Isn’t it great how much “free” stuff you get at the hospital. And we all know it isn’t exactly free. I heard in our birthing class, that wasn’t taught by the hospital, to bring an extra bag to stuff all the diapers and underwear and all the other stuff you can stuff in it because they are charging you for it anyway so you might as well take it home with you.

As a former police child abuse detective, I must stress that incidents like this are way under-reported. The more it is exposed the better.

Every parent strives to find a good daycare for their kids. Being the responsible and intelligent parent that you are not different. If you’re about to enroll a kid in daycare, you know you can’t just pick one out of the phone book of off the internet and hope for the best.

If you’re like most parents you’ll at least visit several daycares before picking one for their kid. You’ll do your homework, right?

You have no doubt printed checklists and questions to ask during the appointment you scheduled to visit the daycare. Heck you might even stop by accidentally on the wrong date for your appointment just to see what’s going on when they’re not expecting company. You can take a quick peek, apologize, and confirm the “correct” date for your interview and inspection.

During your interview you’ll ask about the staff and licensing. You’ll ask about lunch and snacks. The staff will do their best to answer your questions, and you’ll leave feeling good about a particular daycare.

Meanwhile, back at the daycare, the staff and owner will be breathing a sigh of relief. There were nine things they didn’t have to tell, and they will be delighted that you didn’t know to ask.

Here are the Seven things daycare providers don’t have to tell you:

Some daycare staff members may work before their background checks are completed. You are smart enough to know better than to risk putting your child in the hands of someone you know nothing about. While it takes the state months to do a background check, I can do a complete background investigation in 72 hours or less.

Daycare Providers Do Not Have to Tell You About Past Complaints to the State. You’ve heard the expression about something that looks, walks, quacks, and whatever else they do being ducks, right? Well complaint after complaint to the state, even if they were unfounded, should at least be a yellow flag needing further investigation.

Daycare Centers Do Not Have to Tell You About Registered Sexual Predators in the Area. You can at least hope they know how many there are, which at least shows some proactive thinking on the daycare’s part. Check for registered Sex Offenders in the area of any daycare you’re considering. Just because the court told them to stay away from kids does not mean they will be able to.

Recent Criminal or Suspicious Activity is Something Else Daycare Owners Would Rather Keep Quiet. Recent criminal activity can include everything from a potential child molester creeping around outside of a daycare, to stray bullets from a gang corner down the street. A pattern of traffic accidents in front of or near the daycare is another area of concern. This is especially true if the daycare’s playground is only protected by a chain link fence. The police will have a records of all traffic accidents at or near the daycare.

Staff Criminal History and Contact With Law Enforcement History. As a former police officer, I hate to admit this, but the police can’t catch every criminal every time. Somebody who was investigated for child abuse or sexual misconduct three times in other states can still be working in the daycare you are considering for your kid.

If they have not been charged and/or convicted, chances are good that they will pass the background check. Would you want someone who has been investigated for sexual child abuse three times watching your kid?

Past Lawsuits They Have Lost or Successfully Defended. If a daycare center has been successfully sued, they still may be able to operate depending on the incident. Even if a daycare has been unsuccessfully sued for an injury to a child, it could also be a warning sign, or a sign the daycare owner has a very good attorney. Either way, your kid’s safety is at risk.

Professional Daycare Licenses Revoked or Suspended in Other States. Since some state’s daycare licensing divisions are way behind others in technology and online records availability, some daycare providers who have had their licenses suspended or revoked in other states can still get a license somewhere else – even in Florida.

Parents can check most of this information on their own. You can also hire licensed private investigator investigate this for you.

If you’d like more information please visit http://www.the-lionfish-group.com/daycare.html