October 4, 2004
Parents who have children in day care, or are considering it, are on edge after two infants died a little more than a month apart at centers in New York City and on Long Island.
While the centers were licensed, regulated and monitored by government agencies at the time of the deaths - both still under investigation - experts advise parents to protect their children by doing the homework and legwork to find the best care.
"Parents must be informed consumers and informed users of child care," says Jan Barbieri, executive director of the Child Care Council of Nassau Inc., a nonprofit resource and referral agency based in Franklin Square . "They and only they can be the advocates."
Parents can start by placing a call to resource and referral agencies in the city, Nassau and Suffolk , whose staff can assist them with finding a licensed, registered day-care center in their community.
Audrey Rudolph, assistant coordinator of resource and referral at the Child Care Council of Suffolk Inc. in Commack, suggests following that call with another to the agency that regulates and monitors the center - for New York City residents, that's the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's Bureau of Day Care, and for Long Island residents, the New York State Office of Children and Family Services - to learn more about it, including whether it has complaints or violations on file.
Spend time on-site
When parents are shopping for a day-care center, experts suggest they spend time there, ask to see a copy of the center's license (and check to see whether it's current), speak to the director and consult other parents who have children there.
Nothing is more telling than an on-site visit, experts say.
"Parents should inspect the provider's facility before enrolling their child and after their child is enrolled for signs that raise concern," cautions Kent Kisselbrack, spokesman for the state Office of Children and Family Services. "For example, are there enough staff? Is there peeling paint? Are electric outlets covered? Cabinets locked? Is there a fire-safety plan? A plan to notify a parent if a child gets ill?"
Carolyn Henriques, parent service coordinator for Child Care Inc., a resource and referral agency in Manhattan , advises parents to ask whether the staff is trained in early childhood education, in health and safety, including CPR and first aid, and how they handle everything from medical emergencies to putting infants and toddlers down for a nap.
At a day-care center in Lynbrook last week, a sleeping 3-month-old girl who had been left in a crib on her stomach was found blue and unconscious and later died. Placing children face down used to be the practice years ago. Dannah Perez's death is still under investigation, but in general, caregivers are advised to place babies on their backs as a precaution against sudden infant death syndrome.
Asking and listening
Parents not only should ask questions such as how infants are put down for naps, but also should listen closely to the questions the providers are asking them, says Rebekah Fassler, associate professor of education and coordinator of the early-childhood master's program at St. John's University in Jamaica.
For instance, does the child have any allergies? Dislike certain foods? Use a particular brand of formula?
Another thing to look for, Fassler says, is whether the center employs enough staff so that no child is ever without adult oversight or supervision.
Such a situation can be deadly. In August, Matthew Perilli died at a Forest Hills day-care center after toddlers left alone with the 7-month-old put toys in his crib, suffocating him.
If you see children at a center and the children are unattended, that's not a good sign, says Julia Whitehead, who wrote "The City Parent Handbook: The Complete Guide to the Ups and Downs and Ins and Outs of Raising Young Kids in the City," with Kathy Bishop. Whitehead says the center should, at the very least, meet the state staff-to-child requirements. Those requirements vary, based on the type of day care being provided, the size of the facility and the age of the children.
The authors advise making unannounced visits at different times of day. "Go at the end of the day," Bishop says. "It's when everybody's at their worst. You can see those cranky kids, and you can see how the staff is handling it."
Another indicator of quality are the grounds. Note whether the center has its own play area. If it doesn't, that means the staff might take children to a nearby park. If that's the case, it raises other questions that need to be asked: How do they handle transporting children? Are they taking appropriate safety precautions on the bus? On the subway? While walking?
"If you're dealing with kids at younger ages, you need one hand on every child," Whitehead says. "One caregiver with four kids huddled around her trying to get them across the street, that's just not ideal. If you're looking at a center where they take children outside to play, the staff-to-kid ratio should be very small."
Keeping watch
Even after parents have found good day care, they must remain vigilant about continuing to visit, watch and ask questions to ensure things are running properly, Whitehead and Bishop say.
"You're clearly looking for comportment - age-appropriate developmental care," Bishop says. "Games and puzzles and reading, and hopefully it's not a bunch of kids looking at TV. The TV should never be on. Then it's just really bad baby-sitting."
In the end, the better informed parents are when their children are young, the more that will serve them well over the long haul, says Joan Kuchner, a psychology professor and the director of child and family studies at Stony Brook University .
"This is the very beginning of a long journey in which they need to be an advocate for their child," she says. "It is helping adults become parents."
Detective work
What does Gil Alba ask when his private investigations firm is hired to probe a day-care center? A sampling of the former NYPD detective's questions:
Is there a policy where staff members inspect areas for potential safety hazards, such as recalled products, poorly maintained playground equipment and soft bedding inside cribs?
Are workers trained in first aid and CPR?
Are there background checks on employees, including drivers and maintenance personnel, and do they include fingerprinting, Social Security number verification, criminal history, educational verification for administrators, teachers, aides and support staff, and motor vehicle records?
Is the center licensed and accredited?
Is there a written policy and training of staff members to ensure that a child is not left alone at any time?
Getting help
Parents who have concerns about a particular day-care provider or want to find out whether there have been serious violations should call the New York State Office of Children and Family Services at 800-732-5207. In New York City , call the city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's Bureau of Day Care at 212-676-2444. If there are concerns about a child being in imminent danger, call the police or the state Central Register for Child Abuse and Maltreatment at 800-342-3720.
For resources and referrals, call Child Care Inc. in the city at 212-929-4999, the Child Care
Council of Nassau Inc. at 516-358-9288 or the Child Care Council of Suffolk Inc. at 631-462-0303.
- Pat Burson
A checklist for parents
Copyright © 2004, Newsday, Inc.
See also ...
Detective work: CHILD CARE CENTERS: What you Need to Know
What does Gil Alba ask when his private investigations firm is hired to probe a day-care center? A sampling of the former NYPD detective's questions:
Child Care Questionnaire by Gil Alba