Toddlers 'lost' by staff: How common is this? Happened at Guiding Star Child Development, now FCC?
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Anonymous
A dear friend of mine got a frantic visit from her neighbor one day, because my friend's 18 mo. DS was about to tumble out of a two story window. The neighbor glanced up from her window and saw what was happening. My friend raced upstairs and barely grabbed her DS's foot. She is a SAHM. Another friend had her DD (2 yrs.) escape her house and walk two blocks before a good samaritan saw her and called the police. My friend was on the phone, and she thought her DD was napping. So, it happens to even the best SAHMs. I don't know why you would expect strangers to not have this problem when looking after other's kids. It is always a possibility. So, choose wisely. |
Anonymous
| What I meant is that one parent can hold two children's hands and can fairly easily keep track of two children. I'm not sure what you're getting at. My children were always in fully closed areas in a full day smallish preschools and inhome daycares an no one went missing even for a minute. They had many policies they followed and never took the kids very far. I completely believe that accidents can happen even to SAH moms or even especially to them since they are doing other things while taking care of kids, but some daycare places make you more fearful of this than others. Now we are dealing with the joys of summer camp and the larger counselor to camper ratio. My child is old enough not to get hurt by themselves, but I still stay away from the summer camps with field trips every day. To me it just means that they don't have much at their own facility. |
Anonymous
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The Guiding Star incident referenced by "Anonymous" was an incident that happenned YEARS ago. The teacher involved was terminated on the spot, the Director of the Center self-reported the incident to State and County agencies, she immediately notified the parents of the child, and she also notified all other parents with children at the Center. There have been NO repeat incidents. I have two children at the Guiding Star. It is a FANTASTIC place. The reference made by "Anonymous" to continuing issues with "non-compliance," contains an implied suggestion that incidents like the one that occurred many years ago, continue to occur. This implication is false and irresponsible.
Unfortunately, situations like those that occurred at Lynnbrook and FCC happen from time to time. It is not okay, but it is reality. Thankfully, none of the kids involved in these incidents were harmed. When you turn your kids over to a school, day care center, nanny, or babysitter, there is always risk. It is very easy to throw stones at day care centers. If the center is a legal center that is licensed by the State/County, there is a lot of information out there - - the same cannot be said for nannies or illegal home day care centers. If your child walked off from your house while in the care of a nanny, you may never know. Incidents involving children walking away from day care centers is horrifying. Parents, however, should take comfort in the fact that licensed day care facilities like the Guiding Star are subject to legal reporting requirements and regular inspection. These facilities must also meet certain criteria in order to operate. The goal is to create a safe environment for kids. Forums like D.C. Urban Moms and Dads can be very useful when the information being shared is accurate. I would encourage anyone who is thinking about sending their child to the Guiding Star to contact the Center Director and make a request for parent references. GS Mom |
Anonymous
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Dear GS Mom,
You should really do your research. Either that or you are an employee of GS. The director did not self report. The mother of the child called licensing and the parents of the child were not contacted until HOURS after the incident happened. The teacher who was fired blamed a different teacher who is still at the school. Have you even bothered to look at the recent compliance reports? You would be shocked. You should know that not all of them are online. You need to contact Child Licensing to get all of them. You do realize that someone on the parents board recently pulled her children out of the school after finding out about all the recent issues right? |
Anonymous
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i wouldn't call something that happened in 2008 many years ago, "gs mom."
what kind of parent would actually say something like this: " I would encourage anyone who is thinking about sending their child to the Guiding Star to contact the Center Director and make a request for parent references." this is an advertisement. |
Anonymous
| I know this is an old post, but I cannot imagine a preschool losing a child at any point? What are the teachers and admin doing to allow this to happen? If my DD was ever at a preschool that this happened we would move her immediately. I do not understand how parents can take this type of action so lightly. A child being found on Old Georgetown Rd because he left the preschool without anyone knowing? No security. Big problem. Can anyone mention some of the places that have had such infractions for other parents? |
Anonymous
| People regularly lose track of their own kids in public places. Of course this is going to happen in daycares from time to time. My daycare has an on-site playground and strict policies on matching every name with a face on the way back in, but nothing is foolproof and all humans make mistakes from time to time. |
Anonymous
You dug up a six year old post to rant on? How bored are you? |
Anonymous
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Anonymous
| This happened on several occasions at Franklin Montessori on Conn Ave in NW DC. Do a search on this forum. They have no on-site outdoor play space, so the kids are escorted to the neighborhood playgrounds. |
Anonymous
This comment has nothing to do with the posts above. If you read the previous posts the children at these places like FCC and Guiding Star in Bethesda let children leave the center and the children were found on the road up the street. This isn’t simply parents losing sight of a child. These are children that physically leave the center themselves. Where is the director positioned in the front? Why are the doors not secure for children not to leave? Why are the teachers able to let a child leave a classroom, leave the door of the facility and get to the road? C’mon you cannot be that naive or relaxed to see the danger in that. |
Anonymous
| I’m terrified of my son wondering off at Daycare so I intentionally chose a place that has repeated, concentric layers of security. So where he is right now, he would have to go through 5 doors to get outside, and pass two administrative offices. The playground is attached, with multiple fences, in the back. I think choosing a daycare involves give and take. Many fine places don’t have as good of security. If you’re like me and it’s something that keeps you up at night, then do a good check of the center with thought to how their physical layout factors into the possibilities for kids to escape. Also, if you want your kid going on field trips, acknowledge that comes with risks. |