April is Child Abuse Prevention Month and there are a lot of events and programs planned to bring awareness to this devastating problem.

The Kelsey Briggs Foundation is having a Child Abuse Prevention/Family Safety Day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Woodland Park in Shawnee.  OU football players will be there and there will be car seat checks, live music, guest speakers, booths, food and much more.  Click here for more information.

At UCO, Building a Blue Ribbon Tree will start at 8 a.m. April 14 with volunteers tying blue ribbons at 8 a.m. along the trees of Broncho Lake.  At 11 a.m., children from UCO’s Child Study Center will lead a parade.  Visitors will then be encouraged to tie blue ribbons on trees to represent children who have been abused.  For more information, contact Kaye Sears at 974-5786 or ksears@uco.edu.

You can also build a blue a ribbon tree in your own neighborhood.  Anyone can do this, anywhere.  Click here for more information.

The Oklahoma County Kids Task Force  has an abundance of information on child abuse prevention, helpful programs, referrals and hot line. They also have opportunities for volunteers to get involved in the fight against child abuse. Go to http://okcountykids.org.

Anything we can do to just help one child is worth it.  Let’s cherish our little ones and remember just how young and innocent they are.

-Erica Smith
esmith@opubco.com

I started my search for information at www.okdhs.org.  From there, you can click on the ‘child care locator/summary of facility monitoring’  link and type in the name of the day care you want to know more about.  But you’ll only see general information.  It doesn’t cite specific complaints or violations. 

So I called the local DHS office and found out that anyone can go take a look at a daycare’s complete file.   Just call the DHS licensing division at 767-2650 at least 24 hours in advance so they can prepare the file for you, and you’ll be in the know. 

Most of the information should also be available at the daycare itself.  You can ask any provider to see their compliance folder and they are obligated to let you look through it.  If they won’t let you or if they say they don’t have one, contact DHS and let them know.

You can never be too careful or thorough when it comes to your child’s daycare.  

-Erica Smith
esmith@opubco.com

Oklahoma Child Care Resource & Referral Association, Inc. and Oklahoma Department of Human Services published pamphlets full of helpful tips on choosing the best possible care for your child.  Here are a few of their guidelines:

1. Start early. As soon as you think you may need child care, start the process.  Finding a suitable center takes time and some have lengthy waiting lists, especially for infants and young toddlers.

2. Make a call (and go online). The Oklahoma referral service is free and can provide facts and lists of options in your area. The number is 1-888-962-2772 or you can go online: www.oklahomachildcare.org.

Also, you can go to okdhs.org/childcarefind to search for different day cares based on your personal preferences (how may stars the center is accredited with, ages accepted, type of facility, etc.) 

You can also call DHS to request reports on the day cares of your choice.  They will detail complaints and violations.  For Oklahoma County, the number is 767-2650.

3. Visit & ask questions. Look at important factors in deciding on a facility such as:

-Adult to child ratio.  The fewer children to caregiver, the better. 

-Group size. Smaller groups are safer and more calm.

-Caregiver qualifications. Find out about their training and education.  Degrees/special training for taking care of children are key.  Look at the turnover – have the caregivers been there a long time? If they are all fairly new, that may be a red flag. Also be sure someone is CPR certified. 

-Star ratings.  For any center, be sure they are licensed. DHS gives stars to programs for meeting certain criteria.  The more stars, the more the center has done above basic licensing requirements.

-Policies.  They should give you a detailed description of all their policies, such as meals, behavior, fees, vacations, field trips, medicine, etc.

Drop in unexpectedly to look around the center. Look at the food menus, methods of discipline, activities, playground areas and anywhere else your child will be.  See how caregivers interact with the children. See if it’s the environment you would feel most comfortable leaving your child in.

4. Stay involved. Be a part of planning activities for the children (if there are opportunities for this) and attend any parent meetings.  Always address concerns with the caregiver and director.  That’s what they are there for.

5. Go with your gut instinct.  The safety and well-being of your child comes first.  I had visited 3-star day cares, day cares closest to my home and centers with good reputations.  In the end, I had to go with my instinct.  The center I chose is one in which I don’t think I would ever have doubts leaving my son. 

If you’d like further information, or a detailed checklist on what to expect from a day care center and specific questions you should ask, call DHS and request a copy of the handbook “The Parents’ Guide to Selecting Quality Child Care.”

~Erica Smith

esmith@opubco.com