Yearly Inspections

[Cat Herder]

I have not had an inspection in over a year... In CA its a random inspection, kind of like a lottery type inspection. They choose DC liC # at random using a computer system, you may get chosen, you may not.

Unless a parent or other person calls to complain, they don't come out.

That must be nice

Here everyone gets hit, unannounced, a required minimum of every 6 months.

If you are on the food program it is almost monthly.

[sharlan]

No hand soap?
So where do you put it?
Most of my kids use the bathroom by themselves and was their hands with soap and water when done.
Ugh how am I this confused

Read the label on the hand soap. I believe that it's Dial brand that doesn't say to keep out of reach of children. I have my kids' toothpaste in the kitchen drawer with a lock on it.

The first time I got caught for the toothpaste, the inspector told me that I had to keep it in the garage. Okay, who's going to go out to the garage every morning to brush their teeth. I could keep the dishsoap on the counter behind the sink, but couldn't keep it under the sink.

[PitterPatter]

So many differences, this is why I had to ask. My inspector comes and does paperwork 1st. He has a check list and goes down it as he goes down he walks around and find what he needs to check off. My bedroom is totally off limits to children. The door stays shut and locked during DC hours so I feel they have no right wanting access to MY room but he has checked it. My childs room is not for daycare either but the door is open because he uses it through the day. He also has small toys, MANY which will fit through a TP roll so what would they expect there? My son is not giving up his toys and u can only put so many things in the closet u know. I haven't been told the TP roll rule so I won't open that can of worms. My inspector hasn't said anything about my sons toys tho just that he has so many so I'm good so far.

As for the cabintes and drawers downstairs, they all have locks on them except for the pots and pans cabinet and the hand towel drawer and I don't think a kid can swallow those . So I feel what is the sense in having a lock on it if u cant have certain things in it anyway. Some of these rules are just getting too strict. Where are we supposed to put the things like batteries and toothpaste? And hand soap? really? Yeah I can see myself running to the bathroom every time a kid has to go so I can get the handsoap down from a locked cabinet. Oh wait that makes me leave other children unattended so I guess we will all have to go get the handsoap.

Here we have to have a lid on our garbage. If u can't have the simple things out like toothpaste which goes in the mouth sitting out then I'm surprised there shouldn't be a lock on the garbage can! Take a look in there 1 day and see the many hazards! (really hoping I dont give a licsnsor an idea)

I agree DC homes should be inspected but to a point. Some of it I think is just snoopy people. My inspector does go through my whole house (except the attic of course he only went there once in the beginning) He checks my hot water tank in the basement too. He asks to see all my training certificates/records even tho most of them get Fwd to him by the CCRR. All I know is when the day comes the inspector wants to look in my bedroom drawers that will be the day I quit the business. We deserve to our right to privacy too.

[sharlan]

That must be nice

Here everyone gets hit, unannounced, a required minimum of every 6 months.

If you are on the food program it is almost monthly.

As daycare said, we are randomly inspected. But, I've always had them call in advance to see if I am still doing daycare. That pretty much lets me know that an inspector will be showing up in the next day or so.

[daycare]

As daycare said, we are randomly inspected. But, I've always had them call in advance to see if I am still doing daycare. That pretty much lets me know that an inspector will be showing up in the next day or so.

....thats funny. I have yet to have another inspection after getting licensed years ago. The lady that I had was super mellow and easy going. Now I wish I would have had hilter so that when I do get the hilter inspection I wont fail.

When I called to talk to licensing, the lady on the phone was really crazy rude. Knowing my luck, this will be the lady that will come out to do my inspection when I have one.

[sharlan]

We have to have a lid on the kitchen trash, but no lock, yet. Please don't give them any ideas. I am really surprised that we can have a trash can in the kitchen.

During inpection 6 yrs ago, I didn't have to have my staircase blocked because I had kiddie gates blocking the living room and dining room, preventing access to the stairs and front door. When I got my license last year, I couldn't get my license until I emailed them proof that I had a kiddie gate across the staircase. The inspector felt that because the kids would walk passed it from the front door to the family room, it was accessible to them.

[PitterPatter]

We have to have a lid on the kitchen trash, but no lock, yet. Please don't give them any ideas. I am really surprised that we can have a trash can in the kitchen.

During inpection 6 yrs ago, I didn't have to have my staircase blocked because I had kiddie gates blocking the living room and dining room, preventing access to the stairs and front door. When I got my license last year, I couldn't get my license until I emailed them proof that I had a kiddie gate across the staircase. The inspector felt that because the kids would walk passed it from the front door to the family room, it was accessible to them.

I have thet problem too. Sad but true. I have a 3yr old child that would take off up the stairs EVERY day when he leaves to make me chase him. He would go into my kids room and get into stuff laughing because he knew it wasn't allowed. He ONLY did this at pick up. I had to start leaving the gate there until every last kid had gone even though the rooms we use are gated as well. I have 5 gates up in this house!! It ****s because my kid can't get over the gate on the stairs without tripping so it's causing a problem here. Plus it's a PITA when we are all making bathroom trips UP stairs. Gate off, gate on , gate off , gate on. UGH!

[daycare]

ugh I feel your pain..... I have to block off all the bedroom becuase I dont have door locks. This means that my son cant get into his bedroom, which makes for a crazy day.

The highs and lows of DC...

I am ok right now with all the crazy rules.....The day taht they tell me I cant wear my sweatshirts and sweat pants is when I quit.....I dont care if they look in my drawers, I dont have anything to hide.

[mac60]

It is their business what is accessible to the kids.

If the rooms are kept off limits and access is denied by either locks or kiddie gates, they will just take a quick peek in. They will not go through your personal drawers if the kids aren't in there. Any room that is available to the kids (bathrooms, kitchens, etc) is fair game.

But my kids bedrooms and my bedroom is not fair game. This is our personal space. If the rooms are off limits...Nobody has a right to invade personal space.

[daycare]

But my kids bedrooms and my bedroom is not fair game. This is our personal space. If the rooms are off limits...Nobody has a right to invade personal space.

I agree with what you are saying and i did ask the LIC lady that came out during my inspection and she told me a story.

She told me that they didnt used to go into the areas of the house taht were off limits to the DCK, until one time they were doing an inspection and they could smell something funny in the house. Turned out that the DCP had a meth lab in her bathroom. The LIC lady said that the DC area was super clean, very nice looking house and DCP. If they didnt peek in the DCP bathroom, they would have never found it.

So, this is why they will peek into the off limits areas in your house...

[mac60]

Still does not give them the right in my opinion. When a parent goes into a center to drop off their child, we don't get the liberty of going thru the kitchen, office, or break room, or storage room. Working out of our home, there is a fine line to "public space" and "private space", and it is apparant the governing agencies have very much crossed the line when it comes to this.

[sharlan]

They will not go into your bedroom and open your nightstand drawer UNLESS they have reason to believe that children use that room.

Our guy was telling us that a provider that was very insistant that her bedroom was off limits until he opened the door and found a 2 yo taking a nap on her bed. She was mortified when he opened a nightstand drawer and found "toys". She was even more upset when he opened a cabinet in the adjoining bathroom and found more adult goodies.

On my inspections, they did nothing more than stand at the doorway and look in.

[sharlan]

It's like most of us say, our home=our rules. Their license=their rules.

[Gurdy]

My licensor does not even open doors to areas that our inaccessible to children, but she does ensure that those areas are inaccessible.

I just have to say I can not believe how infrequently some states inspect. I have four inspections per year. Two from dhss (every six months) plus the yearly Health Department and the Fire Marshall inspections. They are all very thorough. They go through all cabinets, closets, drawers etc.

[Michelle]

As daycare said, we are randomly inspected. But, I've always had them call in advance to see if I am still doing daycare. That pretty much lets me know that an inspector will be showing up in the next day or so.

yep and where i live it's every 3 years give or take a few months