Supervision/2nd Floor

[Guest]

CCL cited me for a supervision deficiency for being on the 2nd floor of my home during nap time, when a child tipped over sideways in an infant/toddler rocking chair which was sitting on the carpet. She was strapped in and simply twisted her body to grab her pacifier which she had thrown to the floor, and in shifting her weight to grab it, tipped, sustaining 2 bruises. There is no problem with the actual incident, only that I said I was on the 2nd floor when it happened.
Has anyone been cited for supervision for being on a second floor of the home during naptime? The investigator wrote it up as "refused to supervise by going to the 2nd floor of the home..." although I was in auditory range, then, "when she returned later". Doesn't it sound like I left the house?
Any and all comments are welcome as I just don't think this is fair and want to fight it. Please PM if you'd rather not reply online.
Thanks!

[Rockgirl]

Unfortunately, I doubt you would win if you fought this. Most infant/toddler equipment like this state "Do not leave child unattended", and even if it didn't, it sounds like there wasn't proper supervision. I don't sit in the room the entire time my dck's are napping, but they are on mats on the floor, not strapped into a chair. Not trying to be rude here, but the child was left unattended and was injured. I don't think there's anything to fight.

[jenboo]

Why was a child strapped in a chair during nap time?

[Febby]

What do your state's regulations say about supervision?

[auntymimi]

Why was a child strapped in a chair during nap time?

[Guest]

She was 1, new to child care, had only ever been with her mom & grandma. She couldn't/wouldn't settle down and go to sleep when I put her in a playpen, so when she fell asleep in the rocker I let her stay in it, and had done so previously for that reason. Had I moved her to her bed after she went to sleep, she would have woken up and started crying all over again, been there, tried that, didn't work for any of us!
Supervision is basically based on age of child, your experience with child, layout of home, physical proximity & visual and/or auditory awareness.
She was 1, new to the world of children & me, including my home, which is all an open floor plan, I was 15 feet from the balcony that overlooked her in the living room, which means I was clearly in range to hear her. Inspectors have always told me that as long as no door is closed between me & the child, it was fine. I don't live in a large home, about 2100 sq feet on 2 floors. I am not allowed to care for children on the 2nd floor, but nowhere does it say I am not allowed to go there.

[Rockgirl]

It's very dangerous to allow a child to sleep strapped in a seat. Or to leave them unattended in a seat at all.

[Crystal]

What state are you in?

I am in California. I have a two story home and because I am large capacity, am not allowed to use the upstairs for care. I am also not allowed to leave children unattended while I take a break upstairs while they nap. I am also not allowed to leave a child strapped in to ANYTHING except for during meal times or if they are AWAKE in a swing.

I would not fight this violation. You left a one year old unattended in a rocking chair, strapped in while sleeping. Although it also sounds to me like she wasn't actually sleeping as you said she bent over to pick up her pacifier, which is how she sustained the injury. She should have been properly supervised and she should not have ben strapped in to a rocking chair to sleep.

What have the parents said about it?

[Play Care]

She was 1, new to child care, had only ever been with her mom & grandma. She couldn't/wouldn't settle down and go to sleep when I put her in a playpen, so when she fell asleep in the rocker I let her stay in it, and had done so previously for that reason. Had I moved her to her bed after she went to sleep, she would have woken up and started crying all over again, been there, tried that, didn't work for any of us!
Supervision is basically based on age of child, your experience with child, layout of home, physical proximity & visual and/or auditory awareness.
She was 1, new to the world of children & me, including my home, which is all an open floor plan, I was 15 feet from the balcony that overlooked her in the living room, which means I was clearly in range to hear her. Inspectors have always told me that as long as no door is closed between me & the child, it was fine. I don't live in a large home, about 2100 sq feet on 2 floors. I am not allowed to care for children on the 2nd floor, but nowhere does it say I am not allowed to go there.

Most states have very strict rules about where the provider can be during day care as well as what the children can sleep on/in.
If what you are saying is true, and your state doesn't have those regulations, you *may* have a leg to stand on. That said, you need to go through your states *written* regulations to make sure that what you say is, in fact, the regulation. I think most providers on here will be shocked because what you are saying you were allowed to do is not allowable where most of us are.
And a lot of times we find some licensors say things are allowed/not allowed when the written regulation is different.

For future reference, children should never be put in any type of "device" (ie swings, car seats, rockers, bouncey seats etc) at naps - and a 1 yo is almost surely too big for most of that type of equipment anyway. In most states only cribs, pack and plays or mats/cots can be used for naps. As you see, they can easily twist about, which causes a strangulation hazard. Thankfully the child only had minor bruising, because it could have been worse.

[midaycare]

Just live and learn. Don't strap a child in at nap time again, and don't leave unattended.

Hopefully this next week will be much better!

[Controlled Chaos]

If a child falls asleep in anything other than an approved sleep device (crib, cot or pac n play) I must move them to an approved sleeping device. I can upstairs while all children are sleeping if I check every 15min and if I can hear them. But I couldn't leave a child in a swing or bouncer to sleep.

[nanglgrl]

As provider we have to often times do more work instead of what's easy. Problem solving by trying different (safe) methods is something you could learn from this incident.
I'm going to sound harsh but in this case you deserve a deficiency. I don't think leaving a child unsupervised while strapped in a chair was very responsible and could have led to much dire consequences than a few bruises. An 18 month old died in my area because he was strapped in an infant car seat and left unattended. You said you could hear the child but the problem is if the child started to strangle she wouldn't be able to make a sound. So being able to hear her was no protection whatsoever.
That said, I hope you don't take this an mean spirited. I also hope you register and join the board. You will gain a wealth of information, ideas and new ways to solve problems including strategies to use with the non-napping/screaming child.

[jenboo]

She was 1, new to child care, had only ever been with her mom & grandma. She couldn't/wouldn't settle down and go to sleep when I put her in a playpen, so when she fell asleep in the rocker I let her stay in it, and had done so previously for that reason. Had I moved her to her bed after she went to sleep, she would have woken up and started crying all over again, been there, tried that, didn't work for any of us!
Supervision is basically based on age of child, your experience with child, layout of home, physical proximity & visual and/or auditory awareness.
She was 1, new to the world of children & me, including my home, which is all an open floor plan, I was 15 feet from the balcony that overlooked her in the living room, which means I was clearly in range to hear her. Inspectors have always told me that as long as no door is closed between me & the child, it was fine. I don't live in a large home, about 2100 sq feet on 2 floors. I am not allowed to care for children on the 2nd floor, but nowhere does it say I am not allowed to go there.

I'm almost positive letting a child sleep anywhere but in an approved crib or pack and play is illegal in every state.

[Febby]

I'm almost positive letting a child sleep anywhere but in an approved crib or pack and play is illegal in every state.

PNPs aren't even legal in my state. Infants have to sleep in crib and children 1+ have to sleep on a cot, mat, or in a bed.

[Play Care]

I'm almost positive letting a child sleep anywhere but in an approved crib or pack and play is illegal in every state.

The OP said CCL, I'm wondering if she's even from the U.S.? I know Canadian providers have fewer regulations than we do and don't need the trainings many of us have to take (ie: safe sleep)

I know some find it hard to believe, but many, many people do not realize how dangerous it is for children to sleep in "devices" especially when those items are marketed for sleep.