January 26, 2012 6:29 PM
IRVINE (CBS) — A 17-year-old senior at Woodbridge High School is exploring manufacturing possibilities for a pool safety device she invented in 5th grade.
Allison Plette invented Safe Filter after her older sister pretended to be caught in the filter of their family pool.
“She would pretend she was caught in the filter, cause we’d heard about it on the news,” Allison said. “It scared me and she’s an older sister and so that’s what she does.”
Allison used that fear to create Safe Filter, a pool drain safety device that prevents drowning in a pool or spa when hair or a bathing suit strap is caught in the filter. The filter has a blade that cuts any hair that could get caught.
The device won Allison the Greenberg Traurig patent winner at the 2005 Astounding Inventions Competition, held each year at Irvine Valley College. Fast forward seven years, and Allison was awarded Patent No. US 7,996,931 B2.
“She’s the kind of student that goes out of her way to do the best she can,” math teacher Kent Metfessel said. “She’s always had an innovative way to go about things.”
Besides inventing life-saving devices, Allison likes to help people in her spare time. Her pet project is a clothing closet near campus for people who don’t have the proper clothes for job interviews.
“It is a program for disabled adults or financially disadvantaged who are trying to apply for job but don’t have interview-appropriate clothing,” Allison said.
Allison’s parents are now working on finding a manufacturer to explore how viable marketing Safe Filter will be.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Advocates confront childhood drowning and parental responsibility.
By Dan Schechner | 11.25.2011
PHOTO BY DENISE BAKER It was a summer evening in 2010, and Jovita Ibeagwa was getting ready for her night shift as a nursing assistant in Jacksonville, Fla.
Before leaving the house, she called her husband, at work, who said he would come home and watch the kids, Jovita later told police.
However, Markanthony Ibeagwa decided instead to remain at his job to “get more hours [of pay],” according to police reports, and the couple’s children — Gerrard, 6, and Blessing, 3 — were left alone.
By 10 p.m., both had drowned in a neighbor’s pool.
The Ibeagwas admitted to authorities that they had failed to properly watch their children, who subsequently died due to a lack of supervision.
In July 2010, the State Attorney’s Office charged the Ibeagwas with aggravated manslaughter and child neglect.
In discussing the decision to press charges, a state prosecutor said, “When parents and caregivers fail in [their] obligation, it is the duty of law enforcement to investigate and charge those responsible. We are mindful of the great loss these parents have suffered, but the facts and circumstances of this case demand the filing of criminal charges. Parental responsibility for the safety and supervision of their children has been, and will remain, a bedrock principle of the State Attorney’s Office.”
This philosophy represents a gradual, yet definitive, sea change in the American mindset on childhood drowning. In the past, the concept that beleaguered parents had “suffered enough” often dictated how these cases were handled. But new data has emerged connecting fatal submersions to child abuse and neglect, a link that is helping to transform the way drownings are approached and investigated.
Across the country, advocates are lobbying for more comprehensive probes into childhood drownings, which they believe could help prevent future tragedies by identifying those groups that are most vulnerable.
Yet despite tangible results, these efforts continue to meet roadblocks along the path to widespread acceptance.
At Risk
The following chart illustrates the death rates among U.S. children, from 2000-2005, based on age groups and selected causes. Note the spike in drownings for 1- to 4-year-olds.
SOURCE: CDC / NCHS, NATIONAL VITAL STATISTICS SYSTEMScope of the problem
Every year, nearly 500 American children under age 5 drown in a body of water, with approximately 70 percent of those incidents occurring in a swimming pool or spa, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Drowning Prevention Alliance. Another estimated 4,000 are treated in emergency rooms for non-fatal submersions.
Although drowning occurs at all ages, young children are the most vulnerable demographic, particularly in pools and spas. This is due to a number of factors: Toddlers are extremely curious, have no ability to comprehend danger, and generally, upon falling into water, do not splash or call for help.
Sadly, most child drownings occur when a parent or caretaker is distracted. In a 2004 review of drowning deaths sponsored by the National Safe Kids Campaign, nearly 90 percent of incidents took place while the child was allegedly being supervised. Yet in nearly 35 percent of cases, the victim was last seen in a location other than the pool.
Another study, this one released in the journal Pediatrics in June, spotlights the same problem. In examining portable pool drownings and near-drownings from 2001-2009, the study’s authors cited numerous instances of parents distracted by activities ranging from phone calls to household chores.
CONCLUSION
“Persistent references to ‘tragic,’ ‘freak’ and ‘horrible’ accidents made by study respondents indicate there is still important work needed at a fundamental level to frame unintentional injuries as preventable.”
— from Assessment of caregiver responsibility in unintentional child injury deaths: challenges for injury prevention, a study published in the February 2011 edition of the journal Injury Prevention.“It’s this prevailing attitude that it’s not going to happen to me,” says El Paso County (Texas) Assistant District Attorney Penny Hamilton, who heads up the office’s Rape & Child Abuse unit.
“People fool themselves into thinking their children are safe,” she continues. “Even if it’s just a 2-year-old, there’s too much responsibility placed on toddlers.”
While drowning-prevention advocates continue to call for stricter barrier requirements, it can be argued that pools and spas have never been safer. In fact, the industry has seen an exponential increase in regulation over the past decade, from isolation fencing to covers to pool alarms. Yet, according to the NSKC study, 63 percent of drowning victims entered through an open or unlocked gate. Moreover, “in cases where it was known whether the child was unattended at the time he or she gained access to the pool area through a gate, 39 percent of victims were known to have been alone upon entry,” the findings revealed.
Indeed, there is a single variable that transcends all other safety requirements. It is consistently identified as a primary factor in child drownings, yet is all too often understated when doling out blame. That factor is adult supervision.
“Supervisors should maintain continuous visual and auditory contact with children in or near water … and should not engage in distracting behaviors such as talking on the phone, preparing a meal or reading,” the NSKC study authors conclude.
A painful connection
In 2010, the Broward County (Fla.) Health Department conducted a comprehensive study into childhood drowning, and reached a groundbreaking conclusion.
The researchers reviewed all investigated child drownings county-wide from January 2006 to March 2009, using data from the Broward Sheriff’s Office’s Child Protective Investigation Section.
On the Lookout
A 2004 study by the National Safe Kids Campaign revealed that parents were the primary supervisor in nearly half of all investigated drownings among children ages 0-14 in 2000-2001.
Parent Other relative Other Not supervised, but should have been Childcare provider No supervision needed
The study also asked parentsto report what activities they were engaged in while supervising their children swimming.
Talk to someone Supervise another child Read Eat Talk on phone Close eyes and relax Drink alcohol Released early this year, the report found that nearly 70 percent of families with children that had drowned also had a prior criminal, domestic violence, drug or abuse/neglect charge with CPIS. It also revealed that in 90 percent of cases, the child had exited the home through a door without anyone noticing. Investigators further concluded that every single case included some level of neglect, and each one was preventable.
“These unintentional child deaths have to be investigated from an abuse and neglect standpoint,” says Kimberly Burgess, executive director of the Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based NDPA and drowning prevention coordinator for the Broward Health Department, who also co-authored the report.
“We investigate when parents leave their babies in a hot car, or when they leave a loaded handgun lying around and it goes off,” she adds. “So what’s the difference? Why don’t we do the same with drownings?”
A central question for investigators — and those who must decide whether charges could be warranted — is whether a lapse in supervision rises to the level of criminality. Does it merit the same level of investigation as other acts of neglect or abuse? Law enforcement in Florida, where drowning is the leading cause of death for children under age 5, are increasingly answering in the affirmative, says James Walker, assistant program administrator in Broward’s CPIS.
Citing state statutes, Walker notes that child neglect could involve a singular occurrence, or “a one-time omission that a prudent person would consider essential for the safety and well-being of a child.”
In Broward and a handful of other Florida counties, law enforcement and Child Protective Services (CPS) launch dual investigations whenever a child drowns. However, that regulation is far from the case statewide, and such triggers are spotty at best across the nation, officials say.
This failure to investigate child drownings for possible abuse or neglect can be traced to multiple factors. For one, different jurisdictions employ vastly different methods of incident-reporting. So whereas paramedics in one county may be directed to notify CPS in the event of a child drowning, that duty may fall strictly to law enforcement in a neighboring county.
Discretion is another key: A first-responder may independently conclude that an incident doesn’t warrant a call to the state’s CPS hotline. Or the decision could be left to an operator.
“In some states, when a call comes in, the CPS dispatcher determines if they should send out an investigator,” Burgess says. “Most drownings are considered an accident, and they don’t send them out. They tend to use statutes as the be-all end-all, and if it doesn’t rise to that level, they won’t send out investigators.”
However, bureaucratic nuances, while certainly an issue, are not the primary reason why so many child drownings go uninvestigated. The key factor, experts say, lies in human emotion.
‘They’ve suffered enough’
When 20-month-old Aubriana Aguilar slipped out of her Fontana, Calif., home and into the family’s backyard hot tub in July, her father, Alex, said she was out of sight just 15 minutes. Choking back tears, the young man described the horror he felt after discovering his daughter face-down in the spa.
CONCLUSION
“Severe state budget cuts will impact agencies’ ability to identify and investigate certain child abuse cases, in addition to impacting the amount of completed training necessary for investigators.”
— from Report on Multidisciplinary Protocol for the investigation of Child Abuse issued in September 2010 by the Maricopa County (Ariz.) Attorney’s Office.“As I looked out that window, I saw her,” he recalled during a poolside vigil a week later. “So I laid her down, and my dad just started pushing on her. He started doing CPR.”
Police and emergency crews responded to the scene almost immediately. But despite their efforts, the little girl did not survive. Speaking of the incident, San Bernardino County Fire Capt. Darrel Crane told reporters, “These are tragic events. The depth of sorrow of this family cannot be measured.”
When a drowning occurs, law enforcement is frequently first on the scene. Officers have the nearly unthinkable task of trying to resuscitate a stricken child in the midst of hysterical onlookers, many of them parents and relatives. Under those circumstances, it can be virtually impossible, even for trained professionals, to set personal feelings aside.
“Law enforcement, oftentimes, views it as the family has been traumatized, that they’re already going through tough times,” Walker says. “So they may be thinking, ‘Why would we traumatize the family further by having other individuals respond to the home and look at situations and circumstances that relate to [the incident]?’”
In many states, including Florida and Texas, those same officers are often the parties responsible for notifying CPS when a child has drowned or is hospitalized. And disparity in training and local protocols means that what looks like a clear-cut case of neglect to one officer may not even raise a red flag for another. Too often statements are taken, incidents are classified as accidents, and cases are quickly closed, officials contend.
“Without a doubt it is a training issue,” says Maj. Connie Shingledecker, commander of the Criminal Investigation Division of the Manatee County (Fla.) Sheriff’s Office. “We know the numbers are huge, but the amount [of neglect cases] we actually get are much smaller.”
Lack of prosecution
Local prosecutors face similar challenges. In El Paso, Assistant DA Hamilton says she has presented child drowning cases to grand juries over the years, but not one has ever resulted in the filing of formal charges.
“They’ve always declined to indict,” Hamilton says. “I can only speculate, but maybe that is just the prevailing view within the community — that this is so sad, we don’t want to cause any more pain.”
Prosecutable childhood drowning cases are equally rare in Maricopa County (Ariz.), according to a spokesman for the County Attorney’s office. If police don’t believe a crime was committed, there’s typically little point in pursuing charges, says Jerry Cobb, a public information officer.
In their decision to abandon a case, authorities consider what he calls a “standard of reasonable likelihood of conviction,” or whether a jury is apt to find a parent guilty of wrongdoing. Usually those cases occupy a gray area, where investigators must rely on the evidence they’re able to gather, he says.
Often there are no eyewitnesses, stories change, and the exact circumstances can be difficult to ascertain.
CONCLUSION
“Nearly one-third (32 percent) of the children’s families had a history of prior referrals to Child Protective Services; 25 had had at least one CPS investigation … Although this study could not calculate drowning risk among families with CPS involvement, this group appeared over-represented.”
— from Analysis of pediatric drowning deaths in Washington State using the child death review for surveillance: what CDR does and does not tell us about lethal drowning injury, a study included in the February 2011 edition of the journal Injury Prevention.“When talking about child drownings and prosecution, you’re ultimately going to have to present that to a jury comprised of other parents,” Cobb says. “Children get away from you. No parent is perfect. Even the most dedicated ones will readily admit that they aren’t able to monitor their child’s activities constantly. So now you have to convince a jury. It’s not easy.”
Another roadblock facing prosecutors may actually lie in the charges themselves. Terms such as “aggravated manslaughter” or “negligent homicide” don’t readily align with images of grieving parents, many of them inconsolable.
One possible solution comes from Australia, where officials in New South Wales want to enact a new criminal negligence offense that relates solely to swimming pool deaths.
“Where a drowning results from the negligence of a parent, there is reason for a community response even if that negligence [does not] justify a charge of manslaughter,” Deputy State Coroner Paul MacMahon told The Sydney Morning Herald recently.
Instead, he recommended the Attorney General create “a criminal offense, analogous to that of negligent driving causing death, to apply in circumstances where a person dies as a result of the negligence of a third party with respect to … the use of a private swimming pool.”
Stretched resources
Among the most valuable tools in the fight against childhood drownings are Child Death Review programs. This system of multidisciplinary teams examines child fatalities, gaining a clearer picture of why they occur and providing solutions to help prevent further loss of life.
Established on a widespread scale in the 1980s and ’90s, CDR teams exist today in every state and a number of local jurisdictions, and typically include representatives from the law enforcement, legal, public health, medical and child-welfare communities. Their findings are generally compiled into annual reports that are distributed to state and local legislators, policymakers and advocacy groups.
Over the years, data from CDR teams — which are widely considered the gold standard in fatality investigation — have helped guide public policy and legislation in a number of areas, including seatbelt use and child-proof medicine containers.
However, a report released last summer on the status of CDR in the United States showed that at least 10 states had no funds allocated for these programs in 2009.
States of Alert
For summer 2011, the National Drowning Prevention Alliance highlighted those areas with the most pool drownings among children under 11.
42
41
34
26
20
Texas Fla. Calif. Ariz. Pa. California, which regularly ranks among the top states for drownings, has been unable to fund a child death review team since 2008. It’s also been several years since California has produced an annual state report on child fatalities.
Officials with Florida’s Child Abuse Death Review Team are concerned as well that the scope of their work could fall victim to state finances.
“We are an unfunded mandate,” says Michelle Akins, the team’s quality assurance coordinator, who is based in Ft. Pierce. “We have no actual funding source. And with budget cuts we could always be suspended, or downsized on how we look at and review cases.”
State budget cuts throughout the nation will continue to handicap CDR teams — and the findings they produce — in the coming years, officials predict. And the result, they fear, is a decline in the investigation of child abuse and neglect cases.
Looking ahead
In Broward, child-protective investigators gather a wide swath of information from the scene of a drowning. They are trained to assess for drug and alcohol impairment, and conduct subsequent screenings; they check barriers and points of entry to the swimming pool or spa; and they collect data on the family that accounts for cultural and socioeconomic factors, among others.
“How do we prevent this if we truly don’t know what we’re dealing with?” says Shingledecker, who is also chairwoman of Florida’s Child Death Review Committee. “You have to recognize what it is. And to me, the bigger picture really is prevention. There may be a few cases that end up going through the criminal court system, but the biggest thing is to recognize the issues. Because you can’t fix what you don’t know.”
Shingledecker and others believe that every child drowning should be reported immediately to the state CPS hotline, regardless of the circumstances. That contact, she says, launches a dual investigation that can help the two agencies better coordinate and determine the nature of an incident.
CONCLUSION
“On the basis of analyses of the Texas Child Fatality Review (CFR) data, a large proportion of deaths were among children with a history of maltreatment victimization and whose caregivers had a history of maltreatment perpetration.”
— from History of maltreatment among unintentional injury deaths: analyses of Texas child fatality review data, 2005-2007, a report included in the February 2011 edition of the journal Injury Prevention.Under Burgess’ direction and in coordination with Broward Sheriff’s, a local program was created last year that has already dramatically reduced the rate of child drownings. It relies on data-sharing between public health officials, CPS and the fire marshal’s office.
A single allegation of child abuse prompts fire rescue personnel to conduct a home evaluation that includes a water-safety survey for each family with children under age 9. That, in turn, triggers a home-safety plan, which incorporates measures such as placement of door alarms near water hazards.
By early August, Broward County, which regularly leads the state in childhood drownings, had logged just two fatalities all year.
“It’s because we investigated — we found out who was drowning and then targeted that group,” Burgess says. “So if we target that at-risk family, and give them education tools, and let them know we’re watching them, they’re a little more careful, and their children aren’t drowning.
“Look, it may not be neglect to the point that the parents need to be prosecuted,” she adds, “but at least we can raise awareness that there are patterns that emerge from all this data, like it has in Broward. It may be far-reaching to expect zero child deaths, but that’s what we can at least shoot for.”
Kasson dives into pool planning
Posted: Jan 24, 2012, 7:00 am
By Gretta Becay
The Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN
The Kasson City Council will meet again at 6 p.m. on Jan 25 at City Hall, 401 5th St. S.E.
A team of people has been researching Kasson’s options for their aging swimming pool since the fall of 2010. Parts of the pool are more than 70 years old, and the newest part is about 30 years old.
To bring the pool up to state safety code standards and to repair or replace deteriorating equipment would cost about $1.4 million, the Kasson City Council learned at their Jan. 11 meeting. A report prepared by U.S. Aquatics noted, “… the facility is deficient in several areas with respect to the state swimming pool code.”
From the ‘toe-stubbers’ in the surrounding deck, to the non-automatic pH monitoring, the pool needs extensive updating.
The report provided three options; renovation of the pool, reconstruction and expansion of the pool, and construction of a new aquatic facility.
In Tuesday's print edition, find out how much a new aquatic center will cost taxpayers.
By Gretta Becay
The Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN
The Kasson City Council will meet again at 6 p.m. on Jan 25 at City Hall, 401 5th St. S.E.
A team of people has been researching Kasson’s options for their aging swimming pool since the fall of 2010. Parts of the pool are more than 70 years old, and the newest part is about 30 years old.
To bring the pool up to state safety code standards and to repair or replace deteriorating equipment would cost about $1.4 million, the Kasson City Council learned at their Jan. 11 meeting. A report prepared by U.S. Aquatics noted, “… the facility is deficient in several areas with respect to the state swimming pool code.”
From the ‘toe-stubbers’ in the surrounding deck, to the non-automatic pH monitoring, the pool needs extensive updating.
The report provided three options; renovation of the pool, reconstruction and expansion of the pool, and construction of a new aquatic facility.
In Tuesday's print edition, find out how much a new aquatic center will cost taxpayers.
Swimming Pool Fence Vs. Pool Covers
Pool Fence vs. Pool Covers
When homeowners invest in a new swimming pool they are faced with an important choice. They must decide on which pool fence to go with. There are two main types of fence to choose from, a fence that goes around the pool or a net that covers the top of the pool. Pool owners are required, by law, to install a pool fence in many jurisdictions. Swimming pool nets and covers do not actually keep children away from the pool. A true Baby Guard pool fence system will keep children well away from the water.
The Baby Guard Pool Fence: pool safety necessity
There are many advantages to erecting a barrier fence. Pool access is denied not only to children and pets but also to trespassers. Many fencing systems include lockable gates to increase security. Superior fencing systems, such as the Baby Guard family of products, will utilize mesh, which is harder to climb, and offer a fence height of five feet instead of the standard four. Nets and covers do not offer this additional protection against intruders. The most commonly perceived disadvantage of fences is that they restrict access and movement through the yard making lawn care and other projects more difficult. Quality fencing systems such as those offered by Baby Guard are removable so that homeowners have all of the advantages of a barrier without the drawbacks.
When homeowners invest in a new swimming pool they are faced with an important choice. They must decide on which pool fence to go with. There are two main types of fence to choose from, a fence that goes around the pool or a net that covers the top of the pool. Pool owners are required, by law, to install a pool fence in many jurisdictions. Swimming pool nets and covers do not actually keep children away from the pool. A true Baby Guard pool fence system will keep children well away from the water.
The Baby Guard Pool Fence: pool safety necessity
There are many advantages to erecting a barrier fence. Pool access is denied not only to children and pets but also to trespassers. Many fencing systems include lockable gates to increase security. Superior fencing systems, such as the Baby Guard family of products, will utilize mesh, which is harder to climb, and offer a fence height of five feet instead of the standard four. Nets and covers do not offer this additional protection against intruders. The most commonly perceived disadvantage of fences is that they restrict access and movement through the yard making lawn care and other projects more difficult. Quality fencing systems such as those offered by Baby Guard are removable so that homeowners have all of the advantages of a barrier without the drawbacks.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Company continues its impressive pace of innovation with the release of its 2012 pool fence Model
Sunrise, Florida, Jan. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/
Baby Guard Inc. released a new version of its popular Pool Safety Fence This version
Highlights of the 2012 Baby Guard clear view pool safety fence include:
• The ability to install in thin pavers and marble without the need for cement;
• Auto closing gate that can be shipped in a smaller box and assembled on site;
• New management tools to assure proper installation.
One of the most anticipated features for Baby Guard Pool Fence Company is the new and improved Self Closing Gate, which is now available through its distribution chain around the world. The gate’s main problem was cost and shipping, says Michael Schatzberg President of Baby Guard Pool Fence Company. With the new design, it has eliminated the need for costly welding and oversized boxes. This new state of the art design allows the gate to collapse into a very small box to cut down on shipping costs by UPS and FEDEX.
"Mobile devices and low-cost video capture hardware are transforming the way Baby Guard Pool Fence Company shares information between its field tech and home office." said A.J Sabourin, Chief information Officer. "With the technology that is available we decided take advantage of this trend and equip our installation crews with video face time with management via iPhones and iPads, which provides us tight management and inspections of ongoing jobs."
Over the past few years the pool industry has moved towards sand-set decking. With pavers and marble decks only 1-1/2 to 3 inches thick, it has caused the pool fence industry to change its method of installation. Baby Guard, and one of its product developers Robert Fishman, has come up with the solution. We now have the first specialty insert and has proven to not only work very well, it has solved the problem of removing pavers and cementing them together. The new insert saves the homeowner on average of $300 per installation says Steve Schatzberg, the local Distributor for South Florida. Safety has always been our main concern and this new insert provides additional stability to the fence system.
Additional details on the Baby Guard Pool Safety Fence System at http://poolfenceblog.blogspot.com/.
About Baby Guard pool fence company
Baby Guard pool fence company is a world provider of pool safety fencing, Removable safety Barriers, Self closing gate, Magnetic Safety Latches. for more information visit www.babyguardfence.com
Media Contact: A.J Sabourin, aj@babyguardfence.com at: (888) 919-2229
Baby Guard Inc. released a new version of its popular Pool Safety Fence This version
Highlights of the 2012 Baby Guard clear view pool safety fence include:
• The ability to install in thin pavers and marble without the need for cement;
• Auto closing gate that can be shipped in a smaller box and assembled on site;
• New management tools to assure proper installation.
One of the most anticipated features for Baby Guard Pool Fence Company is the new and improved Self Closing Gate, which is now available through its distribution chain around the world. The gate’s main problem was cost and shipping, says Michael Schatzberg President of Baby Guard Pool Fence Company. With the new design, it has eliminated the need for costly welding and oversized boxes. This new state of the art design allows the gate to collapse into a very small box to cut down on shipping costs by UPS and FEDEX.
"Mobile devices and low-cost video capture hardware are transforming the way Baby Guard Pool Fence Company shares information between its field tech and home office." said A.J Sabourin, Chief information Officer. "With the technology that is available we decided take advantage of this trend and equip our installation crews with video face time with management via iPhones and iPads, which provides us tight management and inspections of ongoing jobs."
Over the past few years the pool industry has moved towards sand-set decking. With pavers and marble decks only 1-1/2 to 3 inches thick, it has caused the pool fence industry to change its method of installation. Baby Guard, and one of its product developers Robert Fishman, has come up with the solution. We now have the first specialty insert and has proven to not only work very well, it has solved the problem of removing pavers and cementing them together. The new insert saves the homeowner on average of $300 per installation says Steve Schatzberg, the local Distributor for South Florida. Safety has always been our main concern and this new insert provides additional stability to the fence system.
Additional details on the Baby Guard Pool Safety Fence System at http://poolfenceblog.blogspot.com/.
About Baby Guard pool fence company
Baby Guard pool fence company is a world provider of pool safety fencing, Removable safety Barriers, Self closing gate, Magnetic Safety Latches. for more information visit www.babyguardfence.com
Media Contact: A.J Sabourin, aj@babyguardfence.com at: (888) 919-2229
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Moore family dives into pool safety debate
18 Jan, 2012 04:00 AM
A SUITE of options are on the table to strengthen backyard swimming pool laws.
Pool owners would be required to register their pools online under the proposed changes.
They also would be responsible for assessing their pool fences and certifying they meet safety requirements or have them assessed and certified.
The options contained in a state government discussion paper are designed to protect children from drowning.
Port Macquarie parents Eddie and Bronwyn Moore had a backyard pool put in a year ago.
“We made the decision as parents to wait to put in a pool until the children were a bit older and they could both swim,” Mrs Moore said.
Children Charlotte and Robbie are 11 and nine respectively.
Mrs Moore said discussion about pool safety was a good idea.
It was important for parents to supervise their children in the pool, too.
She pointed to inconsistencies such as new requirements that meant they had to install a fence 180cm high to go with the new pool but that was not the case with existing pools.
Amendments in 2009 provided the legislative framework for a high standard of four-sided, child-resistant pool barriers to be consistently applied to all new private pools in NSW.
Further amendments are in the pipeline.
Port Macquarie MP Leslie Williams said the potential new safety measures were about trying to strike a balance between improving the safety of children around pools without introducing unnecessary red tape for owners.
She encouraged people to comment to help get the balance right.
“The government’s goal is to have a discussion about these proposed changes with the community, with the aim of preventing more children from drowning, and I think the residents of the Port Macquarie electorate would welcome the chance to contribute to that process,” Mrs Williams said.
“There is no substitute for adult supervision of children around pools, however, any inspection that uncovers a deficiency will potentially save a child’s life.”
The discussion paper invites submissions from the public on the suggested changes to the Swimming Pools Act by February 24.
The discussion paper can be viewed online at www.dlg.nsw.gov.au
A SUITE of options are on the table to strengthen backyard swimming pool laws.
Pool owners would be required to register their pools online under the proposed changes.
They also would be responsible for assessing their pool fences and certifying they meet safety requirements or have them assessed and certified.
The options contained in a state government discussion paper are designed to protect children from drowning.
Port Macquarie parents Eddie and Bronwyn Moore had a backyard pool put in a year ago.
“We made the decision as parents to wait to put in a pool until the children were a bit older and they could both swim,” Mrs Moore said.
Children Charlotte and Robbie are 11 and nine respectively.
Mrs Moore said discussion about pool safety was a good idea.
It was important for parents to supervise their children in the pool, too.
She pointed to inconsistencies such as new requirements that meant they had to install a fence 180cm high to go with the new pool but that was not the case with existing pools.
Amendments in 2009 provided the legislative framework for a high standard of four-sided, child-resistant pool barriers to be consistently applied to all new private pools in NSW.
Further amendments are in the pipeline.
Port Macquarie MP Leslie Williams said the potential new safety measures were about trying to strike a balance between improving the safety of children around pools without introducing unnecessary red tape for owners.
She encouraged people to comment to help get the balance right.
“The government’s goal is to have a discussion about these proposed changes with the community, with the aim of preventing more children from drowning, and I think the residents of the Port Macquarie electorate would welcome the chance to contribute to that process,” Mrs Williams said.
“There is no substitute for adult supervision of children around pools, however, any inspection that uncovers a deficiency will potentially save a child’s life.”
The discussion paper invites submissions from the public on the suggested changes to the Swimming Pools Act by February 24.
The discussion paper can be viewed online at www.dlg.nsw.gov.au
Backyard pool safety checks
BACKYARD swimming pools will have to undergo safety and compliance checks every two years and whenever a property is placed on the market under changes to the Swimming Pool Act proposed by the state government.
Local Government minister Don Page said the new laws were in response to the deaths of six children in backyard pools last year where the pools didn’t have gates or fences.
He has released a discussion paper on a range of proposed measures, including a mandatory register of all swimming pools in NSW, mandatory inspections every two years and when a home is leased or sold.
The discussion paper and a questionnaire has been sent to all NSW councils for comment by Friday, February 24.
An online register of the state’s more than 340,000 swimming pools would be maintained by the local government division of the Premier’s Department, and council rangers would conduct safety inspections.
Failure to register a pool could lead to a home owner being fined up to $2200.
Royal Life Saving Society NSW president David Macallister said the proposals were a step in the right direction but councils could struggle to pay for the cost of mandatory inspections.
Currently there are no ongoing checks on backyard pool safety.
Is enough being done to ensure pool safety?
Local Government minister Don Page said the new laws were in response to the deaths of six children in backyard pools last year where the pools didn’t have gates or fences.
He has released a discussion paper on a range of proposed measures, including a mandatory register of all swimming pools in NSW, mandatory inspections every two years and when a home is leased or sold.
The discussion paper and a questionnaire has been sent to all NSW councils for comment by Friday, February 24.
An online register of the state’s more than 340,000 swimming pools would be maintained by the local government division of the Premier’s Department, and council rangers would conduct safety inspections.
Failure to register a pool could lead to a home owner being fined up to $2200.
Royal Life Saving Society NSW president David Macallister said the proposals were a step in the right direction but councils could struggle to pay for the cost of mandatory inspections.
Currently there are no ongoing checks on backyard pool safety.
Is enough being done to ensure pool safety?
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Pool Safety A Step Towards Stopping Drownings
ROB BRADLEY
In the last 12 months, 28 Australian children under the age of five have drowned.
Most drowned in or around their own home. The Queensland Government has recently taken the bold move of implementing mandatory pool safety laws that include registering pools and spas and ensuring they meet with safety standards.
The criticism of being a nanny state was expected from some quarters, but I applaud the move.
Following Queensland's lead last February, which was strongly supported by Minister for Sport Mark Arbib, all states and territories agreed to work towards a nationally consistent best practice set of laws which was very pleasing. Royal Life Saving currently deals with eight different sets of legislation ranging from quite stringent to almost non-existent and it is incredibly difficult and confusing for everyone involved - not least the home pool owner. Queensland, Western Australia and Victoria are now very close to best practice but the others have some way to go to reach an acceptable level. Hats off to the South Australian, Tasmanian and ACT governments who have indicated strong support.
The current Australian Water Safety Strategy aims to achieve a 50 per cent reduction in child drowning by 2020 but we at Royal Life Saving have been striving to achieve a 100 per cent reduction for 15 years. To reach a zero drowning goal we need to put both simple and complex measures in place. Registering a pool and ensuring it is safe, is a simple measure.
If we look at the things we do know, then the solutions, or at least a way forward, often become obvious. And what we do know is that drowning is the leading cause of preventable death for children aged one to four across Australia. We also know that 85 per cent of home pools across Australia do not meet current safety standards.
Personal responsibility is well and good if people accept that responsibility. Unfortunately, the danger surrounding pools and fencing can be insidious: what may look safe may be far from it; corrosion, loose bolts, a faulty gate latch and so on, may creep in over a period of time and be unnoticeable to a casual observer. An increasing number of drowning deaths have occurred in recent years in exactly this way - when the parents thought their pool was safe - but it wasn't.
Mandatory compliance checks and the registering of pools and spas followed up by regular maintenance by home pool owners is just a simple way of ensuring the safety of Australian children.
Every year, those of us who own and drive cars undergo vehicle safety inspections and obey road rules, speed limits, seat-belt laws, child seat compliance, stay under .05 BAC, and avoid using our mobile phones while driving. Some would say that's the result of living in a nanny state; others would be glad such laws exist; those perhaps whose personal tragedy might have been avoided if those laws were in place earlier.
Michael and JoAnn Morris from the Samuel Morris Foundation understand. In 2006, their two-year-old son Samuel found his way into the backyard pool of the home they had recently moved into. Samuel pushed against a faulty section of the pool fence which gave way and gave him clear access to the pool. Samuel survived but the once bright, happy and cuddly child now has severe brain injury and disabilities that have destroyed his life.
Is complying with a pool safety check and registering a pool or spa, too much to ask? I don't think it is. But should pool safety be the responsibility of the Government or the responsibility of the pool owner? It is both - this is a community issue. The Government needs to ensure that the right things are being checked and by the right people; the pool owners need also to be vigilant and responsible.
However, with 85 per cent of home pools not meeting current safety standards - some don't even have fences - we need to accept that self-regulation alone doesn't work. Better education surrounding this issue may help, but considering that drowning continues to be a leading cause of death among our youngest children, we need to accept that stringent measures must be put in place.
Earlier this year, Royal Life Saving hosted the World Conference on Drowning Prevention in Vietnam. We chose to hold the conference in Vietnam to highlight the massive child drowning numbers in Asia. The number of children that drown in Australia in one year, a country like Bangladesh loses every single day. Most of those countries are in no position to implement anywhere near the safety and education standards surrounding swimming and water safety that we take for granted.
The work and research that Royal Life Saving and its partners have carried out in countries such as Vietnam, Bangladesh, Thailand, Cambodia and China, has irrefutably shown us that simple measures like supervision, the teaching of basic swimming and water safety skills, and placing a barrier between a child and the water, will dramatically decrease the number of child drowning deaths.
Unlike the countries mentioned above, Australia has a real opportunity to eradicate child drowning. If it takes mandatory pool safety legislation to do it, then so be it.
Rob Bradley is the CEO of the Royal Life Saving Society. More information can be found at: www.homepoolsafety.com.au. See Rob's full profile here.
In the last 12 months, 28 Australian children under the age of five have drowned.
Most drowned in or around their own home. The Queensland Government has recently taken the bold move of implementing mandatory pool safety laws that include registering pools and spas and ensuring they meet with safety standards.
The criticism of being a nanny state was expected from some quarters, but I applaud the move.
Following Queensland's lead last February, which was strongly supported by Minister for Sport Mark Arbib, all states and territories agreed to work towards a nationally consistent best practice set of laws which was very pleasing. Royal Life Saving currently deals with eight different sets of legislation ranging from quite stringent to almost non-existent and it is incredibly difficult and confusing for everyone involved - not least the home pool owner. Queensland, Western Australia and Victoria are now very close to best practice but the others have some way to go to reach an acceptable level. Hats off to the South Australian, Tasmanian and ACT governments who have indicated strong support.
The current Australian Water Safety Strategy aims to achieve a 50 per cent reduction in child drowning by 2020 but we at Royal Life Saving have been striving to achieve a 100 per cent reduction for 15 years. To reach a zero drowning goal we need to put both simple and complex measures in place. Registering a pool and ensuring it is safe, is a simple measure.
If we look at the things we do know, then the solutions, or at least a way forward, often become obvious. And what we do know is that drowning is the leading cause of preventable death for children aged one to four across Australia. We also know that 85 per cent of home pools across Australia do not meet current safety standards.
Personal responsibility is well and good if people accept that responsibility. Unfortunately, the danger surrounding pools and fencing can be insidious: what may look safe may be far from it; corrosion, loose bolts, a faulty gate latch and so on, may creep in over a period of time and be unnoticeable to a casual observer. An increasing number of drowning deaths have occurred in recent years in exactly this way - when the parents thought their pool was safe - but it wasn't.
Mandatory compliance checks and the registering of pools and spas followed up by regular maintenance by home pool owners is just a simple way of ensuring the safety of Australian children.
Every year, those of us who own and drive cars undergo vehicle safety inspections and obey road rules, speed limits, seat-belt laws, child seat compliance, stay under .05 BAC, and avoid using our mobile phones while driving. Some would say that's the result of living in a nanny state; others would be glad such laws exist; those perhaps whose personal tragedy might have been avoided if those laws were in place earlier.
Michael and JoAnn Morris from the Samuel Morris Foundation understand. In 2006, their two-year-old son Samuel found his way into the backyard pool of the home they had recently moved into. Samuel pushed against a faulty section of the pool fence which gave way and gave him clear access to the pool. Samuel survived but the once bright, happy and cuddly child now has severe brain injury and disabilities that have destroyed his life.
Is complying with a pool safety check and registering a pool or spa, too much to ask? I don't think it is. But should pool safety be the responsibility of the Government or the responsibility of the pool owner? It is both - this is a community issue. The Government needs to ensure that the right things are being checked and by the right people; the pool owners need also to be vigilant and responsible.
However, with 85 per cent of home pools not meeting current safety standards - some don't even have fences - we need to accept that self-regulation alone doesn't work. Better education surrounding this issue may help, but considering that drowning continues to be a leading cause of death among our youngest children, we need to accept that stringent measures must be put in place.
Earlier this year, Royal Life Saving hosted the World Conference on Drowning Prevention in Vietnam. We chose to hold the conference in Vietnam to highlight the massive child drowning numbers in Asia. The number of children that drown in Australia in one year, a country like Bangladesh loses every single day. Most of those countries are in no position to implement anywhere near the safety and education standards surrounding swimming and water safety that we take for granted.
The work and research that Royal Life Saving and its partners have carried out in countries such as Vietnam, Bangladesh, Thailand, Cambodia and China, has irrefutably shown us that simple measures like supervision, the teaching of basic swimming and water safety skills, and placing a barrier between a child and the water, will dramatically decrease the number of child drowning deaths.
Unlike the countries mentioned above, Australia has a real opportunity to eradicate child drowning. If it takes mandatory pool safety legislation to do it, then so be it.
Rob Bradley is the CEO of the Royal Life Saving Society. More information can be found at: www.homepoolsafety.com.au. See Rob's full profile here.
Monday, January 9, 2012
Lighthouse Point boy, 2, in good condition after near-drowning
January 04, 2012|By Juan Ortega, Sun Sentinel
LIGHTHOUSE POINT — A boy who nearly drowned at his home pool was hospitalized in good condition Wednesday, officials said.
The emergency happened about noon Monday when Cole Sinclair, who is almost 3 years old, was with his father at their home in the 2800 block of Northeast 46th Street, Lighthouse Point Police Cmdr. Michael Oh said.
Gregory Sinclair was doing some work around the house when he realized his son had disappeared, Oh said. He found his son in the pool, "jumped in and started yelling for help," Oh said. Neighbors heard Sinclair and came to help as the father performed CPR on the child, Oh said.
Fire Rescue Chief David Donzella said, "The father was absolutely instrumental in saving his son's life with CPR."
Firefighter/paramedics arrived, helped stabilize Cole's airway and established an IV, Donzella said. During the emergency, the boy hadn't regained consciousness, but did start making attempts to breathe, Donzella said.
LIGHTHOUSE POINT — A boy who nearly drowned at his home pool was hospitalized in good condition Wednesday, officials said.
The emergency happened about noon Monday when Cole Sinclair, who is almost 3 years old, was with his father at their home in the 2800 block of Northeast 46th Street, Lighthouse Point Police Cmdr. Michael Oh said.
Gregory Sinclair was doing some work around the house when he realized his son had disappeared, Oh said. He found his son in the pool, "jumped in and started yelling for help," Oh said. Neighbors heard Sinclair and came to help as the father performed CPR on the child, Oh said.
Fire Rescue Chief David Donzella said, "The father was absolutely instrumental in saving his son's life with CPR."
Firefighter/paramedics arrived, helped stabilize Cole's airway and established an IV, Donzella said. During the emergency, the boy hadn't regained consciousness, but did start making attempts to breathe, Donzella said.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Keeping Kids Safe With the Nanny
By Heather Borden Herve
January 1, 2012
A recent arrest of a Wilton nanny for 'risk of injury to minors' in her care puts a sharp focus on how to protect your children when you can't be there.
“Hello Mrs. Herve? This is the Wilton Police Department. We have your children here.”
Thankfully, that’s a call I’ve never actually received, but according to recent news reports, one local mother did hear something that must have sounded very much like that.
According to police, on Dec. 22 at the CVS in Wilton, a woman identified as Tammy Lindquist, 48, of Norwalk, was arrested on charges of risk of injury to minors after she possibly abused -- verbally and physically -- two children, ages 2 and 5, that she’d been hired to care for. Allegedly, she yelled at the children, calling them “little bastards,” and was said to have grabbed one of the children by the neck, according to police reports of witness accounts.
“Based on witness statements and statements made by the children, Mrs. Lindquist was placed in custody and the parents and DCF [Dept. of Children and Families] were notified. There were no signs of physical injuries to the two children,” police reports state.
Police charged the accused with risk of injury to a minor and released her on a promise to appear in court.
Picturing what it’s like to be in that mom’s place, it’s nothing short of a nightmare. I imagine the parents must have thought they’d done all they could do to find someone to protect and take the best possible care of their children, and suddenly an awful scenario had come true instead.
I don’t know who the family was and I don’t know what steps they originally took in finding their sitter. But it got me thinking that it might be worth a discussion with some experts about how you go about finding the safest childcare situation possible.
This doesn’t mean that the family involved in the situation above didn’t do their best. In fact, I’m not making any judgments about their situation. But I wanted to take a look at things parents can do when they’re searching for safe childcare.
How do you protect your kids from this kind of situation? Whether you’re leaving your child with a high school babysitter, a professional nanny, or anyone who isn’t you…as a parent, what steps can you take to make sure the person who cares for your child when you aren’t there is safe with your child?
So I talked with two women well-equipped to speak on the subject: Alison Rhodes, who as the Safety Mom is an expert on safety, wellness and healthy living for children and families; and Loralyn Cropper, the senior community counselor and team leader for Au Pair in America in Wilton and Weston. They both have blogged for Patch and had great advice.
This sounds like the ultimate horror story. Imagine what that felt like, getting that call from the police…especially if you think you might have done everything to keep them safe?
Alison Rhodes: You assume you’ve made the right decision, you’ve entrusted this person with your family. Gosh only knows, it could be an isolated incident with a babysitter, where they’re just stretched to the limit. You need to keep an eye and observe your babysitter. Do they seem stressed all of a sudden? Something could be going on in their life -- they could be having some physical issue. Who knows? But it really is so important to just be aware and keep having conversations.
As a person who trains au pairs and who screens and prepares host families, what is the advice you give to make that relationship the safest, best possible one?
Loralyn Cropper: The key thing is that it’s a trusting relationship—you’re entrusting your children, your most precious beings to someone to take care of them. So it’s very different than hiring someone to do your yard work. It encompasses a lot of trust. So it’s very important that you do your own background checks and screening -- be diligent in calling references. Really review the paperwork -- what kind of childcare experience have they had? That’s key in telling if they can handle the job.
How does a parent do a background check?
AR: Most experts would tell you -- do your own background checks yourself. You can Google and find out how. You do need to ask for their Social Security numbers and driver’s license to do a check. There’s a lot of good ways to glean information. Check the National Registry for Sexual Predators database. Google their name, and see what comes up. Social network profiles -- look at what they’re posting on Facebook, especially [high school] babysitters.
Is it an invasion of privacy, to look at their Facebook page or things like that? Especially if it’s a teen -- I’m sorry, I want to know what they’re doing! I want to know what they’re posting. Because if they’re driving my child around, I want to know what’s going on.
Get the references. Ask those tough questions.
What are good questions to ask when you’re interviewing a candidate?
LC: Give a hypothetical scenario and see what the response is to “How would you handle this?” For example, “My 2-year-old won’t eat her peas, and the 6-month-old is crying, what would you do in that situation?” Give scenarios that actually, physically happen in your house, and you see how they would respond. If you like their answers, that gives you a sign to their level of maturity and how they think and how they can handle an emergency situation. It’s really important to run through scenarios that potentially could happen and if that matches with what you would do.
The other thing is, what is the style of the childcare provider, and does it match with what kind of family you are? Are you a huggy, affectionate kind of family? Do you have a lot of humor and tell a lot of jokes? Or if you want someone very gentle, more nurturing. You want to find someone who fits into the style of your family, that can come out in an interview.
What about once you’ve hired a nanny -- how should you establish what you want?
AR: This is unlike any other employee or supplier or job -- this is someone who is watching your kids. It’s a very personal thing. You often get involved personally with this employee. So it’s very difficult to maintain a typical employer/employee relationship because they are watching your children.
But in a certain degree, you have to. You have to set expectations and discuss. ‘What do you consider appropriate discipline? Is it time-outs? What is it?’ Because of cultural or age differences, they may have a completely different idea. Just as you would with any other employment issue, you need to lay out an entire expectation list -- how you expect each situation to be handled, and then do a check-in, every 30 days or so.
LC: Another tip -- do not overuse your childcare provider. With a structured program, like the au pair program, they are only allowed to work 45 hours per week. No person can spend 24 hours a day working and not get a break. So if you have needs that are well over 45 hours a week, you might consider hiring two childcare providers, so that people are given a break. Really stick to a structured program, childcare providers really do need breaks.
When you do have a nanny or au pair that lives in your house, it’s a different level of relationship. They’re not leaving at 5 o’clock; they might be having dinner with you, and celebrating family events, and becoming very much a part of the family. Either way, you’ve got to establish a relationship with your childcare provider.
Are there preventative things you can do to see what’s happening when you’re not at home?
LC: If your nanny is dropping the children off at school or preschool, talk to the teachers, ask what they see. Talk to other mothers -- do they see if the children are getting dropped off on time, are they holding hands through the parking lot? Other parents can give you feedback when you can’t be there.
AR: If you’re at work, ask your friends to stop by every now and then, and have a couple of surprise visits. You can absolutely use a nanny cam, or monitoring services. But you also need to look for changes in your child: if they’re not saying something to you, all of the sudden are they scared, do they get quiet. Really pay attention, really observe and see what’s going on with your child.
What about positive steps for good childcare training? What kind of information should employers provide to childcare providers to make the situation the safest possible?
LC: Safety training -- CPR training is very important. If you can share any books about child raising that you’ve used, I tell parents they should share that with the au pair. If you have any allergy issues, you need to run through the steps with precautions -- even for playdates, as your child might not have an allergy but they have a friend who does, and it might be on your nanny’s watch. That, and any other medical concern, has to be addressed beforehand.
How can you talk to your kids about it?
AR: The most important thing is to empower your kids: whether they’re two, whether they’re seven, they need to understand that no matter what a child care provider says to them (or anyone for that matter), if they feel uncomfortable, if they feel something’s not right, they need to come and tell you. Even if they’re being told something like, “Don’t say anything to mommy,” they need to understand, and be reminded, “Tell mom, tell dad if something is happening that doesn’t feel comfortable to you.”
There’s a fine line of how you talk to a really young child—a 2-year-old, a 5-year-old—without scaring them. Even if you know your own child and what they’re capable of understanding, how do you talk to them without making them afraid of the person who will be taking care of them?
AR: I mean, look at what happened at Penn State. One of the things that’s changed since you and I were younger, we were always taught, Have respect for adults. Unfortunately, in this day and age, you almost have to tell your child, “If it doesn’t feel comfortable, you don’t have to do what an adult says. You have to go with what feels comfortable and safe.”
There are a lot of good books out there -- one is by Jill Starishevsky, she is a prosecutor in the sex offender’s office in New York City. She wrote a book, My Body Belongs to Me, which is really at a younger level. It’s really important to start introducing those things really young, because unfortunately it happens. We do need to tell children, “If something doesn’t feel right, you don’t have to listen to a coach; you don’t have to listen to a nanny. If it doesn’t feel right, you say, ‘No!’”
This story of what happened in Wilton, it’s interesting that someone stepped in to report what they saw.
AR: That’s the other important thing -- and this goes for bullying and everything -- that we as bystanders and observers need to get involved. So many times you see people saying, “Oh that’s their problem, I’m not going to get involved.” We have to get involved. It’s our job as neighbors and community members, to take an interest and understand, if you see something, do something.
It seems so important to find the right person -- in some way, they’re the person who’s in your place when you can’t be there. They’re not a parent but they’re there when you can’t be.
LC: But at the same time it’s important to say that no one can take your place. You need to be very diligent and take precautions because no one can ever take your place.
About this column: Trying to find meaning and connections in issues and events for the people of lower Fairfield County.
Related Topics: Parenting
January 1, 2012
A recent arrest of a Wilton nanny for 'risk of injury to minors' in her care puts a sharp focus on how to protect your children when you can't be there.
“Hello Mrs. Herve? This is the Wilton Police Department. We have your children here.”
Thankfully, that’s a call I’ve never actually received, but according to recent news reports, one local mother did hear something that must have sounded very much like that.
According to police, on Dec. 22 at the CVS in Wilton, a woman identified as Tammy Lindquist, 48, of Norwalk, was arrested on charges of risk of injury to minors after she possibly abused -- verbally and physically -- two children, ages 2 and 5, that she’d been hired to care for. Allegedly, she yelled at the children, calling them “little bastards,” and was said to have grabbed one of the children by the neck, according to police reports of witness accounts.
“Based on witness statements and statements made by the children, Mrs. Lindquist was placed in custody and the parents and DCF [Dept. of Children and Families] were notified. There were no signs of physical injuries to the two children,” police reports state.
Police charged the accused with risk of injury to a minor and released her on a promise to appear in court.
Picturing what it’s like to be in that mom’s place, it’s nothing short of a nightmare. I imagine the parents must have thought they’d done all they could do to find someone to protect and take the best possible care of their children, and suddenly an awful scenario had come true instead.
I don’t know who the family was and I don’t know what steps they originally took in finding their sitter. But it got me thinking that it might be worth a discussion with some experts about how you go about finding the safest childcare situation possible.
This doesn’t mean that the family involved in the situation above didn’t do their best. In fact, I’m not making any judgments about their situation. But I wanted to take a look at things parents can do when they’re searching for safe childcare.
How do you protect your kids from this kind of situation? Whether you’re leaving your child with a high school babysitter, a professional nanny, or anyone who isn’t you…as a parent, what steps can you take to make sure the person who cares for your child when you aren’t there is safe with your child?
So I talked with two women well-equipped to speak on the subject: Alison Rhodes, who as the Safety Mom is an expert on safety, wellness and healthy living for children and families; and Loralyn Cropper, the senior community counselor and team leader for Au Pair in America in Wilton and Weston. They both have blogged for Patch and had great advice.
This sounds like the ultimate horror story. Imagine what that felt like, getting that call from the police…especially if you think you might have done everything to keep them safe?
Alison Rhodes: You assume you’ve made the right decision, you’ve entrusted this person with your family. Gosh only knows, it could be an isolated incident with a babysitter, where they’re just stretched to the limit. You need to keep an eye and observe your babysitter. Do they seem stressed all of a sudden? Something could be going on in their life -- they could be having some physical issue. Who knows? But it really is so important to just be aware and keep having conversations.
As a person who trains au pairs and who screens and prepares host families, what is the advice you give to make that relationship the safest, best possible one?
Loralyn Cropper: The key thing is that it’s a trusting relationship—you’re entrusting your children, your most precious beings to someone to take care of them. So it’s very different than hiring someone to do your yard work. It encompasses a lot of trust. So it’s very important that you do your own background checks and screening -- be diligent in calling references. Really review the paperwork -- what kind of childcare experience have they had? That’s key in telling if they can handle the job.
How does a parent do a background check?
AR: Most experts would tell you -- do your own background checks yourself. You can Google and find out how. You do need to ask for their Social Security numbers and driver’s license to do a check. There’s a lot of good ways to glean information. Check the National Registry for Sexual Predators database. Google their name, and see what comes up. Social network profiles -- look at what they’re posting on Facebook, especially [high school] babysitters.
Is it an invasion of privacy, to look at their Facebook page or things like that? Especially if it’s a teen -- I’m sorry, I want to know what they’re doing! I want to know what they’re posting. Because if they’re driving my child around, I want to know what’s going on.
Get the references. Ask those tough questions.
What are good questions to ask when you’re interviewing a candidate?
LC: Give a hypothetical scenario and see what the response is to “How would you handle this?” For example, “My 2-year-old won’t eat her peas, and the 6-month-old is crying, what would you do in that situation?” Give scenarios that actually, physically happen in your house, and you see how they would respond. If you like their answers, that gives you a sign to their level of maturity and how they think and how they can handle an emergency situation. It’s really important to run through scenarios that potentially could happen and if that matches with what you would do.
The other thing is, what is the style of the childcare provider, and does it match with what kind of family you are? Are you a huggy, affectionate kind of family? Do you have a lot of humor and tell a lot of jokes? Or if you want someone very gentle, more nurturing. You want to find someone who fits into the style of your family, that can come out in an interview.
What about once you’ve hired a nanny -- how should you establish what you want?
AR: This is unlike any other employee or supplier or job -- this is someone who is watching your kids. It’s a very personal thing. You often get involved personally with this employee. So it’s very difficult to maintain a typical employer/employee relationship because they are watching your children.
But in a certain degree, you have to. You have to set expectations and discuss. ‘What do you consider appropriate discipline? Is it time-outs? What is it?’ Because of cultural or age differences, they may have a completely different idea. Just as you would with any other employment issue, you need to lay out an entire expectation list -- how you expect each situation to be handled, and then do a check-in, every 30 days or so.
LC: Another tip -- do not overuse your childcare provider. With a structured program, like the au pair program, they are only allowed to work 45 hours per week. No person can spend 24 hours a day working and not get a break. So if you have needs that are well over 45 hours a week, you might consider hiring two childcare providers, so that people are given a break. Really stick to a structured program, childcare providers really do need breaks.
When you do have a nanny or au pair that lives in your house, it’s a different level of relationship. They’re not leaving at 5 o’clock; they might be having dinner with you, and celebrating family events, and becoming very much a part of the family. Either way, you’ve got to establish a relationship with your childcare provider.
Are there preventative things you can do to see what’s happening when you’re not at home?
LC: If your nanny is dropping the children off at school or preschool, talk to the teachers, ask what they see. Talk to other mothers -- do they see if the children are getting dropped off on time, are they holding hands through the parking lot? Other parents can give you feedback when you can’t be there.
AR: If you’re at work, ask your friends to stop by every now and then, and have a couple of surprise visits. You can absolutely use a nanny cam, or monitoring services. But you also need to look for changes in your child: if they’re not saying something to you, all of the sudden are they scared, do they get quiet. Really pay attention, really observe and see what’s going on with your child.
What about positive steps for good childcare training? What kind of information should employers provide to childcare providers to make the situation the safest possible?
LC: Safety training -- CPR training is very important. If you can share any books about child raising that you’ve used, I tell parents they should share that with the au pair. If you have any allergy issues, you need to run through the steps with precautions -- even for playdates, as your child might not have an allergy but they have a friend who does, and it might be on your nanny’s watch. That, and any other medical concern, has to be addressed beforehand.
How can you talk to your kids about it?
AR: The most important thing is to empower your kids: whether they’re two, whether they’re seven, they need to understand that no matter what a child care provider says to them (or anyone for that matter), if they feel uncomfortable, if they feel something’s not right, they need to come and tell you. Even if they’re being told something like, “Don’t say anything to mommy,” they need to understand, and be reminded, “Tell mom, tell dad if something is happening that doesn’t feel comfortable to you.”
There’s a fine line of how you talk to a really young child—a 2-year-old, a 5-year-old—without scaring them. Even if you know your own child and what they’re capable of understanding, how do you talk to them without making them afraid of the person who will be taking care of them?
AR: I mean, look at what happened at Penn State. One of the things that’s changed since you and I were younger, we were always taught, Have respect for adults. Unfortunately, in this day and age, you almost have to tell your child, “If it doesn’t feel comfortable, you don’t have to do what an adult says. You have to go with what feels comfortable and safe.”
There are a lot of good books out there -- one is by Jill Starishevsky, she is a prosecutor in the sex offender’s office in New York City. She wrote a book, My Body Belongs to Me, which is really at a younger level. It’s really important to start introducing those things really young, because unfortunately it happens. We do need to tell children, “If something doesn’t feel right, you don’t have to listen to a coach; you don’t have to listen to a nanny. If it doesn’t feel right, you say, ‘No!’”
This story of what happened in Wilton, it’s interesting that someone stepped in to report what they saw.
AR: That’s the other important thing -- and this goes for bullying and everything -- that we as bystanders and observers need to get involved. So many times you see people saying, “Oh that’s their problem, I’m not going to get involved.” We have to get involved. It’s our job as neighbors and community members, to take an interest and understand, if you see something, do something.
It seems so important to find the right person -- in some way, they’re the person who’s in your place when you can’t be there. They’re not a parent but they’re there when you can’t be.
LC: But at the same time it’s important to say that no one can take your place. You need to be very diligent and take precautions because no one can ever take your place.
About this column: Trying to find meaning and connections in issues and events for the people of lower Fairfield County.
Related Topics: Parenting
Monday, January 2, 2012
Pool Fence Fracas
BY MARIO CHRISTODOULOU
31 Dec, 2011 04:00 AM
Wollongong City Council has threatened Mangerton grandfather Peter Abba with a $1.1 million fine after accusing him of having an unsafe pool, despite it being surrounded by a 1.5m fence with two locked gates.
Earlier this week, a Stanwell Tops family went public with their own threat from council - a $1.1million fine if their cubby house was not pulled down.
Mr Abba, a pharmacist, thought he was doing the right thing when he responded to a request from council to inspect his home in Mangerton in November 2010.
But what followed was an expensive battle over the safety of a pool, which would have required a toddler to break through two security gates and scale a 1.5m brush fence to enter.
He was later told the fence was a fire hazard, despite it being hemmed in by towering gum trees and a nearby highly combustible turpentine, with which the council took no issue.
Mr Abba said he spent about $4000 commissioning planning reports to fight the charge and replacing the surface of the brush fence with a thin veneer.
"This is absolute bureaucracy gone mad," he said.
"Anybody being aware of the situation and looking at the scene would have to understand how frustrated I was."
A council spokesman said he "rejects the allegation of harassment".
"Council has a duty to ensure that all pool owners comply with the swimming pool [legislation]," he said.
"The fines outlined in the letter to the resident are applied by the courts if there is a case, not by council."
Mr Abba said he had gone to great lengths to make his pool safe after his granddaughter was left critically ill after a horrific poolside accident in 2003.
His fence ranges in height from 1.5 to 1.8m, well above the 1.2m legal minimum height.
Despite this Mr Abba said he was told the fence was still dangerous because toddlers could clamber over it, gaining purchase on the embedded fastening wires.
He decided to fight the claim and commissioned a planning consultant to review the council's ruling.
31 Dec, 2011 04:00 AM
Wollongong City Council has threatened Mangerton grandfather Peter Abba with a $1.1 million fine after accusing him of having an unsafe pool, despite it being surrounded by a 1.5m fence with two locked gates.
Earlier this week, a Stanwell Tops family went public with their own threat from council - a $1.1million fine if their cubby house was not pulled down.
Mr Abba, a pharmacist, thought he was doing the right thing when he responded to a request from council to inspect his home in Mangerton in November 2010.
But what followed was an expensive battle over the safety of a pool, which would have required a toddler to break through two security gates and scale a 1.5m brush fence to enter.
He was later told the fence was a fire hazard, despite it being hemmed in by towering gum trees and a nearby highly combustible turpentine, with which the council took no issue.
Mr Abba said he spent about $4000 commissioning planning reports to fight the charge and replacing the surface of the brush fence with a thin veneer.
"This is absolute bureaucracy gone mad," he said.
"Anybody being aware of the situation and looking at the scene would have to understand how frustrated I was."
A council spokesman said he "rejects the allegation of harassment".
"Council has a duty to ensure that all pool owners comply with the swimming pool [legislation]," he said.
"The fines outlined in the letter to the resident are applied by the courts if there is a case, not by council."
Mr Abba said he had gone to great lengths to make his pool safe after his granddaughter was left critically ill after a horrific poolside accident in 2003.
His fence ranges in height from 1.5 to 1.8m, well above the 1.2m legal minimum height.
Despite this Mr Abba said he was told the fence was still dangerous because toddlers could clamber over it, gaining purchase on the embedded fastening wires.
He decided to fight the claim and commissioned a planning consultant to review the council's ruling.
Protect your pets with pool safety
BREE FULLER
30 Dec, 2011 04:00 AM
Fido in floaties?
Bizarre as it sounds, it may be a good way to save your pooch from an untimely demise.
It is just one of the many ways to prevent pets from accidentally drowning this summer, according to Crown Street Veterinary Hospital veterinarian Kevin Calleja.
Each summer Dr Calleja sees a number of pet drownings, but he said the toll could be a lot higher because most drownings happen in home pools and go unreported.
All pets, particularly dogs, should be treated like children when it comes to water safety, he said.
‘‘Dogs like swimming but you have to view them like little kids - you don’t leave them unsupervised,’’ he said.
‘‘Pools should be child-proof, but they really should be dog-proof as well because a lot of drownings happen when dogs fall in and it’s not so much that they can’t swim, it’s they can’t get out.
‘‘If no-one knows that they’re in the pool, they eventually tire out and unfortunately they die.’’
Other animals can simply fall in pools accidentally or jump in out of curiosity, so it is best to secure the pool.
Dr Calleja said common sense should also apply when owners introduce their dog to water for the first time or take them for a swim at the beach.
‘‘If you’re introducing your dog to the water for the first time, do it in a controlled way so they can touch their feet on the ground - don’t just sort of throw them in the pool because they might not swim or they might develop a phobia of the water,’’ he said.
‘‘If they’re going out into the surf don’t take them somewhere where it’s rough, or where there are rips.’’
A dog life jacket - a buoyant harness that fits around a dog’s chest - is another safety option, particularly if the dog is not a strong swimmer.
Dr Calleja said animals should be taken to a veterinarian immediately if they ingest water.
http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/local/news/general/protect-your-pets-with-pool-safety/2406278.aspx
30 Dec, 2011 04:00 AM
Fido in floaties?
Bizarre as it sounds, it may be a good way to save your pooch from an untimely demise.
It is just one of the many ways to prevent pets from accidentally drowning this summer, according to Crown Street Veterinary Hospital veterinarian Kevin Calleja.
Each summer Dr Calleja sees a number of pet drownings, but he said the toll could be a lot higher because most drownings happen in home pools and go unreported.
All pets, particularly dogs, should be treated like children when it comes to water safety, he said.
‘‘Dogs like swimming but you have to view them like little kids - you don’t leave them unsupervised,’’ he said.
‘‘Pools should be child-proof, but they really should be dog-proof as well because a lot of drownings happen when dogs fall in and it’s not so much that they can’t swim, it’s they can’t get out.
‘‘If no-one knows that they’re in the pool, they eventually tire out and unfortunately they die.’’
Other animals can simply fall in pools accidentally or jump in out of curiosity, so it is best to secure the pool.
Dr Calleja said common sense should also apply when owners introduce their dog to water for the first time or take them for a swim at the beach.
‘‘If you’re introducing your dog to the water for the first time, do it in a controlled way so they can touch their feet on the ground - don’t just sort of throw them in the pool because they might not swim or they might develop a phobia of the water,’’ he said.
‘‘If they’re going out into the surf don’t take them somewhere where it’s rough, or where there are rips.’’
A dog life jacket - a buoyant harness that fits around a dog’s chest - is another safety option, particularly if the dog is not a strong swimmer.
Dr Calleja said animals should be taken to a veterinarian immediately if they ingest water.
http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/local/news/general/protect-your-pets-with-pool-safety/2406278.aspx
Alternative Uses for Swimming Pool Fencing Systems
Baby Guard's Pool Fencing system can be used for much more than just protecting your children from the pool. They can also be installed on sea walls, around gardens or vineyards, in the garage to protect vehicles or even to keep pets contained in a certain area.
Protecting Vehicles
Do you park your Car/Truck/SUV/RV/Camper in the driveway? Do you have children? Accidents happen involving parked vehicles. Whether it's from an out of control basketball, swing of a baseball bat or a misguided bicycle and before you know it, there goes the window. Most car repairs for dings, dents, window replacements, etc will end up costing you more than putting up a fence to protect your vehicle from these hazards.
Baby Guard Fencing has the answer by installing one of our safety fences. Extremely easy to set up and even easier to take down, plus they give your car protection from many of our children's little mishaps.
Pet Detainment
Family dogs are quite common. They live with us, eat with us, and sleep with us. For most people they are part of the family. But even with this special bond, we need boundaries and special zones for our dogs. Areas where they are free to run, play, dig, and take care of their needs away from valuables and expensive landscaping.
Baby Guard Fences have the strength and durability to keep your pet detained. Our high quality mesh can withstand most dog bites and pulls. Our fencing is also available in many different colors and styles which will look 100% better than most dog pens or crates. Click here to view available colors/styles.
Docks & Sea Walls
Sea walls can be extremely dangerous. The drop off is very far and in most cases there is no way back up. You can solve this problem by installing a Baby Guard Safety fence on your sea wall.
Baby Guard Fencing proposes setting up a child safety fence along your sea wall. This added protection will give you the peace of mind and allow your children to play in your backyard worry free.
Protecting Vehicles
Do you park your Car/Truck/SUV/RV/Camper in the driveway? Do you have children? Accidents happen involving parked vehicles. Whether it's from an out of control basketball, swing of a baseball bat or a misguided bicycle and before you know it, there goes the window. Most car repairs for dings, dents, window replacements, etc will end up costing you more than putting up a fence to protect your vehicle from these hazards.
Baby Guard Fencing has the answer by installing one of our safety fences. Extremely easy to set up and even easier to take down, plus they give your car protection from many of our children's little mishaps.
Pet Detainment
Family dogs are quite common. They live with us, eat with us, and sleep with us. For most people they are part of the family. But even with this special bond, we need boundaries and special zones for our dogs. Areas where they are free to run, play, dig, and take care of their needs away from valuables and expensive landscaping.
Baby Guard Fences have the strength and durability to keep your pet detained. Our high quality mesh can withstand most dog bites and pulls. Our fencing is also available in many different colors and styles which will look 100% better than most dog pens or crates. Click here to view available colors/styles.
Docks & Sea Walls
Sea walls can be extremely dangerous. The drop off is very far and in most cases there is no way back up. You can solve this problem by installing a Baby Guard Safety fence on your sea wall.
Baby Guard Fencing proposes setting up a child safety fence along your sea wall. This added protection will give you the peace of mind and allow your children to play in your backyard worry free.
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