A few local day care centers have been flagged in a statewide investigative report for "shocking" violations in the past two years.
The Independent Democratic Conference released the study Thursday. Findings include 522 violations and inadequate oversight of persistent violators among day care centers in Monroe County.
It’s the conference’s second report on examining day care providers, the first being in New York City alone, after hearing a number of complaints.
Most cases involve failure to take certain precautions, leaving children unattended and unlicensed operation. A few of the most egregious cases include corporal punishment of children, frightening or humiliating a child, isolating children in closets and abuse or maltreatment.
Two Rochester-area day care centers were noted for being repeat offenders of inflicting "corporal punishment", defined by the New York Office of Children and Family Services as:
“Punishment inflicted directly on the body including, but not limited to, spanking, biting, shaking, slapping, twisting or squeezing; demanding excessive physical exercise, prolonged lack of movement or motion, or strenuous or bizarre postures; and compelling a child to eat or have in the child's mouth soap, foods, hot spices or other substances.”
The two day care centers are:
- Wilson Commencement Park Early in Rochester
- KinderCare Learning in Webster
According to the report, both centers have faced no enforcement action since 2003.
In addition, the New Born Fellow Church day care is also listed in the document as having the most violations among Monroe County's 135 centers.
"But I wouldn't say that they are bad centers because of that," says Barbara Ann Mattle, CEO of the Monroe County Child Care Council. "What's interesting to me is that just last month the Child Care Aware of America rated New York State as having the best enforcement and follow and regulations of any state in the country. So it's interesting to come out with these finding in that kind of situation."
Mattle says the state's database is open to the public so parents can check on childcare programs and ask questions.
The New York Senate's Independent Democratic Conference's examination of 1,584 state reports found hundreds of day care centers with multiple violations in the past 2 years. The IDC claims only a small number of centers with multiple violations have been held accountable by the Cuomo administration.
"Even when they are quite serious there doesn't seem to be any actual enforcement action," says Jeff Klein, IDC and Senate Majority Coalition Leader. "They give the violations. They very rarely, even actually, take away a license, suspend a license. There doesn't seem to be any actual follow-up and no ability to gage the seriousness of these violations."
Mattle says it’s good that the state is paying attention to early childhood development.
"Anything we can do to improve the quality of care for children is an important thing,” Mattle adds. “In general this state is doing very well in these situations. I guess the fact that it's out there in the public is a good thing, and people are aware of it."
Klein says his conference hopes to pass new legislation by the end of the session. The bill would enhance penalties for serious violations by adding more transparency and requiring various agencies to take away day provider licenses.
"We want to give parents peace of mind," Klein says. "So we want to require that every day care center should be required to post their most recent inspection results. You know, let parents vote with their feet. Let them chose the day care center that's safe and secure"
There was no immediate comment from the Office of Children and Family Services which regulates the centers or from the three day care centers listed in the report.
You can read the entire IDC report below:
New York State IDC Day Care Report
