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DancingQueen 04:26 AM 11-22-2010
Does hiring an assistant mean you can take in more children?

What would you guys think of me hiring a 16 year old to be my assistant just for the summer? How would that work? It would be my son who has been a cam counselor and is great with the kids.
He is trying to be a counselor again this year - but might not be able to because they are having budget cuts in our rec department.

Normally I'm allowed 6 full time and 3 part time
but in the summer it is ONLY 6 full time so those three part timers are screwed. I'm just wondering if having a summer assistant would allow me more kids for the summer months.? And ajob for my son
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marniewon 04:29 AM 11-22-2010
It depends on your state regs. In MI, as a family home we can only have 6 period. If i went to a group home, I could have 12 but then I would have to have an assistant any time there were more than 6 kids here.
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BentleysBands 05:20 AM 11-22-2010
I"m not licensed however, it doesnt matter if i have an assistant or not, i cant take in more kids. i can only have 5 regardless ...it goes by space here. BUT i do pay my dd, 15, to help during the summer or when schools out. gives her a bit of cash and me help but to answer your question, you would have to check your state/city IF your licensed.
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QualiTcare 06:30 AM 11-22-2010
hmm. i'd call and check on that. i thought you had to be 18 and have a GED at least to do child care.
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Crystal 06:34 AM 11-22-2010
In California, your own 14 year old child can be an assistant. Actually ANY 14 year old can be an assistant. They cannot be left alone with the children, meaning an adult must be in the home at all times. Only in centers do they have to be 18.

That being said, my children work for me in the summer and when they are out of school. My 17 year old daughter worked for me all last summer. She worked with me and as a substitute for me. I pay her $10 per hour. $15 if I have BIG work for her to do.
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BentleysBands 06:37 AM 11-22-2010
Originally Posted by QualiTcare:
hmm. i'd call and check on that. i thought you had to be 18 and have a GED at least to do child care.
should be like that to HAVE a baby

oh wait, that would have not included me

then again, if the parents are ok with your having your child help you, go for it. mine all are fine with it.
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Blackcat31 06:52 AM 11-22-2010
In MN anyone over 13 yrs old can be an helper/assistant but having that assistant allows me to have 4 school age children over the 10 preschoolers. (I can NOT have anymore than the 10 under schoolage and 2 SA by myself.) Adding the helper/assistant only adds 2 SA to the limit so in the summer it is worth it, but not during the school year. The assistant can also NOT be left alone with any one. If I hire a 2nd adult, then I have to change my licensing to group family childcare with 2 adults present. Still doesn't give me the abiltiy to have more than 14, just changes the ages of the ones under SA (i.e. more toddlers or infants) so in my state I don't think it is worth it.
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marniewon 07:20 AM 11-22-2010
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
In MN anyone over 13 yrs old can be an helper/assistant but having that assistant allows me to have 4 school age children over the 10 preschoolers. (I can NOT have anymore than the 10 under schoolage and 2 SA by myself.) Adding the helper/assistant only adds 2 SA to the limit so in the summer it is worth it, but not during the school year. The assistant can also NOT be left alone with any one. If I hire a 2nd adult, then I have to change my licensing to group family childcare with 2 adults present. Still doesn't give me the abiltiy to have more than 14, just changes the ages of the ones under SA (i.e. more toddlers or infants) so in my state I don't think it is worth it.
Isn't it funny how the rules and regs are different depending on what state you are in? Do "the powers that be" think that people in MI (for instance) can't handle as many kids as someone in CA? I just think it's funny that different states have different standards for dc - some have to be licensed, some don't, some can only have a few kids, some can have a bunch, some need assistants, some don't. I would love to see the rule-makers reasoning behind the different regs.

In reading back over my reply, it kind of sounds snotty or sarcastic - not at ALL how I'm trying to sound, I really am curious why regs are different in different states, and I do find it interesting that the rules are vastly different depending on what state you are in!

I would love to be able to have 10 preschoolers - but they had all better be good kids! LOL (Typing this while listening to my screamer scream through his morning nap!) I don't think I could handle 10 screamers....lol. Not sure I can handle this one!
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Crystal 08:09 AM 11-22-2010
Regs are different in states because there are no Federal mandates on child care regs, so it is up to the individual states to set forth their own regs.

I have been involved in a ntionwide discussion for a little over a year now. It is an effort amongst several state agencies to set forth National Guidelines for child care. We are working towards defining quality care and setting those regs. With some effort and time, we are hopeful that these regs, eventually, willbecome Naional Regualtions.
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Unregistered 10:01 AM 11-22-2010
Originally Posted by Crystal:
Regs are different in states because there are no Federal mandates on child care regs, so it is up to the individual states to set forth their own regs.

I have been involved in a ntionwide discussion for a little over a year now. It is an effort amongst several state agencies to set forth National Guidelines for child care. We are working towards defining quality care and setting those regs. With some effort and time, we are hopeful that these regs, eventually, willbecome Naional Regualtions.

In States like mine, Minnesota, if federal regulations decreased the number of children we could legally care for without an assistant, for me 12, you would see a HUGE increase in daycare costs and I'm sure a lot of providers would just quit all together...OR more likely we would have more unlicensed providers than we already do!

If there is a push in that direction, hopefully daycare providers will be able to squash that like a bug. It would hurt providers and children and their families.

3kidsmom
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marniewon 10:33 AM 11-22-2010
Originally Posted by Crystal:
Regs are different in states because there are no Federal mandates on child care regs, so it is up to the individual states to set forth their own regs.

I have been involved in a ntionwide discussion for a little over a year now. It is an effort amongst several state agencies to set forth National Guidelines for child care. We are working towards defining quality care and setting those regs. With some effort and time, we are hopeful that these regs, eventually, willbecome Naional Regualtions.
Thanks Crystal! That would be great to have federal standards and rules nationally instead of having regs all over the place!
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misol 11:13 AM 11-22-2010
Originally Posted by marniewon:
Thanks Crystal! That would be great to have federal standards and rules nationally instead of having regs all over the place!

IIIIII don't know. I am on the fence about this one. From what I've seen on this board some states are really strict and some states are really lenient. IMO, our state standards fall somewhere in between so I'd rather stay where we are. Don't want to go from bad to worse
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marniewon 12:14 PM 11-22-2010
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
In States like mine, Minnesota, if federal regulations decreased the number of children we could legally care for without an assistant, for me 12, you would see a HUGE increase in daycare costs and I'm sure a lot of providers would just quit all together...OR more likely we would have more unlicensed providers than we already do!

If there is a push in that direction, hopefully daycare providers will be able to squash that like a bug. It would hurt providers and children and their families.

3kidsmom
I would like to see more kids allowed per daycare home. We get 6, and it's no more than 2 under 2 and 2 between 18-30mos. In centers, the ratio is much higher than that even with just infants.
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Crystal 12:32 PM 11-22-2010
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
In States like mine, Minnesota, if federal regulations decreased the number of children we could legally care for without an assistant, for me 12, you would see a HUGE increase in daycare costs and I'm sure a lot of providers would just quit all together...OR more likely we would have more unlicensed providers than we already do!

If there is a push in that direction, hopefully daycare providers will be able to squash that like a bug. It would hurt providers and children and their families.

3kidsmom
Why would you say that without even knowing what has been discussed?

In reality, the discussions we have had, and the proposals that have been made, would be HIGHLY beneficial to providers AND to children.
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