Toddlers 'lost' by staff: How common is this? Happened at Guiding Star Child Development, now FCC?

[Anonymous]

The incident of the child being left behind at Livingston Park reminded me of something that happened at Guiding Star Child Development in Bethesda a few years ago.

One of the teachers at the center forgot to close the playground gate and a 2 year old made it out to a high traffic street before anyone noticed!! It was only when a driver who was passing by saw the child, stopped to pick him up and brought him back to the center, that the teachers noticed he was gone. Who knows what would have happened if not for this good samaritan? The child could have been hit by a car or kidnapped or lost. Mother immediately filed a complaint with the state and withdrew her children but I know this center still has non-compliance issues and it is still run by the same management. At what point does child care licensing actually do something?

Is it normal for centers to lose track of children like this in public places?

[Anonymous]

Also the JCC (a public playground, for an extended period of time, just like FCC). The long thread about sparkles mentions that a kd was left outside. If I were looking for a daycare now, I think I'd have to assume that it happens everywhere. Scary.

[Anonymous]

I'll check licensing records for well known child care centers in Bethesda. I'll let you know what I find.

[Anonymous]

I haven't checked records recently, but I hear about this happening several times a year (and that's only when I'm paying attention). No one is immune from this.

[Anonymous]

Happens pretty often. I saw it numerous times on the DSS violations reports in Northern VA. It isn't limited to leaving the site. I have seen kids being left alone in classrooms and on the playground as well as the bus and park. The odd thing is that it is most often reported by a passing parent or the parent arriving to pick up the child. Both times I read of the child being left on a bus, it was the parent arriving or passing by that caused them to find the child.


Does anyone remember the one child maybe toddler who walked home from the Kingstowne Daycare in VA?

[Anonymous]

This is one reaason why I'm against large daycares and field trips without a parent for every two children.

[Anonymous]

I think they are kind of fluke accidents and can happen anywhere. You can't really predict where and when people will have an off day or forget protocol - humans fail.

Just like most parents have accidentally left their kid somewhere at some point, I am sure that this happens a couple times a year in most cities.

[Anonymous]

I think mostly it happened in the bigger centers where more then 12 kids. I my daycare kids hide sometimes, but i will know in one min if someone i couldn't count for. It really up to responsibility level of the caregivers. And in most of the centers people who works there are not most reliable mentally and physically.

[Anonymous]

That's what happens when you put your child in a group care setting. It shouldn't be shocking, you aren't paying for individual attention. Deal with it, get a GPS with camera for your child, or find more suitable arrangements.

[Anonymous]

I teach Pre-K and this is my nightmare. Our program goes on a lot of field trips and those days stress me out and raise my blood pressure. If you see me acting like a bellowing harpie with my kids at Cox Farm or in Rock Creek Park, please forgive me. It's my ass if one of my 16 wanders off or gets hurt. I much prefer to keep them on site.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That's what happens when you put your child in a group care setting. It shouldn't be shocking, you aren't paying for individual attention. Deal with it, get a GPS with camera for your child, or find more suitable arrangements.

Must be nice to be the 1%...

[Anonymous]

This is why an on-site playground is really key. Anyone left behind is immediately obvious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is why an on-site playground is really key. Anyone left behind is immediately obvious.

The key is to get good and reliable people working there. Stupid people can make stupid mistakes everywhere. Like give wrong breastmilk or not feed your baby at all. You cannot get guaranties from stupid people. Sorry for any offense, but it's try.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think they are kind of fluke accidents and can happen anywhere. You can't really predict where and when people will have an off day or forget protocol - humans fail.

Just like most parents have accidentally left their kid somewhere at some point, I am sure that this happens a couple times a year in most cities.

Whoa, I highly doubt that "most parents" have accidentally left their kid somewhere. I've never done that and I can fairly guarantee that I never will.

[Anonymous]

Come on! How many of you leave your kids in the car, sleeping!