What Parents Should Know about New Childcare Regulations

New mandates effective this month

By Mary E. Hart

Dental hygiene and plenty of learning experiences top the list of new regulations for daycare centers both big and small across Massachusetts. Starting this month, daycare centers will need to follow new childcare licensing regulations from the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) Board including:

• Child-care workers are now called “educators”
• Written progress reports must be issued every three to six months that track the cognitive, social, emotional, language, motor and life skill developments of infants and preschoolers
• Day-care providers must “assist” with toothbrushing after all meals, or for any children on site for four hours or more

• Nannies must devise a “curriculum” that provides “evidence that programs provide specific, planned learning experiences” and that supports “school-readiness”

For accredited daycares that are licensed by the EEC, these regulations won’t cause much in the way of change, as they already provide parents with progress reports.

“We have rules all the time, just like hairdressers do and real estate agents do,” says Junie Hinckley of Middle St. Learn and Play in Attleboro. “Its just part of the job.”

Most parents agree that receiving written reports on their children’s daily activities (including nap schedule, eating and little bit about their children’s days) is very helpful communications tool. Education regulations are an added bonus.

 “(My children) go to a pretty progressive center (Next Generation Children's Center/Walpole branch) and truly believe that our son's daycare providers are ‘educators,’” says Patti Allan of Medfield. “They are his teachers 3 days a week.”

The regulation that may be causing the biggest adjustment is teeth cleaning after meals.

 “Our center implemented tooth brushing back in September utilizing a Head Start practice, so that regulation won’t be an imposition at all,” says Rosalind Mann, assistant director of Metro North Children’s Learning Center in Malden. “As we all know, budgets are tight and obtaining everything needed to help the children with brushing their teeth does have a cost. The initial cost of the toothbrush holders was reasonable. After that, a dentist donated some instruments to help out, and parents donated some toothpaste.”

Ally Pike of Norwood, who has two daughters in daycare, has some concerns about the requirement for toothbrushing after all meals.

“I can't see teachers properly brushing my kids’ teeth and all the other kids at the same time. If it’s required after all meals, they will basically be brushing a child’s teeth three to four times during the day, since they sometimes have breakfast there in addition to AM Snack, Lunch and PM Snack,” says Pike. “That seems a bit excessive since our dentist says only twice a day. I'm hoping I have some say to the number of times, and wonder if there are any studies on too much brushing since that is so much more than must kids and even must adults do.”

Hinckley also has concerns about the toothbrushing regulation. “By helping children brush their teeth, we’d have to clean up after every child; wear gloves; and the kids will be spitting on the sink instead of in the sink, so we’d have to clean that up as well. We already have a lot of sanitation to deal with as it is, so this will add to that amount.”

Once they find an effective way to implement tooth brushing into Little Sprout’s 11 centers, Kelly Doherty, director of marketing, sees it as a teaching tool for children.

“Once we have a system in place, the toothbrushing will enhance the day by supporting children's self help skills and teach them to take care of their bodies.” With the increasingly large amounts of sugar added in to so many foods, the toothbrushing will be a preventive measure for tooth decay, so we support the regulation, she added.

Sample questions that may be found on your child’s progress report:

Examples of Cognitive Skills

What new skills has the child demonstrated that show s/he is noticing, recognizing, thinking and learning about things?

Examples of Life Skills

What new skills has the child developed in communicating his/her needs, seeking help, dressing, toileting, personal hygiene, recognizing and avoiding hazards, or setting and achieving goals?

Examples of Fine Motor Skills

What new skills has the child demonstrated using his/her hands?

 Why Oral Health Matters for Children in Massachusetts

 A study conducted in 2003 found that a significant proportion of Massachusetts’ children suffer from dental caries, and many of our youngest children start school with dental disease.

The Importance of Developmental Milestones

In the United States, 17% of children have a developmental or behavioral disability, and many more have delays in language or other areas. Fewer than half of these children are identified before starting school. Recognizing when a child has missed a developmental milestone allows the parent to seek additional information, screening, evaluation, and if necessary, treatment for her child.

Source: Department of Early Education and Care (EEC)