States too lax on day-care centers, survey warns

[hanzomon4]

States too lax on day-care centers, survey warns - Associated Press

Hopefully someone will start looking at the troubled teen industry. But do note that state politicians have faced stiff resistance when trying to regulate the Day-care centers, a la troubled teen industry style.

[Anonymous]

A lot of the same laws will actually apply, as minors of different ages usually aren't specified in law.

[hanzomon4]

True but children are dissected into groups like "special needs" and such that change the expected standard of care. Also the designation of the facility often defines what standards it has to meet.

Most programs self identify as "emotional growth schools", "therapeutic boarding schools" "whatever schools" and usually get pushed into the more lax private school designation or worse they get a religious exemption. However it all depends on the wording of the legislation, if it doesn't specify or define the target of the legislation it would be open to judicial interpretation. I doubt that the "industry" would let something like that happen though, but who says that get to have it their way?

"Not I" says the intelligent people, hopefully.

[TheWho]

I think it would beneficial to the little folks (daycare kids) to have laws written especially for them and to protect them.  You don?t want to throw in a lot of garbage which may apply to RTC?s or TBS?s that may further restrict the daycare centers needlessly.  If TBS?s go out of business it is no big deal but without quality daycare our entire economy would suffer.  If regulation becomes too restrictive or too expensive for the providers too quickly then they will close down.  

I feel, the preschool age group especially, should be treated separately.

[Deborah]

True but children are dissected into groups like "special needs" and such that change the expected standard of care. Also the designation of the facility often defines what standards it has to meet.

The same agency that inspects/regulates daycare also inspects/regulates TBSs, RTCs, Wilderness. The regs for the latter are more detailed and strict because the kids are being housed 24/7 (residential) and receiving some form of 'treatment'. There are a few similarities, like background checks and food/safety requirements, but many differences. Can't be put in the same pot.
Might be interested in looking at the OIG's report on residential programs, which states that they are inadequately monitored and regulated.
http://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-02-98-00570.pdf

Most programs self identify as "emotional growth schools", "therapeutic boarding schools" "whatever schools" and usually get pushed into the more lax private school designation or worse they get a religious exemption.

They market themselves as EGS or TBSs, but claim to be private boarding schools whenever approached by the state licensing agency. HLA went so far as to claim that no therapy ocurred there. Not once, but in two separate investigations. Hummmm. ASR claims to be a private boarding school, while advertising as a TBS. Hummm.