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Safer Child Thoughts on Daycare

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Note: All of the "Thoughts on..." pages represent Safer Child opinion and/or advocacy efforts. Remember: we aren't psychologists, psychiatrists or social workers. Our thoughts come from experience, observation, feedback and research. If you aren't interested in our opinion or advocacy efforts (and we aren't offended if you aren't), you can still obtain the information you're looking for from the other pages. If you would like to comment on anything we've said, please do so. We'd love to hear from you and learn from you, and we thank you for visiting our site.

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Daycare is a complex and difficult issue. There are no easy solutions. But the bottom line is this: In Safer Child's opinion, the standards for American daycare generally make it a poor replacement - and an oftentimes dangerous replacement - for at-home parenting. We're not saying every home must have a stay-at-home parent; we know that's not possible. Nor are we saying there aren't excellent caregivers out there. We know there are; we've been fortunate to have run into several. But like it or not, the standards and requirements for much of the daycare in North America can be terrifyingly bad.

Who’s watching our children?

Idaho

We were startled to learn that in 2000, the Idaho standard for center-based care for a 3-year-old allowed up to 24 children for two caregivers (a ratio of 12:1, that's one caregiver per 12 children, age 19 months up to 5 years). On its Web site, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended no more than seven 3-year-olds per caregiver.

Idaho also required just four annual hours of (nonspecific) training for its caregivers. But in 2000, a woman from Idaho’s Department of Health and Welfare told us that no proof of that training was required – rather, according to the law, this was the responsibility of the daycare owner-operator. In fact, for groups of less than seven children, no proof of anything was required – no background checks, no fire inspections, no health inspections. Who knows how many caregivers in Idaho even knew CPR or basic first aid?

We ask you: How could such an environment be safe or nurturing? One person, no matter how patient and caring, can’t possibly give adequate love and attention to 12 toddlers. Or to 12 babies. You’ll be aghast to hear that in 2000, the Idaho limit for group daycare (up to 12 children in total) was 12:1 for any age, even babies!

Texas

In Texas, in 2000, the standards for center-based care were both bad and confusing. According to our source, the ratio for a mix of 2- and 3-year olds could be as high as 15:1, if most of the children were 3 years old. The ratio could climb precariously to 20:1 for a mix of 4- and 5-year olds, if most of the children were 5 years old. That’s crazy, and you don’t have to be a parent to know it. Please don’t let these numbers slide away from you. Fifteen preschoolers to one caregiver! At the least, these 15 tots weren’t going to learn much, other than how to survive any way they can.

But if only that were as bad as it got. To be hired in Texas in 2000, caregivers needed only to be 18 years old, with a high school diploma or equivalent. They then had to complete eight hours of pre-service training (and 15 hours annually). Would you want your 2-year-old to be one of 15 preschoolers clamoring for attention from one 18-year-old with eight hours of training? Of course you wouldn’t. All 15 children clearly would be at high risk for inadequate or unsafe care.

Injuries and Deaths

Consider this: In 1998, according to Michael Kharfen, (who in 2000 was spokesman for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services), some 5,700 children nationwide were victims of abuse or neglect at the hands of their daycare providers – including 63 in Idaho and 44 in Texas. But 5,700 – bad as the number is – is almost certainly on the low side of reality. First, incidents of abuse and neglect are said to be notoriously underreported. Second, as of 2000, states weren’t legally required to report detailed case information to Washington (and in 1998, 30 of them didn’t). Additionally – unless police or Child Protection Services are notified – it’s practically impossible to find out what’s happening in unlicensed facilities. So these 5,700 children were probably just the tip on the tail of the daycare dog.

And how many children died in 1998 at the hands of their daycare providers? Of the nearly 1,100 children reportedly dead from maltreatment in 1998 (176 of them in Texas!), Kharfen couldn’t say how many died in daycare. The states weren’t required to collect or report that information to Washington either. So we called a few states over several days in 2000, and here’s what we found out: absolutely nothing. People either didn’t return our calls, or they referred us to other people who said they didn’t know.

Kharfen said parents can contact state agencies for help in pinpointing dangerous facilities, but he acknowledged that because the compilation of these statistics was a voluntary exercise left completely up to the individual states, parents might not receive an accurate picture. Based on our own experience, we’d say that’s a good bet. Why isn’t it a simple thing to get this desperately critical information?

Tennessee

In Tennessee in 2000, center-based standards were slightly better than in Texas – and about to improve somewhat in 2001. But even so, the ratios were still to be 15:1 for 4-year-olds and 20:1 for 5-year-olds, and worker qualifications were still to be minimal. David Shirk (who in 2000 was a research specialist for the Tennessee Department of Human Services), told us that, while Tennessee's desire to improve probably stemmed from several factors, the tragic death of two children on the same afternoon in August 1999 helped focus the state’s attention on licensing standards. Both children died after being forgotten by their caregivers inside of hot vehicles.

What's holding up reform?

People in other states told us they’d like to improve standards, too, but they admitted it would be a tough battle – and so politically sensitive, they refused to be quoted. Part of the problem, they said, are the legislators and daycare lobbyists who are loath to change a system that has worked to their advantage. But probably money is the biggest barrier to reform. Our state sources were unanimous in acknowledging that, while daycare standards could be bad, the majority of parents cannot afford (by themselves) the cost of quality daycare. Additionally, industry wages are notoriously low, making caregiver turnover notoriously high. National and/or state funding would help improve the daycare situation, they said, but the necessary political support is hard to find.

These money issues are reflected in the numbers. Overall, in 2000, standards and ratios in the lower-income states (such as Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama) appeared worse than in higher-income states (such as D.C., Florida and New York). To be hired in some lower-income states, caregivers needed to only be 18 years old with a GED. Additionally, the ratios in 2000 for Arkansas (Sen. Hillary Clinton’s former "village") were not unusual – 6:1 for infants and 12:1 for preschoolers. But raising the bar must be possible. In 2000, Kansas, Hawaii and Massachusetts had better standards, such as a ratio of 3:1 for infants and more requirements for caregivers.

Nevertheless, our sources said, better standards on the books don’t always translate into better standards in the rooms. If the standards aren’t being enforced – and we're told they often aren’t – then they’re useless to the children.

Summary

This is our first peek at child care, and we have to say it looks bad. We Americans spend a lot of time wondering why our society is sliding downward into obesity, shallowness, rudeness, violence and irresponsibility – but we’re failing to examine and account for these critical first years of our children. Safer Child isn't suggesting all daycare centers immediately adopt the AAP’s standards – the cost would be prohibitive – but they’re a good place to start. The ugly truth is that overall, America’s child-care standards aren’t just unacceptable; they’re dangerous. And any child who fights with 14 other children for a caregiver’s attention can’t possibly be getting the love, nurturing, guidance and teaching necessary for becoming a productive, happy member of this society.

These daycare issues and others desperately need to be addressed, and who better to initiate and lead a national discussion on reform but the same folks who lead the country?

END

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