Virginia Regulatory Town Hall
Agency
Department of Social Services
 
Board
State Board of Social Services
 
chapter
Standards for Licensed Child Day Centers [22 VAC 40 ‑ 185]
Action Amend Standards for Licensed Child Day Centers to Address Federal Health and Safety Requirements
Stage Proposed
Comment Period Ended on 4/6/2018
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4/4/18  9:31 pm
Commenter: James Falcone, former Hunters Woods Coop parent

Concern about proposed new requirements for parent training
 

I am a parent who was a former Coop parent-teacher.  This was such a great experience for our daughter (and the adults!): not only allowing children to benefit from the rich experience of a variety of caring adults of different backgrounds, but allowing the organization to operate in a reasonably economical fashion. And beyond that, it was a great reinforcement that we parents are indeed a child's primary teacher throughout their life: I have a sense that every parent who has ever been a Coop parent-teacher probably went on to be a better parent because of it. It is a good thing that strengthens our society.

However, as I understand it, the proposal would require parents to undergo 20 + 16 hours of training and orientation, instead of the current 4, again if I am remembering and understanding this correctly.  I am guessing this will have a chilling effect on the number of parents willing to be involved - particularly fathers. I think the overall effect of requiring an onerous number of training hours will be to depress this successful educational and community model.  The parents are parents, not random people pulled off the street!  - it's safe to say they know something about interacting with children, and in any case they are under the constant supervision of the main teacher at all times anyway.  It would be very sad to see such Coops go away.

CommentID: 64573