https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 24 Apr 2026 20:03:22 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unlicensed-in-home-daycare#post-456472 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 17:47:10 +0000 brownie 456472@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Rescuemom10: Not necessarily, you just have to have their social security number instead of their business id. BUT, if there are rules and your daycare is not following them (i.e. more families than allowed), that could get them in trouble. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unlicensed-in-home-daycare#post-456368 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 16:59:44 +0000 Rescuemom10 456368@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The lady I went to growing up was not licensed. She is like my second mom. If you know them, or someone has high regards for them I dont think it hurts to check them out. Keep in mind you cant claim daycare charges then on taxes if she is not licensed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unlicensed-in-home-daycare#post-456356 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 16:55:23 +0000 kml636 456356@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Also, my friend just went through the licensing process, and at least here in Maryland if you take your child to someone more than15 hours a month, and they aren't licensed, they can be charged with a misdemeanor! Who knew... I didn't! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unlicensed-in-home-daycare#post-456328 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 16:43:53 +0000 kml636 456328@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Im thinking of using a SAHM (unlicensed) because I want part time care and at a licensed place you have to pay for a full time slot. In some ways it makes me nervous, but on the other hand I don't think being licensed is the end all be all. I still have 2 months before I have to figure it out... Hoping for an epiphany at this point. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unlicensed-in-home-daycare#post-456274 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 16:26:34 +0000 Shutterbug 456274@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@blackbird: I know it varies state to state, but the guy in the story that Rachiecakes mentioned was a level 1 sex offender, which are "invisible" in MA, meaning the public can't search for them. I think that the main thing would be doing your due diligence, and if anything feels weird or wrong, trust your gut. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unlicensed-in-home-daycare#post-456255 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 16:21:06 +0000 HLK208 456255@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I couldn't do it...but my neighbor runs an unlicensed in-home daycare and another neighbor sends her daughter there. Maybe if I knew the person REALLY well, I would reconsider. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unlicensed-in-home-daycare#post-456232 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 16:16:05 +0000 MamaMoose 456232@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would never use an unlicensed day care. There is no benefit that would outweigh the risks in my mind. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unlicensed-in-home-daycare#post-456225 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 16:13:42 +0000 blackbird 456225@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It is a really gross story :(. And no, there's no way you can get a license with a sex offender living there. It just doesn't seem like a good enough 'catch' for me. I wouldn't leave my child at a home that is near a sex offender!</p> <p>I would certainly do background checks.</p> <p>i keep digging into my state's laws, and it turns out that religious organization's nursery schools are also exempt from licensing. So uh...the church daycare that quoted me $1300/month? is that licensed? Their nursery school doesn't seem to need to be! </p> <p>Maybe the licensing laws just suck too bad in my state. They're not illegal, though... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unlicensed-in-home-daycare#post-456217 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 16:11:51 +0000 rachiecakes 456217@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@blackbird: I don't know if you can get a license with a registered sex offender living in the home though, can you? I don't know much about licensing at all, the story is just so disturbing and all over the news where I live :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unlicensed-in-home-daycare#post-456185 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 16:00:12 +0000 blackbird 456185@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You can look up sex offenders online....we don't have any close to us at all! They'd have to be harboring one illegally. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unlicensed-in-home-daycare#post-456173 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 15:55:46 +0000 LindsayInNY 456173@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>FWIW, my MIL runs a daycare out of her house and she's not licensed. All of her kids come from people she knows or who are referred to her - church, etc. Part of the licensing issue would be all of the requirements that come with it - they have a trampoline, open yard, etc. and it would raise her prices. I think it depends on the person but I wouldn't rule things out just because she's not licensed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unlicensed-in-home-daycare#post-456171 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 15:55:24 +0000 Shutterbug 456171@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@rachiecakes: Yup, this was going to be my response, too. Without being licensed there's no way to know if there's a sex offender living there, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unlicensed-in-home-daycare#post-456169 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 15:55:02 +0000 blackbird 456169@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@rachiecakes, you could just as easily have that issue with a licensed in-home daycare, too, though. </p> <p>@brownie, i think this will heavily depend on this particular lady, how much we like her, and how many kids she has! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unlicensed-in-home-daycare#post-456154 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 15:51:46 +0000 Mrsbells 456154@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@rachiecakes: Wow... I have no words for that. That is just awful. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unlicensed-in-home-daycare#post-456147 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 15:50:23 +0000 brownie 456147@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My daycare lady isn't licensed and I love her. She was a friend of mine and is really working out well for us. She now watches another friends kid for 1/2 days. So, licensing wasn't a concern for us personally. She doesn't want to be licensed because she would have to do a lot of things and I love that she doesn't because it really is a home environment. </p> <p>Now, she has maybe 2 kids at any one time. If she had more kids I think I would worry. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unlicensed-in-home-daycare#post-456133 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 15:47:22 +0000 rachiecakes 456133@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>nope and especially not since this came out a week ago:</p> <p><a href="http://www.boston.com/metrodesk/2012/12/06/wakefield-man-faces-more-than-counts-child-sex-abuse-charges/q37UKjWc6df91Bwm8EGXyH/story.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.boston.com/metrodesk/2012/12/06/wakefield-man-faces-more-than-counts-child-sex-abuse-charges/q37UKjWc6df91Bwm8EGXyH/story.html</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unlicensed-in-home-daycare#post-456116 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 15:42:59 +0000 blackbird 456116@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh the lady I spoke with said she wasn't licensed. </p> <p>I'm going to ask why she didn't pursue licensing, too. In my state, if she doesn't want to care for 10 children, it doesn't seem like it's worth the paperwork. I know at one point, my mother considered doing the same, and only watching about 3 children, but not going through all the paperwork. </p> <p>@bao, I had the same thought regarding nannies and such. They often work off personal recommendation but so much of it is not necessarily state regulated. Doesn't mean they are bad care givers, it just means I have to do a little more digging around personally, instead of heading to the city's childcare office and asking for a list of complaints (like I'm going to do with the other places I've looked into) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unlicensed-in-home-daycare#post-456089 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 15:33:36 +0000 Bao 456089@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't think checking her out and asking her these questions yourself would do any harm. Ask for references. Stop by there during her business hours unannounced to see what she has going on. If she has been doing it that many years maybe back then licensing didn't even exist. Ask for a background check. I used to be a nanny for many many years and I did the initial interview or two, and they did background checks on me but that's it. I'm not licensed obviously because I go to their house, but what's the difference? Ask to talk to the other parents. Go with your gut :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unlicensed-in-home-daycare#post-456071 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 15:29:02 +0000 Bookish 456071@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wouldn't be comfortable with it, even with good recommendations. I'd be wondering *why* this woman couldn't take care of her licensing- did she think it unimportant? is there something to hide? Just too risky for me :[ Good luck finding a place for your LO! I'm going through day care waitlists right now and they are a PAIN! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unlicensed-in-home-daycare#post-456070 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 15:28:55 +0000 Mrsbells 456070@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@blackbird: Do you know for a fact that she is unlicensed or you are just assuming based on the number of kids she has? I personally am not comfortable with in home care to begin with but I think that an unlicensed place will not be worth the low cost in the event that something happens (God Forbid) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unlicensed-in-home-daycare#post-456062 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 15:27:08 +0000 hilsy85 456062@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would never use an unlicensed daycare...unlicensed means unregulated. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unlicensed-in-home-daycare#post-456052 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 15:25:26 +0000 littlek 456052@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Personally, I wouldn't use an unlicensed daycare. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/unlicensed-in-home-daycare#post-456013 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 15:13:53 +0000 blackbird 456013@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>One of the women I've been talking to, who owns an in-home daycare, doesn't have any room in July. She highly recommends this other woman. Her friend's daughter used her and loved her. Said it's a very small group and the woman's been doing it for 30+ years. She lives in the subdivision next to ours. Less than a 1 mile drive, less than 3 minutes away. </p> <p>What are the issues about licensing? Obviously if she has 20 kids, that's an issue. My husband is willing to talk to her and see what she charges (in-home runs about $140-$150/week here) and check her out, since the location is so fabulous. (My state says she can only watch 4 children who aren't her own and hers are grown)</p> <p>Thoughts? </p>