Colorado Proposing New Regulations For Day Cares

The Department of Human Services? Child Care Division released a 98-page proposal that would significantly increase the rules and regulations imposed on child care facilities.

The proposal states that any doll collection must be representative of three races, whole milk will be banned, three activities will be available to the child at any given time, rooms must be equipped with a minimum of 10 pieces of each art material (10 crayons, 10 markers, 10 paint brushes, etc.) and every room must provide at least two sets of blocks, each set containing 10 blocks.

There are several other regulations included in the proposal that will affect the time between meals, what pictures are displayed on walls and the amount of time a child can spend in sand or water.

Some child care providers are concerned these regulations will cause struggling facilities to close down.

?A lot of changes do mean spending more money and it?s like ?where is this money coming from?? I think that is why a lot of people are getting really upset with things like dolls or equipment because if you have to purchase it, the money has to come from somewhere,? said Terri Carroll, executive director of Junior Academy.

Carroll also said ?Junior Academy has not raised their rates in four years for parents because parents simply cannot pay more money.?

Carroll said with the economy in its current state, it is difficult not only for parents but for certain facilities as well; purchasing the additional materials mandated by the new proposal could mean some facilities going out of business.

Carroll warns that ?This is not written in stone.? She said there will be several more meetings, in which feedback will be considered.

To input your opinions, go to Department of Human Services? Child Care Division?s website at http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/CDHS-ChildYouthFam/CBON/1251579373540.