to go unlicensed...I meant illegally. As in, take the same # of kids and take their chances... apparently the only recourse is you can't get liability insurance I guess. I don't know...I couldn't do it....my parents ingrained following the rules into my psyche so I just couldn't do it (be illegally unlicensed).

My licensor told me theres nothing they really can do if you arent licensed. They dont have the time or resources to be checking places out. All they can do is mail you info, if they find out, and tell you how to get licensed. Ive thought about becoming unlicensed if i move..depending on how bad regs get. My paranoia tells me if licensing knows where i live, they could still try to check in . No one i have interviewed has checked if i am licnsed or asked at all. I wonder sometimes if people really care.

[lovemydaycare0912]

I didnt read all replies but heres ny opinion.

I tell parents they can come whenever they'd like. If they are supposed to pick up at 5 but want to pop up at 330, thats fine. I do let them know when nap time is but by law parents must have access to children at all times.

All my families love the open door policy but have never actually popped up. They always text me first to see if it's okay for them to come a little early.

It's more of a peace of mind here. If you tell a parent they can't come when they want, it raises suspicion. A lot of parents said they wouldn't go with a daycare who wouldn't allow them access to child.

[daycarediva]

I had to submit a copy of my parent handbook, and discipline policy to the state, if I make changes, I must GET IT APPROVED FIRST.

I am like BC- I couldn't operate illegally, but dang it, I really wish I could.

Licensing was here YESTERDAY and did a full inspection. I literally got my license and had 4 inspections (full) in the last month.

They didn't find anything- but WTH disruptive much?

[MomBoss]

I had to submit a copy of my parent handbook, and discipline policy to the state, if I make changes, I must GET IT APPROVED FIRST.

I am like BC- I couldn't operate illegally, but dang it, I really wish I could.

Licensing was here YESTERDAY and did a full inspection. I literally got my license and had 4 inspections (full) in the last month.

They didn't find anything- but WTH disruptive much?

Wow why did you need 4 in one month??

[CityGarden]

Oh for heaven's sake.

I have a great licensor, but man, she's going to get an earful from me in May. I'm already PO'd that my middle schooler is going to have to get fingerprinted and get an FBI file created on her just because her mom wants a job in daycare. I'm so fed up with this state.

What is this?!?!?! My dd is entering middle school next year, I would not be okay with this.

[Blackcat31]

What is this?!?!?! My dd is entering middle school next year, I would not be okay with this.

It's a new state regulation for providers in MN.

Child Care and Development Block Grant Conformity (Article 16, Sections 3, 5, 18-42)

These changes require a new fingerprint-based background study for all child care providers. The new background study, which will be valid for five years, will include a review of Minnesota criminal records, checks against Minnesota’s predatory offender registry and child abuse and neglect registry. It will also include a review of FBI criminal records, the National Sex Offender public website, and child abuse and neglect registries in any state where the subject has resided in the previous five years.


The new study requirements apply to licensed family child care, licensed child care centers, legal nonlicensed child care, and license-exempt centers that receive Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) payments. The new law requires all “child care staff” and controlling individuals to have a compliant study. “Child care staff” is defined as anyone who meets at least one of these definitions:

• Anyone employed by a child care provider
• Anyone whose activities involve the care or supervision of a child for a child care provider
• Anyone who has unsupervised access to a child who is cared for or supervised by a child care provider
• An individual at least 13 years or older who resides in a licensed family child care home or a legal nonlicensed child care program.

Individuals under the age of 18 will not have the FBI portion of the study, but they must have a fingerprint-based background study that complies with all other elements of the CCDBG study.


All studies will be conducted using the study subject’s fingerprints. The state does not retain fingerprints, but the FBI may keep them. All new studies will require the department to review the following databases:

• A fingerprint search of FBI criminal records (for individuals 18 years of age and older)
• A search of the National Sex Offender public website
• A fingerprint search of records held by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA)
• A search of Minnesota's predatory offender registry
• A search of Minnesota's child abuse and neglect registry
• An out-of-state search of the child abuse and neglect registry for every state where that the individual resided during the past 5 years.

https://mn.gov/dhs/general-public/background-studies/what-is-new/

[Meeko]

It's over age 12 here in Utah. We have 10 days after a child turns 12 to get them fingerprinted and an FBI check done....

[Mom2Two]

I tell parents in interview that they are welcome to stop by unannounced. It honestly hasn't caused me any problems (so far...).

But if they got funny about it, like it was too often and it was becoming annoying, I would say something and I would be specific about how it was affecting me/kids.

[daycarediva]

Wow why did you need 4 in one month??

They kept finding something 'they forgot to check' (eg the one bedroom I pointed out twice)

or they wanted me to fix "the chipped paint" after she scraped an eraser head size spot from the corner of the wall with her fingernail.

Had to make sure I removed my swings until I put in 18" of mulch under them.

You name it.