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I was just watching the news and they just reported a death of a 4 month old baby in a home daycare in Toronto. This happened on Feb 14th, police are investigating as they do with any death of a child under 5 yrs old. They do not know the cause of death as of yet. I'm guessing it could be SIDS. I thought everyone would like to know.
My husband just called me to tell me this too. What a tragedy....so sad. I do hate that the press say a child has died in an unlicensed home daycare but don't say why and just give the general public an open opportunity to continue slandering our industry, even though, nobody actually has any idea what happened. Such a terrible loss for the family but not fair for the media to only publicize this tragic incident because of the home daycare aspect and invite wide spread speculation and opportunity to once again bad mouth home daycare providers all together
http://http://read.thestar.com/?orig...censed-daycare here is the link to the stars article
So sad on so many levels:(
It IS interesting that this happened on the 14th, but isn't being reported until the 27th.....1 day before the close of public input into Bill 143.
Nicely played.
The media have a lot to be accounted for printing this BS in my opinion. The fact that they list the daycare as unlicensed implies that there is the option to be licensed so the daycare is negligent for not having one. Still the majority of the GP are not aware of the regulations so will just assume that the term unlicensed also means illegal. Also unregulated is a reflection on the government. They should have regulated hdc a long time ago so they hold a tremendous amount of responsibility for letting the parents down too. So long after the incident they have for sure done an autopsy so why the hell not print the facts on cause of death. I think you are definitely onto something there cfred with your theory.
On a side note, this is the first Id heard about 14 dogs being in the Vaughan home daycare......did anyone else know of this. How the hell did they get away with hiding them when inspectors came out on more than one occasion? On top of 27 kids....geez the picture in my mind of that place is insane.
It was my understanding the the 14 dogs were in a separate house that was also sometimes used for daycare. I'm pretty sure I read that in one report. The story varies slightly from source to source. The dogs, as I understand it, were not actually in the house where the child died.
The reason for my theory is this....didn't we hear about the other deaths in fairly short order? I can't remember now. It just seems that this was sat on for a bit longer than others. I don't know....there's a chance I'm suspicious of the press and government alike. You can only get kicked so many times before you become wary ;)
Thanks to the media once again for such inaccuracy.
I am so saddened by this tragic incident but also royally narked off that it seems that the media is just out to get us, publishing whatever they please, dancing around the truth in what seems like a ploy to get the GP all rallied up against our industry. The results are catastrophic aside from the fact that a poor innocent child has died, parents have lost their child and parents are fighting for centre spots and running a mile from home daycares as a result whenever possible.
Regulating all daycares is important, there shouldn't be an option for agency providers to have more and private to have less ....that is nonsense. It however isn't going to stop illegal daycares from operating, that's a fact.
So sad....my thoughts go out to the family and the dcp! I can't imagine the guilt that the dcp must feel even if she did nothing negligent.
I too hate how the media portrays private hdc's. I have to say though, we had a local private hdc who had a tragic accident late last year that resulted in a child's death and our local forum website didn't attack the dcp and many expressed how this accident could have happened anywhere and it was not the dcp's fault. It also didn't get reported until a month after it happened I believe. Maybe superfun or mickyc can remember better than me?
Agreed cfred and BS......the only thing that this bill will do is make it harder for parents to find spots in any daycare setting be it licensed or not. This will allow for more "illegally" daycares to flourish and sadly will result in more deaths. These people obviously do not care about laws and regulations so what makes the government think that they will with this new bill.
5LM I don't recall anyone attacking a dcp on this forum especially when we don't know what's happened. Even the Vaughan daycare incident, nobody attacked them, simply commented on and speculated what went on and made our feelings clear on the subject of "illegal " daycares. I also wasn't talking about this forum attacking dcp but simply the general public bad mouthing home daycares based on what the media reports and how they portray the entire industry based on the rare incidents when a child dies in care, due to neglect or otherwise.
I think the bill has been a long time coming, I also think that what they are doing is not the right way to do it and I also disagree with it being a provincial bill. It should absolutly be universal, Canada wide. How are dcp's in Alberta able to provide care for 6 children any safer than in Ontario?? Total nonsense if you ask me.
Sorry Bright Sparks, you read too much into my comment. I just was giving my view on it and how my local general public reacted on my local forum website to the accident that happened in my city last year.
Oh okay...sorry I read the implication wrong...my bad. I read it as referring to this forum not your local forum
No problem! Didn't want you thinking I was referring to this site :)
My local forum is known for attacking posters and being pretty negative so I was surprised that they didn't go that route last year when the death in our city was announced even though the media printed some information that was not needed and didn't pertain to the specifics of the case but made the dcp look bad. I know mickyc and I were bracing ourselves for the backlash on private hdc's as many on our local forum know we run hdc's. Thankfully it didn't go that way.
5LM, may I ask where you live? I don't recall hearing anything about a death last year in a licensed hdc.
Teagansmom...I live in MB. It was a death in a private hdc
Actually, I'm surprised our locals didn't attack the daycare. There were red flags that could have made people suspicious. I was just taking about this a couple days ago actually, with a friend. When she closed her daycare, one of her dck's went there. He was there the day of the accident. He (the dc provider) had a criminal record, was it for possession of narcotics? I can't remember. And after the investigation they found pot in his house. And the stairs they use to go play in the basement didn't have any sort of railing. That is the biggest issue I think, since that's the only part that was a factor in this child's death.
I can't even imagine how hard it must be for everyone involved. But you were right 5LM, I think the media stayed out of it for about 3 weeks. The only people that knew about it for a while were the families involved, and the police. And of course whoever heard about it from those people.
I know some people will say its sids, but sometimes I wonder if an injury happens at home and the child dies at someone house they all point fingures to everyone but themselves. Think about it, how many times we had those sleepless nights, the bad days, the crying of the child, who's not to say that the parent didn't snap.
Thanks for the info superfun. I had heard a bit of a different story so that is why I said some of the info the media printed had nothing to do with the dcp. Very little was printed in regard to this particular case and that is why there are rumours floating around! I will PM you so that this doesn't get confusing on this particular thread!!Quote:
Originally Posted by superfun
why is a 4 month in daycare, that seems really young
I have taken as young as 3 months. It is very young but some people do not have the luxury of maternity leave.Quote:
Originally Posted by momofnerds
Sigh - Why can't they say "Private' home daycare in the headline rather than unlicensed?
It irks me that they list all the daycare deaths but then the one in Markham (with the 9 months old passing away) seems like they have found no signs of negligence or wrong doing on behalf of the dcp but yet they list it as though it was illegal in some way.
Perhaps the 4 month old also died of some other reason that was not negligence.
Sigh - I wonder how many infants/ children pass away at home under the care of their own parents without ending up in a newspaper. It is just because the daycare is in play that they have to sensationalize it.
I bet more than 4 children have passed away under the care of their parents in Ontario in the past year but yet they don't end up in the papers.
:(
After watching the evening news while doing dishes I kept thinking about the way media portrays unlicensed hdc's it angers me so much, as mom of nerds mentioned maybe an injury happened at home.
I'm a social worker and have worked extensively with the Children's Aid (reporting suspected abuse, providing therapy to their clients etc). You cannot be sued for reporting suspected child abuse as long as it wasn't malicious (e.g a neighbour reports you because they don't like you). Did you get letters/statements from the other DC parents? if you haven't already, go back an thoroughly and document your specific concerns with dates if possible.
Teagans mom...I don't know if you legally can or even want too but I am interested to know why you are being sued for reporting suspected child neglect?
Ukgghukughjkhvv
Is reporting it not confidential? Here in MB, it is. When I worked in dc centres our directors always told us that we had the right to deny if a parent asked if it was us that reported them.
I have never had to report anything in my hdc but if I did, I most likely would deny it though. The reason being, I would want the child to stay in my hdc so that I at least knew he/she was safe while with me.
Good luck with your case teagansmom. I agree, it will likely be thrown out but the hassle, stress and financial strain would be tough!!
Kyyfkkyguyggkyuyg
5LM I did report anonymously but they figured it out and it was only in court papers that I agreed to it. I was the only one who took care of him, they weren't stupid they knew it was me. I had to prove the reason why they cancelled the cheque was because they were angry I reported them.
Sounds like a horrible situation to be in. I agree with you, if this doesn't get thrown out it will only do harm as dcp's will think twice before reporting and that shouldn't be the case!!
what would have happened if the accident happened at an aunts house would it still be in the paper. And how did they know it was a daycare did someone say something and how did the newspaper find out, someone had to have said something.