More on the toddler who died at daycare

[sunnydays]

I tend to agree with Judy on this. While the idea of being licensed and being able to lend credibility to my business etc, is nice and I know I would pass inspections,etc, I am not the kind of daycare that needs to be closed down. The ones who are currently running crappy daycares are not going to become licenses and therefore, they are not going to be inspected. And, quite frankly, parents who send their kids to these daycare ALREADY know that they are over-ration, illegal daycares. Licensing would not have saved this poor toddler who died. The daycare had 27 kids. They were already running illegally...so they would just continue to run illegallly if we were required to have licenses. I do think there needs to be more parent education about childcare laws as well as what quality childcare should look like. I think there also need to be MORE incentives for daycares to open so that more spaces are available and parents have more choice of where to put their kids.

[apples and bananas]

I agree with you sunnydays. Another article came out today using quotes from some of the clients. They both said the children were well taken care of. They were clean, fed and happy. None of them are coming out saying " I had no idea there were that many children there "

Unfortunately, as good as charging the parents and the caregiver sounds. It wouldn't work in my opinion. A parent would never rat on a daycare that is over limit because they'd be fined as well. And, in this case at least, no one would get fined until someone got hurt and authorities found out.

I really wish the media would get off of the "unlicensed daycare' wagon and focus on the reason for the childs death and how it could be prevented.

[sunnydays]

At least they could say "over-ratio" or "illegal" daycare instead of "unlicensed"...m akes "unlicensed" sound like it is illegal and shady

[BlueRose]

another update http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toront...ls-review.html

[eoinsmom]

I agree with you sunnydays. Another article came out today using quotes from some of the clients. They both said the children were well taken care of. They were clean, fed and happy. None of them are coming out saying " I had no idea there were that many children there "

Unfortunately, as good as charging the parents and the caregiver sounds. It wouldn't work in my opinion. A parent would never rat on a daycare that is over limit because they'd be fined as well. And, in this case at least, no one would get fined until someone got hurt and authorities found out.

I really wish the media would get off of the "unlicensed daycare' wagon and focus on the reason for the childs death and how it could be prevented.

Exactly. My background is in Child Welfare as a front line social worker. I saw licensed and approved foster homes who abused children. I don't think licensing is a catch all to prevent any kind of abuse, neglect, etc; sure un-announced home visits can catch caregivers who may be breaking the rules, but not always. There were soooo many times I did unannounced home visits only to have no one answer the door (I was almost always positive they were home), as they knew it was someone checking up on them. Then I was just out of luck, and had to try another day. And fines? Can't see that be useful, does it stop speeders? I have parents in my dayhome now who brought their kids to me and told me they were using other private dayhomes previously who had 10+kids. They knew it was too many, but needed the care and so sent their kids there anyway. I still have to register and be licensed by the Alberta College of Social Worker to work at my other contract job, it is just a PIA more than anything - costs me $350 a year and I have to do so many credit hours of learning each year and submit a portfolio. Does that make me better at my job? Do they provide me with any kind of extra support/benefit? Not in my opinion.

The onus is on parents to make the right choices for their families, and on the caregivers to provide quality care. Licensing won't change either.

[Momof4]

I find this line absolutely ridiculous and the reason they are on a witch hunt:

But it's the government's job to make sure that people have safe places for their kids while they're at work, Taylor said.

It is the job of each set of parents to find the daycare provider and dayhome that appeals to them, to their vision for their child, to find a provider who offers exactly what sounds best to them. It is not the government's job!

I know there are many substandard, illegal daycares out there - like the ones with 27 kids in care. But we are not ILLEGAL, we're FANTASTIC and LEGAL because we are all within our limits, providing excellent care, learning and activity programs and we don't have to defend ourselves to anyone.

[sunnydays]

Well, in a way I understand what Taylor is saying. Complaints were made and not followed up on. I know another provider who reported a fellow provider in the area who she believes is over-ratio...they did not investigate because they figured she was just trying to get rid of competition. But, I also agree that parents need to take responsibility for their child's well-being. I also had a child in my daycare last year who came from an over-ratio daycare...all the parents knew, but continued to send their kids there. Even the mom who switched over to my daycare did not want to report the provider. She had assistants...but it sounded chaotic.

[SongSparrow]

Sounds to me like a politician taking a jab at the opposition more than anything else.

[momofnerds]

ok, what I don't understand is, why they go after daycares all the time, but 2 weeks ago when a grandmother left her own grandson in a car to die no charges were laid against her. What makes that any different, she was watching 1 child and a child a died and this lady was watching 27 and a child died in both cases a child died and both were being watched.

[BlueRose]

momofnerds ~ the grandmother HAS been charged. Here is the story. http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/video?clip...88381481237582