Daycare providers express concern over new regs

NORTH ATTLEBOROUGH, Mass.—Under new regulations, Massachusetts daycare providers and preschools must provide and educational curriculum for all children in their care.

“I think it’s a good idea,“ said parent Natalie Westgate. “I’d like to see it implemented in more of the schools around here.“

Some nursery schools have concerns.

Mary Ann Casavant runs Animal Crackers Nursery School in North Attleborough. She said a lot of the new regulations are already in place.

“I think smaller centers and certainly family child cares will be more affected because with family child care sometimes it’s just one person.

“Certainly it does mean more paperwork and there’s more talk in the field about just how this will be done and how we’ll find the time to do it,“ she said.

The new regulations, which take effect in January, include soft zones under playgrounds and a nurturing atmosphere frequently expressing warmth to children.

“It’s a big piece of what we do and certainly children need to feel nurtured before they are really able to learn. However in these times so much is being documented that we’re taking teachers out of the classroom so that they can document,“ Casavant said.

One of the biggest concerns of the new rules is a regulation that would require daycares and preschools to brush the teeth of children who were there for more than four hours or who have a meal there.

“I definitely wouldn’t feel comfortable having someone else brush my son’s teeth,“ said parent Walter Kretzer.

Casavant said she’s still waiting for specific guidelines on the teeth brushing from the state.

“That’s a concern given the whole flu epidemic,“ she said.

The state’s Department of Early Education and Care said that one-quarter of children have tooth decay before they reach kindergarten.

The department said it didn’t have anyone to talk to NBC 10 but according to its publication, the changes are being made to change the quality of early education.