Brady bill would require more of family day care homes

Rep. Brady (L), Gov. Mark Sanford and DSS Dir. Kathleen Hayes at 2010 adoption law signing

Family child care homes would have to register and follow legal requirements like other home day cares, according to a proposal by Representative Joan Brady (R-Richland).

Brady and the legislative members of the state’s Joint Committee on Children have filed legislation this year to, as she says, “Protect a part of our population who cannot speak for themselves. The committee is made up of lawmakers and citizens who have been working with directors of agencies that serve children:

This is for the family that uses Mrs. Smith who lives down the street who keeps four children. She is not a licensed day care center, but she is a family child care home where children are kept in her home. Currently there are no regulations.

Under House bill 3201, sponsored by Representatives Joan Brady and Kit Spires, the bill would  “authorize corporal punishment with written parental permission under certain circumstances.”

Brady says the wording sounds more stringent than it really is.  Her explanation:

I think the term “corporal punishment” may be misleading. Currently in child care, you have homes that are both licensed and registered. The homes that are licensed through DSS have veyr stringent requirements, restrictions and health code requirements that they have to meet. 

Family day care homes only have to register and that is all, says Brady, and the committee thinks they should have some kind of oversight. The measure includes requiring family child care operators to post information and notices regarding parental training programs; and to authorize spanking with written parental permission.

Brady and other members of the Joint Committee on Children have filed a series of bills to address the needs of children.