How to Keep Parents from Messing Up Your Licenses...

[Play Care]

This has nothing to do with personal beliefs about vaccinations.
If it's required in your state, then it's a requirement.

You wouldn't nap a baby on their belly or in a car seat because a parent tells you it's okay. It's against regs, period.

Same thing here.

I would tell the parent that this is the rule and unfortunately you are not allowed to provide care.

On side note, I don't know how California is handling medical waivers, though I know they've gotten very strict with vaccinations after several outbreaks. My guess is that any medical exemption must now meet stricter criteria (perhaps an event witnessed/documented by medical personnel rather than a parent claim?) Can someone be turned away with a valid medical exemption? Probably not. This is where they are counting on "herd immunity." But I would check with licensing about that to be sure.

[LysesKids]

We were told we can turn them away (Texas).

That would have meant my child never going to daycare ... heck I was told schools can't turn away medical waivers because they are state legal

And people want to know why I accept medically fragile babies... they can't always get their shots because of issues, so what does a parent do, if everyone denies a STATE LEGAL FORM?

[LysesKids]

This has nothing to do with personal beliefs about vaccinations.
If it's required in your state, then it's a requirement.

You wouldn't nap a baby on their belly or in a car seat because a parent tells you it's okay. It's against regs, period.

Same thing here.

I would tell the parent that this is the rule and unfortunately you are not allowed to provide care.

On side note, I don't know how California is handling medical waivers, though I know they've gotten very strict with vaccinations after several outbreaks. My guess is that any medical exemption must now meet stricter criteria (perhaps an event witnessed/documented by medical personnel rather than a parent claim?) Can someone be turned away with a valid medical exemption? Probably not. This is where they are counting on "herd immunity." But I would check with licensing about that to be sure.

My understanding was medical waivers could only be done by a licensed DR... parents can't just say they have a medical waiver... I had to jump hoops to get WV to accept MD Dr paperwork ( the DR that waived my child)... of course down the line all 3 of my kids ended up with a Medical waiver for EVERY LIVE VAX due to the situation I was dealing with. Daycares & Schools accepted them, but it came from a form signed by an oncologist, not just the kids Pediatrician. When 2 Dr's sign off, you better believe there is a reason

[Rockgirl]

That would have meant my child never going to daycare ... heck I was told schools can't turn away medical waivers because they are state legal

And people want to know why I accept medically fragile babies... they can't always get their shots because of issues, so what does a parent do, if everyone denies a STATE LEGAL FORM?

It doesn't mean everyone turns them away...just that we have the option. I'm not a public school--I'm a business owner. I consider the infants in my care--the ones too young to have had all their vax--we depend on the older children here to have had theirs to protect those infants. And that is as far into the vax debate as I will go.

[snbauser]

Without wading into the vax debate and to answer the op question...the way you do it is fairly easy...you stop allowing a parent to dictate how your business is run. If it's a state reg, then they can't attend until you have what you need. No exceptions.

[Lovisa]

Vaccination records are one of the items I go over when a parent asks what paperwork I require to enroll. If a parent informs me that they don't vaccinate their child, I let them know that I will not enroll their child and I send them down the road to find a provider who will. All paperwork is completed and turned in before the child steps foot in the door for their first day, so there are no surprises.

Exactly what I do!

That means you turn away Medically waivered kids? Not sure thats legal considering a Medical waiver is accepted & a given for all 50 states. A medical waiver is different than choosing the religious option

I am in Ca and turn away any kid that isn't fully vaccinated (I've been doing that since before the new restrictions on waivers).

Before I even give the parents their new client packet, I go over a few things on the phone or via text (vaccines MUST be up to date and we have a cat in the home). If either of these are a problem, I won't even invite them for an interview. PLENTY of other things are discussed at the interview, but these are two things that I won't bend on. Your child must be vaccinated, and your child will be around our family pet.

[Annalee]

I took one family who did not vaccinate...State made me get a notarized form for their record.....will NEVER take another family like that again....they were here July 23 thru Nov. 19 when I terminated.....the oddest relationship or lack thereof I have EVER had.....doctor notes were brought in for EVERYTHING.....licensing says it is MY decision to enroll or not so I choose from now on to NOT enroll any unvaccinated child!

[Blackcat31]

That means you turn away Medically waivered kids? Not sure thats legal considering a Medical waiver is accepted & a given for all 50 states. A medical waiver is different than choosing the religious option

There is no law stating a family child care HAS to accept a non-vaccinated kid (even if they are non-vax'ed due to medical reasons). As a business owner it's MY right to refuse to enroll or to enroll. I don't even have to share my reasons. Not being vaccinated is not a protected class covered by the ADA so it is not discrimination as defined by law.

My understanding was medical waivers could only be done by a licensed DR... parents can't just say they have a medical waiver... I had to jump hoops to get WV to accept MD Dr paperwork ( the DR that waived my child)... of course down the line all 3 of my kids ended up with a Medical waiver for EVERY LIVE VAX due to the situation I was dealing with. Daycares & Schools accepted them, but it came from a form signed by an oncologist, not just the kids Pediatrician. When 2 Dr's sign off, you better believe there is a reason

This may be different depending on which state you live in.

IIRC, there was a time in which parents in my state could simply opt not to vaccinate and there was no requirement as to why or why not. They just signed off on the part that stated "My child is not vaccinated".

I refuse to accept a non-vaccinated child into care.

I have my reasons too and they are just as valid as anyone else's so MY choice to not accept non-vax'ed kids supercedes the non-vax'ed child's right to enroll simply because I am a PRIVATE business owner.

These rules/policies may differ when it comes to public schools though.

As for the options for parents in situations like yours... I do NOT mean to come across as cold-hearted (just being factual) but YOU have to do what YOU have to do as their parent and if every daycare in the state refused to enroll your child, then you would have to stay home or find alternate care arrangements. It's that simple.

Again, I am not speaking for public schools etc... I am only referring to in home family child care.

[Annalee]

There is no law stating a family child care HAS to accept a non-vaccinated kid (even if they are non-vax'ed due to medical reasons). As a business owner it's MY right to refuse to enroll or to enroll. I don't even have to share my reasons. Not being vaccinated is not a protected class covered by the ADA so it is not discrimination as defined by law.



This may be different depending on which state you live in.

IIRC, there was a time in which parents in my state could simply opt not to vaccinate and there was no requirement as to why or why not. They just signed off on the part that stated "My child is not vaccinated".

I refuse to accept a non-vaccinated child into care.

I have my reasons too and they are just as valid as anyone else's so MY choice to not accept non-vax'ed kids supercedes the non-vax'ed child's right to enroll simply because I am a PRIVATE business owner.

These rules/policies may differ when it comes to public schools though.

As for the options for parents in situations like yours... I do NOT mean to come across as cold-hearted (just being factual) but YOU have to do what YOU have to do as their parent and if every daycare in the state refused to enroll your child, then you would have to stay home or find alternate care arrangements. It's that simple.

Again, I am not speaking for public schools etc... I am only referring to in home family child care.

You are right! I am in Tennessee and licensing says it is MY choice to enroll or not.

[Blackcat31]

I was hoping to seek advise on what is the better way to handle parents that have decided not to have shots to their child, right down to TB. As we all know it is a requirement to being licensed. Our one family has had two weeks to make the decision to take the test or not. Because they took so long my DHS worker has given me a provisional license. I personally can't stand it and have taken to not liking the parents... which is almost spilling over to her child. After long conversations on it and them going back and forth with the state about their reason's why they didn't want to, they have decided to get the shot.... WHAT the what! not right is what I say since I am left with a provisional til she sends in her child's results.
With me now stopping the venting, would you change your policy for reasons like this? I feel so stressed about it now that I have a hard time focusing.
thanks for your comments of help

Can you either copy and paste the licensing rules in regards to this process (being given a provisional license) and the rules that say why they (the state) can do that based on parents? Or link to your state rules so we can read what it says.

Re-reading your post, I am thinking this isnt the parents fault at all. Maybe for not submitting paperwork when you asked but most state licensing agencies don't "punish" the provider when the parents don't submit paperwork UNLESS the provider continued to allow attendance KNOWING the family hadn't completed all the required paperwork.

If I didn't receive the required paperwork for a family upon enrollment I would not allow them to attend and the state could not cite me for it because I followed the regulations....however if I still allowed them to attend KNOWING they didnt have all the required paperwork then that would fall on ME and the state could cite me for it.

THAT ^^^^ is what I think is going on here.

If that is the case, you are placing blame on the wrong party.

[Play Care]

If I didn't receive the required paperwork for a family upon enrollment I would not allow them to attend and the state could not cite me for it because I followed the regulations....however if I still allowed them to attend KNOWING they didnt have all the required paperwork then that would fall on ME and the state could cite me for it.

THAT ^^^^ is what I think is going on here.

If that is the case, you are placing blame on the wrong party.

This exactly.

[MunchkinWrangler]

Oh gosh, I hope this isn't a troll!

[LysesKids]

It doesn't mean everyone turns them away...just that we have the option. I'm not a public school--I'm a business owner. I consider the infants in my care--the ones too young to have had all their vax--we depend on the older children here to have had theirs to protect those infants. And that is as far into the vax debate as I will go.

Oh I get that... I deal with nothing but infants so mine never have all their vax depending on age; Heck most leave here barely old enough to get the MMR or they have only gotten first round.

[Unregistered]

In MN there are two ways to exempt from immunizations: medical or conscientious objection. According to the current immunization form from the state.

Are there actually states where dcks need a Tb test?

[thrivingchildcarecom]

Yeah! I know what you mean. I actually did make the decision not to enroll families that do not intend to immunize.

Sound harsh? Well here's why...

Years ago I had a child that had a very low immune system. At the time I had parents that didn't want to pick up kids when they were sick. Anyway, the little girl caught a cold from one of the kids that didn't get picked up. However, because she had a low immune, she wound up in the hospital. I felt so bad!

Anyway, no shots, no care. That's just the way I roll!