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Question Daycare & Foster Parent Questions
- Thread starter Xandra
- Start date
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BeautifulChaos
New member
This...not to mention when you show up to court they will likely require you to put the kids into the childcare center they have available, and I'm not even sure you can do that if you aren't their parent. Even if you could if my DCP took my child to a court appointment and left them at their daycare I would withdraw my child
Cryssy Jane
New member
NannyMom said:
this. I've been a licensed home daycare provider for 4 years now and I do drive the kids to activities (I provide all seats and am a cpst). Mainly field trips but I have brought kids with me to my ear check up as an example, something I knew we'd be in and out in 10 minutes, then head to the park. But I can't imagine taking kids to a court room situation. I give parents a full schedule of potential plans and if it's something personal such as an appointment or something then I try my best to schedule on a non weekday or schedule during nap time when my two assistants can be present. I think I've only had maybe three appointments in 4 years that I couldn't schedule around the kids' schedule.
I'm not a parent however bf does have a newly 3 year old and if I found out the provider was taking him to court appointments and foster visits I would not be happy. That puts 'my' kiddo at huge potential risk. I honestly don't see parents being ok with that kind of situation.
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Maisie&BodensMommy
New member
In many areas, you are not allowed to have a home daycare AND be a foster parent-but maybe you have already checked with DHS in your area? It's for all the reasons that pp's have stated. It doesn't work logistically, and typically interferes with the maximum number of children DHS will allow you to have in your home. Some areas will allow you to do daycare while being licensed as a foster parent, but your daycare kids (and bio kids) count towards the maximum number of children you are allowed to care for in your home according to DHS.
Many young foster children require early intervention therapies, most have visits with their parents, and many have mental health appts that you need to take them to. In our state, the kids have to be at court every 3-6 months. The court does not allow you to bring your own kids or other foster kids to court.
As for taking your daycare children to your foster child's visit with a parent - I do not even take my OWN kids when I transport my foster son to visit with his parents. I would never, ever even ask to take someone else's kids. Some weeks, we go and it's calm in there, but most weeks, when we go, there is MAYHEM going down in that office. Parents yelling, drug/alcohol/criminal activity being talked about in the open, parents being verbally abusive towards caseworkers, kids screaming and crying when it's time for mom/dad to leave the visit, etc etc. It's not something most people are comfortable having their kids around.
Many young foster children require early intervention therapies, most have visits with their parents, and many have mental health appts that you need to take them to. In our state, the kids have to be at court every 3-6 months. The court does not allow you to bring your own kids or other foster kids to court.
As for taking your daycare children to your foster child's visit with a parent - I do not even take my OWN kids when I transport my foster son to visit with his parents. I would never, ever even ask to take someone else's kids. Some weeks, we go and it's calm in there, but most weeks, when we go, there is MAYHEM going down in that office. Parents yelling, drug/alcohol/criminal activity being talked about in the open, parents being verbally abusive towards caseworkers, kids screaming and crying when it's time for mom/dad to leave the visit, etc etc. It's not something most people are comfortable having their kids around.
Xandra
New member
Firstly, all parents are more than fully aware of where I would be taking their kids. The insinuation that I would be taking other people's children to court and DHS without them knowing isn't appreciated.
Secondly, since I'm this.close to being licensed to foster, I'm pretty sure I would know by now if I wasn't allowed to foster and do daycare at the same time. The daycare is in my home study.
I have gotten it set up with a SAHM to fill in for me when I need to do foster stuff. I wish I would have thought of this sooner, so much easier!
Thanks for the advice, I will be getting a different set of seats now that I won't be transporting DC kids.
Secondly, since I'm this.close to being licensed to foster, I'm pretty sure I would know by now if I wasn't allowed to foster and do daycare at the same time. The daycare is in my home study.
I have gotten it set up with a SAHM to fill in for me when I need to do foster stuff. I wish I would have thought of this sooner, so much easier!
Thanks for the advice, I will be getting a different set of seats now that I won't be transporting DC kids.
Cryssy Jane
New member
Just a heads up, I'm not sure where you are located but I know here in wa your fill in has to also be background checked, finger printed, HIV/aids/blood borne pathogens trained and maintain continuing education credits in order to be left alone with children without you as the licensee present.
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Xandra
New member
Fill-In doesn't need anything but a background check here as long as I (the licensed) or my employee is here. My employee has to have everything done that I have to. Fill-In can't be here without me (licensed) for more than 20% of the day. I have read my reg book like 10 times lol.
4boysmom
New member
Isn't 20% of the day a pretty short amount of time though? If you are open 10 hours a day that is only 2 hours of being gone. Seems like it would be likely that foster care appts/court dates might have you out more than 2 hours???
Phineasmama
New member
Interesting that they know where you'd be taking them and they are still okay with it...
Cryssy Jane
New member
Xandra said:
Xandra said:
Ah gotcha. Here everyone has to have everything in order to be left with the kids which is why I said something. My employee has full credential to be left alone however on rare occasions I call upon a friend who is a sahm who also had to maintain the above requirements just to be with the kids.
Washington also only allows a maximum of 2 hours a week where the licensee is not on the premises.
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Xandra
New member
My employee will be here with the fill-in, which is why fill-in only needs a background check and fingerprints. Only one person needs to be present with all of the CPR, first aid, communicable, etc, at a time.
The 20% rule is based on your available hours. Just because I only enroll kids from 7-6 doesn't mean I'm not available earlier or later in an emergency. So, I can be gone 20% of my available hours, which are 6-7.
And I would imagine the reason the ones already enrolled had given permission is because they know me personally. They attend my church and I have worked there as a teacher for years, as well as babysat some of their kids. So I imagine they just trust me. This is also the deaf community, who are generally much more laid back than the hearing community. I'm fluent in ASL and 3/4 deaf without my hearing aids, so a lot of people from the deaf church within my church have been trying to get their kids enrolled with me.
The 20% rule is based on your available hours. Just because I only enroll kids from 7-6 doesn't mean I'm not available earlier or later in an emergency. So, I can be gone 20% of my available hours, which are 6-7.
And I would imagine the reason the ones already enrolled had given permission is because they know me personally. They attend my church and I have worked there as a teacher for years, as well as babysat some of their kids. So I imagine they just trust me. This is also the deaf community, who are generally much more laid back than the hearing community. I'm fluent in ASL and 3/4 deaf without my hearing aids, so a lot of people from the deaf church within my church have been trying to get their kids enrolled with me.
Phineasmama
New member
I'm sure they do trust you but I would not trust anyone to take my kids on visits to foster kids parents. Not gonna happen.
Xandra
New member
Ok, so I think I've decided on seats for foster kids. Again, I'm licensed for one infant and one other child, and a third if it's a sibling of one of the two.
I've decided on the Peg Switch and Aria Twin stroller. I was going to use the Keyfit in them, but was able to try the Peg 30 in my car today and it installed great, so I decided to get that for ease. I'll be wearing baby whenever possible for attachment, but I figure for things like court and visits bios might not appreciate me wearing their baby, kwim?
SO, Peg 30
Cocorro
RXT
Frontier 85
2 Montereys
1 Cruz
1 Literider
I think this has me covered for all possible combinations, including multiples (same age). Can anyone spot a gap I'm missing? Anything you would change other than the Peg seat?
I've decided on the Peg Switch and Aria Twin stroller. I was going to use the Keyfit in them, but was able to try the Peg 30 in my car today and it installed great, so I decided to get that for ease. I'll be wearing baby whenever possible for attachment, but I figure for things like court and visits bios might not appreciate me wearing their baby, kwim?
SO, Peg 30
Cocorro
RXT
Frontier 85
2 Montereys
1 Cruz
1 Literider
I think this has me covered for all possible combinations, including multiples (same age). Can anyone spot a gap I'm missing? Anything you would change other than the Peg seat?
Xandra
New member
Phineasmama said:
Just to clarify, I would have been dropping FC off at DHS, going home or taking kids to park, then picking FC up at DHS. No contact with bios at all. FP's are highly protected here, to the point we don't even share court dates. And while I appreciate your opinion, the fact is that these parents were ok with it, so you saying over and over again you wouldn't be okay with it is moot since your kid isn't in my care. Not to mention I've stated several times already I've found an alternate plan.
Phineasmama
New member
Well I wasn't under the impression that you would be dropping the kids off. I'm glad the other parents are willing to work with you.
Peg infant seat is too expensive for something that expires after 5 years.
Peg infant seat is too expensive for something that expires after 5 years.
Last edited by a moderator:
babyherder
Well-known member
If you have an infant seat I'd skip the coccoro and get another radian. The radians will fit larger children as well as infants. Also, if you ever have 2 infants at once and want another infant seat its easy to go to a local store and buy one. If you have 2 toddlers and want to rf both of them you might need 2 seats larger than the coccoro but you will probably need to order a radian and wait for it to arrive. I'd wait to buy the cruz and the literider until you have someone to use them. The monterry can be used backless until you get a cruz or literider if you need. Of course, if you want to buy a lot of seats don't let me stop you!
safeinthecar
Moderator - CPS Technician
That's great that you are opening a daycare and are also a foster parent! :thumbsup:
Sorry to say it, but I wouldn't be happy if my daycare provider drove my child(ren) around. Unless it is an absolute emergency, I wouldn't want my kids being driven anywhere at all. This is pretty much the way everyone I know feels, too. Many of my friends and family have chosen their daycares because of the rule that children are not driven anywhere. My siblings and the children of several friends are now old enough that they go on "field trips" on a bus, but when they were younger (under kindergarten age), the daycare providers were not permitted to drive the children anywhere for any reason.
Is being able to drive them a non-negotiable?
I would be beyond thrilled to have a daycare provider that was actively seeking car seat advice and wanted to drive my children around. I hate being "stuck " and I actually want my children to experience all things within reasonable travel distance of home. Different strokes ...
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