Like thousands of local moms, Leslie Cobb sends her child to day care.
It can be nerve wracking. Ask any parent, and they’ll say dropping a child off at day care for the first time is extremely difficult.
Leslie Cobb, child in day care: “I was crying before I even got out the door, and even my husband...my husband was a little upset, as well. I mean, he wasn’t crying, but it was definitely emotional for both of us.”
For working parents, day care can be a great option. But, Leslie Cobb says it’s a convenience that comes with its worries.
Cobb: “I’m leaving her with strangers and she’s too young to tell me if anything goes wrong.”
The Children’s Center on the campus of the USC Aiken cares for children from 6-weeks-old to five-years-old.
It maintains specific teacher-child ratios and passes safety regulations to stay open.
The South Carolina Department of Social Services (DSS) requires that child care facilities be licensed...meaning they have to meet certain guidelines.
LaDonna Hayes, childcare specialist: “Each one of us is CPR/ First-Aid certified. We make sure that someone is here at all times that have CPR and First Aid, so that if anything were to happen.”
DSS inspects and can renew the licenses every two years.
It also performs unannounced inspections twice a year to make sure your kid is safe.
Hayes: “They pop in, they don’t give you a warning when they come in, so we always try to maintain those standards so when they do pop in we don’t have anything to worry about.”
DSS will also inspect a facility if there is a complaint. But in the end, it’s up to parents to make sure the day care is a good fit.
There are different types of rules for different types of day cares, including Church run and home based facilities.
For a complete list of day care guidelines you can check out SC’s DSS website.
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