Daycare worker qualifications under scrutiny after alleged incidents at Tutor Time locations
Following an alleged abuse case involving a child at a Tutor Time in Massapequa and a previous incident reported at a Lindenhurst location, questions are being raised about the screening, qualifications and training required for daycare workers in New York.
A mother whose son was allegedly abused at a Tutor Time daycare in Lindenhurst last year says she was disheartened to learn of another alleged incident at a different location.
“I’m just really sad this keeps happening,” the mother told News 12.
The mother, identified as Jenny, previously told News 12 that her 17-month-old son was thrown onto a cot at the Lindenhurst Tutor Time.
Now, another alleged incident has surfaced at the Tutor Time location in Massapequa. Prosecutors say Sydney Forbes, a 21-year-old teacher's assistant, chased a child and grabbed the child's shoulder, leaving red marks.
The incidents have drawn renewed attention to the qualifications, background screenings and training required for employees at licensed child care centers in New York.
New York State requires childcare employees to undergo background checks before they can work in an Office of Children and Family Services-licensed program. Background reviews include fingerprinting, criminal history checks, child abuse and maltreatment registry checks, employment history reviews, reference checks and disclosures of any misdemeanor or felony convictions.
Applicants must provide employment history and at least two references who can verify both their work experience and personal character. The review process also includes screening against state abuse and neglect registries and any additional information required to complete criminal history and background clearance reviews.
Even with those requirements, advocates say background checks have limitations.
“It won’t tell us if a person has the boundaries, tolerance or judgment to work with toddlers.”
Laura Ahearn, executive director of the Crime Victims Center of Nassau and Suffolk County, said that working with young children requires patience and the ability to manage stressful situations appropriately.
“When you get frustrated, you need to know what to do. You need to know if you need to take a break, and to call someone to tap in,” Ahearn says.
Ahearn added, “Crying infant with screaming toddler at the same time creates frustration. How individuals deal with that amount of attention in a moment without being angry, that’s what is important.”
In addition to background screenings, New York requires daycare workers to complete ongoing training. Directors, teachers and volunteers must complete OCFS-approved health and safety training before starting work or within their first three months on the job and cannot be left alone with children until that training is completed.
State regulations require childcare workers to complete 30 hours of approved training every two years, with 15 of those hours completed within the first six months at a program. Employees also must complete at least five hours of approved training each year.
Required training topics include child development, children's nutrition and health, program development, safety and security procedures, child abuse and maltreatment prevention, child care laws and regulations, the prevention of shaken baby syndrome, and trauma and resiliency.
New York also establishes minimum education and experience requirements for childcare workers based on their role.
Assistant teachers must have either a high school diploma or equivalent, or one year of experience working with children under 13.
Requirements for lead teachers vary by age group. Infant and toddler group teachers may qualify through an associate's degree in early childhood education and at least one year of experience caring for infants or toddlers. Other pathways include specialized credentials combined with additional childcare experience.
All daycare staff and volunteers must be qualified through training and experience, be of good character, and be physically and mentally capable of performing their duties.
The state also requires childcare programs to have at least one staff member on-site during operating hours who holds valid CPR and First Aid certification. Staff members who administer medication must complete additional medication-administration training.
In New York, daycare workers undergo background screening that includes criminal history checks, fingerprinting, reference checks, employment history reviews and abuse registry checks. They also must meet minimum education or experience standards for their roles and complete ongoing state-approved training focused on health and safety, child development and child abuse prevention.
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