Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, January 12, 1993 TAG: 9301120413
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: WARREN FISKE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
PROPOSED DAY-CARE REFORMS FACE FIGHT
A modest effort to strengthen Virginia's child day-care laws - considered by experts among the weakest in the nation - will encounter stiff opposition this winter from Baptist churches and a group of women who provide child care in their homes.The state's Commission on Early Childhood and Child Day Care Development has recommended reforms that would somewhat tighten state oversight of day-care homes and centers. The proposal also would end a 13-year regulation preventing inspectors from investigating child-care complaints at many religious institutions.
But the panel shied away from closing two controversial loopholes that allow more than 80 percent of Virginia's 600,000 day-care children to reside in unregulated environments.
Virginia would remain one of three states allowing day care for up to five children in a home without state regulation and one of 10 states exempting religious day-care centers from licensing.
Although many commission members say greater reform is needed, they expressed concern that the General Assembly, long deadlocked on child-care issues, would be unwilling to do more.
"This is not going to solve all of the problems in Virginia, but it's a start," said state Sen. Stanley Walker, D-Norfolk, chairman of the commission. "I think we can get this passed."
The proposals would still allow at-home providers to care for as many as fiveunrelated children without a license. But they could no longer keep an unlimitednumber of their relatives' children. Grandchildren, nieces, nephews and others outside the immediate family would fall under the five-child limit.
Some home providers have abused existing state law by falsely claiming children under their watch are distant relatives. State inspectors have found cases where as many as 31 children were crammed into unregulated homes.
Mothers for Day Care, a group of about 1,000 unlicensed home providers, will oppose the legislation. They argue grandchildren should not count against the limit.
"It really hurts grandmothers who are trying to help their families meet ends and still need to make a little money," said Adaline Glazer, founder of the group. "The whole proposal seems to be anti-family."
Church-run centers would retain the option of receiving a licensing exemption. Currently, 270 churches take advantage of the option. To receive the exemption, churches must state in writing that they have a required ratio of staff to children and that all employees have had health checkups.
The commission has proposed that state inspectors for the first time be given the right to enter churches annually to validate their representations. In addition, the state would be allowed to enter churches to investigate complaints about child safety.
Jack Knapp, executive director of the Virginia Assembly of Independent Baptists, denounced the proposal as an infringement of constitutionally guaranteed separation of church and state. "Day-care centers are a part of a church's ministry," he said. "The state has no business entering a ministry."
Other religious organizations support the proposal, however. "The proposed regulations absolutely impose no intrusion on the religious content of a day-care program," said the Rev. James McDonald, general minister of the Virginia Council of Churches. "They refer only to the basic health and safety of children, and the public has a right to expect churches are up to speed on these matters."
The proposals also would allow the state to penalize unsafe licensed centers by reducing the number of children they can watch, banning the admission of new children until problems are corrected and cutting off public funds they receive.
Added inspections under the legislation would cost $1.5 million a year. Gov. Douglas Wilder, whose budget proposal does not include the additional money, said he favors the reform as long as lawmakers can appropriate the money without raising taxes or cutting existing state services.
Coming Wednesday: The outlook for gun-control legislation. Also, tips for citizen lobbyists.
WHOM TO CALL PRO-REGULATION State Sen. Stanley C. Walker, chairman of the
Commission on Early Childhood and Child Day-Care Programs, General Assembly Building, Richmond, 23219. (804) 786-7280. Del. Joan H. Munford, vice chairman of the Commission on Early Childhood and Child Day-Care Programs, General Assembly Building, Richmond, 23219. (804) 786-8425. ANTI-REGULATION Del.
Stephen H. Martin, General Assembly Building, Richmond, 23219. (804) 786-6708. Jack Knapp, executive director of the Virginia Assembly of Independent Baptists, 2800 Pin Oak Lane, Sandston, 23150. (804) 737-9145. Adaline Glazer, founder of Mothers for Day Care, P.O. Box 31, Ashburn, 22011. (703) 729-5042.