October 2008
Child Care Licensing News
www.co.chisago.mn.us
Chisago County Human Services
Lanay Webb
Licensor
---------------------------------------------------------------
651-277-0360
Michelle Beuke
What’s Happening…..
Case Aide
651-213-5249
Now that fall is here and kids are back to school, for some that
means less children in your care during the day. For others it
means children are back in care that had been gone for the
summer. Please watch your capacity!!!
Renee Martini
Supervisor
651-213-5265
Whichever your situation, now might be a good time to review the
Family Child Care Licensing Laws. That would be Rule 2
(9502.0300 – 9502.0445) and MN Statute 245A and C. Everyone
should have received a copy of Rule 2 when they attended
orientation. For some, that copy may be lost or outdated. Please
contact licensing if you would like a new copy.
Fax 651-213-5401
Individual Highlights:
Reminders
2
Resources
3
More Reminders
4
Relicensings
5
CCPNCC
6
Consumer Reports 7
Also, we have the Rule Review Book CD available that is helpful in
reviewing licensing laws. These are available by calling licensing
and we will have it for you to pick up or we will mail it to you if you
prefer. The CD is yours to keep for future reference and if you
complete the test at the end of the CD you may get training credit
for it.
Remember, it is your license and your responsibility to know the
law that governs that license. If you have questions about any part
of the law, we in licensing are here to answer that question, clarify
the answer or get you more information if you require it.
Also, please pay special attention to these newsletters as they are
licensing’s best way to keep you informed and up to date on any
changes.
Page |2
FRIENDLY (Rule/Statute) REMINDERS
Supervision
Escape Routes
9502.0315 Subp. 29a
9502.0425
“Supervision” means a caregiver being within
sight or hearing of an infant, toddler, or
preschooler at all times so that the
caregiver is capable of intervening to
protect the health and safety of the child.
For the school age child, it means a caregiver
being available for assistance and care so
that the child’s health and safety is protected.
Subp. 4 Means of escape – From each room
of the residence used by children, there must
be two means of escape. One means of
escape must be a stairway or door leading to
the floor of exit discharge. The other must be
a door or window leading directly outside. The
window must be openable without special
knowledge. It must have a clear opening
dimension of 20 inches wide and 24 inches
high. The window must be within 48 inches
from the floor.
As a licensed family child care provider your
supervision of children is held to a higher
standard than that of a typical parent. How
you supervise your own children during nonchild care hours may be different than how
you supervise during daycare hours. Parents
of the children in your care may supervise
their own children differently than you are
required to as a licensed family child care
provider.
Best case scenario is that you follow the
definition layed out in the first paragraph,
write a supervision plan, and make parents
aware of what that plan is. Use common
sense (for instance, we all have to go to the
bathroom at some point, therefore not able to
intervene), but don’t take unnecessary risks.
Lastly, call Lanay or Michelle if you have
questions.
Subp. 12 Locks and latches – Door locks
and latches must meet the following
guidelines:
A. A closet door latch must be made so
that children can open the door from
inside the closet;
B. Every bathroom door lock must permit
opening of the locked door from the
outside and the opening device must be
readily accessible to all caregivers; and
C. Double cylinder (key required both
sides) door locks on exit doors are
prohibited.
Imagine, if you will, that there was a fire in
your home. Would the children in your care
be able to easily and quickly exit your home
and do they have two ways of doing that
depending on where the fire may be. Do you
practice this in your fire drills? What if you
were unable to assist the children in getting
out, could they do this on their own?
3|Page
Resources
Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R)
CCR&R is one way that a family may be referred to your childcare.
If you keep them updated as to the openings that you have, they
are better able to make appropriate referrals.
CCR&R is one way of getting training that meets Licensing
requirements. They send out a training catalog twice a year. You
can also access and register for trainings on their MNStreams
website. MNStreams is found at www.mnstreams.org. If you have
questions or comments related to CCR&R , please contact them at
1-800-890-5399.
Tom Copeland Books
We have purchased the books ‘Family Child Care Legal and Insurance Guide’
as well as ‘Contracts and Policies’. You are welcome to check them out
by contacting Michelle at 651-213-5249. Michelle will let you know when they are due
back in our office. These are great resources we hope you take advantage of.
Kicks N Flips Olympics 2008-2009
Kicks N Flips is offering a unique sports and fitness program that
focuses on fun fitness. Kids can choose from a variety of ways to
exercise while discovering what sports they like.
Kicks N Flips Olympics is operated by Kristin Johnson and is
located at 26673 Fallbrook Avenue, Suite 107, Wyoming, MN.
For more information you can contact Kristin Johnson at
651-462-6188 or check out her website at www.kicksnflips.net.
Page |4
Additional Reminders
•
Only pets listed in 9502.0435 Subp. 12 are allowed in your
residence. This means NO REPTILES ie., turtles, snakes,
lizard, iguanas etc.
•
Baby Monitors! Yes, you can use baby monitors and you
should be using them for sleeping children so that you can
hear when they wake up. Yes, it is okay to leave a sleeping
child indoors while you take the others outside to play as long
as your baby monitor is working and when the child wakes up
you need to bring the children inside with you to get the child
who woke. Also, minimize other noises in the sleeping area so
that you are sure to hear the baby monitor. If unsure about
the use of your baby monitor please contact your licensor for
clarification.
•
Propane tanks should NOT be stored in your garage – this is a
fire code and you will receive a correction order if we find it
in your garage.
•
Training is required for helpers and adult caregivers that are
working with/for you for more than 30 days in a 12 month
period of time. Helpers are required to have 6 hours and
adult caregivers are required to have 8.
•
You are responsible for maintaining your SIDS, Shaken Baby,
Car Restraint and CPR training. If your trainings expire and
we do not have current copies of training certificates and/or
you cannot prove that you have taken these trainings, you
may be issued a correction order and we can request that the
Department of Human Services issue you a fine of a minimum
of $200. Please be aware of when your trainings expire and
do not wait until the last minute to renew them.
5|Page
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT *** IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT
On Tuesday, September 30, 2008 Chisago County Licensing was audited
by the Department of Human Services Licensing Division. Overall the audit
went smoothly and a big thank you goes out to all of you that cooperated
with us by getting us copies of documents that we requested. Michelle
worked very hard to make sure that our files were up to date. We are happy
to announce that we had no corrections to make! ☺
One of the items of discussion during the audit was how we do our
relicensing visits. It was recommended to us by DHS that we consider
doing unannounced relicensing visits. In checking with many other counties
it was discovered that most of them are doing unannounced relicensing
visits. I know that change is sometimes scary, especially when we have
gotten used to something being a certain way. However, it has been
decided that we will start doing unannounced relicensing visits beginning on
January 1, 2009. At this time we intend to do this for a year and then
discuss how it is working. It is very likely that unannounced relicensing
visits will continue after 2009.
So what does this mean? You will continue to get your relicensing packets
in the same manner and will be expected to return your documentation by
the date requested. You need to be prepared for your licensor to complete
the relicensing inspection sometime within the month prior to your
license expiring. Relicensing visits have typically been in that month prior
to your license expiration but as of January 1, 2009 they will no longer be
scheduled.
We would appreciate if you let us know if you have any vacations planned in
that month so that we don’t show up when you are not home. Please call us
if you have any questions about this. Another reminder will be sent in
December 2008.
Page |6
CCPNCC
Information Submitted by CCPNCC
The Child Care Provider Network of Chisago County (CCPNCC) is your local daycare
association, made up of a group of providers dedicated to build and uphold a strong
support system to empower each other. CCPNCC offers monthly workshop/training
opportunities to meet licensing requirements and also to promote quality child care
through education and networking opportunities.
We recently started a Yahoo online chat group where members can share and exchange
ideas on activities, learning opportunities, teaching moments, money & time saving tips,
and otherwise just connect with other child care providers on a regular basis. Other
benefits of membership include free and discounted training rates and free child care
referrals!
Membership is $25 annually ($50 for centers) and is 100% tax deductible. Contact Kim
Woehl, membership chair, at 651-982-1400 for more information or to receive a
membership flyer.
7|Page
CONSUMER REPORTS September 19, 2008
New science on BPA meets outdated analysis at FDA
Earlier this week, as scientists released results of new research linking diabetes and heart disease in
humans to urine levels of a chemical found in plastic, the Food and Drug Administration continued to say
that the chemical, bisphenol A (BPA), is safe. Such conflicting information gives little guidance to
consumers.
On Tuesday, the FDA held a public meeting at which experts criticized the federal agency's assessment
as outdated and inappropriate. At the same time, the results of the first major epidemiologic study to
examine the health effects of BPA—a chemical widely used in food and beverage can linings, as well as
in hard clear plastic bottles and food-storage containers—were being released, suggesting harmful
health effects from even common, low-dose exposures.
The new study, published in the Sept. 17, 2008 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association,
was based on analysis conducted at the universities of Essex and Plymouth in the U.K. and at the
University of Iowa. Scientists analyzed U.S. government data (collected from 2002-2004) on urine
samples of 1,455 Americans 18 to 74. They found that higher urinary concentrations of BPA were
associated with increased prevalence of not only diabetes and heart disease, but of related liver enzyme
abnormalities as well. The JAMA researchers note that their results do not prove causation, and
independent follow-up studies are needed, but they come in the wake of evidence from animal studies
suggesting adverse health effects from even low-dose exposures.
Since Consumer Reports first warned about BPA in baby bottles in 1999, evidence of BPA’s toxic
potential has continued to build. In Consumers Union’s statement for the FDA meeting, Urvashi Rangan,
Ph.D., Senior Scientist and Policy Analyst, repeated calls for a more scientifically sound assessment and
urged the FDA to eliminate BPA in food and beverage containers.
“The safety of BPA, at current exposure levels in the U.S. population, has not been demonstrated and
the government is giving consumers contradictory messages about the level of concern,” said Dr.
Rangan. “BPA is metabolized quickly and yet constant, elevated levels are circulating in most Americans.
This indicates that consumers are constantly exposed to BPA.”
“A margin of safety exists that is adequate to protect consumers, including infants and children, at the
current levels of exposure,” Laura Tarantino, a senior Food and Drug Administration scientist, told the
expert panel on Tuesday, in remarks reported by the Associated Press.
But in tests conducted for Consumer Reports magazine, BPA has been found leaching from baby bottles
and certain types of large containers of bottled water. Studies by other groups have reported elevated
levels in canned foods and infant formula.
Page |8
And the authors of the just-released JAMA study point out that exposure to BPA among the general U.S.
population is likely to exceed limits set by the Environmental Protection Agency for the "reference dose,"
or the daily exposure that is not likely to cause harmful effects.
What You Can Do
While studies are under way, if you’re concerned about BPA, here’s what you can do:
•
Identify which containers might have the chemical. Polycarbonate is usually clear rather than
cloudy, although it may be colored. If the container carries a recycling code, it will be marked with
the number 7 or the letters “PC,” or both. No. 7 bottles made with BPA-free polyethersulfone
(PES) won’t have the PC marking. Other BPA-free plastic alternatives include polyethylene, which
may be marked with recycling codes 1 (PET) or 2 (HDPE), and polypropylene, 5 (PP).
•
For baby bottles, glass or BPA-free plastics such as polyethylene are the safest choices, as
Consumer Reports has advised in the past.
•
For those who reuse water bottles frequently and want to avoid BPA, consider polyethylene,
stainless steel, or aluminum with BPA-free liners.
•
More information on this topic can be found at Greener Choices.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------September 17, 2008
Third major recall of Simplicity includes 600,000 cribs
In the third major recall of children's sleeping equipment made by Simplicity in a year, the Consumer
Product Safety Commission today announced a recall of 600,000 cribs because they pose an
entrapment and suffocation hazard. A year ago, as we wrote here, Simplicity recalled one million cribs,
including some branded Graco, after the deaths of two infants. And just last month, 900,000 bassinets
branded Simplicity, Graco and Disney, were recalled after the deaths of two infants.
Because Simplicity has gone out of business, the CPSC is working with a number of retailers to get the
cribs recalled. So far the retailers include AAFES, Babies 'R' Us, Burlington Coat Factory/ Baby Depot,
K's Merchandise, Meijer, Nebraska Furniture Mart, ShopKo, Target and Wal-Mart. Scott Wolfson, a
CPSC spokesman, said he expects the list of retailers to grow.
Problems with the hardware on the cribs recalled today can cause the drop-side to come off the tracks.
When the drop-side detaches or partially detaches, it can create a hazardous gap that can lead to infant
entrapment or suffocation. The CPSC is aware of nine incidents in which the drop-side detached but
there are no known injuries. Although both today's recall and the one made last September involved the
drop-side, the issue with the cribs in the 2007 recall was flaws with both the hardware and the crib design
that made it possible for consumers to unintentionally install the drop-side upside down. "This is a
different set of cribs with different hardware," said Wolfson.
These recalls have been vexing to say the least. In the first Simplicity crib recall, made before the
company went out of business, Simplicity supplied parents with a repair kit that immobilized the dropside, although getting the kit took several weeks. This time owners of the recalled cribs are being asked
to return them to the place of purchase for a refund or store credit.
9|Page
Today's crib recall involves model numbers: 8620, 8745, 8748, 8755, 8756, 8778, 8810, and 8994. The
cribs have a date code, which can be found on a label on the headboard under the mattress support, that
ends in 05DH, 05GB, 06DH, 06GB, 07DH or 07GB (examples: 1806 DH or 0507 GB). The recalled
model names include: Aspen and Crib N Changer Combo, Gabrielle, Camille, Providence and
Shenandoah. Only the brand name "Simplicity" can be seen on the label on the headboard. The cribs
were sold at department stores, children’s stores and mass merchandisers nationwide from January
2005 through August 2008 for between $150 and $300.
In another odd twist, SFCA,the company that bought Simplicity's assets is "cooperating" with this recall,
according to Wolfson. As we wrote earlier, SFCA refused to cooperate in the bassinet recall leaving it to
the CPSC to elicit cooperation from the stores that sold them.
Consumers with questions about the current recall can contact one of the following retailers:
•
AAFES: (800) 866-3605; www.AAFES.com
•
Babies 'R' Us: (800) 869-778; www.babiesrus.com
•
Burlington Coat Factory/Baby Depot: www.babydepot.com
•
Meijer Distribution Inc: (866) 280-8419; www.meijer.com
•
Nebraska Furniture Mart: (800) 359-1200; www.nfm.com
•
Shopko: (800) 791-7333; www.shopko.com
•
Target: (800) 440-0680; www.target.com
•
Wal-Mart: (800) 925-6278; www.walmart.com
P a g e | 10
October 01, 2008
Wal-mart recalls 210,000 GE toasters due to fire hazard
After receiving 140 reports of fires and sparks coming from two models of General Electric toasters, WalMart has recalled 210,000 of the two-slice and four-slice units. The toasters have also tripped the circuit
breaker in a number of consumers’ homes, according to the recall notice issued by the Consumer
Product Safety Commission.
The recalled toasters have a chrome steel body and a black plastic base and controls. The GE logo is
located on the front of the toasters just above the controls. Model numbers 169115 and 169116 are
included in this recall. The model number is printed on the bottom of the toaster.
The toasters were sold at Wal-Mart stores nationwide from September 2007 through July 2008 for
between $17 and $28.
Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled toasters and return them to any Wal-Mart for a
full refund or replacement toaster. For additional information, contact Wal-Mart at (800) 925-6278
between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at
www.walmartstores.com.
With 140 fires on record, we're wondering why it took so long to recall these toasters.
At Consumer Reports, we have some ongoing concerns about the safety of toasters and toaster ovens—
and we've written about recalls before. We've received reports from our readers that some toasters or
toaster ovens turn on spontaneously or don't shut off at the end of their toasting cycle. This can lead to
house fires. If you've had experience with faulty toasters or toaster ovens let us know by posting a
comment below or by clicking on "Report a product safety problem" at the top right side of this page.
You should also report all safety incidents to the CPSC at www.CPSC.gov.
11 | P a g e
Child Care Licensing
Fall to Winter
Chisago County Human
Services
nd
6133 402 Street
North Branch, MN 55056
PHONE:
651-277-0360 - Lanay
651-213-5249 - Michelle
FAX:
651-213-5401
E-MAIL:
[email protected]
[email protected]
We’re on the Web!
See us at:
www.co.chisago.mn.us
If you didn’t see it I’m sure you heard about it…SNOW!
Yes, it did snow on Sunday, October 26th. The kids love it
and most adults dread it. The boots, hats, mittens,
snowpants, winter jackets, warmer clothes are the
necessities of having fun in Minnesota in the winter. It can
take a great deal of effort to get the kids all dressed and
outside in the winter but the benefits are huge. Even just a
little fresh air can make a difference in a child’s behavior or
attitude.
Please try to get the children outside every day that the
weather allows. Always take into consideration the wind
chill factor as well as the air temperature and use good
common sense.
Check out thrift stores for extra winter gear for your daycare
children or ask parents to bring extra’s that can stay at
daycare. This will help increase the possibilities that all the
children can get outside.