Conference moira::parenting

    
    Yes, they do ID everyone prior to releasing a child.
    We were asked for a list of people who were allowed to pick
    up our daughter.  We were also asked for a PASSWORD for a person to
    use in an emergency and only after we called on the telephone to 
    allow someone not on the list to pick up our daughter.
    
    We've never had anyone else pick up our daughter but I have seen
    the daycare teacher ask for a picture driver's license of someone
    who was picking up a child that was not her own.  (A neighbor).
    A note had been writen that morning explaining that a neighbor was
    picking up one of my daughter's classmates.  Since this particular
    neighbor was unknown to the school, she was "ID'd" before being
    allowed to take the child.
    
    

our center has a keypad security code to enter the building....this helps to
identify people who shouldn't be in the building in the first place.  We must
give them a hand written note of the identified pick up person, and that person
is required to show a picture id at the door.

/michael

p.s.  in case of emergency there are a couple of people who are pre-registered
with the registration paper work (includes their name and driver's licence
number).

	My mom owns a day care center and I know the parents have to
	list the names of anyone who might be picking up the child.
	If someone the teachers don't know comes to pick up the child
	they are asked to show a photo id and if their name isn't on the
	list, they don't take the child.  Some people have complained
	about this system, but I think they are being short sighted -
	it's for the childs protection and parents peice of mind.
	My mother has not changed the centers policy - If you're not
	on the list, you can't pick up the child.

    my son is in a public school.  ALL doors to the building are locked, if
    he is late and misses the first bell he must enter through the front
    door, and only after ringing the doorbell which is answered by the
    school secretary.  
    
    If I am visiting, I must too ring the bell and be admitted.  I must
    then sign a visitor's log, and put on a visitor's badge.  This is for
    any visit, no matter how close it is to the front door.  The nurse and
    principal are literally next to the front door, I must still sign in
    and receive a badge even if it's only for a minute.
    
    I had to provide a list of people authorized to pick him up in
    emergency, and those are absolutely the only ones to whom my child
    could be released under any conditions.
    
    The locked doors are an agrivation at times, but nice to know that some
    stranger can't just walk in.  There is also a minimum of three teachers
    in the playground even before the first bell to supervise, and adults
    are NOT allowed beyond a tall chainlink fence that surrounds the play
    area while children are in the play yard.  There is also an after
    school program that runs until 5:30 each day, same rules apply to the
    playyard during the after school and vacation "camp" times.  In short I
    can not bring AJ to the school yard to play, say on the days when he
    has a half day, this is reserved only for the children in the programs.
    
    Lyn

    My son goes to a home daycare and the provider will not let anyone else
    pick up besides the parents which she meets at the interview and a
    second pick up person whom you have to bring and introduce to her so
    she knows who the person is.
    
    Liz

We've been out of this loop for awhile, but when we were there, the day care 
center allowed our children to go home with the parent of another child at 
the daycare center, provided there was a written authorization from us.  
That's nice to have when your child is going to a friends to play after 
daycare or if you "carpool" to daycare. 

Another thing to check on is how strict the daycare center is about pickup 
times.  If they are very strict, and if it's difficult for you to leave work 
at the same time, or if you work a long distance from daycare, you may need 
to see if it's possible to give blanket approval (perhaps with a phone call) 
for your child to either go home with another parent.

Of course as important, perhaps more so, as people who can take a child home 
is a list of people who CANNOT take a child home; this is particularly 
important if there is an hostile custody situation, or an adult relative, 
neighbor, etc. who may be an abuser.  Do NOT rely on a child to know this.

Clay 

    
    I've been through a few daycare centers in Nashua, and the Ledge St
    School, and have ALWAYS been amazed at how *EASY* it seems to me that
    it would be to just grab a kid and walk off.  Maybe it just seems easy
    because they're used to seeing me.  My boyfriend's picked up the kids
    at daycare a few times, and they've asked him for a photo ID, and
    just called the kid in the room to see what the kids' reaction was to
    him.  I had also called ahead to tell them.  But still, it seemed like
    it'd be *SIMPLE* to just walk in and walk off with one, if the child
    was at all willing.  There were a few times at an old center where I
    just walked in and got Chris and we left, and they never had a clue I
    was there.  Kind of spooky.
    
    In general, most places seem to use some sort of "password" system, or
    at least phone calls.  It did occur to me that it'd be easy enough for
    someone else to call and say "This is Bobby's mom (not!) and Sally is
    going to come pick up Bobby tonight, k?"  THAT'S what worries me!
    

    My son's daycare center is VERY strict, with all of the previously
    noted systems in place. But I remember, never having used daycare
    before, thinking "what no armed guard at the door?" It takes some
    getting used to.