BIRMINGHAM (WIAT) --- There are certain people we choose to trust. For example, those to whom we give our children while we go to work. But how sure are you that your child is not in danger at day care? The only way to be sure is to check it out yourself…It’s your typical church-run day care. Between the Christ-centered music, faith-based instruction, and a poster of Jesus on the wall, some parents get the perfect blend of false security.
"A lot of people just say, well, oh, I’ll keep them at my church because nothing bad will ever happen there, or my place of worship,” said Joan Wright, Executive Director of Child Care Resources.
"We have that perception that hey, they are perfect. My child will be safe here,” said Tammy Sampson, who has one daughter in day care.
Just because a day care is run by a church, doesn't necessarily make it safe. Not all faith-based facilities require background checks on their employees.
And without those background checks, your kids could be more susceptible to abuse by sex offenders or an untrained staff.
Charita Perry supervises the Greater Shiloh Child Development Center in Birmingham and while her faith-based center is exempt from these regulations, she still follows them.
"We’re not governed to do that, but we're doing that because we want to make sure the children are safe. And so we take those necessary precautions, checking the background and doing the child abuse and neglect form,” said Perry.
It’s those provisions that gave Tammy Sampson reason to trust Perry with her daughter. But even with that trust, she still stays skeptical.
"I talk to my child every day. Granted, she's only 20 months, but everyday, ‘How was your day?’ I check her; I observe her body parts. Everyday,” said Sampson.
Sampson believes the best way to protect your child is by being involved.
"Be involved. Stay involved. Don’t just come in and pick up your child and go on. You talk to those teachers. You talk to the directors. You get to know who they are. Get to know their behaviors,” said Sampson.
By knowing your child, you'll be the first to know if something's wrong.
The church: a sanctuary for some, a place we tend to trust. But when it comes to child care, never assume it's perfect.
"You don't have to be paranoid about it, but just do your due diligence. Ask good questions, common sense questions with regards to safety, health, the well being of your child,” said Wright.
"Make sure...where you go to put your children in, make sure you check those centers out. You cannot turn the clock back once that child gets hurt or abused. There's nothing you can do then to make a difference in the child's life. Do it before this happens,” said Perry.
For more information, go to http://www.ccr-bhm.org
