Daycare's allowed to exceed ratio?

Question

I have a 9 week old son that I am putting in daycare 2 days a week. My original place gives priority to someone that wants full time so he lost his spot 2 days before he was supposed to start.

I then looked at another and visited it and it seemed ok, so i filled out the application packet.

I had a question so last Friday I went by after work and dropped off my check and packet, but the directer wasn't there. I circled the part I had a question about on the contract and left a check (he was supposed to start today) and told the girl there (daughter of the directer) to have her mother call me that night (she was supposed to be there in 15 minutes). While i was there I noticed that there were about 7 children in the baby room, about half of them looked to be between 1-2.

She never called me so yest (mon) I started calling her but they told me she was at the other center, I called there and they said the same thing. I left messages at both places for her to call me (there were kids screaming/crying in the background), She didn't. I called this morning and finally got her, at this point I am completely fed up with it so I said I would be coming by to pick up the check and my info and wouldn't be putting my son in, she asked why and said I couldn't have my check back, they had already deposited it, and that she won't refund it. I told her what I just said, that I wasn't comfortable with my son there, and that I had noticed that the baby room was over the legal ratio (5/1) she said they are legally allowed to combine rooms and go over the legal ratio as long as it is at the end of the day. I looked up the regulations, and it does say that you can combine, but that you must follow the legal ratio for the youngest group...but I couldn't find anything about the end of the day. Have you guys ever heard of that?

Answer 1

You were right about the regulations. I would not send my child there, and I would make a call to the licensing agency. You can try and get the money back in Small Claims Court.

Answer 2

I know in the day cares I've worked at you were allowed to combine age groups at the end of the day but you still had to follow the ratio for the youngest child in that group. So if you were combining infants and toddlers you were still only allowed 5 children/room.

I don't know what state you live in so it could possibly be different. I'd still look into getting your money back unless they have a "no refund" policy.

ETA: Just read that you live in NC. One daycare that I worked at was in Jacksonville, NC so it would apply to that daycare as well.

Answer 3

Well actually when my kids are dropped off in the morning they all go to seperate rooms. When I go to pick them up my 5 month old and 17month old are in the same room and they do combine them. There was always one lady in the baby room. and then there was another baby room for 8months-18months. there was usually 2 ladies in there. i never sen them over the ratio but the day care my kids went was accredited

Answer 4

Can you stop payment on your check? If you have a bad feeling about the place that is taking care of your child you have every right to take your child out.  You may lose your money but you will have piece of mind.  I have never heard of them ever being aloud to go over the legal ratio but I know at my daycare they do combine rooms at the end of the day but they always maintain ratio.