What would you do in this daycare situation (lack of inspection)

[Velma]

I am looking for ideas of what to do in this situation, if anything. My kids go to a daycare center that had to temporarily close due to an emergency plumbing problem, this was last week Monday. They fixed the problem right away and then had to get it re-inspected to open again. The inspector is giving them the run-around, was supposed to show up 2 times and was no-call-no-show both times. The director has been calling every day trying to get the inspection done so they can re-open, but is being told "you are not our priority." Meanwhile the 30 families that use this daycare are screwed. Am I crazy for thinking an inspection can/should be done in less than 2 weeks? Does this kind of thing happen often where any time a daycare needs some work done it just closes for weeks at a time?

What would you do? Just wait it out? Complain to someone (who?)

Aargh..this has been so frustrating. I have to get care lined up day by day not knowing how long this is going to last.

[overlyverbose]

Wow, I would be pissed if I were you. I was lucky - when they had a fire at my son's daycare (it was at night; no one was hurt), the place had a sister daycare on my way to work that I could've used had I been unable to find childcare. Parents who used the sister daycare didn't have to pay extra because most had already paid for the whole week anyway.

If I were you, I'd probably complain to the daycare and, if you have paid for it already, request a reimbursement for the time they didn't watch your kid(s). If you're not totally satisfied with that daycare for other reasons, you might consider looking around, too.

Other than that, I'm not sure what you can do - suggest that daycare get parents together to lodge a joint complaint against the inspector? Perhaps ask if there's anyway their teachers are available to babysit while the daycare is closed?

I feel for you - having to scramble around for childcare, especially when you're used to having it already taken care of, stinks.

[Nava]

Who does the inspector work for? He must be from some government agency; is it the town, the state? Maybe some contact with that agency involving some heavy use of :halo:s would be helpful. You're not angry, no, no, you're just worried.

[ZipperJJ]

Yeah, who does the inspector work for?

I live in a relatively small city (pop. 10k) and needed the city to come out and re-dig my ditch. The ditch belongs to the city. I was on a "list" to have this done for about 2 months, and kept being told "soon", while stagnant water sat around collecting mosquitoes.

One day I sent an email to all of the service dept. people listed on the city's Web site AND the mayor. It wasn't angry or mean, I just pointed out that I'd been waiting a really long time and I was worried about the bugs.

They came out the next day.

If this is a city inspector, I suggest you send a polite email to the head of the building department, the secretary of the building department and the mayor. It won't hurt one bit, and you might get what you need.

[Velma]

I don't know who the inspector works for. I think all daycare licensing / oversight is done by state government agency. That's kind of what I am wondering, how do I find out who oversees the inspectors? Should I write a letter to my state representative complaining about the inspection process or something?

I can't really be mad at the daycare - they have done their best trying to get it done as fast as possible. They fixed the problem right away, it is the inspector that is holding them at his mercy. The director has been nice enough to watch my son herself a few days, but really this can't continue as her home is not licensed as a daycare and I have to pay her directly like a babysitter (and so can't use my childcare flex account to get reimbursed.)

[ZipperJJ]

Ask the daycare who the inspector works for. No need to go guessing.

[howye]

If it was plumbing problem, then it is probably who ever does your local building inspections. Even so, ask the day care. Then call the agency in charge. Politely explain the situation and then tell them you have the number to city desk at your local paper and tv stations and that it will be your next call. Then call your elected representatives at the level the inspecting agency is at (county building inspector = county commissioner). Then encourage other parents to do so. A news story on why so and so does not think the safety of children is a priority will usually do the trick.

[Velma]

I think I found something on the DHS website - that is where there are links for daycares to request licensing and inspections. I will talk to the director again today when I pick up my son and see if anything further has happened today, if not, I will start calling the numbers on the website on Monday.

Interestingly the DHS also has the original licensing reports and any complaints made against licensed daycares available - I didn't know where to find those before (the daycare I used briefly before this one had a complaint filed against it while my kids were there....I even found my own statements on the report where a caseworker had called me about it, I am listed as 'Parent B'. That is the reason we left that daycare and it was interesting to read the report findings.)

As far as talking to the media, I have registered my displeasure on Facebook - I am sure they are already worried about that