Camera Monitoring In Centers

[daycarediva]

My door is never locked. Parents are welcome at ANY time. I have 99% verbal children. Parents trust me. It's my business and I have been operating successfully for years-mostly by word of mouth.

Cameras in my HOME? oh heeeckkk no.

[Thriftylady]

My door is never locked. Parents are welcome at ANY time. I have 99% verbal children. Parents trust me. It's my business and I have been operating successfully for years-mostly by word of mouth.

Cameras in my HOME? oh heeeckkk no. :rolleyes:

Not unless I am making a ton more money off of them than I am daycare! Ok just kidding, the good folks at church would kick me out I am afraid .::

[Mike]

DaycareService is obviously here to sell, but like pretty much everyone here, I too will not allow public access to cameras. I'm not in the business yet, and probably will have video cameras monitoring all areas during daycare hours, but recordings will only be available to authorized personnel if needed.

Open door policy. If you don't trust me, don't leave your child with me.

[Thriftylady]

Open door policy. If you don't trust me, don't leave your child with me.

I actually say this at every interview!!!!

[sharlan]

I have an nephew who is autistic and non-verbal. My family was thrilled to find a company that provided us peace of mind when he was out of our sight. So, I'm happy to share it with other providers. I'm also happy to invest my personal time in this endeavor. Is it my career? No. Is it my passion? Absolutely. For my family it provides us with security. Cameras in provider facilities had nothing to do with wanting to micro manage, but more to do with care and concern for our little one in our family. That is the sole basis and I'm happy to stand behind that. I understand each provider commenting has their own feelings one why they strongly reject the idea. However, I don't understand the lack of compromise. Most families aren't sitting at home watching video footage. We all have jobs and things that take us away from our families and require us to use childcare. Why is it wrong for use to worry and want to know what's going on with them? It's not our fault that we aren't able to be with them every step of the day...I would have preferred it. But it is what it is. So yes. I stand behind a company that I very much appreciate and value. And I'm passionate about what they provide for families like mine.

This bothers me. Why do "YOU" have access to video footage of children that are not "YOURS"? Unless you have custody of this child you have no right to videos of other children.

My grandson is autistic. Everything between him and his school/therapists, etc is between them, him, and HIS parents. I know what my daughter chooses to share.

[Febby]

I've actually worked in a center where parents had access to the livestream from the cameras. For the most part, most parents never made any sort of comment that indicated to me that they even watched the cameras. On the other hand, there were a handful who would call the center about every little thing. Junior rolled over and kicked his blanket off during nap? Phone call. Junior tripped and fell down? Phone call. Random child wandering out of the bathroom without pulling up their pants? Phone call. Random child climbing up a shelf? Phone call. Mostly SAHMs who still were able to send their children for the preschool.

At the same center, the one time a staff member was found to be guilty of neglect, it wasn't a parent who noticed; it was another staff member who saw the incident and notified the director, who then fired the guilty employee and notified licensing.

I can tell you that if I had daycare in my home, I would absolutely not want to put in cameras that the parents could view. No way. Heck, I wouldn't even want to do it in a center I owned. No thank you.

[Chickadee-Tree]

That is the most concerning thing to read. When my daughter was in a daycare facility I always assumed that background checks were done on staff and parents alike...at least they were done at the center she attended. [B]

I'm sorry, what? You expect daycares to do background checks on the parents? So if a parent has a criminal record, what, the child shouldn't have access to quality childcare programs?

So I can only assume that most day care centers allow anyone to enroll and then we trust that everything happens as it should between the staff and parents? I'm sorry. We don't live in such a world.

I'm sorry, but yes, we do live in such a world. All over the world, parents (who may or may not possess criminal records) enroll their children at daycares, and then "trust that everything happens as it should between staff and parents". Do things go wrong? Of course. If we put cameras in every daycare (and turn away all children with criminal parents, so they can't do evil, disgusting things while watching children fingerpaint and build block towers) would things still go wrong? Yes. All that changes is the daycares have more parent phone calls to deal with, more stressed out staff because they're always under the micro-scrutiny of people like you, and they feel they can't manage behaviour as they should, because the child's parents will question and protest it. This leads to higher staff turnover, less consistency and more disruption for the children. That makes the children act out, and the new stressed out staff get even more stressed, leading to more staff turnover.....

This is the problem with one-size-fits-all solutions to perceived "problems"-they just lead to more problems, or create problems where they didn't even exist in the first place!!

[nannyde]

Why are childcare providers so reluctant to be transparent? Most tell parents that they are doing everything they should, but when parents request cameras in their facility the answer is no. Some use the excuse that it's too expensive, but here in Texas there is a company that provides the cameras, installation and maintenance at no cost to the centers. Parents pay (and most are willing) to pay a low monthly fee. But providers still say no. How can parents fully trust what they don't see? Why wouldn't a daycare center provide the ultimate open door policy and allow parents to view what goes on if there is nothing to hide? Wouldn't any provider what to provide a safer place for their children and staff alike?

Why would you advocate for cameras in child care instead of cameras for family homes?

Do you know the statistics regarding death and life altering injuries to children? Do you know the breakdown of who intentionally kills and injures children?

Might want to do some research before you assume child care providers are risky enough to need video surveillance. Child care providers aren't even CLOSE to the top of the list.

Your nephews mother is the one who needs to be watched at all times. She is the most likely of anyone on the planet to harm him. His being special needs even escalates his risk of being injured by her.

His mama have a boyfriend? If so... he needs to have cameras covering every inch of any space he and the child are in at the same time.

Where society got the idea that child care providers are risky enough to be on surveillance is beyond me. Your nephew is WAY WAY WAY safer in child care then he is at home... especially if the child care us a center.

I may be one of the few people in the US who was hired solely to watch video feed of two centers for a couple of years. I have 30 plus years of child care under my belt and it took me a long time to teach myself how to interpret singular fixed cameras in each room. Having just the video feed gives you about 15 percent of the information of what is going on. You have to figure out the rest.

Staff figure out the camera in about two weeks after hire. They figure out how to beat the system very quickly. They know the blind spots and they know how to position themselves, the kids, and the furniture to decrease that precious 15 percent you get.

When the centers tell you it's too expensive it aint because of the cost of the camera system. It's because the cost of dealing with parents who are watching the cameras and only getting fifteen percent of the information.

It's the cost of going thru ten hours of footage to find out why their snowflake has a dime sized bruise on his knee. It's going thru days of footage to prove a staff member did or didn't do something a patent who skipped out on their bill accused them of doing once dhs comes calling after the parent turns them in. See parents want an excuse not to pay their bills and give their contracted notice. When they are told they must pay the State is called and the footage is all they got when it comes to exonerating their employees.

That's where the money is.... not the cameras.

Here is one truth... if there isn't someone watching the cameras... not parents buy someone paid to watch cameras... they don't deter a thing. They are a good marketing tool but the cost of dealing with the parents who are watching them and the staff time to go through hours or days of footage isn't worth the marketing value.

If you want to protect kids let's start requiring parents have cameras in the home and their vehicles and pay government employees to monitor them. Parents are the most dangerous people, boyfriends next... so let's start with the ones who really are the known risk. Once we get that accomplished then we can work our way down the chain of abusers, neglectful, and dangerous belief systems caretakers....

Then start worrying about daycare providers...

[Mike]

Very well written and thoroughly covered nannyde.

I did a lot of studying and research to put up a website about child abuse and it's a fact that most abuse, of any kind, is from family, relatives, or friends of family.

There are cases of abuse by professionals, like coaches, teachers, priests, and dare I say, even child care professionals, but they are a small percentage of the cases. They're more heard about because they get publicized a lot more.

[organicdclady]

I have an nephew who is autistic and non-verbal. My family was thrilled to find a company that provided us peace of mind when he was out of our sight. So, I'm happy to share it with other providers. I'm also happy to invest my personal time in this endeavor. Is it my career? No. Is it my passion? Absolutely. For my family it provides us with security. Cameras in provider facilities had nothing to do with wanting to micro manage, but more to do with care and concern for our little one in our family. That is the sole basis and I'm happy to stand behind that. I understand each provider commenting has their own feelings one why they strongly reject the idea. However, I don't understand the lack of compromise. Most families aren't sitting at home watching video footage. We all have jobs and things that take us away from our families and require us to use childcare. Why is it wrong for use to worry and want to know what's going on with them? It's not our fault that we aren't able to be with them every step of the day...I would have preferred it. But it is what it is. So yes. I stand behind a company that I very much appreciate and value. And I'm passionate about what they provide for families like mine.

Because I don't have to compromise and I won't. This is my home. I follow licensing regulations and beyond that,I make the rules. Not parents. And as others have said....trust me and enroll your children in my care without access to footage or don't.
And for the future,
If you're trying to sell a product or just get the word out there about something your passionate about, maybe do not start off a post criticizing those your marketing to.

[DaycareService]

Hmm, as an admin/moderator of this board I am going to venture to say that I do not buy that explanation.

I believe you either own or work for the company and I think you came here to to lure provider's into signing up.

Remember you did make other posts and you did have to register with the forum and provide contact info

This is so very sad and disturbing. My post was honest and many of you...those who are to suppose to be caring individuals responded in an ugly manner. I guess you are caring and kind to children only? I stated clearly that yes I support a specific company and not just that company, but I too support companies such as WatchMeGrow. I am very appreciate of the Texas company, but that is my passion to share that information with others. I should not have to apologize for that. And no...I don't work for WatchMeGrow.

I can't say I appreciate this type of feedback, but thank you for providing me insight.

Your nephews mother is the one who needs to be watched at all times. She is the most likely of anyone on the planet to harm him. His being special needs even escalates his risk of being injured by her.

Perhaps this is the most offensive comment I've read. His mother has gone through much training and continues to gather information on working with her son and helping him grow. If the comment was meant in a general sense that's fine, but it displays a blatant insensitivity.

[DaycareService]

My last comment is this. This particular post was written not to force an issue, but to open up a positive discussion. Not all discussions have to turn into an argument and neither is it necessary to attack someone to get your point across. If my words (or posts) offended you, I apologize.

[daycarediva]

Perhaps this is the most offensive comment I've read. His mother has gone through much training and continues to gather information on working with her son and helping him grow. If the comment was meant in a general sense that's fine, but it displays a blatant insensitivity.

It was a general statement of where most abuse occurs (the child's own home), who the gross majority of abusers are(the child's parent or stepparent), and who is more likely to be abused (special needs children are at the top of the list).

[SignMeUp]

Why are childcare providers so reluctant to be transparent? Most tell parents that they are doing everything they should, but when parents request cameras in their facility the answer is no. Some use the excuse that it's too expensive, but here in Texas there is a company that provides the cameras, installation and maintenance at no cost to the centers. Parents pay (and most are willing) to pay a low monthly fee. But providers still say no. How can parents fully trust what they don't see? Why wouldn't a daycare center provide the ultimate open door policy and allow parents to view what goes on if there is nothing to hide? Wouldn't any provider what to provide a safer place for their children and staff alike?

Not offensive? Positive discussion without attacks?

You may need help seeing your opening statement from a provider's point of view.

[Blackcat31]

This is so very sad and disturbing. My post was honest and many of you...those who are to suppose to be caring individuals responded in an ugly manner. I guess you are caring and kind to children only? I stated clearly that yes I support a specific company and not just that company, but I too support companies such as WatchMeGrow. I am very appreciate of the Texas company, but that is my passion to share that information with others. I should not have to apologize for that. And no...I don't work for WatchMeGrow.

I can't say I appreciate this type of feedback, but thank you for providing me insight.

Seriously?!? Your attempt to play the victim is rather amusing.

You have yet to answer any of the questions posed to you and yet you feel we are being rude to you!?

WHY do YOU have access to another child's video feed?
WHY do you feel cameras will ensure safety?

You have been asked several VALID and IMPORTANT questions about video cameras, providers have offered you their perspective and yet you have continued to dance around their comments, concerns and questions....

A positive discussion was taking place until you became offensive and a bit squrrely when asked point blank questions so please do not continue to insult family child care providers and members of this forum by saying we are unwilling to be transparent.

Please practice being transparent yourself before demanding that from others.