[whynot]

<p>I was planning on visiting a daycare that my friend kept telling me great things about - it's run by a woman a few houses down the road from my friend's. Recently, just to let me know how <em>really</em> great this daycare is, my friend told me that she actually got to see inside for the first time and was very impressed with the whole setup, the activities, the toys, etc. It turns out that the woman running it asked her to cover for her for about half an hour so she could get back from a seminar after her assistant's shift ended (so in other words it wasn't even an emergency). My friend is a great person but they are not even close as neighbours, and clearly not as friends, so this woman doesn't really know her. Of course, my friend doesn't have any CPR training, obviously no criminal background check was done, no special instructions were given about any kids re: allergies and the like, no questions asked about my friend's health, contagious diseases, etc.To me, this is completely unacceptable and I am not considering this daycare anymore. Am I being unrealistic?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>ETA: My friend doesn't even have kids so it's not a case of a parent being involved... Thanks for your replies!</p>

 

[Happeesupermom]

<p><span style="color:#4b0082;">Wow.  <span><img alt="jaw2.gif" src="http://files.mothering.com/images/smilies/jaw2.gif" style="width:25px;height:42px;"></span> No-- I wouldn't be considering that daycare either!</span></p>
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<p><span style="color:#4b0082;">The director/owner asked a neighbor (not even knowing her very well) to watch the kids after her assistant left & until she got back to the daycare? Wow. If the director had to be away, she should have made previous arrangements with the assistant to be there a little past her shift, or she should have left her seminar early to be there herself.</span></p>
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<p><span style="color:#4b0082;">It doesn't sound like to me that the owner has any real or deep concern about those left in her charge and I wouldn't trust my child(ren) to her care.  <span><img alt="nono02.gif" src="http://files.mothering.com/images/smilies/nono02.gif" style="width:24px;height:24px;"></span></span></p>

 

[t2009]

<br><br><div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>Happeesupermom</strong> <a href="/community/forum/thread/1285590/should-i-be-considering-this-daycare#post_16117664"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a><br><br><p><span style="color:rgb(75,0,130);">Wow.  <span><img alt="jaw2.gif" src="http://files.mothering.com/images/smilies/jaw2.gif" style="width:25px;height:42px;"></span> No-- I wouldn't be considering that daycare either!</span></p>
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</div>
</div>
<p><br><span><img alt="yeahthat.gif" src="http://files.mothering.com/images/smilies/yeahthat.gif"></span> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Also, that was the FIRST time your friend had seen the inside?! (I'm assuming that her child's been there for a while...) That seems crazy to me (a) that the DCP doesn't have the parents in on a regular basis & (b) that your friend didn't thoroughly check it out before enrolling her LO!</p>
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<p>Sorry, but not only would I not be considering that daycare... I'd also be second guessing ANY child-related recommendations from my friend from now on...</p>
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[belltree]

<p>I agree with the pp, a woman in the neighbourhood visiting the virst time takes over for 30min in a non-emergency situation? That does not sound right.</p>
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<p>If your friend would have been there before, and have a child in her care, and it was an emergency, I would not mind. I think it's great when parents are involved in daycare. But the situation you described just sounds very unreliable.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>However, I would try to get the story from the daycare provider.  </p>

 

[aramat]

<p>I agree with the others here: completely unacceptable!!!</p>

 

[shanniesue2]

<p>do you know for a fact that background checks/etc haven't been done?  When DS was at an in home, our DCP had a few people lined up as subs if she ever had to be away.  All of her potential subs (her husband and I think there was a neighbor or two) had to be listed on her paper work in order for her to maintain lher license.  And she would let us know ahead of time if there was going to be non-emergency coverage by someone other than her or her husband (her husband always watched the kids on Wed afternoon... but if he was going to provide care at non-scheduled times, she would let us know).  If she did have to call a neighbor in to cover for her (it only happened twice in the year we had DS there), I chose to pick DS up early simply b/c I had not met the sub.</p>
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<p>Since your friend does not have children  and thus is not a parent/client of the DCP, she may not be aware of those steps that the DCP took in asking her to watch the kids for 30 minutes.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>OR</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The DCP is horribly irresponsible, probably not licensed, and did, in fact, have someone who is not qualified provide care for children in a daycare setting.  In which case.... no, you should not be considering this daycare for your child.  Not only that, but you should making a phone call to your local DHS/licensing authority and report the DCP b/c not only is that unprofessional and unsafe, but I'd be willing to bet my big toe that it's illegal where you live.</p>

 

[just_lily]

<p>If this is the only thing that is making you not consider this daycare and you like everything else about it, I would at least clarify the situation.  Maybe call, and in the course of your conversation ask about back-up care. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I run a home daycare (or at least I do for another week) and I have consent forms for my parents to sign in advance if there will be a back up provider in my home.  Of course in a true emergency, like I was taking a kid to the hospital or something, I would take whoever I could get until someone from my agency could get over.  I have a few neighbours that I am not all that close with, and have never been in my home, but that I would trust my kids with in a true emergency for a short time. </p>
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<p>One of our other procedures is that any allergies are listed on a bulletin board by my door.  This is expressly. for an emergency back up care situation so that whoever comes into my home knows where to find that info. </p>
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<p>So if the situation was truly as your friend describes it, then yes it would turn me off of that daycare.  But I would want more information first if everything else checks out.</p>