Reporting a Home Daycare

An issue that is over and above the safety issue and that is a debatable one based on how much help is in the home, etc. Let's face it some providers can't handle two kids properly while others manage 10 just fine. Those homes that are over are generally the ones able to charge a lower rate too so of course many parents are willing to overlook the issue if they even realize it is an issue. But then the rest of us trying to play by the rules and control our ratios are sitting with open spaces while the house down the street has double capacity - I need those kids at my house. Why should she be allowed to get away with it.

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Originally Posted by playfelt

An issue that is over and above the safety issue and that is a debatable one based on how much help is in the home, etc. Let's face it some providers can't handle two kids properly while others manage 10 just fine. Those homes that are over are generally the ones able to charge a lower rate too so of course many parents are willing to overlook the issue if they even realize it is an issue. But then the rest of us trying to play by the rules and control our ratios are sitting with open spaces while the house down the street has double capacity - I need those kids at my house. Why should she be allowed to get away with it.

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I agree with you on this one playfelt!! I had 9 months of waiting before I got full ...and even still I'm waiting a few months before my next ones start. Probably due in some part of a few in my area that are full beyond their max numbers.

Yeah playfelt that is true, and I never thoght of that.... These "Over ratio" homes fill up before me...my rates reflect that my group is small...but some see it another way.

Ya the charging less and caring for MORE is something that baffles my mind to be honest?

Honestly I would rather have 3 children at $35 a day and earn $105 in revenue verses being over with 6 children at $20 a day and earn $120 ... you've got twice the amount of WORK and you have to FEED twice as many kids, provide materials and program for twice as many children and so forth and well just twice as much 'stress' and well on top of that you have the RISK of being illegal?

Just does not make sense to me at all?

And you know that the other very SAD thing is ... my DAD paid $20 a day back in 1972 for care for me ... and look at the difference in cost of living between than and now ;)

My mom mentioned that she paid $70/week for me at 4yrs in school with home lunch (lady lived across the street from the school) and my 8mos old brother was $90/week......23 years ago!!

That makes for me $14/day and infant brother $18/day!! :ohmy: and exactly like Reggio said "and look at the difference in cost of living between than and now".

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Originally Posted by Mamma_Mia

My mom mentioned that she paid $70/week for me at 4yrs in school with home lunch (lady lived across the street from the school) and my 8mos old brother was $90/week......23 years ago!!

That makes for me $14/day and infant brother $18/day!! :ohmy: and exactly like Reggio said "and look at the difference in cost of living between than and now".

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Yup ... it amazes me how people were able to 'afford' that back in the 70's when 'subsidy' was unheard of and wages were way LESS and MOST women in the work force who had to work were only making minimum wage or not much more and way less than MEN even if they were in a 'good paying job' .... however now minimum wage has gone for $2.50 an hour to $10.25 an hour over that time and people are still only able to 'afford' to pay the SAME for daycare???

It saddens me to be honest how little our field is valued ... in 1990 I got a job in a non profit centre making just on $10.25 an hour with a 8 hour work day and a paid lunch hour, full benefits including a PENSION that the employer MATCHED so if I put in a $1 they put in a $1, 12 sick days at full pay, 6 sick days at 50% pay, 3 weeks vacation and so forth .... which back than was GOOD money and benefits specially for new grad cause minimum wage was like $3.15 an hour and many 'private' centres that is all they paid so I was lucky to get that job ... however when I left that job 10 years later my wages had only changed by $1.05 an hour over the course of 10 YEARS so an average of $0.10 an hour increase each year ..... in 2005 when I had to move to a new city and had to start 'over' in this field the starting wage I was offered with over 17 years experience in the field and a proven track record of professionalism and dedication to my field ... $10.10 an hour - expected to work 9 hour day and unpaid lunch, 10 sick days, 2 weeks vacation and NO BENEFITS ..... seriously that is how LITTLE our fields wages and resources have changed over the years????

However in comparison once upon a time it was a privilege for a family to have ONE car - now it is EXPECTED that they NEED at least TWO, families only ate out on 'special' occasions now we eat out 3-4 times week, women do not think twice about forking out $50 biweekly in manicures and pedicures or $300 every 6 weeks on haircuts with highlights, the electronics and toys families have, the cost of entertainment and cellphones and other 'extra's' and so forth that eat up the 'wages' people make is just considered the NORM and a NEED verses a extra and so forth?

Just baffles my mind - sorry to hijack the thread btw just a pet peeve of mine and the 'warehousing' of over ratio programs for cheap is just a symptom of the VALUE we place on our children and 'raising them' .... we do not think TWICE about paying $10 an hour for a teenage babysitter so we can go out and spend $200 on dinner and a movie because we NEED ME TIME to distress from our hard work but we claim we cannot 'afford' to pay someone $3.50 an hour to help RAISE our children in a quality education learning environment to give them the best head start in life and we willingly plop them in 'cheap' programs where I do not care how GOOD or PASSIONATE you are you cannot provide the same LEVEL of individual care and attention to 8-10 children that you can to 4 or 5 of them you just cannot have enough eyes, arms, and TIME in the day .... just does not make sense to me at all how we can have such a low priority for 'children' who are our future generation :cursing:

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Originally Posted by Hand in Hand

I'm not grumpy or annoyed, just concerned about the number of children in care. I have the info for the province I'm in, and this provider is WAY over her numbers. I'm torn. I don't want to cause harm to anyone - especially the children. There are too many horror stories in the news about home daycare and I'd feel terrible if this provider is the next one in the news because of something happening to one of the kids in care.

Thanks for the info and comments

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This topic comes and goes and as far as I’m concerned how do you know that 3 aren’t her kids? The rules say 5 maximum excluding your own. How does this make sense if someone has 5 kids plus 4 of their own? That’s 9 can they handle it? While yes/maybe and it’s legal.

I sometimes have an extra child as my neighbor’s daughter comes when we go to the park. She is not in my care but comes to the park with us? Can I handle it yes? Is it anyone’s business no way? Yet I have neighbors counting kids right in front of me all the time.

You had better know all your facts before possibly ruining someone’s reputation.

In my opinion, if you suspect wrongdoing and safety issues for the children you are not doing anything wrong by reporting a daycare to the authorities just in case. What's the worst that could happen? They have a visit from the Ministry or CAS people and come out doing everything properly or they have to fix what they are doing wrong. Either way, that caregiver is going to be a little more careful about everything she does which is only in the best interest of the children.

Don't feel guilty about making the call. I do have a friend who has 4 small children of her own and then her 5 daycare children and she was questioned about her numbers, but how do you know which children belong to the caregiver? I understand your need to make the call without knowing all the facts, because you are a concerned person and you don't have to give your name.

I don't think you are ruining someone's reputation and you could possibly save a child's life.

How would you feel if it was you? Having someone come in and look at all avenues of your space, talking to all your clients, neighbors etc, it would be very sad I think if she was within her ratios. Defamation of character can ruin a business.

All I am saying is get your facts 100% before making any call!