Daycare Deals

Daycare: The Beginning

2017-08-22T09:34:00.001-07:00

I've updated links and am sharing this to the top.

So, I was reminded of something today when a family member called me. I've never actually written a post on how to go about starting a daycare. I am humbly apologetic to those who may have found the blog and needed to know how to begin a daycare. I started the blog in May 2010 (on a different website even) without thinking about the prospective providers. I will now remedy my error. :) ***Please note that regulations that will change daycares in KS are being proposed. The current regulations may change a little in the middle of you starting your daycare.

To start a KS daycare (or just start looking into it), these are my best recommendations.

1. Find out your local contact information for daycares in your county/area. The local contacts can be found here, listed by county. If it directs you to a website, you should find the childcare licensing information by going to the part about the health department.

2. Schedule or attend (an already scheduled--SG county has monthly scheduled orientations) orientation at your local health department. (Less populated areas of KS may do these over the phone.)

3. Call your local contact to see who your local fire marshal is. I would schedule a walk through of the area you are planning to use. *This is important because the fire marshal will inform you of how many/where fire alarms should be located. They can be expensive, so you'll know how many to expect. Also, you may plan to have the kids in the basement, but your basement may not be acceptable as a place for the kids. (It has to have two means of egress.)

4. Review this checklist. This is the same list that an inspector uses to evaluate your house. This will guide you in what needs to be locked up/stored high.

5. If you are ready to go on with your daycare, fill out the paper application and mail it to your local office or fill out the online application here. *The fire marshal should have come out a second time to complete your official inspection before you send off your application. The orientation class and CPR/First Aid are also requirements. ***Applications can take awhile (possibly 3-6 months), so you should plan to have the application completed in advance of when you want to start your daycare.

6. [This is optional.] See if a surveyor from your area will come by to check out your home before making an official visit. It would be easier to know if you need to lock something up/move something before a formal visit. Plus, they won't bring the carbon-paper forms with them...yet (They're really busy, but they might be able to swing by.)

Good luck!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Before starting a KS daycare, you can make sure you're ready and know what to expect. These are some ways to prepare/questions to ask yourself/things to know.

1. Contact your local contact for information on the local resource and referral agency. My agency (Childstart) sends out a checklist to use when deciding if a home daycare is for you. I would assume that the other referral agencies would do the same.

2. Be good with keeping track of expenses. Most important: Be sure you can afford to do daycare. Taxes are not taken out during the year, so you might have to pay taxes to the Federal and KS governments. Money should be set aside during the year so that it's not a huge blow to you at tax time. (This may not happen the first year--initial daycare setup costs, but I would be prepared to pay in to the government.)

3. Figure out if you can afford the startup costs. If you don't have the items already, it can be expensive to accumulate children's toys and other needs. *I recommend Craigslist, Freecycle, and consignment sales for items.

4. Know that swingsets have to have appropriate ground cover. The grass/dirt is not approved.

5. Ask yourself if your spouse/partner will be ok will having small children around the house. The house gets beat up a little--they're kids. I've got food/chocolate milk on my ceilings, crayon on my table, spills everywhere, fingerprints on the walls. (Having the marks of your chosen career as daily reminders can take a toll on your spouse/partner. I would consider his/her feelings about this.)

I've run out of thoughts for now, but I'll update if I think of anything else. Please leave comments/questions in the comment section.

Gather Some Toothbrushes

2015-07-09T17:54:00.001-07:00

As of May 1st, surveyors are now required to ask 3 additional questions:

1. Do children brush their teeth after snacks?

2. Do children brush their teeth after meals?

3. Is your facility breastfeeding friendly?

Depending on a provider's answers (yes or no) to these questions, a surveyor may add a consultation to the Notice of Survey Findings. The surveyor may discuss good practices for teeth brushing and when to replace toothbrushes. For breastfeeding, surveyors may also discuss how to encourage breastfeeding mothers to continue breastfeeding after enrolled in care.

As of right now, teeth brushing is NOT mandatory for home daycares, but it sounds as if they are heading for some new regulations, teeth brushing being one.

INPUT NEEDED: FEDERAL STANDARDS

2015-01-15T20:21:00.002-08:00

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) has come up with some basic standards and are allowing comment until midnight, February 17, 2015. This is a chance for providers to have input in what they are considering the basic requirements for the safety of children. To provide input, email cfocbasics@acf.hhs.gov. This was published in an article on the Federal Register. The article can be found here. The article is lengthy, so I've tried to summarize some of the parts that differ from Kansas providers' regulations.

Education/Training

All caregivers, substitutes, and family members over 18 (living in the home) have a background check that includes fingerprinting.
All caregivers should have training in infectious disease prevention; emergency preparedness; nutrition and age-appropriate feeding; medication administration; and care plan implementation for children with special health care needs.

Healthy Development

Require developmental/behavioral screening of all children at the start of care and yearly thereafter.

Health Promotion and Protection

All children with teeth should brush or have their teeth brushed at least once during the hours the child is in care.
After diaper changes, record diaper changing and contents/any problems .
Washing hands before and after applying creams or giving medication.
Washing hands before and after playing in water or swimming activities.
Annual training on exposure to infectious fluids.
Apply sunscreen with written parental consent.
Children with Special Needs should have a Routine and Emergent Care Plan developed.

Nutrition and Food Service

Children with allergies should have a written care plan for avoiding the allergy.
Caregivers/teachers should not offer foods that are associated with young children's choking incidents to children under 4 years of age (round, hard, small, thick and sticky, smooth, compressible or dense, or slippery).
Infants and toddlers should not have access to the kitchen where food is prepared.

Facilities, Supplies, Equipment, Environmental Health

No electrical devices near a body of water, including a sink or tub.
Integrate a pest management program.
If the state requires them, carbon monoxide detectors. Detectors must be tested monthly, annual battery replacement, and completely replaced every 5 years.
No toy guns

Play Areas/Playgrounds and Transportation

All play areas should be enclosed with a fence or natural barrier. Fences should have at least 2 exits, with one being away from a building.
Gates should have self-closing latches placed where a child could not open the gate.
Fence openings should be no more than 3 1/2 inches apart.
Any climbing equipment must have ground cover.
Anyone transporting children must be at least 21 years of age.
Anyone transporting children must have a clear driving record of no crashes requiring a citation in the last 5 years.
Providers should not use 15-passenger vans whenever possible.

Policies

Written policies for the following: Lost or missing child, Suspected maltreatment of a child, Suspected sexual, physical, or emotional abuse of staff, volunteers, or family members occurring while they are on the premises of the program, Injuries to children requiring medical or dental care, Illness or injuries requiring hospitalization or emergency treatment, Mental health emergencies, Health and safety emergencies involving parents/guardians and visitors to the program, Death of a child or staff member, The presence of a threatening individual who attempts or succeeds in gaining entrance to the facility.
All providers have a sign in/sign out procedure.
Updated health assessments in the child's file.
Health history completed by the parent/guardian at admission in child's file.
Two inspections a year--at least one unannounced.
States should post results of complaints for public view.

Exception Postings

2014-09-26T14:33:00.001-07:00

I've been a licensed provider for 5 years now, but I never posted any of the stack of exceptions I had heard about because none of the exceptions applied to me at the time. I just had my survey this week, and I found out about the one exception that was not written into the Lexie's Law changes in 2012 and about a newer exception form that some might not know about since it's so new.

1. The one exception that didn't get into Lexie's Law states that providers are allowed to use any child health assessment form instead of only being able to use the KDHE form. I know over the years I've witnessed providers ask other providers if a form from a foster care system or something else was ok instead of making everyone get the KDHE form. If you have this exception posted, you can take forms other than KDHE. If you need to print out this form, you can find it here.

2. The new exception that might need posted in your daycare became effective March 10, 2014. Before this date, the KDHE health assessment only allowed a doctor or nurse to sign it and not a PA. This new exception form allows a PA to sign the form, which is good because so many doctor's offices have PAs now. If you need to print out this form, you can find it here.

If these don't effect your daycare, you of course don't need them. But, I thought I'd put the information out there because I wasn't aware of these 2 exceptions until my recent survey.

NEW CHANGES--Emergency Plans

2014-08-18T18:53:00.000-07:00

As of July 1, 2014, providers now need to develop additional emergency plans. These new plans include missing child, chemical release, utility failure, acts of violence/terrorism, or other situations that might require evacuation, lockdown, or shelter in place. See the information here on KDHE's website.

Some surveyors have sent out emails to providers but other areas have not been informed yet of these changes. Providers who have had recent surveys have been told that they have until next year to develop these plans.

Here are some links as you develop your plans. I'll post an example of the ones I developed.

UPDATE: After my survey, I found out that I needed to add something to my evacuation plan. You need to put in your plan the route you will take to your evacuation location so that parents could follow your "footsteps" if needed. (Also, it is ok to transport the kids in an evacuation even if you don't transport. KDHE was told that providers should put the kids in a vehicle and transport if being told to evacuate. Providers don't have to fill out the transportation paperwork [first aid kit, insurance, etc] because it would be an emergency situation.)

I've also been told that the City of Wichita would like to have providers call the police first thing for the missing child. I'm not sure about other police departments. My surveyor didn't say I needed to change anything about how my Missing Child policy was written.

https://childcareta.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/epr_provider_resource_guide.pdf

http://www.naccrra.org/sites/default/files/default_site_pages/2012/disaster_guide_v02-072706-2_0.pdf

http://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-home/Pages/How-to-Prepare-for-Disasters.aspx?nfstatus=401&nftoken=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000&nfstatusdescription=ERROR%3a+No+local+token

http://www.chemicalspill.org/Quick/long.html

Missing Child: In the event that a child seems to be missing, a thorough search of the home and grounds would be made after making sure that the remaining children were safe. Parents/guardians and police would be notified immediately if the child were not found. Police procedures would then be followed after the police arrived.

If a child does not arrive within an hour of the scheduled drop-off time, the provider will contact parents/guardians if parents/guardians have not contacted the provider to say the child will be late.

Utility Failure: In the event that utilities should fail, the provider will contact the company to see how long until the service is back up and running. If the service will be down for less than 2 hours, the provider will contact parents/guardians to give them the option to pick up their child/children until the service has returned. If the service will be longer than 2 hours, parents/guardians will be contacted to pick up their child (ren).

Chemical Release: In the event of a chemical release, the following steps would be followed if the situation requires the daycare to follow a “shelter-in” procedure:

1. Move inside immediately if not inside already.

2. Close and lock all windows and doors.

3. Turn off all ventilation systems.

4. Enter and seal a room to prevent air from entering by sealing doors/windows with towels and tape.

5. Turn on the radio to wait for further instructions.

6. Stay off the phone lines, as emergency responders will need the phone lines.

If an immediate evacuation is required, the provider has signed up for Emergency Alerts from the City of Andover. The instructions in the alert will tell the provider how to proceed. The provider will take the children’s files with us in the event of an evacuation so that she can contact parents/guardians.

Violent Act/Terrorism: In the event of a violent act or an act of terrorism, the following steps will be taken to keep the children safe:

1. Make sure all doors and windows are locked.

2. Gather all the children into the daycare bathroom, which is located away from windows and doors.

3. Contact parents and police to advise them of the situation.

Evacuation: The provider has signed up for Emergency Alerts from the City of Andover. The instructions in the alert will tell the provider how to proceed. The provider will take the children’s files with us in the event of an evacuation so that she can contact parents/guardians. If the instructions do not contain an evacuation location but evacuation is necessary, the provider will take children to the Fire Station located at 911 North Andover Road.

Lockdown: In the event of a lockdown situation, the following procedures will be followed:

1. Make sure all doors and windows are locked.

2. Gather all the children into the daycare bathroom, which is located away from windows and doors.

3. Contact parents and police to advise them of the situation.

Shelter in place: In the event that it is safer for the provider and children to remain inside rather than evacuate, the provider will keep all children in the basement playroom with her. If the situation is one that requires the provider and children to be away from windows, the provider and children will move to the daycare bathroom. Parents/guardians will be notified to pick up when the situation is safe.

Changes Coming for Annual Surveys

2013-04-23T08:03:00.000-07:00

KDHE is working on a system which will change the way surveys are completed and hopefully help the health departments catch up if they're behind on surveys. This has not been implemented yet, but I was told that it is coming down the pike. I've included a basic overview of how I understand how the new system should work:

What KDHE will do is look at a certain number of areas on the previous surveys (say 6 items or so) and come up with a mathematical equation on whether or not a provider should get an abbreviated survey or a full survey. For example, if you don't have paperwork issues, supposedly it would show you are a detail-oriented person. Thus, you would likely get the abbreviated survey.

The supervisor from my health department said those with open complaints at the time of a survey would likely get the full survey. She also mentioned that KDHE will decide--not those at the health department. The local health department can't change it if KDHE decides you get the full survey and the daycare across the street gets an abbreviated.

If a provider has an abbreviated survey for 2 years, she/he would have a full survey on the 3rd year.

PROVIDER FEEDBACK

2012-12-17T06:19:00.000-08:00

I just learned of this, so I am trying to get this out to as many providers as I can before Wednesday.

Ladies, this COMING Wednesday, December 19, 2012 there will be an open meeting of the Health Policy Oversight Committee at 10:00am, 300 South West 10th, Topeka, KS 66612, Room 548-S to discuss Lexie's Law. Please submit your opinions to Representative Brenda Landwehr brenda.landwehr@house.ks.gov. Send a forward to Iraida Orr at the Kansas Legislative Research Department Iraida.Orr@klrd.ks.gov

Tell them how the law has affected you and your business. Be sure to include the good along with the bad to show we aren't all complaining only. Do you feel consultations should be included in the online notes, possibly misleading parents searching for care? Tell them! What are your thoughts on the state requiring liability insurance? Tell them! How has it impacted you? How is care different day to day? Do you feel that the information about complaints is enough? From my research, all the information given is "completed" or "needs corrections." How does that tell providers or parents the correct information about complaints?

There have been improvements but also hair-pulling frustrations. TELL THEM!

Please also see some updates and new information here if you haven't already viewed this.

Updates and New Information

2012-12-13T16:57:00.000-08:00

This is just a reminder that all KS providers need to have the required classes by February 3rd, 2013. The required classes are: Safe Slumber (Sleep); Signs & Symptoms of Abuse &; Neglect with head trauma prevention; Basic Child Growth & Development; Pediatric First Aid and Pediatric CPR.

Here are some updates and some information about infant swings and poisonous plants.

Updates:

ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES

Electronic or Vapor cigarettes are considered cigarettes under Child Care regulations and are not allowed to be used in the child care setting.

SCREEN FREE MOMENTS WEBSITE

Greetings! We have a brand-new product available for your viewing enjoyment. "Screen Free Moments: Promoting Healthy Habits" will show you a few simple ways to limit or even eventually eliminate screen time in your family child care home. You can view it at http://nrckids.org/ScreeFreeMoments/index.htm

SUPERVISION PLANS

When writing your supervision plan be sure it includes a description of each room of your home that is used for child care, what activities take place in each room and how you will provide supervision to the children when they are in each of the rooms. Be sure to include your outdoor play area in your supervision plan and how you supervise children when they are outside.

SAFE SLEEP PLANS

When writing your safe sleep plan be sure to include children under 12 months of age as well as children over 12 months of age. You need to include what room they sleep in, what they nap in or on, what type of bedding will be used and how often they will be checked on.

EMR FORM

The EMR form, also known as the Emergency Medical Consent form, is required for all children in care. It will have the provider’s name, sub’s name if you have a sub, child’s full name, start date, end date (or until termination or until no longer in care), parent signature and date, witness signature and date or notary signature and insurance information. In the past the insurance information was not required, but KDHE has informed surveyors that information needs to be completed or a copy of the insurance card attached to the EMR form. If the child has no insurance then the parent marks the NO box on the form.

Infant Swings:

NEWS FROM CPSC

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has approved new federal safety standards for Infant Swings. The new standard effective date is May 7, 2013. Any swings used in child care must have swings that meet the new safety standards.

The new federal standard, which incorporates provisions in the voluntary standard ASTM F2088 - 12a, requires the following:

a stronger, more explicit warning label to prevent slump-over deaths. The warning advises consumers to use a swing in the most reclined position until an infant is 4 months old and can hold up its head without help;
a stability test that prevents the swing from tipping over;
a test that prevents unintentional folding;
tests on restraint systems, which are intended to prevent slippage and breakage of the restraints during use;
the cradle swing surface to remain relatively flat, while in motion, and while at rest;
electrically-powered swings to be designed to prevent battery leakage and overheating.;
toy mobiles to be designed to ensure that toys do not detach when pulled;
swings with seats angles greater than 50 degrees to have shoulder strap restraints; and
dynamic and static load requirements to ensure that the infant swing can handle specified loads without breaking.

See the whole update from the CPSC here.

Poisonous Plants:

PLANTS IN CHILD CARE

Do you have plants in your home that are accessible to children? Do you know if they are safe for children or if they are poisonous? If you have plants that are poisonous and they are within reach of children you will be cited for not having your facility arranged to provide for the safety of children. For more details please contact the Poison Control Center or visit their website.

Hunter Advocacy Award

2012-12-11T18:42:00.002-08:00

Do you know a daycare provider who has shown outstanding devotion in supporting

Family Child Care Providers in Kansas and whose leadership has promoted quality standards in the field?

If so, you can submit the provider's name for the Hunter Advocacy Award.

The Hunter Advocacy Award was established in 1998 in recognition of the critical role Kharon Hunter played in the formation of the state organization for family child care providers and her continued advocacy efforts.

Kharon was well known throughout the State as a dedicated trainer and advocate, and an ever-present source of knowledge and information to all who knew her.

Kharon lost the battle with breast cancer after a `14 year struggle and passed away in December 2000. However,she left behind a legacy including many family child care providers who were proud to call

her mentor and friend.

This award serves as a continuing tribute to her life and untiring efforts on behalf of children, families,

and the profession of family child care.

(submitted by Corinne Carr, Professional Development) Please email if someone in your area is deserving of this award. special_blessings42@yahoo.com

Daycare: The beginning...

2012-08-31T00:00:00.000-07:00

So, I was reminded of something today when a family member called me. I've never actually written a post on how to go about starting a daycare. I am humbly apologetic to those who may have found the blog and needed to know how to begin a daycare. I started the blog in May 2010 (on a different website even) without thinking about the prospective providers. I will now remedy my error. :) ***Please note that regulations that will change daycares in KS are being proposed. The current regulations may change a little in the middle of you starting your daycare.

To start a KS daycare (or just start looking into it), these are my best recommendations.

1. Find out your local contact information for daycares in your county/area. The local contacts can be found here, listed by county. If it directs you to a website, you should find the childcare licensing information by going to the part about the health department.

2. Schedule or attend (an already scheduled--SG county has monthly scheduled orientations) orientation at your local health department. (Less populated areas of KS may do these over the phone.)

3. Call your local contact to see who your local fire marshal is. I would schedule a walk through of the area you are planning to use. *This is important because the fire marshal will inform you of how many/where fire alarms should be located. They can be expensive, so you'll know how many to expect. Also, you may plan to have the kids in the basement, but your basement may not be acceptable as a place for the kids. (It has to have two means of egress.)

4. Review this checklist. This is the same list that an inspector uses to evaluate your house. This will guide you in what needs to be locked up/stored high.

5. If you are ready to go on with your daycare, fill out the paper application and mail it to your local office or fill out the online application here. *The fire marshal should have come out a second time to complete your official inspection before you send off your application. The orientation class and CPR/First Aid are also requirements. ***Applications can take awhile (possibly 3-6 months), so you should plan to have the application completed in advance of when you want to start your daycare.

6. [This is optional.] See if a surveyor from your area will come by to check out your home before making an official visit. It would be easier to know if you need to lock something up/move something before a formal visit. Plus, they won't bring the carbon-paper forms with them...yet (They're really busy, but they might be able to swing by.)

Good luck!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Before starting a KS daycare, you can make sure you're ready and know what to expect. These are some ways to prepare/questions to ask yourself/things to know.

1. Contact your local contact for information on the local resource and referral agency. My agency (Childstart) sends out a checklist to use when deciding if a home daycare is for you. I would assume that the other referral agencies would do the same.

2. Be good with keeping track of expenses. Most important: Be sure you can afford to do daycare. Taxes are not taken out during the year, so you might have to pay taxes to the Federal and KS governments. Money should be set aside during the year so that it's not a huge blow to you at tax time. (This may not happen the first year--initial daycare setup costs, but I would be prepared to pay in to the government.)

3. Figure out if you can afford the startup costs. If you don't have the items already, it can be expensive to accumulate children's toys and other needs. *I recommend Craigslist, Freecycle, and consignment sales for items.

4. Know that swingsets have to have appropriate ground cover. The grass/dirt is not approved.

5. Ask yourself if your spouse/partner will be ok will having small children around the house. The house gets beat up a little--they're kids. I've got food/chocolate milk on my ceilings, crayon on my table, spills everywhere, fingerprints on the walls. (Having the marks of your chosen career as daily reminders can take a toll on your spouse/partner. I would consider his/her feelings about this.)

I've run out of thoughts for now, but I'll update if I think of anything else. Please leave comments/questions in the comment section.

Clarification on the New Regulations

2012-03-10T22:52:00.006-08:00

KDHE will not be sending the new regulations out to providers. Providers and anyone working in your daycare will need to be able to provide a paper copy or be able to pull up the regulations online. Find the regulations to print here. I've also provided links on almost every heading that will take you to the new regulations.

ONLINE INFORMATION SYSTEM

· Should go live within the next week --This is live now.
· Anyone/anywhere can search for your daycare. Currently, the default listing is only name and license number. If a provider chooses to, she/he could request that an address and phone number is listed. *I will not be listing my phone number or address because anyone could look up this information.
· All licensed providers/centers will be listed in the system. You cannot opt out of having your name and license number listed.
· The information in the system will be from the last 3 years.
· Complaints—even if no violations were found—will be listed.
· New complaints will not be listed until the complaint is closed.
· The training requirements will not have to be met until 2-3-13, but your NOSF will show that your surveyor consulted you about needing to complete the required trainings. This consultation will be listed in the online system.

ORIENTATION

· If a currently licensed provider moves to another county or changes his/her program type, he/she needs to have a new orientation that is KDHE approved.
· All providers are required to provide orientation pertaining to his/her own home. Areas to go over should be: supervision plan, safe sleep policy, health & safety practices, confidentiality, and anything else that the provider deems necessary. (Documentation showing that an orientation was given should be kept in the substitute/employee’s file. Must be in compliance with this by May 2012.
· Some counties provided orientations for registered providers separate from licensed providers. If your county did this and you were formally registered, you will need to attend a licensed orientation. *SG county combined registered and licensed, so anyone in SG county should be fine.
· Providers should be able to provide the month/day/year of their orientation. *They said that providers who have been doing care for many, many years shouldn’t have to attend another orientation unless they switch types or move counties.

REQUIRED TRAININGS

· Providers who are currently licensed have until 2-3-13 to meet the new training requirements. The required trainings include: First Aid/CPR, signs of abuse and neglect, Safe Sleep, Basic Child Development.
· If your county formerly offered a signs and systems of abuse class, the class will need to be retaken if the class did not cover head trauma. *SG county classes that were previously offered do not count and will need to be taken again.
· SIDS/Safe Sleep classes must be KDHE approved. If you took SIDS/Safe Sleep at one of the trainings days that KDHE provided in 2010, the class will count for the SIDS/Safe Sleep requirement. *I attended a Safe Sleep class at the SG County health department. That class would count for me.
· Pediatric/First Aid and Infant/Child CPR class certifications must be kept current. *The card for pediatric first aid may night say that it covered pediatric first aid, but that is ok as long as you can tell your surveyor that it was covered. The CPR card must say Infant/Child on it.
· Resources for KDHE approved classes: KSCL online, Child Care Aware, Child Start, your local referral/resource agency
· Each year, the annual 5 hours must be KDHE approved. The classes provided by the food program do count for annual hours.

What if I switch to group or add a new substitute?

· If switching license types or adding a new substitute/employee, the new person will not have until 2-3-12 to meet the training requirements. All new substitutes will have only 30 days to meet the training requirements.

FEDERAL CRIBSTANDARDS

· All cribs used in a daycare must have a sticker dated after 6-28-11.

FORMULA/BREASTMILK

· Unused formula/breastmilk in a bottle that an infant did not finish cannot be stored in a refrigerator. It must be discarded.
· Formula/Breast milk cannot be heated in a microwave
· Must be in compliance with this by May 2012.

KDHE REQUESTS

· They get phone calls from upset parents asking if it is okay that a provider won’t take non-potty trained children or won’t take children under 2, etc. If you have personal policies, KDHE says to put them in your handbook/policies. *KDHE cannot mandate what we charge or if we choose not to take non-potty trained children. They just have parents who call to complain.
Bagging up soiled clothing (potty-training accident, etc) is something KDHE supports because the provider is following the regulations. [Parents apparently call about this a lot.] *This section doesn't really concern the new regulations, but KDHE spoke about this.
WATER
· It seems like common sense, but all children should be given water if they request it. They should not be told that it isn’t time for water/drink time yet.
· Must be in compliance with this by May 2012.

SUBSTITUTE TRAININGS

(Providers do not have to have a substitute listed if they chose to close instead of have a sub come in for them.)

· In a temporary absence (must be less than 3 hours per day), a substitute must meet these three requirements:

o First Aid/CPR certifications remain current

o Safe Sleep/SIDS class

o Orientation provided by the home provider

· In an extended absence (more than 3 hours per day), a substitute must have the same new trainings as the provider:

o First Aid/CPR certifications remain current

o Safe Sleep/SIDS class

o Orientation provided by the home provider

o Child Abuse/Neglect and Head Trauma

o Basic Child Development

OUTSIDE PLAY AREA INFORMATION

· Play areas now have to meet “use zone” requirements. If you pull your swing it either direction, you should have 1 in of clear space for every foot that the swing is extended in front or behind the swing. The space in front of the slide must be clear as well. (I think this is the way to explain it. My surveyor just went out to the playset and held the swing back to make sure enough space was met.) *KDHE cannot regulate the depth of the approved surface under the play area. They can cite a violation if any bare spots are showing.
· Manicured grass is not allowed under anchored play equipment. Approved surfaces are listed in the regulations. Sand is included as an approved surface. Landscaping mulch is not.
· If you have moveable play equipment, ie Little Tykes toys, they do not have to be on top of approved ground cover. They should be on the grass or a mat should be under them to protect the children.
· Trampolines must remain inaccessible to children in care but do not have to be in a separate fenced area. They should be as far removed from the play area as possible. Steps must be removed, enclosure zipped, and all children (even the provider’s are not allowed on the trampoline during daycare hours).
· Must be in compliance with this by May 2012.
· As of March 1, 2012, all new licensees must have an outdoor play area.

GUNS/WEAPONS

· They expanded the guns/weapons information. Even items such as bb guns, air guns, fishing knives should be locked away.
· Guns and ammunition must be locked in separate containers. Even if they are in the same gun safe, the ammunition must be in a separate locked box.
· Must be in compliance with this by May 2012.

CHILDREN’S FILES

· No blanks should be on the forms. Write no or N/A if needed.

BABY GATES

· Accordion gates are absolutely not allowed in daycare at all anymore. EVER.
· At the top of the stairs, the baby gate needs to be one which is mounted on one side of the wall.
· At the bottom of stairs, a pressure gate may be used, but not an accordion.
· Must be in compliance with this by May 2012

SUPERVISION PLANS

· Written, posted, and documented that the provider shared the supervision plan with parents. Plans would likely go something like “Our main play area is… This is how I supervise them in this area…” or “Our kitchen is here…This is how I supervise…”
· I would recommend running your supervision plan by your surveyor before reviewing it and posting it.
· Must be in compliance with this by May 2012

DAILY ACTIVITIES

· If the weather does not permit outside play, 1 hour of physical activity must still be met. This can include dancing, jumping, etc.
· If a child isn’t a napper, he/she must be given a quiet activity during nap time.
· If showing a movie/tv show(G rated), children cannot be forced to watch it. If they do not watch, they need to be given an alternate activity.
· Must be in compliance with this by May 2012.

INFANT SLEEPING

· A blanket (even a lightweight one) is not advised for infants under 12months. Swaddling is not allowed unless a doctor’s note is given and the provider gets an exception. *The regs state that a lightweight blanket could be used, but KDHE is saying no blankets. The regulation does say that sleepers or sleep sacks are okay.
· Must be in compliance with this by May 2012.

HANDWASHING

· Children/Staff should wash their hands after handling pets. The regulations go into further detail about handwashing.
· Must be in compliance with this by May 2012

MMILK

Milk for ages 2 and older must be 1% or fat free unless a doctor's note says otherwise. *Our presenter kept saying 1%, but it can be 1% or lesser fat, ie skim milk.

NOTES TO REMEMBER:

· All new regulations except for the training requirements must be met by May 2012.
· The training requirements must be met by 2-3-13.
· All complaints, NOSF forms, and any consultations (including those made about not yet meeting the training requirements) will be listed in the online system for anyone to see. *Example: I renew in October. If I haven’t met all the training requirements (even though I have until 2-3-13) before my annual survey, a consultation is written on my NOSF. Potential parents will be able to see that. Hopefully they will understand that a consultation is not a bad thing in this situation.
· Blankets are not to be used with infants.
· Play areas must have approved ground cover.
· Accordion gates are never to be used in daycare.

These are the clarifications that we received today from KDHE. If you have questions specific to your situation, you should email your surveyor. This information does not go into all of the new regulations, but it touches on most of them. Please refer to the regulations and email KDHE if you need specifics. If your county/area provided a training that goes more into detail or covered a different regulation more in depth, please email me at daycaredeals@gmail.com or leave a comment. I would love to share more information if possible. This is what I was told.

Providers in Wichita Area

2012-02-14T11:27:00.000-08:00

These are some classes being offered that can help meet the training requirements we need to be in compliance with the new regulations. We need signs & symptoms of abuse, Safe Sleep/SIDS, a basic child development class (I cannot say if any of these classes meet the basic child development requirement), and to keep our CPR/first aid certifications current. I like that I know when these classes are in March and April because I want to wait until our Sedgwick County surveyors are trained in March before taking any classes; this way I can take them with my substitute if my sub will need to meet the requirements. To sign up, call 641-1485 or email angela.bitker@yahoo.com. All of these classes are KDHE approved.

February
21st, 7pm-10pm, $34, Adult, Child and Infant CPR/AED
23rd, 7pm-9pm, $10, Basic Training Health and Safety
28th, 7pm-9pm, $10, Child Abuse and Neglect Signs and Symptoms of Childhood Illness

March
6th, 7pm-9pm, $10, Fearful, Flexible and Feisty Temperaments
7th, 7pm-9pm, $10, Basic Training Chiold Development and Discipline Techniques
12th, 7pm-10pm, $34, Adult, Child and Infant CPR/AED
26th, 7pm-9pm, $10, Child Abuse and Neglect Signs and Symptoms of Childhood Illness
27th, 7pm-9pm, $10, Play: The Good Four Letter Word

April
3rd, 7pm-9pm, $10, Fearful, Flexible and Feisty Temperaments
9th, 7pm-9pm, $10, Pediatric First Aid Introduction and Refresher
11th, 7pm-10pm, $34, Adult, Child and Infant CPR/AED
16th, 7pm-9pm, $10, Reducing the Risk of SIDS
17th, 7pm-9pm, $10, Child Abuse and Neglect Signs and Symptoms of Childhood Illness

Call 641-1485 or email angela.bitker@yahoo.com to sign up for these classes.

(Disclosure: I am in no way associated with the teacher of these classes. I just wanted to pass information along about these classes.)

KDHE updated regs and Twitter discussion

2012-02-09T11:29:00.000-08:00

First of all, KDHE updated the regulations. You can find them here on KDHE's site if you haven't already seen them.

Were you aware that KDHE hosted a Twitter discussion about the new regs last Friday? I wasn't. I don't do Twitter, but it is easy to access the information with just a Google search. I found the questions and answers from the other day, and I have provided the information for you below. Since they do a lot of referring to the regs, I'll include an explanation and wording from the regulations if I feel that it is needed. My explanation will be in [].

Found from: http://twitter.com/kdhe

Question: As per KAR28-4-115a(1); if our restrooms are grandfathered in another area, can the children of this age walk unsupervised?

Answer: Note req of children under 2.5 yrs. Provider remains within site/proxy. If you can't insure A-C are met.

[KAR 28-4-115a (1): This regulation is in regards to the supervision plan. The provider wants to know if children 2.5 and older can go to restroom in another area without the provider, but they answered for children under 2.5. (The requirements for ages 2.5 and older are listed further down.) This is what the regs say for 2.5 and under:
(A) The provider has first ensured the safety of each child.
(B) The provider is able to respond immediately to any child in distress.
(C) The provider remains within hearing distance of each child.]

Question: I never received the letter informing providers about the change. I opened in October. I am a licensed group home daycare

Answer: You can find that on the front of the childcare sitehttp://www.kdheks.gov/bcclr/index.html

Question: have a child who turned 5 in Dec, is it right to say that now he can be counted as a school aged child now?

Answer: That is correct

Question: are sofas no longer an approved sleep space?

Answer: You're correct. Approved sleep surfaces are listed in the regulation. Sofa is not included

Question: please explain the new napping regulations for children over 12m? Do they really have to move out of crib/playpen at 12 m?

Answer: Great question. They can be transitioned out at 12m. If the child not ready see 116a(e)

[From the regs: Transition from crib or playpen. The determination of when a child who is 12 months of age or older is ready to transition from a crib or a playpen to another napping or sleeping surface shall be made by the parent or guardian of the child and by either the applicant with a temporary permit or the licensee. ]

Question: the wording shall nap makes it sound like they have to

Answer: They do unless reg allows alt like sub section (e)

[From the regs: Rest period. Each child shall have a daily, supervised rest period as needed. Each child who does not nap or sleep shall be given the opportunity for quiet play.]

Question: How long do we have to have changes in effect in existing daycare?

Answer: See plan on childcare site. Existing have until May. Training (114a) reqs don't have to be met till 2.3.2013

[According to this page, the regulations should be fully implemented by May, with the exception of the training requirements. We have until 2-3-2013 to get all of the training requirements, as long as we were licensed before the new regs took effect. Click here for implementation plan.]

Question: been licensed since 1989 labette county ks. how do the new regulations affect me

Answer: See the letter onhttp://www.kdheks.gov/bcclr/index.html to lic providers. More questions? Email LexiesLawQuestion@kdheks.gov

Question: do children in a center setting still need to have a cot or an area rug work. Must they be two feet apart?

Answer: Yep that is unchanged. See 28-4-440. They still have to be 2 feet apart

Question: is there a reg that applies to alcoholic beverages being unaccessible?

Answer: Alcohol has a warning label and must be kept out of reach/inaccessible or in locked storage

Question: [They didn’t show the question for this one, but I believe it asks about the training requirements.]

Answer: No, training as req under 28-4-114a must be KDHE approved and does not include reports on books/videos

Question: its says that no crib purchased before 6/28/11 can be used in the facility. Does this include pack n plays?

Answer: No. The reg resulted from federal req/crib recall. Read New Federal Standards for Cribs on childcare site

[Federal crib standards: click here]

Question: [no question shown. Must have asked about training for substitutes.]

Answer: See 28-4-113(c) for info on sub training req

Question: over 2.5 years; as long as A-C are met it's okay?

Answer: We responded for under 2.5. For over 2.5 within sight is not req if conditions are met. See 28-4-115a (c)(2)

[KAR 28-4-115a (1): This regulation is in regards to the supervision plan. I think the provider wants to know if children 2.5 and older can go to restroom in another area without the provider. This is what the regs say for 2.5 and older:
(A) The provider determines, based on observations of the child’s behavior
and information from the parent or legal guardian, that the child can go
unattended to another room within the facility.
(B) The door to each room remains open.
(C) The provider remains within hearing distance of the child.
(D) The provider visually checks on the child and responds as necessary to
meet the needs of the child. ]

Question: can childen sleep on mats on tile floor? two feet apart?

Answer: In home daycare a rug must be under a mat if under a tile floor. See 28-4-116a (b)(4) and (c)

Question: I'm a parent of a child in in-home daycare. Where is the document that I need to read?

Answer: New regs herehttp://www.kdheks.gov/bcclr/lexies_comments.htm. The full book of regs is on left side of childcare site. Look 4 CCLR Regulations

Question: mentioned this idea to our surveyor - the state putting videos on youtube for us to watch that would explain & we could view anytime

Answer: good idea! We will look into it

Question: if a child turns 5 the school year before he is to go to school does be move up to school age

Answer: Yep! Count it as school age on the childs 5th bday

Question: Do you have to have a subsitute? If so is the new regulations for required training for after 3hrs of care only?

Answer: 28-4-113 (s) addresses what training subs need. Look at defs for extended & temp absenses to answer the 3HRs question.

Question: [same person asking about alcohol] i agree but per regs what is it considered? - a household cleaning supply, bodily care product, dangerous chemical or household supply

Answer: See 18-4-115 (g)(2). Dangerous chemical with a warning label.

Question: 28-4-115A so if they are 2.5 and over as long as A-C are met they can use the facilities. correct?

Answer: detailed question that can’t be answered in 140 characters. Email LexiesLawQuestion@kdheks.gov & will get back to you.

[This email address does not work. Do not try to use it. I tried and failed twice. :(]

Question: new regs emailed seem to be geared more towards in home centers as school centers have different expectations

Answer: At this time more changes were made to the home regs than centers.

Question: Are kids who turn 5 considered school age on their 5th birthday now or is it still as of June 1st or their b-day which ever is later?

Answer: Yes school age on their 5th bday.

Question: What is A-C?

Answer: Subsections (A) through (C) found under 28-4-115a (c)(1)

[From the regs: (1) For each child who is under 2 1/2 years of age and who is awake, the provider shall be within sight of and in proximity to the child, watching and overseeing the
activities of the child. When the provider is attending to personal hygiene needs
or engaging in other child care duties and is temporarily unable to remain within
sight of the child, the provider shall meet all of the following conditions:
(A) The provider has first ensured the safety of each child.
(B) The provider is able to respond immediately to any child in distress.
(C) The provider remains within hearing distance of each child.]

Question: 28-4-115a(A-D);we have a lot of children ADD&; During their moments, if we engage it's worse.if they are safe ok to continue routine?

Answer: detailed question that can’t be answered in 140 characters. Email LexiesLawQuestion@kdheks.gov; will get back to you.

Question: are we to assume new emailed regs 28-4-93 thru 28-4-440 are not pertinent to childcare centers but only to in home?

Answer: 93 applies to both. 113-116a apply to lic/group daycare homes ONLY.428a and 440 apply to centers/preschools ONLY.

Question: [No question shown. Must have asked if grass was okay for under play equipment.]

Answer: Maintained grass does NOT meet the surfacing material reqs. See 115(i), esp (5) A through D.

[From the regs: (5) All surfaces under and around climbing equipment and swings shall meet the
following requirements:
(A) Impact-absorbent surfacing material shall be installed in each use zone
under and around anchored equipment over four feet in height, including
climbing equipment, slides, and swings.
(B) Impact-absorbent surfacing material shall consist of material intended for
playground use, including shredded bark mulch, wood chips, fine sand, fine gravel, shredded rubber, unitary surfacing material, or synthetic
impact material.
(C) Hard-surfacing materials, including asphalt, concrete, and hard-packed
dirt, shall not be used in any use zone. This requirement shall apply
regardless of the height of the climbing equipment, slides, and swings.
(D) Surfaces made of loose material shall be maintained by replacing,
leveling, or raking the material.]

Question: Why can't there be one PDF for online handbook? Only one search that way instead of 7.

Answer: This is one PDF for each reg book. Regs for different lic programs can not be combined.

Question: Why will everyone who has a background check from my DC be listed on-line dissemination system?

Answer: No names of residents or staff will be listed. Only facility address/telephone# will be displayed if owner wants.

Question: Why have twitter session now when many parents and providers are working and cannot participate?

Answer: This has been popular so there is a high chance we'll do this again. Great suggestion.

Article: May 17th Hearing Feedback

2011-12-16T07:41:00.000-08:00

I just came across this article for those of us who were unable to attend the May 17th hearing on the proposed regulations. I liked it because the article states some of the concerns that providers had about the proposed regulations. You can also download and listen to the hearing.

Some highlights I found from the live tweets were:

1:48 PM @KansasWatchdog: Insurance counselor at KDHE hearing says proposed regulations have good intentions but overly burden child care providers

2:22 PM @KansasWatchdog: Provider says touching a child every 15 minutes when napping is not common sense.

2:34 PM @KansasWatchdog: Child care provider at KDHE hearing concerned that new regulations will result in less diversity in services; wonders about KDHE’s purpose.

2:54 PM @KansasWatchdog: Child care provider says new touching regulation while sleeping would provide false sense of security to parents about SIDS issue.

Find the article here.

Source: Earl F Glynn. Concerns about new child care regulations at KDHE hearing. http://kansas.watchdog.org/6857/concerns-about-new-child-care-regulations-at-kdhe-hearing/

UPDATE: New Health Assessment Form Needed for All New Children

2011-12-16T07:02:00.000-08:00

According to KDHE's website, some of the forms were updated as of 8/2011. I get my renewal packet in the mail in July, so the new form was a surprise to me. I figured that some of you might not be aware of the change either. The only difference I could find was with the health assessment form that the doctor/nurse fills out. It has changed a lot. Find the new form here.

What this means for providers:

According to my local office, this new form is to be used for all new children in care. However, it was suggested that the new form be sent with parents if they are taking their child/children to the doctor. Also, if you do a yearly update of records to make sure that all contact information/shot records, etc. are correct, then you should update to the new health assessment form.

As far as I am aware, the KDHE surveyors will not require current children to have the updated health assessment. If you have questions on this, please let me know.

Also, as it is almost January, the new regulations are supposed to be start being enacted at the beginning of 2012. See my post about that here.

Update: Proposed Regulations

2011-10-04T19:07:00.000-07:00

Update: Find an article that details parts of the hearing if you are interested.

I attended a meeting for home daycare providers a couple weeks ago at my local health department. I went to get information about the proposed regulations. So, this is what I was told:

KDHE is pushing the regulations back to the beginning of the year. It will likely be January 2012 (hopefully not later) before we know exactly what the new regulations will be.

Other news:
The SG County surveyors were all supposed to be issued tablets, printers, and cameras at the end of Sept. The survey findings will be sent electronically to KDHE right away. With these tablets, some surveys are taking around 3 hours because the tablets keep having issues. Hopefully, the bugs will get worked out of this new system. Update: My surveyor said that they should be using the new tablets starting in January.

For a refresher on the proposed regulations, click here and look for the summary. They've taken down the information from KDHE's website about the actual wording of the regulations.

Product Called "Simply Thick" Harming Infants

2011-05-25T11:36:00.000-07:00

I received this information in an email from my local office. This information concerns parents and caregivers of premature infants.

KDHE has been notified by the FDA to advise parents, caregivers and health care providers not to feed SimplyThick, a thickening product, to premature infants.

This product may be associated with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a life-threatening condition.

Since May 13, 2011 FDA has been notified of 15 cases of NEC, including two deaths, involving premature infants who were given SimplyThick for varying amounts of time. The product was mixed with mothers’ breast milk or infant formula products. In Kansas, two cases of NEC have been reported in premature infants that were given this product.

NEC most often occurs in premature infants while still hospitalized. The current situation is unusual because some of the infants had been discharged from the hospital on a feeding regimen that included SimplyThick and then developed symptoms of NEC while at home.

NEC is a life-threatening condition characterized by inflammation and death of intestinal tiss ue. Signs and symptoms of NEC include appearance of a bloated abdominal area, feeding intolerance, greenish-tinged (bile) vomiting and bloody stools.

SimplyThick is one brand of thickening agent available to medical centers and consumers. The product is sold in packets of individual servings and in 64-ounce dispenser bottles. The product can be purchased from distributors and local pharmacies throughout the United States. Images of the SimplyThick label and packaging can be viewed at: www.flickr.com/photos/fdaphotos/sets/72157626641899297/.

Health care professionals and patients are encouraged to report adverse events or side effects related to the use of this product to the FDA's MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program by:
• Completing and submitting the adverse report online: www.fda.gov/MedWatch/report.htm
• Downloading the pre-addressed, postage-paid FDA Form 35003 at: www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/HowToReport/DownloadForms /default.htm (or calling 1-800-332-1088 to request the form), completing it and faxing it to 1-800-FDA-0178; or Mailing the completed form to MedWatch 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857.

For additional information on this investigation please call the FDA at 888-INFO-FDA or the KDHE Epidemiology Hotline at 877-427-7317.

***Important: Crib Standards

2011-04-13T12:00:00.000-07:00

So, I normally just delete the emails about crib standards because my father-in-law built mine; it isn't a drop-side either. However, I decided to read the one today from my health department. I'll just copy and paste the text from the email and highlight the important information:

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has added additional guidance material to their crib information center webpage http://www.cpsc.gov/info/cribs/index.html . For your convenience I have attached a copy. Our website has been updated to include the latest information.

It is important to note that Beginning June 28, 2011 all cribs manufactured and sold (including resale) must comply with the new standards. Child care facilities have until December 28, 2012 to phase out non-compliant cribs. This is more than a “drop-side’ issue and it is unlikely that cribs currently in use comply with the new standards. The attached material includes information for providers on how to obtain documentation that a crib in current use or one considered for purchase meets the new federal standards.

You can find the "attached material" mentioned above here. It's the pdf about New Federal Crib Standards.

Next Steps:
1. Determine if your current crib meets the new standards.
2. Decide if you want to buy a whole new crib if your current crib does not meet the new standards. You might decide that you would like to use a pack n play instead of a crib due to the cost of cribs.

Giveaway: Yoplait Original Prize Pack

2011-03-21T17:50:00.000-07:00

Yoplait is committed to making it easier for women to add more calcium to their diet every day with the newly reformulated Yoplait Original style yogurt.

Congrats to Karin for winning the prize!!!

Now with two times the amount of calcium of the leading yogurt, that’s 50 percent of the Daily Value in one convenient 6-ounce cup, Yoplait Original yogurt provides women with an easy and delicious way to get the calcium they need. Yoplait Original also contains 50 percent of the Daily Value of vitamin D, which helps with the absorption of calcium. Yoplait is committed to women’s health and is proud to offer a product that has even more of the calcium and vitamin D they need for strong, healthy bodies.

In an effort to further educate women about the importance of maintaining strong, healthy bones through an active lifestyle and a diet rich in calcium, Yoplait is partnering with TV host and celebrity mom Nancy O’Dell on a one million cup giveaway of Yoplait Original yogurt, beginning December 13th. Visit Yoplait on Facebook to sign up for your free cup and make a personal commitment to meeting your calcium needs each day. While you’re there, take a moment to enjoy daily calcium tips from Registered Dietitian Katherine Brooking and healthy lifestyle advice from Nancy O’Dell.

Yoplait Original Style yogurt is available in 4-cup packs and easy-to-store 8-cup fridge packs in 23 delicious flavors including Strawberry, French Vanilla, Harvest Peach, and Blackberry Pomegranate.

My daughter loves Yoplait yogurt. She downed this cup in about a minute because she loves this yogurt so much! That's a fairly amazing feat for an almost 2-year-old!

If you would like to win this prize pack, leave a comment with your email address. This giveaway ends at 11:59 on March 27th. The winner will be announced on March 28th.

(The above information, coupon, prize pack, and giveaway were all provided by Yoplait through MyBlogSpark.)

Notice of Hearing--New Proposed Regulations

2011-03-09T12:02:00.000-08:00

They have finally posted the date for the hearing on the new regulation changes:

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment,
Division of Health, Bureau of Child Care and Health Facilities,
will conduct a public hearing at 1 p.m. Tuesday,
May 17, in the Memorial Hall Auditorium, 120 S.W. 10th
Ave., second floor, Topeka, to consider the revocation of
family day care home regulations

Please try to attend the hearing if possible. If you cannot attend the hearing, you can email (dtenney@kdheks.gov) or write a letter with your thoughts on these regulations. They are not finalized yet--providers have a chance to be heard at the hearing. If you would like something changed though, make sure to say how you would like it changed. The panel must take every comment into consideration, so let your voices be heard!

Information on comments:
The time period between publication of this notice and
the scheduled hearing serves as the required public comment
period of at least 60 days for the purpose of receiving
written public comments on the proposed amended
regulations. At any time during the public comment period
any interested parties may submit written comments
to Dorothy Tenney, KDHE, Child Care Licensing and
Registration Program, 1000 S.W. Jackson, Suite 200, Topeka,
66612-1274, by fax at (785) 296-0803, or by e-mail todtenney@kdheks.gov. During the hearing, all interested
parties will be given a reasonable opportunity to present
their views orally on the proposed new regulations as
well as an opportunity to submit their written comments.
In order to give each individual an opportunity to present
their views, it may be necessary for the hearing officer to
request that each presenter limit any oral presentation to
an appropriate time frame.

For now, this is the summary that is listed on the Kansas Register. (I like the more detailed PDF):

Summary of Regulations:
K.A.R. 28-4-93. Online information dissemination
system. Provides definitions of terms used throughout
the regulation; requires applicant or licensee to notify the
department if requesting that facility address and telephone
number be withheld from publication.
K.A.R. 28-4-113. Definitions. Provides definitions of
terms used throughout the day care and group day care
home regulations.
K.A.R. 28-4-114. Applicant; licensee. Describes application
process for license and applicant and licensee
requirements; addresses operation of more than one facility
and prohibits licensure concurrently for more than
one type of child care or child and adult care on same
premises; lists license capacity, counting a child not functioning
at developmental level, capacity not to be exceeded,
provision for emergency care, and additional
children on premises; requires appointment of substitute
for primary care provider; requires posting of temporary
permit or license and availability of current regulations;
addresses closure.
K.A.R. 28-4-114a. Initial and ongoing professional development.
Requires orientation for applicant and anyone
caring for children; describes health and safety training;
requires first aid and CPR; lists initial and annual
professional development requirements; requires documentation.
K.A.R. 28-4-115. Facility. Describes water and sewerage
systems requirements and drinking water for infants;
addresses general environmental requirements, fire
safety approval, fire inspector approval for use of basement
or second floor, and prohibits use of third floor;
requires refrigerator and storage of refrigerated medications
in locked box; addresses storage of hazardous items
and storage of guns and other weapons; requires designated
outdoor play area.
K.A.R. 28-4-115a. Supervision. Requires and describes
contents of a supervision plan; describes requirements for
general supervision of children, indoor and outdoor supervision,
and evening and overnight care.
K.A.R. 28-4-116. Daily care of children. Requires communication
with parents; addresses requirements for
daily schedule of activities; assisting child with personal
care, hand washing; prohibits smoking; lists requirements
for nutrition and food service; requires recordkeeping.
K.A.R. 28-4-116a. Napping and sleeping. Requires rest
period for each child; describes elements of safe sleep
practices, lists requirements for sleeping surfaces and
consumer warnings or recalls; addresses transition from
crib or playpen to other surface.
K.A.R. 28-4-120. Family day care home certificate of
registration. Revoked effective July 1, 2011.
K.A.R. 28-4-121. Required immunizations for children
under 16 years of age. Revoked effective July 1, 2011.
K.A.R. 28-4-428a. Education and training requirements.
Requires orientation for applicant and staff; describes
health and safety training, requires first aid and
CPR; lists education and annual in-service training
requirements; requires documentation.
K.A.R. 28-4-440. Infant and toddler programs. States
program requirements, including use of ground floor
only, separate units from those for older children; prohibits
floor furnaces; for infants, requires separate sleeping
area and crib or playpen for each infant; lists requirements
for cribs and playpens and consumer warnings or
recalls; lists elements of safe sleep policies and practices;
requires attendance to children when awake; requires
adult-size rocking chair for each unit and chairs, tables,
etc., for children not held for feeding; requires provision
of towels and washcloths or disposable products; addresses
cleaning of items that children may place in their
mouths; lists staff requirements; addresses program
requirements; lists food service requirements; lists
requirements for toileting; requires daily communication
with parents and guardians.

Economic Impact:

Cost to the agency: There is no additional cost to the
agency. Any costs will be absorbed in the current budget.
Cost to licensees: There is no cost for licensees pertaining
to the online information dissemination system.
For the professional development and training requirements
(K.A.R. 28-4-114a and K.A.R. 28-4-428a) a number
of current licensees and care providers, as part of their
own professional development, already meet these
requirements. For those who do not meet the requirements,
there are low-cost training opportunities through
resource and referral agencies, county health departments,
and other community partners. The proposed new
regulations allow current licensees and staff up to one
calendar year to complete the requirements.
K.A.R. 28-4-116a and K.A.R. 28-4-440 prohibit the use
of drop-side cribs in child care facilities after December
28, 2012. This prohibition is due to a recent change in
federal standards for the manufacture and sale of cribs,
which include a requirement that child care facilities
phase out the use of drop-side cribs by that date. The
purpose of the delayed compliance date is to provide adequate
time for the manufacture of complying cribs and
for facilities to obtain complying cribs. In Kansas, licensed
day care homes, group day care homes, and child care
centers with infants enrolled may use either cribs or playpens
for napping or sleeping infants. It is unknown how
many facilities currently have cribs that must be replaced
by December 28, 2012. For those facilities replacing noncompliant
cribs, the estimated cost per crib is $200-$500.
Child care facilities will continue to have the option to
use the less expensive playpens.
Costs to other governmental agencies or units: There is
no known additional cost.

As always, this is the information I have. If you have questions/comments, let me know. I'll do my best to respond.

Lexie's Law: Repealed?!?!

2011-01-31T12:21:00.000-08:00

First of all, this is just a bill. It may or may not be passed, so please do not PANIC. I would just like everyone to be aware of what is happening in KS in regards to child care.

I received an email today from my county office about two new bills that have been introduced into the House. This is the exact wording in the email I received:

HB 2111 was introduced Thursday and has been assigned to Health and Human Services. The bill proposes to reinstate registered family day care homes and repeal the other provisions of Lexie’s Law.

Find the bill information here.

HB 2094 was introduced Wednesday and referred to Health and Human Services. The bill proposes an additional exemption to the requirement that children in child care facilities and schools have current immunizations. A parent or guardian would be permitted to decline immunizations for reasons o conscience or personal beliefs. Currently, a child may be exempted from immunizations based on a physicians statement concerning the health of the child or based on the religious beliefs of the parent/guardian.

You can go here and find the bill.

Again, these are bills that have just been introduced.

I found an article on the repeal of Lexie's Law:

http://www.khi.org/news/2011/jan/27/legislator-calls-repeal-lexies-law/

Let me know in the comments what you think about these 2 proposed bills.

KDHE Proposed Regulations

2011-01-08T21:15:00.000-08:00

Recently, KDHE went around to local county health departments to update childcare providers about the proposed changes to the regulations. Part of Lexie’s Law is that KDHE needed to come up with changes to the regulations about supervision. These are the proposed regulations. Please note that they are not official yet. Every childcare provider has the opportunity to comment or attend the hearing about these proposed regulations. Comments will be allowed sometime after February 14^th, 2011. I will update everyone as soon as comments are allowed. *I wrote this post based on the meeting I attended on December 15^th. The information was in a PowerPoint, so I’ve done my best to put the points into sentences and organize it the best I can. This information is how I understood it at the meeting. I wrote everything down the best I could while I was at the meeting. If you have questions and leave a comment, I will do my best to answer them.You can see proposed regulations now here.

Proposed New Regulations:

K.A.R. 28-4-114 Definitions: KDHE wants to tighten up the language on some of the definitions to make sure everyone fully understands the language in the regulation. (These new definitions are important to later changes I will write about.)

Care provider: An individual who is 16 or older, cares for, and supervises children in a facility.

They are going to remove the definition of a kindergarten age child. This means that we will now be able to have children 5 and up as school-age children.

They are also going to add a definition for professional development.

K.A.R. 28-4-114 (licensing tables)

*KDHE seeks to change the licensing tables to 18months-5 years and 5-11yrs would be considered school-age children.

*They are going to incorporate the exceptions (such as being able to overlap on kids over the lunch hour) into the regulation so that providers don’t have to post exceptions any longer.

K.A.R. 28-4-114a Initial and Ongoing Professional Development

*All new providers will have to complete orientation before getting a license.

*All care providers (who will have sole responsibility for care and supervision—this means all substitutes) will have to meet the health and safety training requirements.

^^^New applicants and care providers will have 30 days to meet the requirements.

^^^^^Current providers will have up to 1 year from the date the regulation goes into effect.

This means that my substitute and I will have 1 year to meet the health and safety requirements. Since I have most of these already, I would just have to make sure my substitute completed the requirements.

Health and Safety Requirements:

-Signs of Child Abuse & Neglect

-Basic Child Development

-Safe Sleep/SIDS

-Pediatric First Aid/CPR—these certifications will have to be kept current.

*The requirement for the initial 15 hours of training with the subsequent 5 hours/year for renewal will not change. However, they want to eliminate the option of reading books and watching videos.

K.A.R. 28-4-115 The facility (home)

*Expand section on safety gates to prevent unsupervised access to stairways (children under 2 ½ years)

*Guns & weapons now must be kept in locked storage. (Current regulation requires locked or trigger lock.)

*Outdoor play area needs to have ground cover that meets the regulations set by the manufacturer. Any toy over 4 feet tall needs to have ground cover.

K.A.R. 28-4-115a Supervision

*KDHE wants providers to come up with a plan for competent supervision. Providers should have and follow a written facility plan. This should include a description of the areas (indoors & outdoors).

---Include the following:

~~~How supervision is provided.

~~~Any arrangements for evening or overnight care.

~~~The plan should be discussed with parents and updated as needed.

Supervision Regulations:

---Know the location of each child and the activities he/she is engaged in

---Interact and attend to needs

---Respond immediately

---Respond to crying/distress

---Changes in activity/noise level

---Be able to respond in an emergency

Children under 2 (who are inside and awake):

Provider needs to be within sight/hearing of children.

When attending to other duties, ensure the safety of the children first, be able to respond immediately, and remain within hearing distance.

Children 2 and older:

Under certain conditions, children may be permitted to go unattended to another room (if the provider can trust the child to be alone).

```Doors between rooms should be open.

```Within hearing distance.

```Conduct visual checks.

```Children ages 2-5 should stay on the same floor as the provider.

Outdoor:

Provider must be outside with the children if they are less than 5 years. If children are 5 or older, they can be outside if they are independent.

Evening/Overnight:

Provider must be awake the entire time.

*If a provider is not providing a regular service, there are exceptions (but the children cannot be enrolled in your daycare for these exceptions).

~~~Can be no more than 7 evenings/nights in a calendar year.

~~~Cannot include more than 1 sibling group

If a provider offers this service, a plan should be developed with parents.

***This proposed regulation caused problems with the providers. The KDHE representative said that any daycare child would not be able to stay overnight at a provider’s house without the provider being awake the entire time. This causes issues because it is restrictive. Some older children may have friends who are daycare children, so this regulation means that friends (who are in the provider’s daycare) would not be able to stay overnight.

Example: Johnny is 7 years old and in my daycare. He is best friends with my 7-year-old, Cooper. According to this new regulation, I would not be able to sleep while Johnny was at my house because KDHE considers Johnny to be in the care of his childcare provider. I’m not getting paid to watch Johnny tonight; he’s over at my house to be with his friend. However, KDHE considers him to be in my care regardless of if I am getting paid or not.

K.A.R. 28-4-116 Daily Care

*KDHE wants to expand the regulation to focus more on indoor/outdoor activities to promote healthy growth and development.

They want to:

~Limit “screen time”

~Update nutrition and food service (they want to make sure we’re serving healthy meals, such as what is regulated with a food program)

^This would include a regulation that says water should always be available.

^This would also include a regulation promoting low fat milk.

K.A.R. (I'm unsure of the regulation # on this one) Education and Training

Providers will need to be trained in Safe Sleep practices and crib safety.

```I wrote this post based on the meeting I attended on December 15^th. The information was in a PowerPoint, so I’ve done my best to put the points into sentences and organize it the best I can.

Next Steps:

The proposed regulations are currently being reviewed by the Department of Administration and the Attorney General’s office.

KDHE will publish a notice of hearing sometime between 2-14-11 and 3-11-11. After the notice is published, providers may comment. I will let everyone know as soon as I do when comments can be sent to KDHE about these proposed regulations.

Providers will have around 61 days to make comments before a hearing is held. Providers may attend the hearing or send in comments before the hearing. KDHE does have to consider every comment/person at hearing, so please let your voices be heard. They want you to comment.

For commenting, they would like to know:

--What you like

--What you’d like changed

Be specific and provide an alternative if you would like something changed.

If you have questions about this information I have provided and leave a comment, I will do my best to answer them.

Pillsbury Flaky Cinnamon Rolls Giveaway!!! Ends 11:59pm 11/28

2010-11-21T20:06:00.000-08:00

Sunday mornings are important in my family because we spend time together before we leave for church. However, I rarely get to sleep in anymore, so I like to have quick breakfasts in the morning. I really enjoy making Pillsbury Flaky Cinnamon Rolls for my family. My daughter licks every drop of the buttercream frosting off before attacking the rest of the cinnamon roll! These are great treats that are quick to make and taste so good.

MyBlogSpark provided me with a coupon to try the product and some scrapbooking materials. I really enjoyed this because I love documenting moments in my daughter's life!

MyBlogSpark is offering one reader a gift pack!!! The winner will receive a Pillsbury Flaky Cinnamon Rolls prize pack that includes a scrapbooking kit, scrapbooking supplies like scrapbook scissors and glue as well as a coupon for the new Pillsbury® Flaky Cinnamon Rolls to help bring your family together to indulge in a delicious Sunday morning breakfast.

To enter the giveaway, you have 3 chances (leave an email address so I can contact you):

1). Leave a separate comment telling me how you spend your Sunday mornings. (Please leave an email address.)

2). Leave a separate comment if you follow on Facebook. (Please leave an email address.)

3). Leave a separate comment telling me how you document your favorite moments. (Please leave an email address.)

The giveaway ends at 11:59pm on November 28th. The winner will be posted November 29th.

Groupon: 50% of Build a Bear!!!

2010-11-05T05:24:00.000-07:00

Today's Groupon is an amazaing deal! $10 for $20 Worth of Make-Your-Own-Bears or $25 for $50 Toward Any Build-A-Party Celebration at Build-A-Bear Workshop.

The $20 option expires 12-31-10, so this would make for perfect Chrismas presents.
The party option expires 3-31-10.

This Groupon can be purchased all weekend!

Free Sample: Folgers Special Roast Coffee

2010-11-03T11:43:00.000-07:00

1. Get a free sample of Folgers special roast coffee here and other free samples through Freeflys.