Preparing for My Orientation and Inspection!!... Help Michigan

[MrsCoffee]

Hi all!

I am new to this forum and thankful to God it's here. I need advice about what to expect at orientation and perhaps some common mistakes people make when inspected the first time. I have read the rules a thousand times, and have a copy of the list of compliance I need to be in. I am from Michigan so we have to be licensed through the state.

I live in a tri-level home and am going to use the main level, I was told by my local field consultant that I had to use the lower level, I almost stopped at that because it has no kitchen or bathroom... Not to mention this woman made me feel so small. It was very discouraging. I called Lansing and they gave me my director of field consultants in my area's number. She told me I could absolutely use my main level. Also that I could not get a different field consultant, but that she was hard because she wanted me to know what I was "In For" I am so nervous that this woman is going to inspect my home, especially after going over her head by calling the director.

My orientation is in 2 days, I was told after my orientation if I say I am in compliance that I may immediately open my daycare and that Lansing would send me my license and then I would be inspected... Does that sound right or am I only licensed after I pass inspection.


I SO wish an experienced daycare provider could just show me the ropes about setting up in my home. I do believe I am but I am so nervous!!

Thank you all for ANY advise
Kelly

[actaktmdt]

Hi and welcome..Hopefully one of the more experianced MI providers can answer you. I am like you just starting out and should have the application papers in the mail next week. May I ask how long after you mailed your orginal papers did you hear back from the state? I am in Michigan as well.

[MrsCoffee]

So happy for another Michigander!!

I started the process in mid November, but it was delayed about 6 weeks because of an unreadable Radon test (Had to resend it) January 12 the state received and approved my application, I overnight-ed it to Lansing on the 7th of January. So I thought that was pretty quick once it got rolling. I received a letter form the state that they had sent my information to the local orientation office and that they would contact me with the following months orientation date. My date is 2-17-2010. I am wondering about the turn around time because I am blessed with a waiting list!


What part of Michigan are you from?
Kelly

[emosks]

Hi all!

I am new to this forum and thankful to God it's here. I need advise about what to expect at orientation and perhaps some common mistakes people make when inspected the first time. I have read the rules a thousand times, and have a copy of the list of compliance I need to be in. I am from Michigan so we have to be licensed through the state.

I live in a tri-level home and am going to use the main level, I was told by my local field consultant that I had to use the lower level, I almost stopped at that because it has no kitchen or bathroom... Not to mention this woman made me feel so small. It was very discouraging. I called Lansing and they gave me my director of field consultants in my area's number. She told me I could absolutely use my main level. Also that I could not get a different field consultant, but that she was hard because she wanted me to know what I was "In For" I am so nervous that this woman is going to inspect my home, especially after going over her head by calling the director.

My orientation is in 2 days, I was told after my orientation if I say I am in compliance that I may immediately open my daycare and that Lansing would send me my license and then I would be inspected... Does that sound right or am I only licensed after I pass inspection.


I SO wish an experienced daycare provider could just show me the ropes about setting up in my home. I do believe I am but I am so nervous!!

Thank you all for ANY advise
Kelly

Welcome Kelly! We have our inspection on Friday but we are a group home and that requires inspection BEFORE getting your license. If you are a family home you will get a sheet at orientation that you send into Lansing and they will send you your license within a few weeks and then you can officially open. Orientation is a piece of cake. If you have any questions they will be answered there for sure. If you are a family home and get your license from Lansing you will have an inspection done at a later date.

Let me know if you have any other questions! Where in MI are you?

[MrsCoffee]

Southeast Mi

[actaktmdt]

I started the process in mid November, but it was delayed about 6 weeks because of an unreadable Radon test (Had to resend it) January 12 the state received and approved my application, I overnight-ed it to Lansing on the 7th of January. So I thought that was pretty quick once it got rolling. I received a letter form the state that they had sent my information to the local orientation office and that they would contact me with the following months orientation date. My date is 2-17-2010. I am wondering about the turn around time because I am blessed with a waiting list!


What part of Michigan are you from?
Kelly

That seems quite fast, I'm impressed.....I am on the sw side of the state

[emosks]

I started the process in mid November, but it was delayed about 6 weeks because of an unreadable Radon test (Had to resend it) January 12 the state received and approved my application, I overnight-ed it to Lansing on the 7th of January. So I thought that was pretty quick once it got rolling. I received a letter form the state that they had sent my information to the local orientation office and that they would contact me with the following months orientation date. My date is 2-17-2010. I am wondering about the turn around time because I am blessed with a waiting list!


What part of Michigan are you from?
Kelly

If you have all your ducks in a row the process is fast. I sent in my paperwork on 1/15 and was in orientation on 2/4!

[Childminder]

Hi, I'm in SE MI also and after going to the orientation( which was easy) I received a paper that I signed saying that I was in compliance and sent it in. It took just a few days until I got it back and was registered for a family home daycare. They notified us that the licensing would come out within 90 days to do the inspection and that it would probably be the 89th day, their words not mine.

When the state showed up she specifically checked a list they gave us at orientation. Water temp, furnace room, cupboard door locks, and the big stickler was paperwork. I did not have one children's form filled in with the date of DTAP(tetnus) and that is what I had to show proof of correction before I got my paperwork back from state.

You can go to MI.gov/dhs/licensing and do a search of licensed daycares and pull up their inspection reports for ideas on what you might need to watch for.

Good luck! It takes some time and can be frustrating as well as nerve wracking, but you shall do fine. Just use common sense. The inspector that came for my renewal said that almost no-one ever is in complete compliance and I was for renewal. Yea Me!

A good resource and great help is your local 4C's office. They will even come out and do a walk through or pre-inspection. Sadly I did not know about them until after it was over.

[MrsCoffee]

Just got off the phone with the Lansing DC licensing office.. They told me after orientation I can fax in my signed in compliance and be opened the next day after they file it with the state. I will be opening Monday!!


So excited!
Kelly::

[actaktmdt]

compliance form online

Is there a copy of the compliance form online? I have orientation on April 1 and I hope to be open on April 5. Thanks

[actaktmdt]

i think i found it online, nm

Orientation here i come

[momofsix]

If you go over your list and the handbook, and be sure you've got it all, then you should be good. Paperwork seems to be the biggest thing for them...child records, discipline policy, field trip permission forms, medication forms...you will be fine! From what my inspector said, they must see some really bad places--she kept comparing mine to the bad ones she saw, so that made me feel good!
How many of us in the SE GR area are there?

[emosks]

Is there a copy of the compliance form online? I have orientation on April 1 and I hope to be open on April 5. Thanks

I believe you get this form AT orientation if you are a family home. It's in your packet and the consultant will go over on the process of sending it in to Lansing.

[actaktmdt]

I believe you get this form AT orientation if you are a family home. It's in your packet and the consultant will go over on the process of sending it in to Lansing.

Did yours look like this?
http://www.mi.gov/documents/dhs/BCAL-4601_238899_7.pdf

[emosks]

Did yours look like this?
http://www.mi.gov/documents/dhs/BCAL-4601_238899_7.pdf

I didn't have a form I had to send in to open. I had to be inspected first since I'm licensed and you will be registered. But those are the rules you have to follow. You will get a form at orientation that you send in to Lansing once you are ready to open. They say it could take a few weeks to get your registration up and running but I know of a few girls in my orientation that had their registration back within a week. I believe you can't open officially until you are approved. Then you'll have your inspection done at some point.

We are two totally different types of daycares.