Quote Originally Posted by Inspired by Reggio View Post
I hear ya Jec ... releasing a child to someone other than the parents is a risk ... this is why having them choose upon enrollment at least TWO emergency contact people their child can be released to if that child needs to be picked up and neither parent can get to them in time is required by the Day Nursery Act ... my enrollment form has place for two emergency and two 'anytime' people as well...if a family needed more I would just add more lines for them to their contract.

However even with that plan in place - I can tell you that in my 20 years in the field there are MANY family emergencies that arise where both parents are unable to make it to pick up - a car accident, parent has a serious workplace accident, parent has a heart attack or other emergency hospitalization for example where one parent goes rushing to be by the side of their spouse in that moment ... and if the two emergency people are not available for some reason the parents might have no choice but to arrange for a neighbor or family friend as a 'one time back up' in that case because it is hard in that crisis to choose to LEAVE your spouse in crisis even to go get your child

This is why I do the extra step of the 'family password' for giving verbal directions over the phone if they want their child to be brought to them ASAP so they can be together as a family ... however in reality in a true emergency like that were no one could come I would be willing to just keep the child in care until all the kids were gone and than TAKE the child to the hospital or other parent if need be.

Sometimes until you have been 'faced' with a true family emergency like that you do not even stop to reflect how you would 'handle' it ... either the parents or the provider.
Agreed! Family dynamics change so drastically in today's society. I have a friend who does daycare and this is what happened to her: One day parents love grandparents and its ok for them to pick up, the next week their has been a nasty fight and parents no longer wish for them to see the child, yet they show up at daycare to pick him/her up for a visit. Parents didn't inform provider that grandparents were no longer allowed to pick up and their info was all listed on the forms as ok to pick up. Grandparents had picked up many times before and it was never an issue. Provider released child to grandma only to have parents freak out an hour later as grandma was no longer allowed to see the child...ugh...the provider was totally stuck as it had all been ok the week before...

I really only like to release them to mom/dad. I too would do what Reggio does and take the child to the parents myself to save any issues.