Do PA day care/preschools HAVE to accept exemptions?

[newmum35]

Do privately owned day cares/preschools in PA HAVE to accept exemptions or can they refuse someone who isn't up to date on their vaccines? I am thinking of applying to one and starting to wonder about this whether I should be up front from the beginning and just ask if they will accept a child who is unvaccinated (or not up to date) or just wait til the time comes even if thats after we've already been applied and accepted and then it becomes an issue? Anyone know?

I am not positive whether it receives any government funding (if that matters) but I think it may for some students who qualify. So therefore would the answer change if it did receive such funding?

[serenbat]

my understanding, without funds they can refuse you-only if they take funds must they take your exemption

private (small off the radar) and some churches often make their own rules

[mamadelbosque]

If it receives a penny of government funds for *any* reason then yes, they have to accept exemptions. If they are completely 100% privatly funded then no, they don't have to.

[Emmeline II]

Pennsylvania law does not differentiate between public and private; vaccination AND exemption law applies to all unless otherwise specified.

TITLE 28. HEALTH AND SAFETY
CHAPTER 27. COMMUNICABLE AND NONCOMMUNICABLE DISEASES
SUBCHAPTER C. QUARANTINE AND ISOLATION
COMMUNICABLE DISEASES IN CHILDREN AND STAFF ATTENDING SCHOOLS AND CHILD CARE GROUP SETTINGS
28 Pa. Code. § 27.77 (2007)
§ 27.77. Immunization requirements for children in child care group settings.

If they are required to have documentation of your child's immunization then they must accept exemptions.

[serenbat]

Pennsylvania law does not differentiate between public and private

a lot in PA are far off the radar and private (the state does not know) and those make up their own rules

I assume you are looking into a registered place?

[newmum35]

Originally Posted by serenbat

a lot in PA are far off the radar and private (the state does not know) and those make up their own rules

I assume you are looking into a registered place?

I am quite certain they are registered BUT if I wanted to find out (because we are still in the process of selecting, and still have others to visit yet, we've seen 3 so far and have a favorite, but we still have at least 3 more to visit yet!), how would I go about doing that? Is there a state list somewhere online where I can search to make sure the place we decide on is registered without just taking their word for it?

[newmum35]

Originally Posted by Emmeline II

Pennsylvania law does not differentiate between public and private; vaccination AND exemption law applies to all unless otherwise specified.

TITLE 28. HEALTH AND SAFETY
CHAPTER 27. COMMUNICABLE AND NONCOMMUNICABLE DISEASES
SUBCHAPTER C. QUARANTINE AND ISOLATION
COMMUNICABLE DISEASES IN CHILDREN AND STAFF ATTENDING SCHOOLS AND CHILD CARE GROUP SETTINGS
28 Pa. Code. § 27.77 (2007)
§ 27.77. Immunization requirements for children in child care group settings.

If they are required to have documentation of your child's immunization then they must accept exemptions.

All those dsf links don't work (I'm guessing they changed) but I did scroll down and try to understand the fine print.. Are you saying then, that regardless of whether or not they take in government funds, they STILL have to accept exemption right? Whats to enforce that? I mean if its truly private can't they just use another excuse and say theres no room right now, or just not accept you if they wanted? I can't really see how this is enforced the way it would be in a public school for example. Its not like they have to take you in, especially in places where there is already a waiting list. So I'm still not sure what to think, whether this will in fact be an issue or not. But I'm guessing, according to what you're saying, that I don't even have to inquire about it, because it shouldn't matter to our application.

[serenbat]

how would I go about doing that?

outright ask them- when were you last inspected? I would want to know this regardless of vac issues (if they can't answer, chance are they are not informing the state they operate and I would really worry about who they hire)
ask to see their license-should be posted or in the manger's office

you should also ask the general question- how are your staff screened? Are state police background checks done on them? etc

are you talking a center a church or a private home? my understanding is only private homes are truly private and some churches get around it, there are rules about daycares in PA, if you talking an in-home thing/small church, you may need to directly ask them

[Emmeline II]

Originally Posted by newmum35

I am quite certain they are registered BUT if I wanted to find out (because we are still in the process of selecting, and still have others to visit yet, we've seen 3 so far and have a favorite, but we still have at least 3 more to visit yet!), how would I go about doing that? Is there a state list somewhere online where I can search to make sure the place we decide on is registered without just taking their word for it?

Just ask if they are licensed by the state and get their license number; then go look it up through the state. You'll need to search out where exactly.

[Emmeline II]

Originally Posted by newmum35

All those dsf links don't work (I'm guessing they changed) but I did scroll down and try to understand the fine print.. Are you saying then, that regardless of whether or not they take in government funds, they STILL have to accept exemption right? Whats to enforce that? I mean if its truly private can't they just use another excuse and say theres no room right now, or just not accept you if they wanted? I can't really see how this is enforced the way it would be in a public school for example. Its not like they have to take you in, especially in places where there is already a waiting list. So I'm still not sure what to think, whether this will in fact be an issue or not. But I'm guessing, according to what you're saying, that I don't even have to inquire about it, because it shouldn't matter to our application.

The funding doesn't matter if they are not excluded from the law; if you look at NJ's law for schools you'd see that parochial schools are specifically exempted from having to accept religious exemptions while regular private schools are not. I've noticed that the laws are increasingly including daycares and private schools specifically, but there are few who specify that only public schools are subject to the law.

You could try making the exemption form the last you turn in, but I suppose that if it were important to them they'd find an excuse to exclude you.

[Emmeline II]

Originally Posted by serenbat

a lot in PA are far off the radar and private (the state does not know) and those make up their own rules

I assume you are looking into a registered place?

If they are required to have documentation of your child's immunization then they must accept exemptions.

Required meaning licensed.