THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 1, 1996 TAG: 9602290117
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 05 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY KAREN WEINTRAUB, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 67 lines
City libraries and recreation centers are great places for children to have fun, but they cannot and will not be day care center substitutes, a team of city employees said Tuesday.
The team has been working for several months to devise a policy to cope with children left in the city's libraries and recreation centers. Although not a huge problem, team leader John. D. Stewart, assistant director of the Department of Public Libraries, said 200 to 300 children a year are left alone all day or after hours at those facilities.
Many of these children are frightened and hungry when a parent arrives, or when a city staff member realizes they are alone, he said.
``No one believes parents are intentionally putting kids in jeopardy,'' Stewart told the City Council Tuesday. ``But we need to let parents know our responsibilities and hours.
``We do not want to become child care centers. We are not equipped to do that,'' he said.
The team plans to launch a public relations campaign to let parents know the limits of city facilities; and institute a penalty fee for repeat offenders.
Posters will be displayed at libraries and recreation centers showing two children, waiting alone outside a public building, with the headline: ``Could this be your child?'' The posters will encourage parents to pick children up at least 15 minutes prior to closing time and advise them that city staff cannot take responsibility for their children.
Many older children may be able to fend for themselves if left alone all day, but younger ones are not always as resourceful or as comfortable being left alone. The new policy targets ``any child below the age of 18 whose safety and well-being are threatened by being left unattended for an inappropriate length of time considering the child's age, maturity and level of development.''
The first goal, and first response, Stewart said, will be for the city staff to communicate with the parents, notifying them of the problem and the policy.
The second time a parent forgets to pick up a child after closing hours, the parent will be charged $7 for every 15 minute period a city staff member has to wait with the child, up to 90 minutes. After a third offense, the parent will be charged and the child's library or recreation center privileges may be suspended.
If children are not picked up or are unattended and disruptive, the new policy directs library and recreation center staff members to call the Social Services Department for advice, or the Police Department for help. A staff member will wait with an unattended child for 90 minutes after the library or recreation center is closed, and then will call the police, according to the policy report.
The plan marks the first time that multiple city agencies will take responsibility for a child left unattended, Stewart said.
``We do not want to isolate the family and point a finger at the family,'' Stewart said. ``Let's stand by them and join with them. Let them know the limits of our responsibility, of our hours and that we are there to help.''
Mayor Meyera E. Oberndorf complimented the team and said she was pleased with the new policy.
``Obviously, we don't want to just slam the door,'' she said. ``Sometimes these parents may not know better. This is a good chance to educate them.'' by CNB