Nathan’s Law takes some day care access away from families

A Missouri law is limiting the number of children both licensed and unlicensed day care providers can have.

Gov. Mike Parson signed Nathan’s Law on July 11 with the intent of ensuring the safety of all children in daycare. It’s inspired by the death of an infant, Nathan, who suffocated in his crib at day care in 2007.

“Nathan’s Law, while it has some really good legislation in it, has some provisions for licensed, as well as unlicensed, day care providers,” said Heather Conrow, a concerned mother. “It is going to decrease the number of available spots for children to be in licensed day cares.”

Nathan’s Law takes effect Wednesday and limits licensed in-home day care providers to just 10 children, including any relatives. Previously relatives of the provider did not count in their numbers.

“For me, I have two of my own kids, one under 2 and one over the age of 2, so I had to ask two of my families to leave that I already had in care,” said Joni Drummond.

Drummond runs Joni Drummond daycare in Salisbury. She said she started her day care both for an income and so she could stay home with her children, but Nathan’s Law made her rethink things. And she’s not the only one.

“I’m not sure that, especially once my granddaughter turns 2, I’m going to continue to be licensed,” said Lesa Scheiderer, owner of Just Kidding Child Care in Salisbury. “I just don’t know if it’s worth it anymore.”

Nathan’s Law also impacts the unlicensed providers by allowing them two additional children, but those two extra spots at unlicensed day cares aren’t filling the needs of the state.

Conrow’s 3-year-old son was dismissed from his provider and both Drummond and Scheiderer have had to let families go.

“My youngest in my under 2 spot, her mom had to give her two weeks notice with work because she could not find care at all,” Drummond said.

Parents have had to look for alternate care options.

“My 3-year-old will have to go to his elderly grandmothers,” Conrow said. “We’ve even talked my husband quitting his job and going farming full time and so hopefully between him and his mom somebody will be available to watch JP.”

Conrow, Drummond, Scheiderer, and others have reached out to state lawmakers and asked them to rethink Nathan’s Law. They believe the law is not ensuring the safety of children, but actually putting them in more dangerous situations.

“I don’t like to be one to complain without looking for a way to fix the problem,” Conrow said.

Conrow said she believes there are ways to implement the law better including grandfathering in the current day cares and, as they phase out older children, having them comply with the law. She also suggested the state provide the infrastructure for the law to work before forcing day care providers to dismiss children.