On a childcare forum hosted last weekend, one provider cited issues with regulation enforcement

Like the rest of the country, Minnesota’s childcare industry has been in crisis for a considerable period. The coronavirus pandemic has worsened the crisis after leaving many providers fragile and forcing others to shut down. This is why if Minnesota is to tackle the shortage of childcare capacity, lawmakers should consider regulatory reform.

Low student-to-teacher ratios and rigorous training standards, for example, raise the cost of providing care, which providers pass on to parents through high tuition. Also, stringent hiring requirements make it hard for providers to fund qualified caregivers.

Unfortunately, these are not all the regulatory issues facing Minnesota. In a forum hosted by Mindy Kimmel, the DFL candidate for the Minnesota House District 16B seat, and Little Rascals Learning Center on Saturday the 19th, participants shed more light on the regulatory issues that childcare providers face.

Regulatory enforcement is also an issue

Jen Eckstein, the owner of Little Rascals Learning Center, mentioned, for instance, that in addition to stringent rules, regulatory enforcement also makes it hard for providers to do their job.

In addition, certain broad regulations are hard to follow. A daycare provider is required to have a certain amount and type of toys per child, even if that child is not attending that day. This could mean a child has way too many toy options, but it could also lead to a center being written up for a minor infraction. As an example, she said a center could receive a negative report for missing three build blocks. This would be written up as having “inadequate resources” for a child, which sounds worse than it is.

Meyer asked what the justification was for the toy count.

Eckstein said there were regulations regarding the number of cognitive and manipulative items required per child. A center would be written up for having damaged toys or books. Eckstein said the problem is, these items do get damaged through wear and tear. A toddler will chew on a book cover, and if licensors see a damaged book, that could go on a report.

Ashley Domeier, Assistant Director at Little Rascals, said there can sometimes be different interpretations of the regulations because of the wording. It creates a mixed message. Domeier said some of the gray areas on regulations needed to be fixed. In addition, there are different regulations for at-home providers and daycare centers, which increases confusion.

“We need to be on the same page,” she said.

Eckstein said rule interpretation can change between different licensed inspectors.

There is a lot of room for legislators to act and enact changes that would make it easier for providers to follow regulations by either reducing the number of rules, ensuring rules are not being enforced punitively, or that licensors are consistent when it comes to enforcing the regulation.

Addressing all these factors will create a more conducive environment for providers to thrive and expand.