Published: September 10, 2007 09:44 am      

Keepin’ them safe

Online DHS reports of child care, home centers step in right direction

ADA — For the first time compliance records of state child care homes and centers are available online, according to the Oklahoma Department of Human Services.

“Before, parents had to visit a local DHS office or travel to Oklahoma City to access that information,” said Mary Leaver, DHS spokeswoman. “The number of noncompliance episodes are listed in 27 categories, such as fire safety, behavior and guidance, infant feeding, animals, health and hazards and several other areas. The dates of each DHS visit are also included and the reason for those visits.”

The information can be viewed at www.okdhs.org.

“I don’t really see any problem with the online reports,” said Bridgette Hernandez, director of Care-A-Lot, an Ada child care center. “I do think those who are going to view the reports should be provided more information when non-compliance items are noted.”

Hernandez has worked at the Ada center, which cares for 40 children, for more than seven years, the past three as director.

“We have every DHS inspection report available for anyone to examine,” she said. “We just work very hard to stay in compliance with every DHS requirement. Our number one concern is our children, to provide them with the environment I want for my own children.”

Care-A-Lot hasn’t received any non-compliance marks or complaints during the past year, according to the DHS Web site.

“We’re proud of the job that we do,” Hernandez said. “We take it very seriously.”

Information about every child care center in Oklahoma can be downloaded. Because of privacy issues, some information, such as addresses of home child cares, is not posted online.

Oklahoma child care centers and homes will be required to make files accessible to parents beginning Oct. 1. The changes come after the death of 2-year-old Joshua Minton in May at a home day care in Tulsa. The owner of the day care, Vicki Chiles, was charged with murder. A judge entered not guilty pleas on her behalf in August.

And an unlicensed child care center operator in Weatherford was charged with first-degree murder Friday, admitting to police that she violently threw a 10-month-old boy under her care into a playpen, according to the Associated Press. Lindsay Pope is charged with the death of Luke O’Daniel.

Reports of sexual and other abuse will not be included on the compliance reports online. Those complaints are turned over to the DHS Child Welfare Department. However, child care centers are required to have those investigations on record for parents to examine.

“We hope putting compliance records online will provide parents better access to the information,” Leaver said.

Selecting a child care provider

“Choosing the right child care may be one of the most important decisions a family can make for their child,” states Cheryl Bell, coordinator of ECU’s Child Care Resource and Referral Agency.

Bell said free services are available to every family in Oklahoma that needs help finding and choosing quality child care that fits their needs.

Locally, families can phone the ECU Child Care Resource and Referral Agency at (580) 436-5202 or toll-free at (800) 862-5593 to learn what to look for when choosing child care. Bell said her office can also provide parents with a list of licensed child care providers in their area and ways to get assistance with the costs.

In a poll conducted by the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral, according to Bell, parents said a safe and healthy environment is their most important goal for choosing child care.

“It is very hard for working parents to leave their child with someone they don't know,” Bell said. “Child care resource and referral specialists are trained to help parents understand the types of things to look for when selecting safe child care. Such things as low adult-to-child ratios, safety equipment including smoke alarms, fire extinguishers and outlet covers, background checks for caregivers, and training in child development, first aid and CPR can make all the difference between a safe environment and one that is not.”

Bell said Oklahoma rules require that all licensed child care facilities provide parents access to all areas of the home or center during the hours that children are in care.

“The child care resource and referral specialist reviews that policy with parents who call,” she said. “We encourage parents to interview a prospective child care provider at the home or center prior to placing the child in care. We also suggest that parents go back after the interview and observe the provider actually caring for children. Finally, parents are encouraged, once they have placed a child in care, to make unannounced visits to the facility-whether it is a center or family child care home-and to make the visits at different times of the day and week.”





Pontotoc County Licensed child care providers

(Source: www.okdhs.org. All locations are in Ada )



Name location Phone

Ada Headstart 1 & 2 1721 Cradduck Rd. (580) 332-7223

Becky’s Family Childcare Center 706 E. 9th (580) 332-4646

Child Care home (Martha Burden) (580) 332-1177

Care-A-Lot 723 E. 10th (580) 436-3125

Chickasaw Nation Child Development 226 Rosedale Rd. (580) 310-9490

Chickasaw Nation Head Start 226 Rosedale Rd. (580) 310-9490

ECU Child Development ECU Box E3 (580) 332-3388

Brandy Fortner Child Care home (580) 436-3538

Good Shepherd Pre-School 129 W. 14th (580) 436-5225

Hacienda Academy 16425 CR 1565 (580) 332-7799

Peggy KillianJames Child Care Home (580) 332-1466

Rebecca Lamb Child Care Home (580) 436-3212

Latta Kids Zone Day Care13924 CR 1560 (580) 332-3035

Little Sprouts Daycare 510 W. 12th (580) 332-8331

Little Tots Academy 801 S. Stockton (580) 332-5050

Brandy Lorenz Child Care Home (580) 235-0404

Luanne’s Early Learning DCC 521 E. 12th (580) 332-3247

Michelle & Tangi’s Country 11779 CR 3510 (580) 310-6160

Monnie’s Day Care 12906 CR 3510 (580) 332-7673

Monte Vista Academy 1425 N. Monte Vista (580) 436-9034

Pickett Head Start 9660 SH 19 (580) 332-5461

Barbara Raney Child Care Home (580) 310-6123

Robyn Simpson Child Care Home (580) 310-0991

Juanita Stinnett Child Care Home (580) 421-9133

Total Learning Center 1628 Beverly (580) 436-1447