Licensing Issues

How To Keep Your Childcare Safe During The Summer

With the temperature rising and the official start to Summer only days away let’s talk Summer fun safety. I thought it would be a good idea to explore ways to keep childcare safe during the upcoming hot months.

Very young children are among the most vulnerable during periods of extreme heat. This can be especially true if they are very active during hot weather.

Read on to see what the CDC has to say regarding periods of extreme heat, how to avoid heat-related illness, best practices for water play activities and sun protection.

[Read more…]

5 Childcare Violations That Are Easy To Avoid

How do you get it all done? For most of us, the short answer is we don’t. At least that’s how I feel most of the time. I probably don’t need to tell you, providers are busy people (understatement).

It can be especially hard keeping things in order from your home life and maintaining a childcare safe environment. You know, checking for what your family might have left out over the weekend.

Those little things like shampoo on the shower deck or the toothpaste left out. Seems minor but could easily garner a provider a citation and possibly a fine.

Don’t believe me?

I will never forget when a provider told me she was cited for leaving a chemical out. Guess what the chemical was. It was a jar of Vaseline. Yep, apparently that’s a chemical worthy of a fine!

Tell me do you cringe when you even think about the shape of your files? When was the last time you checked the batteries in the smoke alarms? When will your fire extinguisher need to be serviced?

I get it! I mean who can keep up with all this?

There is always something that needs doing.

So, today I’m throwing us providers a bone with some quick and easy tips & tasks for getting more than a few things done. Even better, you will be able to accomplish most of these tasks in 5-15 minutes tops! Like during naptime.

Because even though providers are crazy busy most of the time, there are stretches of time where we might be able to fit it a task or two.

Get these’s tasks done during naptime this week:

[Read more…]

Absolutely Free Legal Resources For The Childcare Provider

Sometimes the provider just needs a little help. Whether it’s regarding licensing issues or even a legal matter about their childcare business. The good news is there are actually some very good free legal resources for the childcare provider. Here are some invaluable, save for when you need them, legal resources for the childcare provider.

One of my favorite things to do on this blog is to share resources. And today I’ve got some really good ones to pass along. REALLY GOOD FREE ONES!

legal resources for the childcare provider

[Read more…]

I Almost Lost My Childcare License – Avoid My Big Mistake

Today we have our first anonymous post. This provider reached out to me wanting me to tell other providers of her experience. The only thing was she wanted to stay anonymous. After listening to what she went through and realizing that her story was one that needed to be shared, I agreed to keep her name out of it. So even though her name is not given, the story is in her own words. Read as she shares how she almost lost her childcare license and how you can learn from her mistake.

One uneventful Thursday morning there was a knock on the door. My heart stopped! I knew my annual visit was due so nervously I opened the door. It was a parent delivering diapers she had forgot to bring at drop off. Whew! Childcare License

Ok, great. Time to go outside. I gathered the children and we all went out for morning playtime. A few minutes later there was a knock at the door again. I remember thinking it must be that mom again. Maybe she forgot something else. But this time went I opened the door it was my licensing analyst. Oh man! My goose is cooked. I was not ready! Here’s how I almost lost my childcare license.

Childcare licensing visit in 20 minutes!

Ok, let’s say you just heard a knock on the door. It’s your licensing analyst! You panic because you are not ready. Your house looks ok, but your paperwork is all over the place and probably not up to date. Certainly not ready for a childcare licensing visit. I am sure many providers can relate! I know I can!

If you are like most providers, you are busy all of the time. Which is why you might have let somethings go. Now you are on the spot and scrambling. Well, today I’m going to share my process and how I got through my last childcare licensing visit in record time (for me), only 20 minutes. Oh and hang on till the end for a cheatsheet that will keep you ready too.

Licensing Issues

Footer