Parents, daycare providers and state licensers each have a role to play in ensuring quality, safe child care services in Ward County and North Dakota.

Amy Jenkins, child care licenser for Ward County Social Services, called it a team effort between the county and providers.

“We work hand-in-and with them because we also depend on them to be responsible business owners,” she said.

“A lot of our providers are very good,” added Jenkins, who said she’s seen great strides in the quality of care during her 16 years with the county. “They want to meet the standards. They want to be the best.”

Social Services also requires the cooperation of parents, she said.

“They are in the home way more than we are so if they see things, it’s so important for the parents to let us know,” Jenkins said. Often, it’s a matter of working with a provider to make corrections, but that might not happen if parents don’t speak up, she said.

The oversight of child care has received attention recently with the release of an audit of the North Dakota Department of Human Services. The audit for the biennium ending June 30, 2015, highlighted some concerns over early childhood services licensing, for which county licensers act as the authorized agent for the department. The audit found instances in which child care providers were allowed to continue operating after the agency became aware of illegal drug use and inappropriate touching by adults. The department reported none of the instances mentioned in the audit involved child care providers in Ward County.

Jenkins said if Ward County Social Services suspects illegal activities, the agency reports to the appropriate law enforcement as well as to North Central Human Services, the Human Services Department’s branch in Minot.

Licensing authority lies with the state, but Ward County Social Services assists by reviewing applicants for licenses and monitoring existing daycares. Daycare applicants must undergo criminal background checks, be screened for previous child abuse or neglect and obtain CPR and first aid training. Providers must have business practice policies and other procedures in place in accordance with state law. Homes and centers are inspected for fire safety by fire officials and for general safety by social service workers.

Ward County typically follows up with new licensees within a couple of months of opening to ensure all is going well or to fix problems early on. The minimum state standard calls for two visits by Social Services a year to each daycare one announced and one unannounced, Jenkins said.

Social Services focuses on making sure health and safety codes are followed. The agency doesn’t get involved in details of how providers choose to operate, Jenkins said.

“They are responsible for their businesses. We go in and do the basic checks of health and safety, and they are minimum standards,” she said. “Basic business practices are still their responsibility.”

When it comes to business practices, Child Care Aware, through Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota, offers information on best practices and can advise daycare owners on how to set up a quality child care service.

When issues are found, providers receive a period of time to make corrections that varies with the degree of seriousness. For instance, if an open backyard presented a safety hazard that could be mitigated by installing a fence, the provider would have a specified period in which to purchase and erect a fence. In the meantime, the provider could be directed to have the children play in another outdoor area or nearby park.

A daycare would risk financial sanctions for failing to make timely corrections.

“Most of the time they step up to the plate pretty quickly,” Jenkins said. Failure to do so jeopardizes continuation of a daycare’s license.

One area where the state wants to do more is in informing parents when violations are found and corrections mandated, Jenkins said. Providers are to post notices, but often parents might not be aware of the issue unless they happen to ask Social Services about the daycare’s status.

“Our state is committed to the process of getting all this information online,” Jenkins said. “By next year, we should have everything online. A parent can have easy access to look up providers.”

The online information will include any correction orders but also other information that will help parents who are looking for child care to make the best decisions.

Ward County Social Services advises parents seeking child care to ask to see the provider’s contracts and policies. Ask questions to determine a provider’s level of knowledge and professionalism. Look at the environment where a child will be spending time, both inside and outside the building.

Jenkins said it helps to make two visits, both with and without the child, to provide a thorough look.

Kristi Asendorf, manager of parent services for Child Care Aware in Minot, recommends parents investigate all their options and contact several programs. Compare programs and ask lots of questions. Sample questions can be found online at ndchildcare.org under the parents tab.

“Besides asking a lot of questions, we suggest that people tour programs so they are seeing every place their child might be,” Asendorf said. They should meet all the people who will have contact with their children, including any family members of the provider or substitute caregivers.

It is important to get references and talk to other families who have used the services of the provider, Asendorf said.

“Last but not least, we always tell people, trust your instincts,” she said. “Even once you have care, trust your instincts again. If you feel uneasy about what’s going on, you should be following up on that.”

Child Care Aware recommends parents drop in unannounced at times to see the child-care environment.

If a parent suspects a violation of state rules or a situation that could endanger a child, the parent should make a report to Ward County Social Services. Asendorf said the tendency might be to simply leave and get away from a bad situation, but it is important to report environments that could negatively affect other families.

The best way to avoid problems arising, though, is for parents to communicate with their providers, ideally daily but at least weekly, Asendorf said.

She said parents need to be diligent but not constantly suspicious.

“Open communication can really make a difference,” she said. “Parents are the consumers who push the quality. When parents ask questions and demand more, the providers are more likely to step up to the plate and deliver more.”