Child care investigation

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RAISING IDAHO

Youth Council seeks members JULIE WOOTTON

jwootton@magicvalley.com

PAT SUTPHIN, TIMES-NEWS

Alisha Baithavong visits her daughter Josslyn Baithavong during her lunch break Sept. 8 at St. Luke’s Magic Valley Medical Center Infant Day Care in Twin Falls. The day care center has had two critical violations since 2011, but none since 2015.

For parents who are working and need child care, weighing options and choosing a provider can be a significant hurdle.

Providers also face obstacles like cumbersome state requirements, low pay and frequent employee turnover. When looking at inspection results for child care centers in the region, those challenges show.

See the story on E1.

Trump lashes out at San Juan mayor JILL COLVIN

Associated Press

BRANCHBURG, N.J. — President Donald Trump on Saturday lashed out at the mayor of San Juan and other officials in storm-ravaged Puerto Rico, contemptuous of their claims of a laggard U.S. response to the natural disaster that has imperiled the island’s future.

“Such poor leadership ability by the Mayor of San Juan, and others in Puerto Rico, who are not able to get their workers to help,” Trump said in a series of tweets a day after the capital city’s mayor appealed for help “to save us from dying.”

“They want everything to be done for them when it should be a community effort,” Trump wrote from his New Jersey golf club.

The tweets were a biting attack on the leader of a community in crisis. After 10 days of desperation, with many still unable to access essentials including food and water, San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz accused the Trump administration Friday of “killing us with the inefficiency”

ALEX BRANDON, ASSOCIATED PRESS

President Donald Trump speaks to the media as he walks to Marine One as he departs the White House on Friday in Washington. Trump was en route to Bedminster, N.J. The president lashed out at the mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico, who has criticized the federal response after Hurricane Maria. after Hurricane Maria. She implored the president, who is set to visit the U.S. territory on Tuesday, to “make sure somebody is in charge that is up to the task of saving lives.”

“I am begging, begging anyone that can hear us, to save us from dying,” Cruz said at a news

conference, her voice breaking with rage.

It was an unusually pointed rebuke from the president in the heat of a disaster — a time when leaders often put aside partisan differences in the name of solidarity. But it was a reminder of Trump’s unrelenting penchant

 If you do one thing: “Make America Rock Again” tour will feature several rock bands

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for punching back against critics, whatever the circumstances.

Trump has said he’s doing everything possible to help the “great people of PR!” and has pledged to spare no effort to help the island recover from Maria’s ruinous aftermath. He has also repeatedly applauded his government’s recovery efforts, saying military personnel and first responders have done “an amazing job,” despite the significant logistical challenges.

Thousands more Puerto Ricans have received water and rationed food as an aid bottleneck has begun to ease. But many, especially outside the capital, remain desperate for necessities, including water, power and fuel.

Trump’s administration has tried in recent days to combat the perception that he failed to quickly grasp the magnitude of Maria’s destruction and has given the U.S. commonwealth less attention than he’d bestowed on states like Texas, Louisiana and Florida after they were hit by hurricanes Harvey and Irma.

Please see TRUMP, Page A9

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OBITUARIES OPINION SPORTS

TWIN FALLS — Reylene Abbott fell in love with Twin Falls Youth Council.

About seven years ago, her mother made her join the group during sophomore year of high school. Abbott had recently transitioned to homeschooling and taking online classes.

Abbott met other teenagers who were motivated and who had a clear vision for their future. She ended up continuing with Council throughout high school and became president her senior year.

It was empowering, she said.

“I think my favorite part of that was feeling like my voice mattered.”

Now, she’s alumni relations coordinator for the College of Southern Idaho.

Abbott hopes to help out with Youth Council on a more regular basis after recently moving back to the Magic Valley. She took two members to the Association of Idaho Cities conference in June in Boise.

Twin Falls Youth Council is recruiting teenagers — from eighth through 12th grades — who are interested in joining this school year. The group meets once a month from September through June.

It’s an opportunity to learn life skills such as communication and civic engagement. And for those who are interested in pursuing a career in government or politics, they can gain valuable connections and recommendations for internships and statehouse programs.

“It’s a great thing on college resumes,” said Twin Falls vice mayor Suzanne Hawkins, who’s the adviser for Youth Council.

So far, there are 21 members — a record number. “This is their largest group we’ve ever had,” Hawkins said.

Members also represent more schools than in previous years, including Twin Falls High School, Canyon Ridge High School and Filer High School.

Students from surrounding Magic Valley communities are Please see YOUTH, Page A9

How to Join Twin Falls Youth Council meets from 4-5 p.m. the second Monday of each month at Sips N Sweet Treats, 1020 Blue Lakes Blvd. N. in Twin Falls.

For more information, email vice mayor Suzanne Hawkins at shawkins@tfid.org, find Twin Falls Youth Council on Facebook or visit the city’s website: http://www.tfid.org

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THE BIG STORY Sunday, October 1, 2017 | magicvalley.com | SECTION E

PAT SUTPHIN PHOTOS, TIMES-NEWS‌

Assistant Teacher Kevin Kramer helps Rhett Brubaker put his shoe back on during recess Sept. 13, 2017, at the Twin Falls Reformed Church Kids Zone in Twin Falls. The Brubaker family has two children enrolled. Madison Brubaker got on the waiting list when she was 12 weeks pregnant with her son. He didn’t get in until he was 10 months old.

LOOKING FOR CHILD CARE

OPTIONS? Times-News investigation: 65 percent of centers have at least 1 inspection violation By the Numbers

JULIE WOOTTON

jwootton@magicvalley.com ‌

‌T

WIN FALLS — Clairissa Granquist pulled her daughter out of a child care center that smelled strongly of peanut butter.

It was a hazardous environment for 2-year-old Nora, who has a nut allergy.

The home-based day care provider wasn’t licensed by the state, but was recommended by her then-husband’s coworkers. She pulled her daughter from the facility after only one month.

“There were about 20 children under the age of 3, which I know for a fact is not legal,” said Granquist, a Shoshone resident.

She declined to disclose the name of the center, but said it’s not in Shoshone. For the past year, her daughter has attended a licensed child care center in Jerome.

“I really like to do state-certified day cares, which is really difficult to find in the Magic Valley unless you go to Twin Falls,” she said.

When a provider is licensed by the state, Granquist said she knows kids are getting adequate attention there.

But more providers are needed — especially, in small, rural communities.

“You can’t drive kids all the way to Twin Falls just to turn around to go back to work,” Granquist said.

For parents who are working and need child care, weighing options and choosing a provider can be a significant hurdle. Providers also face obstacles like cumbersome state requirements, low pay and frequent employee turnover. When looking at inspection results for centers in the region, those challenges show.

At least 65 percent of south-central Idaho’s 114 child care providers

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65

Percent of the 114 licensed child care providers in south-central Idaho with at least one critical violation since 2011.

36

Child care providers who haven’t had a single violation.

8

Child care providers who’ve received three violations during a single inspection since 2011.

4

Preschool Teacher Carly O’Connor helps Kamden McLimans with his project Sept. 13, 2017, at the Twin Falls Reformed Church Kids Zone in Twin Falls.

Kamden and his classmates were gluing q-tips to a drawing of a hand to show where the bones are. Kids Zone hasn’t received any critical inspection violations. have received at least one critical violation during an inspection since 2011, a Times-News investigation revealed.

South Central Public Health District, a subcontractor of the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, posts results on its website. Community members can search by the name of the business or street name, but there’s no a complete list of licensed providers.

Child care facilities must meet 31 requirements set by the Idaho Administrative Code during inspections. Those requirements cover topics such as adult-to-child ratio, immunizations, general safety, food temperatures and hand-washing facilities. There are no tiers to classify the severity of violations; they are all identified as “critical violations.”

The good news: 36 south-central Idaho providers haven’t received a single violation since the beginning of 2011 — the oldest inspections included in the online database. And no local child care center has had its license revoked or suspended in recent years.

If a child care provider receives a critical violation during an inspection, they’re given a deadline by which to comply. Oftentimes, the providers fix the problem within a week — sometimes, even by the next day. Inspectors will often return for a follow-up inspection if there are several violations, according to Melody Bowyer, environmental health division director for South Central Public Health District.

Please see CHILD CARE, Page E2

Largest number of violations during a single inspection.

More online See a list and explanation of the 31 childcare inspection violations at Magicvalley.com.

“I really like to do state-certified day cares, which is really difficult to find in the Magic Valley unless you go to Twin Falls.

You can’t drive kids all the way to Twin Falls just to turn around to go back to work.”

Clairissa Granquist, who pulled her daughter out of a child care center that smelled strongly of peanut butter

MORE INSIDE: 31 requirements for child care centers, E2 | What 4 parents say about child care, E2 | Graphic: Child care violations by the numbers, E3

BIG STORY

E2 | Sunday, October 1, 2017

Times-News

31 requirements for child care centers L‌ icensed Idaho child care facilities must meet 31 state requirements, set by the Idaho Administrative Code, during regular inspections.

There are no tiers to classify the severity of violations. If a facility receives a violation, it’s given a date by which to comply. That date can range from the following day to several weeks away, depending on what the violation is, and how long it will take to correct.

Here are the requirements: Age and health of provider: Providers applying for a license must be at least 18 years old. Assistants at a facility can be 16 or 17 years old if they’re directly supervised. Caregivers can’t work while they’re ill.

CPR/first aid training: At least one adult with current certification must be at the center while children are present or in a vehicle while transporting children.

Child-staff ratio: A point system is used to determine an acceptable staffing level, based on children’s age. More adult supervision is needed for younger children.

Staff/children excluded when ill Immunization records: The provider must have immunization records for every child within 14 days of enrollment.

Emergency communication: A working telephone or cell phone is required, and the phone number must be shared with parents and guardians.

Fire safety: There must adequate emergency exits (and no child care on a second floor without approved exits), plus at least one fire extinguisher that’s inspected yearly, and a smoke detector (with a test button) for each hallway, sleeping area and level of the building.

Fire evacuation plan: A plan must include exit locations, evacuation routes, a meeting location, fire extinguisher locations and a regular drill schedule.

Disaster and emergency planning: It must document policies and procedures for responding to a natural disaster or human-caused event.

Food source/food thawing: Food must come from an acceptable source — and can’t include home-canned foods except jams or jellies, or wild game meat unless it’s approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Food handling/hygiene: Food must be prepared and served in a sanitary way.

Employees must wash hands often.

Food thermometers: Refrigerators must have a functioning thermometer, and perishable food must be stored below 41 degrees.

Food storage Food sanitation: Surfaces where food is prepared or served must be kept clean and sanitized.

Dishwashing/sanitizing Utensil storage: Must be stored clean, not under sinks or on the floor, and knives must be out of children’s reach in drawers with child-proof latches.

Medicines/hazardous substances: Must be stored out of reach of children or in a locked cabinet.

Garbage handling Plumbing/sewage disposal Water supply Handwashing facilities: Providers must supply soap, hot and cold running water, and paper towels. The kitchen sink cannot be used for handwashing after diaper changes.

Diaper changing facilities: Must be separate from food preparation and serving areas. Employees must also use disposable gloves, wash their hands between each diaper change, and sanitize the changing surface — which must be smooth and nonabsorbent — after each diaper change.

Firearms storage: Must be in a locked container and inaccessible to children.

Ammunition must be in a separate locked container.

Water hazards: Bodies of water such as a pool must be fenced (at least 4 feet high), locked and inaccessible to children.

Smoking/alcohol consumption: Prohibited during operating hours when children are present.

Sleeping, play areas and restrooms clean

PAT SUTPHIN, TIMES-NEWS‌

Amy Schutte plays blocks with her son Hudson Schutte, 1, on Sept. 12, 2017, at their home in Kimberly.

What 4 parents say about child care JULIE WOOTTON

jwootton@magicvalley.com ‌

Clairissa Granquist‌

City of residence: Shoshone Children in daycare: Nora, 2 years old Clairissa Granquist relies on a state subsidy through the Idaho Child Care Program to help her pay for daycare.

After getting divorced, she found out about the benefit while applying for other Granquist assistance.

Granquist works full time cleaning houses. Without Idaho Child Care Program, she said day care costs would pretty much negate what she was making.

“It covers quite a bit for me,” the Shoshone resident said, and she’s thankful for that.

Her 2-year-old daughter, Nora, is currently in daycare.

Her 5-year-old used to be, but is now in school. And Granquist is pregnant with her third child, a boy due Nov. 2.

Full-time day care costs about $400 per month for Nora, and state assistance based on her income covers about threefourths of it.

For nearly a year, Granquist’s daughter has attended a certified child care center in Jerome.

Granquist’s new job is also in Jerome, which works out well for her child care needs. Before that, she would often drop off her daughter in Jerome, then drive back to Shoshone for work.

Granquist said Nora is her difficult child, but Nora loves day care and asks when she can go back.

She’s not old enough yet for preschools, but she does some lessons — like learning colors — with the older children.

Amy Schutte‌

City: Kimberly Children: Hudson, 14 months old After seeing her former day care center’s ratio of one adult to as many as six babies, Amy Schutte decided she wanted to leave her full-time job to spend more time with her son.

Schutte, who worked an office job at St. Luke’s Magic Valley Medical Center, left her position in July. Now, she’s doing freelance marketing and writing. She wanted a flexible schedule and a chance to chase her own dreams.

St. Luke’s has an onsite day care center, and Schutte was

at first stoked about that news when she was pregnant. After her son, Hudson, was born, she returned to work.

“For me, it was awesome,” she said. “I could continue breastfeeding my son when I went back to work. I could pop over and see him, which was great.”

But Schutte found it stressful to leave her son at day care for nine hours each workday.

“St. Luke’s does a good job with day care,” she said, and noted that they have skilled professionals who are knowledgeable and up-to-date with safety certifications. “As far as day cares go, it’s great. It’s just really that ratio that kept breaking my heart.”

St. Luke’s day care opened in the 1980s at the Twin Falls County-owned Magic Valley Regional Medical Center.

Now, the day care — which accepts children of up to 18 months — is at the new hospital on Pole Line Road and is open to community members.

But parents who are involved in the local medical community, particularly ones who are employees of St. Luke’s, get first priority for enrollment.

As of September, nearly all of the 26 babies are children of hospital employees.

“It’s not too uncommon for large employers to have this type of benefit,” said Samantha Lopez, human resources manager at St. Luke’s Magic Valley, who oversees the infant daycare. “It’s just a great support to the employees to have their infants close, particularly for nursing moms.”

The day care is open from 6 a.m.-5 p.m., depending on parents’ schedules. The cost of full-time care is $500 per month for employees and $590 for everyone else.

Schutte said she feels there needs to be more value placed on the profession — particularly, lower ratios of providers to children, and better pay for providers so they’ll stick around and invest in children.

St. Luke’s aims for an adultto-child ratio of 1-to-4, but that can vary.

Seeing one provider for as many as six babies was heartbreaking for Schutte as a new mother, especially knowing a provider may not be able to get to all of the babies crying at once.

“It didn’t feel like there was enough hands to hold all of the babies,” Schutte said.

She wanted her son to be more mobile and to be on the floor exploring, but he wasn’t doing that at day care. He

wasn’t napping much either.

Schutte said she’d rather pay more for daycare in order to have a lower adult-to-child ratio, but she’s been on the waiting list for more than a year at a couple of other local day cares.

David Palmer‌

City: Twin Falls Children in daycare: 6-month-old daughter David Palmer and his wife, Alyssa, are adapting to life as new parents and recently.

They recently went through the stressful experience of attempting to Palmer find a day care for their 6-month-old daughter.

Palmer is a sixth-grade reading and study skills teacher, and he’s the activities director at South Hills Middle School in Twin Falls. His wife is a social worker.

They talked with friends and coworkers, seeking recommendations for a quality day care center.

“For every five people we asked, we ended up with seven different places,” Palmer said.

They both took a day off and dropped in on daycare centers.

“We found what we thought was a fantastic place,” he said.

“We understand that nobody is ever going to give care to our kid as well as we feel we could.

We wanted to find a place that didn’t add to our stress.”

In August, they enrolled their daughter in day care. But the center they chose ended up not being as advertised, Palmer said. Though he said his daughter’s safety was never in question, it became clear that the day care was not a good fit. They pulled their daughter out after a day and a half.

The Palmers found help from a babysitter to watch their daughter for the rest of the workweek. They enrolled her at Twin Falls Reformed Church’s Kids Zone the following Monday.

“It was a night and day difference,” Palmer said. “We just felt good about it. We jelled with the staff. They were honest, communicative and all of that. It really helped us to trust someone else to watch our kid for a while.”

He said he has been impressed with the quality of the staff and their professionalism.

“It has been fantastic every step along the way,” Palmer said.

One of the factors that was important for the Palmers was a low adult-to-child ratio, particularly for infants like their daughter.

They also discovered day care centers recognized by IdahoSTARS, a project that provides resources for parents, kept coming to the top of their list of daycare options.

He said he and his wife were thorough with asking for child care recommendations, whether in-home or out-ofhome.

“We thought we had it all figured out,” Palmer said.

Madison Brubaker‌

City: Buhl Children in daycare: 2-year-old son and 10-monthold daughter Madison Brubaker has two children enrolled at Twin Falls Reformed Church’s Kids Zone.

She’s the purchasing and marketing manager for Gem State PaBrubaker per and Supply, and her husband is a farmer.

They heard about the day care because they attend the church.

“I knew the facility prior to having kids,” she said. “We put ourselves on the waiting list right away.”

Brubaker got on the waiting list when she was 12 weeks pregnant with her son. He didn’t get in until he was 10 months old.

Before that, her son went to Binky to Backpack daycare until he was 4 months old. Then, he stayed with a family friend during the day.

With Twin Falls Reformed Church, Brubaker said the most exciting thing is it’s a safe, secured facility, and a warm, inviting environment.

She said she loves the classroom structure — even when children are infants — so it’s not just playtime.

It’s one of the more expensive local day cares, but she said it’s worth it knowing her children are safe. Also, from attending church, she already knew some of the teachers there.

Brubaker said the communication there is good, and she likes how everything is documented during the day — such as naptime and diaper changes – so she knows how each day went. Her kids, especially her son, love the day care too.

“Half the time,” she said, “he doesn’t want to leave.”

Heat, light, ventilation Outdoor play areas: They must be free from hazards, and play equipment must be safe, anchored and easily supervised.

Animal vaccinations: Vaccination records must be available, and animals must be in good health and friendly.

General safety: Electrical cords and outlets must be in good repair. The center must prevent stairway access to children 3 and younger. Items that are choking hazards must be inaccessible to children. And the center must have adequate railings for balconies and stairs.

Transportation safety

Child care From E1

There’s nearly a 100 percent compliance rate by the return visit, as the facility has a lot at stake.

“They are very highly motivated,” Bowyer said.

Beyond just the regular inspection, Bowyer said the health district tries to provide education for child care providers on how they could

improve. They are typically receptive, and she added that in some cases, conducting an inspection “is like visiting a longtime friend.”

Across south-central Idaho, when a center receives a violation, it’s typically for just one or two mistakes. But over the years, eight have received three violations during a single inspection: Tots to Teens (2013), Right on Track Please see CHILD CARE, Page E3

Reporter Julie Wootton became interested in pursuing a project about child care inspections after talking with parents for a story in July about day care costs. It led to questions about how providers are licensed and the challenges that child care facilities face, which are explored in today’s project.

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BIG STORY

TIMES-NEWS

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2017 |

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PAT SUTPHIN PHOTOS, TIMES-NEWS

Ella Angell eats her lunch Sept. 8, 2017, at St. Luke’s Magic Valley Medical Center Infant Day Care in Twin Falls.

Child care From E2

Choosing a child care provider is one of the most daunting tasks for parents of young children. South-central Idaho provides plenty of child care options, but a Times-News investigation showed that the majority of them have been hit with at least one critical violation in the past six years.

Sun Valley

Number of violations 0 1 2 3 4 5 or more 36 27

Hailey

18

Bellevue

9 2 13

Pole Line Road

Data from 2011 to September 2017.

S. 400 W.

Twin Falls

Eastland Dr.

Child Care (2017 and 2013), More Sunshine & Rainbows (2012), Little Einstein’s Christian Academy Sherri Richens, a manager of a (2015), Lillypad Child Care Cenchild care center ter & Preschool (2013), Doodle Bugs Daycare (2017), Boys & Girls Clubs of Magic Valley (2011) and All About Kids Preschool (2017 herself. and 2015).

Preparing for an inspection enThe largest number of viola- tails making sure her home is safe tions during a single inspection for children, much like the process was four: Binky to Backpack Day- of becoming a new parent. That care in Twin Falls in 2012 for hand includes making sure cords are washing facilities, water supply/ out of the way and electrical outprivate wells/samples, fire safety lets are covered — the small things and evacuation plans and general for which centers often receive insafety. spection violations.

Since then, the number of viAfter gaining her state license olations at Binky to Backpack as a daycare provider two years has dropped significantly, down ago, Belliston posted on Facebook to just one each year in 2015 and about her new daycare. All of the 2016. slots were filled within an hour.

Sherri Richens, the manager “From then,” Belliston said, “I for the child care center, moved have not had to advertise.” to Magic Valley 2 1/2 years ago — a few years after the inspection When is an inspection that resulted in four violations. required?

The day care center opened about five years ago — about the time of Child care providers must have the 2012 inspection. a license from Health and Welfare Big day cares like Binky to if they care for seven or more chilBackpack are inspected by many dren and are paid to take care of at people, she said, and they come least one of them. in unannounced during business Additionally, all child care cenhours. But she noted that “the ters must receive inspections if inspections are not really a scary they participate in the Idaho Child thing.”

Care Program, regardless of how In addition to regular inspec- many children they serve.

The program — which provides tions by the health district, the center’s food programmalso readministered by aps4n e w s . federal c o m / © H Emoney RE ceives inspections. A lunchroom Health and Welfare — covers a worker prepares homemade portion of child care expenses for breakfasts, lunches and snacks low-income families who are U.S. every weekday. citizens or legal immigrants who Under its license, Binky to are working, going to school or Backpack can accept up to 145 participating in approved trainchildren. But right now, it av- ing. erages between 60 and 70, and Day care providers who are cernumbers drop during the sum- tified to accept ICCP subsidies — mertime. and that’s about 90 percent of Since 2012, the day care — those licensed in Idaho — must which has 10 teachers and one undergo an inspection once a lunchroom worker — has mod- year. Others are inspected every ernized its processes, Richens two years. said, such as using automatic South Central Public Health withdrawal to accept payments District inspects and oversees compliance for licensed daycare instead of checks.

Parents sign their own children centers in south-central Idaho’s into the daycare, and have code eight counties. numbers to get in and out of the The health district also invesbuilding. A new computer system tigates complaints it receives via also provides a warning if more IdahoSTARS, a project that prochildren are at the center than vides training for child care prousual and if more employees are viders and resources for curious needed to keep the ratio of adults parents. Community members can call 2-1-1 to report a comto children in check.

In Burley, Doodle Bugs received plaint to IdahoSTARS. three violations during a routine If inspection violations or cominspection in June: immuniza- plaints arise and a provider fails tions, food temperatures/ther- multiple times to make changes, mometers and postings.

IDHW could revoke their license, Lacey Belliston started the day but that’s extremely rare. care out of her home two years In 2016, the health district conago so she could stay home with ducted 150 child care inspections her youngest child while he was and 19 investigations. In all, the in therapy for hearing difficulties. environmental health division “I didn’t want to hire a nanny to employs 12 people — eight in Twin do my job,” she said.

Falls, one in Blaine County, one in She has five full-time children Jerome, one in Cassia County and enrolled, plus her two children one in Minidoka County — and and a few more children in part- more than half of them conduct time care. She doesn’t have any inspections. employees and does all of the work The health district rarely calls

Child care violations by the numbers

Washington St.

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“The in-and-out in a year is unbelievable.

We can’t keep a good staff.”

Rupert

Addison Ave

Heyburn

84

Burley

Gooding

Wendell

maps4news.com/©HERE

Jerome

84

Rupert

Buhl Flier

84

Twin Falls

Heyburn

Source: South Central Public Health District

Amy Schutte guides her son Hudson Schutte, 1, as he learns to walk Sept.

12, 2017, at their home in Kimberly. Schutte used a day care center until she left her office job at St. Luke’s Magic Valley Medical Center in July to spend more time with her son. tral Public Health District are self-explanatory and easy to meet. Others require a more difficult level of maintenance, and pop up frequently as violations.

The most common violations Common inspection committed by child care providers are not having up-to-date violations immunization records for every Some of the inspection re- child, not having a refrigerator quirements set by South Cen- thermometer or complying with in advance of inspections, and will typically only do so if a provider has hours that vary.

“In general, it’s unannounced,” Bowyer said. “We just show up.”

Burley

maps4news.com/©HERE, Lee Enterprises graphic

food temperature requirements, and general safety, such as not covering electrical outlets.

When complaints come in, Bowyer said they’re often from parents who are worried about a high child-to-staff ratio. The health district uses a point system to gauge whether a center has an adequate number of adults on site.

One of the toughest requirements day care providers have to meet — and something that often leads to a violation — is having up-to-date immunization records for every child.

“Immunizations are a dinger,” Eden said. But as of September, Twin Falls Reformed Church’s Kids Zone hasn’t received any inspection violations.

Child care providers must rely on parents to provide the latest vaccination information for their children, and vaccinations don’t happen at a uniform time each year.

If there’s a violation for immunization records, the child care provider is asked to send records to SCPHD for a computer review, Please see CHILD CARE, Page E4

BIG STORY

E4 | Sunday, October 1, 2017

Times-News

PAT SUTPHIN PHOTOS, TIMES-NEWS‌

Sadie Adams, left, and Matthew Kaperleris, right, look at their books during reading time Sept. 13, 2017, at the Twin Falls Reformed Church Kids Zone in Twin Falls.

Child care From E3

and they generally don’t receive a follow-up visit.

Another common challenge for providers is meeting the requirement of having regular fire drills.

At Twin Falls Reformed Church’s Kids Zone, the noise and the strobe lights terrified some of the children during the first-ever drill, Eden said. Some were scared and shaking, and didn’t want to come back into the building again.

But it’s helpful to have emergency drills, Eden said, particularly, to practice how to evacuate a building with infants.

At the day care, there are written protocols for different emergency situations. It’s so thorough it includes just about every situation imaginable — even a zombie apocalypse, a joke among the staff.

‘More challenging than I ever thought it would be’‌ Child care providers face hurdles to maintaining functionality, from ever-changing state requirements to frequent employee turnover.

Anyone hoping to obtain a day care license must fill out an application that accompanies additional requirements, including a criminal background check, proof of liability and fire insurance, an approved fire safety inspection, and proof of compliance with local ordinances. As of October 2016, providers who accept ICCP subsidies must also take online training classes.

But beyond the state requirements, Richens says the biggest challenge with operating a day care is retaining employees.

“The in-and-out in a year is unbelievable,” Richens said. “We can’t keep a good staff.”

Between relatively low pay and it being a demanding job that keeps workers on their feet, employees must love the work in order to stay in the field.

Richens said she has heard complaints or comments from parents when another new teacher takes over.

“You never want that to happen, but you have no control,” she said.

Those retention issues are hardly unique to Binky to Backpack. Twin Falls Reformed Church, which operates preschool and after-school programs in addition to its day care, faces the same challenges.

Tiffany Eden, early childhood ministries director at Twin Falls Reformed Church, said frequent turnover is not good for parents, but admitted the position is “not a huge paying position” for day care workers.

She said Twin Falls Reformed Church tries to ensure employees enjoy their job and pays at a rate higher than the state’s minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, though Eden declined to disclose the church’s specific pay scale.

The church also offers a conti-

Child Care Provider Kennedy Bell feeds a baby in her care Sept. 8, 2017, at St. Luke’s Magic Valley Medical Center Infant Day Care in Twin Falls. The day care accepts children up to 18 months. nuity of care bonus twice a year, in December and June, as an incentive for employees who stick around.

As a result of ensuring employees are compensated fairly, there are more costs in running the program. Those costs are inevitably passed down to families.

“We’re not a cheap child care,” she said. The church charges up to $600 each month per child for full-time child care, depending on the child’s age.

When Belliston first opened Doodle Bugs in Burley, she charged less than many bigger day cares. But over time, she has raised rates depending on demand.

“Pricing is hard because a lot of centers get a much larger volume of kids, so they can charge quite a bit less,” she said.

The purpose of in-home day

care is to keep it smaller and give children more one-on-one attention, Belliston said, but that comes with a higher price tag.

Belliston plans meals and activities one month in advance. When she purchases anything for the day care, she sticks to a budget.

“It does take a lot of patience to do it because it’s definitely a lot more challenging than I ever thought it would be,” Belliston said.

‘We just knew the community needed a child care’‌ At Twin Falls Reformed Church, the decision to start a day care ministry came after several years of discussion and planning.

A church strategic health team began meeting in 2006, long be-

fore St. Luke’s opened its new hospital across the street in 2011.

The group saw a need for more child care options in Twin Falls and, specifically, in its blossoming northwest side of the city.

“We just knew the community needed child care,” Eden said.

First, the church built a wing for children’s programming.

Now, the church is in the midst of another financial campaign as it seeks to build additional space for the children’s ministry.

Kids Zone is licensed to accommodate 101 children. Thirty more families are on the outside hoping to get off the waiting list and into the program.

“We get calls all the time,” Eden said.

New this year, TFRC offers after-school care for first through third graders. As of September, 10 children were enrolled.

To prepare for health district inspections, Eden has contacted local emergency preparedness officials and the IdahoSTARS local office for advice on meeting state requirements, such as the evacuation plan and drills.

For all the challenges child care providers face, parents have their own set of complications to consider.

When deciding on a provider, they’re left to weigh factors such as safety and cost, and potentially compromise if they’re looking for something in a particular location. That makes the monumental decision of where to leave your child an even more complicated one.

“You have to make a choice and it sucks,” Granquist said. “It is not a fun choice to make, especially because it’s your children and you want what’s best for them.”

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