I Called CPS on Preschool . . . What Happens From Here?

[Purple Cat]

I called CPS to report the preschool and some staff for child endangerment and for medical neglect of a disabled child. I also mailed a separate packet asking them to consider licensing violations.

It's a long story, but to abbreviate, the preschool offered my daughter food that she is extremely allergic to, teh very morning I gave her albuterol for asthma in the classroom. They have written instrutions to ask me first and have received extensive training in food allergy safety by a nurse practitioner from a major children's hospital. They didn't ask me, and they vehemently defend that "assuming" no traces of allergens adn googling one of the ingredients and then telling me after-the-fact was more than sufficient. Their violations were so flagrant that my daughter's allergist ordered her not to attend the school because they refused to follow the training they had received or my instructions.

I had numerous admissions from them in writing as well as numerous e-mails from me instructing that the very food they offered my daughter cannot be given to her. I sent in a written packet with all of it.

What can I expect to happen from here?

[4Blessings]

Have you considered contacting OCR (Office for Civil Rights) http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/ ?

[MomInCalifornia]

Can I ask what state you're in (you can pm me if you want). Once I know your state can help a bit more.

[Purple Cat]

I'm in Illinois.

[Purple Cat]

I also sent hte packet to the NAEYC.

[MomInCalifornia]

not sure if any of these help, but please please please continue reporting this. In California each preschool has a licensing analyst. If you call your licensing agency and tell them the name of your school they should be able to tell you who that person is.

Child Care Licensing Agency
Illinois Department of Children & Family Services
406 East Monroe Street, Station 60
Springfield, IL 62701-1498
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

If its a Head Start School:
Head Start - State Collaboration Office
Bureau of Child Care & Development
10 Collinsville Avenue, Suite 203
East St. Louis, IL, 62201
Phone: [phone] or [phone]
Fax: [phone]

State Child Care Resource & Referral Contact (they should have a place to record these complaints)
207 W. Jefferson St., Suite 503
Bloomington, IL 61701-3961
Phone: [phone]
Toll Free: [phone]

Child Care Subsidy Agency
Illinois Department of Human Services
Office of Child Care and Family Services
400 West Lawrence, 3rd Floor
Springfield, IL 62762-0001
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

[amma_mama]

Regarding the licensing violations, I would also send the packet to the relevant state or county licensing agency, which is different than the accreditation agency you mentioned. Licensing agencies typically do come out to inspect when there is a complaint (in addition to regular inspections) and it goes in their public record whether they are found "guilty" or not.

[SunshineJ]

I read your thread about that - I'm glad you didn't let it go. Considering the school director's attitude I guess she'll be in for a surprise when she discovers that maybe someone besides you may actually see it as an issue as well. Good luck on this one!

[Gentle~Mommy :)]

Is your little girl okay? what happened to her, what did they give her??

[HarperRose]

I'm just following your updates! This was insane.

Keep fighting!!

[BBerryBliss]

I agree to send the packet also the the licencing agency, they should investigate and it will go on thier record.

[Purple Cat]

Thank you everyone for your advice and support. My 3 year-old daughter is physically okay. She refused to eat the food. Emotionally, she's been pretty traumatized, I think. She went from being completely potty-trained to non-stop accidents. She worries she did something wrong. It has to be really confusing, to say the least, that people and a place she trusted and felt safe acted so recklessly and put her in such danger.

Other kids with severe food allergies are there, and will be at the school in the future. A friend of mine has worked very hard to help make her daughter's school district provide a safe environment for her daughter with extremely sensitive peanut allergies. She's had anaphylactic reactions to airbborne peanut dust and whiffs of peanut butter.

I appreciate thoughts on who else should be contacted. I know the state licenses the preschool adn they have accreditation (voluntary) through a national agency, but I didn't realize there were county levels.

Thank you.

[MusicianDad]

I believe they were fortunate enough that the OP's daughter refused to take the offered food.

OP: Good for you taking these steps. This is not something that can be let go, hopefully they get the point before someone tries it again.

[Isamama]

How scary! I am glad she is OK.

[4Blessings]

Before your child begins K, I would encourage you to educate yourself about the legal protections available to kids with food allergies and what steps can be taken to create a safe environment. You can find great information about 504 plans here and here

s

[mommy2two babes]

So sorry to hear that you and your DD are going through this.

WHen I was little and in daycare I had severe asthma set off by allergens including dairy.
The daycare tried to fed me a cheese sandwich for lunch and gave me a really hard time when I refused to eat it.

Is this center independant or part of a chain? If it is I would go to the head of it all and make the situation very clear.

Botttom line is that another child could die because of thier ignorance.

[EVC]

Hard to say what will happen. I can only tell you our recent experience, which unfortunatley was not positive.

One of the parents in our pre-school called CPS. CPS said they handle daycares (only family situations) and they re-directed her to Licensing. She contacted licensing and filed a complaint. After a few weeks, some inspectors came to the pre-school to interview the teachers about the incidents reported. It was an utter joke. The teacher (about whom the complaint was filed) was clearly buddy-buddy with the investigator and was heard leaving her "interview" laughing and calling back, "See you later, hon!". Another teacher who was "interviewed" as a witness was called into the room asked her name and job title, and within ten minutes was sent out. In addition, licensing was SUPPOSED to contact parents. As far as I know, not a single parent was contacted as a witness to the incident that was reported (despite the fact that there were several parents who indicated their willingness to speak to the investigator).

This was all several months ago. As far as I know, the case is still "open" (the parent who filed the complaint is supposed to be contacted when the case is closed and given the results and as I far as I know, this hasn't happened). But they have done NOTHING. Nothing. It has been a really disheartening process.

I hope it goes better for you

[River's mum]

I'm so glad you didn't let this go. Keep us posted.

[Polliwog]

I've worked with child care licensing in two states. CPS only handles abuse and neglect by parents. The licensing consultant will be the one who handles this matter. I'm also a former NAEYC accreditation consulatant and validator. Definitely file a complaint with them. I've also been an administrator of a program that self-reported to child care licensing (a case of insufficient supervision.)

I'm glad your daughter is ok. If you decide to move her, you may want to see if you can find an inclusive program that specialized in children with disabilities.

[faerierose]

The pre-school my son attended when he was two tide him to his chair at snack time because he wouldn't stay seated and they didn't have enough aids. This was a special needs preschool, my son has global development delays. I and his nurse case manager reported the school to cps, I got a call from a social worker for my statement and the center was investigated. I'm not sure exactly what happened to them but I know it was at least reported and on record now.
So I do know that cps will investigate a center at least in WA state and they did it quickly, within a week.