HOUSTON — An unsettling video filmed inside a Lubbock daycare is enough to make any working parent ask themselves, “How can I make sure my kids are being treated well at daycare?”
Lubbock Police are investigating the video taken inside the My Little Playhouse Learning Center on 50th Street. It shows an employee pulling a 3-year-old’s hair and arm, trying to get her to eat.
A second employee, who was behind the camera, is heard laughing and even calling another child ugly. Both employees have been fired.
Bringing a child to daycare can be extremely difficult for any parent, but there are ways to dig into a daycare’s past to ensure they are safe, and there are questions that can help ensure you’re making the right choice for your family.
Licensed professional counselor Bill Prasad says picking a daycare is kind of like a job interview.
“Except a job is not on the line, perhaps the health of your child is on the line,” Prasad said. “That’s a big deal. Do your research. That’s extremely important.”
Prasad provided the following list of questions that a daycare provider should be able to answer:
1. How is behavior managed?
“How are naps handled? How are snacks handled? How are timeouts handled? How are consequences handled?”
2. What is the video access?
“Can a parent to gain access to cameras that are being used to tape what’s happening at the daycare center?”
3. What is the unannounced drop-in policy?
“Can a parent drop in to the daycare center anytime he or she wants to see how things are going?”
4. What is the caretaker to child ratio?
5. What employee certifications are required?
“Ask to see what certifications the caretakers have. Are their CPR certifications up-to-date?”
You can also check any daycare’s license and violations by a simple online search.
Prasad also advises parents pay attention to how a child responds physically, since many small children can’t express themselves verbally. Prasad says it’s normal for a child to be nervous or scared about going to daycare at first, but if that anxiety continues, it could be a sign that something’s not quite right.