Mother's Day Out Advice

They are not usually licensed, though it depend on the state's requirements. Most mother day out programs we have been involved in have been better than other licensed daycares in the area.

It all depends on your state. I have lived in WI, MN and IL, and I don't know of any church-run Mothers' Day Out programs that ARE licensed.

As long as your child is receiving good, quality care, I wouldn't worry if the facility is licensed or not.

It is considered part time and does not meet the requirements for licensing. MDO programs are usually really good and never open often enough to qualify. They must be open over 15 hours in Oklahoma to need a license. No MDO programs I know of have ever been licensed.

Do you have any issues with the care received? Is there some problem that the state needs to investigate? Then call your local Department of Human Services and find the number to child care licensing and find out if they would investigate it.

In Texas, it's very common. Mother's Day Out programs are often considered part time or enrichment care, so the requirements are different than that of a day care facility. Often times, churches cannot afford to match the requirements of a licensed facility since it requires additional training for care givers and other requirements.

If you aren't having issues with the care your child is receiving, I would not be alarmed. I don't think that something being licensed makes it more trustworthy or better care - I think many more factors weigh in to that.

If you are more concerned with the checking up aspect, you should be able to make unannounced visits and they should be willing to answer any questions you may have. You can always pull the requirements of a licensed facility from the internet and do your own 'inspection' to see what areas the church program may be lacking in. And often times, as was the case in both the Mothers Day Out programs I had my children in, the church programs were on the mark with all the safety aspects, it was just that they couldn't afford the salaries and to actual get the licensing and keep up with it.

It varies by state. Personally I would hang out an see how it was run for a day. If it was run in a way that I was comfortable with then I would continue with it. Just because the place is not licensed doesn't mean that they are not following all the rules otherwise.

Different states have different rules. Check with your state's Department of Human Services, Day Care Licensing Office.

For me the most important thing would be if the quality of care fits my standards. I think it's reasonable to ask questions of the person in charge. For me, if I don't know the workers, I'd ask for a criminal background check. Each worker can obtain that on their own or they can give someone permission to do so.

To volunteer at school everyone must have completed a criminal background check. In today's world that's a necessity, in my opinion.

However, if you've known the workers for years and feel comfortable in their presence and with what you know about their lives, I might forgo the criminal history check. It is a small part of ensuring the safety of children. Your intuition is as important as a criminal history.

I agree with Lisa M and Momma L on this.

Volunteer for a while there and see how they run it. You will get a good gut feeling if they are giving good, quality care.

Church day ares do not have to be licensed no matter how long they are open. There are no other organizations that monitor unlicensed facilites.