Starting Daycare-What Inspectors Actually Look At

[Jessicaclark]

Hello. I am new to this site and I am starting the process to opening my own in home daycare in Michigan. I have a copy of the Handbooks needed, but have I have some questions in regards to when you get inspected, what are the inspectors actually look at?
For example it does not state in the handbook anything about raised hearths on fireplaces, am I required to have some type of protection around the edge?
Also it states to not use the Accordion type baby gates-but the daycare my children go to right now uses one, is this something that they don't inspect?
When it comes to outdoor equipment-do they actually measure everything and check all the bolts etc? Obviously, I want the play set to be safe, and I plan to have everything to the requirements, just curious to know exactly what is involved in the inspections.

Thank you. I'm sure many of my questions can and will be answered in my orientation, but until I go through that I figured I would ask.

[Blackcat31]

Welcome to the forum!

We have many members from Michigan so I am sure someone will answer your questions soon.

[Jessicaclark]

Thank you.

[butterfly]

I'm not in MI, but my licensor does inspect every requirement. They measure railings, check smoke alarms/fire extinguishers, etc. etc. If there is anything at all that you are questioning if it's safe, I'd find a way to make sure it's safe. (fireplace). More than likely if you thought it may not be 100% safe, a child will find a way to hurt themselves on it.

Welcome to the forum and to daycare!

[Starburst]

Every state has it's own regulations, but some are general baby-proofing and emergency/ evacuation plans.

Some ideas for safety measures:

http://www.simplydaycare.com/daycare-safety.html

http://www.simplydaycare.com/child-safety-tips.html

[TwinKristi]

I'm in CA but my inspector didn't measure anything or check half the things I was anticipating. I had a pre-inspection through R&R and they were more thorough than my actual inspection.

[Play Care]

Do you have your states manual? My inspector literally goes right down the line. You are either in compliance or you are not. Easy peasy.
I can't speak to your state but in mine the inspectors/licensors are pretty helpful and really just want to make sure the kids are safe.
You also might find that things get overlooked on one visit - but if there is one thing I've learned it's that eventually they will catch it.

[llpa]

Mine uses the checklist that is in the state's handbook for group dc homes. Good luck

[Unregistered]

Thank you!

Thank you to everyone who replied. I definitely plan to make sure everything on the checklist is how it should be, but little details like the fireplace that aren't listed I wasn't sure if it was required or if I would have to fix it and have another inspection done. My goal (as is anyone starting a daycare I'm sure) is to have everything be right to the requirements for the first inspection.

Thank you again. Everyone seems to be very helpful on this site.

[Starburst]

oops, technical difficulty

[melilley]

Hi and welcome! I am from MI too!

My inspector just went down the list, it sounds like you may have the checklist. She didn't inspect my outdoor area because I opened Jan of 2013 and there was a lot of snow on the ground, she did look through the window though.

As for the fireplace hearth, I have a raised one and I put that pipe liner stuff on the edges. She said that was great, but I should have pillows or something covering the front of it just in case a child fell into it.

She checked every room, even if it wasn't going go be used for dc. She didn't thoroughly inspect the non daycare rooms, but did look.

Don't forget to check your water temp! I forgot and had to write a statement saying I would fix that.

I'm trying to think of anymore "hidden" things that they expect, but just can't. Even for the fireplace though, she just suggested covering the front, it wasn't a requirement.
Oh, and also every room that children sleep in, has to have a smoke detector. I know it's a given for bedrooms, but say you needed to have a child sleep in the living room or something, there has to be a detector.

Did you go to orientation yet? If no, I would ask this question!

Good luck! And if I think of anything else, I'll let you know!

[melilley]

Also, the inspection wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. My inspector was really nice!

Oh and she also checked to make sure I had at least 2 emergency contacts written down in case someone has to come and take over for you in case of an emergency.

[Jessicaclark]

Thank you so much for your help. Help from anyone is awesome but hearing from someone with the exact same requirements is a huge help!

I am nervous about the inspection. I am trying to make sure everything is done exactly as specified in the handbook/checklist. The fireplace never concerned me until the other day. I planned on putting the bumper on the edge, but on one side of my fireplace is an entire wall of rock that is on the fireplace itself-so that worries me on what they may say.

As far as the smoke detectors-I already have one in each room. My kitchen, dining room and living room are completely open except the fireplace being in the middle of them-so there is only one smoke detector there.

On the emergency contacts-do they have to be someone within so many miles or minutes? I have been told that was the case.

I haven't done the orientation yet, I plan on it soon. Is it true that your orientation counts towards your training hours? I haven't put my application in yet because I wanted to make sure my outdoor area was complete before doing that so when they came it was 100% done.

[melilley]

Thank you so much for your help. Help from anyone is awesome but hearing from someone with the exact same requirements is a huge help!

I am nervous about the inspection. I am trying to make sure everything is done exactly as specified in the handbook/checklist. The fireplace never concerned me until the other day. I planned on putting the bumper on the edge, but on one side of my fireplace is an entire wall of rock that is on the fireplace itself-so that worries me on what they may say.

As far as the smoke detectors-I already have one in each room. My kitchen, dining room and living room are completely open except the fireplace being in the middle of them-so there is only one smoke detector there.

On the emergency contacts-do they have to be someone within so many miles or minutes? I have been told that was the case.

I haven't done the orientation yet, I plan on it soon. Is it true that your orientation counts towards your training hours? I haven't put my application in yet because I wanted to make sure my outdoor area was complete before doing that so when they came it was 100% done.

I want to say that my inspector asked if my emergency contacts were within a 10 min. reach.

As for the fireplace, she suggested to put pillows in front of it.

Orientation counts for 6 hours of training! It took about 3-4 weeks for them to come and inspect after I went to orientation.

What do you have to do to your outdoor area? As long as you have stuff for them to do -all you are required to have is motor activities for them to do, like balls, hula hoops etc. And if anything is more than 3 ft above the ground you have to have ground cover (which I'm sure you already know!).

Oh another thing that I don't think is in the checklist is if you have a trampoline, you have to have the sides on it and a lock. If you have a hot tub, it also has to have a cover and a lock. I'm not sure what you have to do if you have a pool..I can't remember.

What area are you around if you don't mind me asking? I'm near Lansing!

[Jessicaclark]

Hi and welcome! I am from MI too!

My inspector just went down the list, it sounds like you may have the checklist. She didn't inspect my outdoor area because I opened Jan of 2013 and there was a lot of snow on the ground, she did look through the window though.

As for the fireplace hearth, I have a raised one and I put that pipe liner stuff on the edges. She said that was great, but I should have pillows or something covering the front of it just in case a child fell into it.

She checked every room, even if it wasn't going go be used for dc. She didn't thoroughly inspect the non daycare rooms, but did look.

Don't forget to check your water temp! I forgot and had to write a statement saying I would fix that.

I'm trying to think of anymore "hidden" things that they expect, but just can't. Even for the fireplace though, she just suggested covering the front, it wasn't a requirement.
Oh, and also every room that children sleep in, has to have a smoke detector. I know it's a given for bedrooms, but say you needed to have a child sleep in the living room or something, there has to be a detector.

Did you go to orientation yet? If no, I would ask this question!

Good luck! And if I think of anything else, I'll let you know!

I want to say that my inspector asked if my emergency contacts were within a 10 min. reach.

As for the fireplace, she suggested to put pillows in front of it.

Orientation counts for 6 hours of training! It took about 3-4 weeks for them to come and inspect after I went to orientation.

What do you have to do to your outdoor area? As long as you have stuff for them to do -all you are required to have is motor activities for them to do, like balls, hula hoops etc. And if anything is more than 3 ft above the ground you have to have ground cover (which I'm sure you already know!).

Oh another thing that I don't think is in the checklist is if you have a trampoline, you have to have the sides on it and a lock. If you have a hot tub, it also has to have a cover and a lock. I'm not sure what you have to do if you have a pool..I can't remember.

What area are you around if you don't mind me asking? I'm near Lansing!

Ok. I have one emergency contact within 10 minutes the other is about 15 minutes away. Guess that may need to be changed.

Awesome on the 6 hours for orientation- I will have all my hours. So maybe I should get that going here in the next week or so.

The outdoor area- I have motor skills activities already. We have to paint our shed that we put up last year before winter and I need to do a few small improvements to my swing set/play set. Also need to put the ground coverings down. We have just been waiting for all this snow to melt and to get a bit warmer to paint. As far as trampoline, pool, hot tub etc. I don't have any of those. So I'm set there

I'm near Grand Ledge and Charlotte.