Web site helps public check on daycare compliance

Inspection reports of daycare centers inspected by Department of Children and Families can be seen by going to http://www.myflorida.com/childcare.

Go to provider search once you get to the Web site, and continue searching by either entering the provider's name or the name of the county or the zip code, which comes up with the complete list accordingly.

DCF childcare licensing staff is responsible for inspecting and licensing childcare facilities and homes in 61 out of 67 counties in Florida. Highlands County is one of them.

However, a childcare facility may claim religious exemption from licensure if:

•It is an integral part of a church or parochial schools conducting

regularly scheduled classes, courses of study or educational programs.

•It is accredited by, or by a member of, an organization that publishes

and requires compliance with its standards for health, safety and sanitation.

•It meets background screening requirements in ss. 402.305, 402.3055, and 435.04, Florida Statutes.

Seven Highlands County childcare providers claim religious exemption.

Besides checking the DCF Web site, parents can also take some common sense measures.

Are there any paper towels in the bathroom? Is there running water? Are the floors clean? Do you feel comfortable? Do the kids sleep during nap time?

Brain Lang, owner/director of Busy Kids Creative Learning Center, also encourages parents to drop in unannounced.

While daycare workers are required to provide a safe, learning environment for children under their care, they are also mandated by law, along with doctors, nurses, law enforcement officers and others, to report any evidence of potential child abuse to authorities.

That issue came to the forefront after a daycare director and worker were indicted Wednesday by a Highlands County Grand Jury for failing to report suspected child abuse between Dec. 1, 2007 and Oct. 31, 2008 of 22-month-old Kaedyn Short, who died recently after later injuries reportedly inflicted by her mother's boyfriend, James Parker, a former Avon Park police officer.

Kaedyn died May 27 at a hospice home after being hospitalized for severe injuries she suffered March 29.

Highlands County Sheriff's Detective Tyrone Tyson testified at Parker's May 4 bond hearing that there was evidence of older injuries found on Kaedyn.

Lang said his daycare has a daily health chart, where daycare workers are required to note things like bruises and scratches.

If children are found to have injuries or bruises when their parents drop them off, then daycare workers make sure they bring it to the parent's attention and ask how that happened.

Then it is all documented.

"You've got to look out for the children, the families. It's also my livelihood," Lang said.

While children hurt themselves all the time, the red flags are raised when it becomes an ongoing thing, he added.

In the last five years, he's had to call DCF only two times, Lang said.

After DCF is notified, they contact law enforcement and usually show up at the day care within 30 minutes to an hour, said Gena Lunsford, manager of Tiny Angels.

She's never had to notify DCF but she's known of other daycares that have had to.

Daycare workers have to undergo mandatory four-hour training on how to identify potential physical abuse and take follow-up action.

Like Lang, Lunsford's daycare writes up any bruises seen on kids when they are dropped off. Any injuries that take place while the kids are in the daycare also have to be documented and reported to parents the day they happened.

That's not just a way to protect the daycare but also the children, Lunsford said. And bruises on kids become a problem when there are too many of them, she said.

INFOBOX

To report abuse, call the Florida Abuse Hotline at 1-800-96ABUSE.