FMLA and leave from work

[twodoor2]

Do you use your FMLA time for summer break, when the kids are in school? My daughter is going to be in kindergarden in Fall 2008. I have absolutely no clue how she is going to be taken care of at this time. I know that's a year from now, and we currently have a nanny that is absolutely wonderful right now, but I know she's probably not going to stick around forever. I need to figure out how you take care of small children when both husband and wife work full time, and you don't have family to help out. I don't want to quit my job, I have the best job in the world, but I feel like I'm compelled to do so if I can't find daycare for her because she's diabetic. I also have two other small children as well.

[Amy C.]

My son attended the same summer child care as other children. I just trained the staff on what they were to do. Sometimes I did need to come in to do his lunchtime shot, but otherwise, he had just as much fun as any other child and was safe and healthy doing it.

[Nancy in VA]

Our county has a program. Its the program that does the afterschool care at the school - they do a "day camp" at the school. Because its county run, they have to accomodate the disabilities and have trained personnel on hand.

[twodoor2]

My son attended the same summer child care as other children. I just trained the staff on what they were to do. Sometimes I did need to come in to do his lunchtime shot, but otherwise, he had just as much fun as any other child and was safe and healthy doing it.

Yes, but how old was he?

[twodoor2]

Our county has a program. Its the program that does the afterschool care at the school - they do a "day camp" at the school. Because its county run, they have to accomodate the disabilities and have trained personnel on hand.

Is that part of the 504 plan? I assume you're talking about the USA.

Thanks Nancy.

[Nancy in VA]

I don't know that you could say its part of a 504 plan, because its not a school. But, because its a publically funded program, they have to have accomodations under the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act, not the American Diabetes Association)

[twodoor2]

I don't know that you could say its part of a 504 plan, because its not a school. But, because its a publically funded program, they have to have accomodations under the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act, not the American Diabetes Association)

How do you initiate this with the school system?

[Nancy in VA]

I don't think its something you would initiate through the school system. Each school system, county, state might do it different.

Where I would look is to see if your school system offers "after school care"? Then see if you can find more details - is it run through the school system or another organization? Do they offer "summer day camps"? Most of the school systems in our area have an after school care program run associated with the schools but not always run by the school system.

Even though she isn't in school now, if she will be next year you might want to start looking. At our local elementary school, there is usually a waiting list for the after school program. I don't know how the summer camp does "capacity wise"

I do know that the boy with diabetes who lives around the corner from us went to the summer camp for several years that was run at the school through the county parks and rec and he wasn't able to do his own care at the beginning, so they had to take some responsibility.

[Mama2H]

A Huge amount of childcare programs get some sort of state funding therefore cannot turn you away. As a Registered Child Development Home in Iowa I could get in BIG trouble for turning a child away for the sole reason of disability. Now obviously *I* would never turn away a D kid but alot of unregistered programs do. If the program is on the food program then they have to accomidate your child or lose thier food program funding and not be allowed to apply for equipment grants. Look into your state laws.

[liasmommy2000]

Lia's school has a before and after school care program. Right now she attends before school. While I don't at this time have a 504 plan in place for her (she has an IEP for the school day for ADHD), they do everything we ask of them and accept children with diabetes in the program. It's through the school so they have to do so.

The last two summers my mom and sister watched her. This next year I am contemplating putting her in the summer program.

Good luck. ITA, if the school/county has a summer child care program available, they have to accept her.

[twodoor2]

A Huge amount of childcare programs get some sort of state funding therefore cannot turn you away. As a Registered Child Development Home in Iowa I could get in BIG trouble for turning a child away for the sole reason of disability. Now obviously *I* would never turn away a D kid but alot of unregistered programs do. If the program is on the food program then they have to accomidate your child or lose thier food program funding and not be allowed to apply for equipment grants. Look into your state laws.

I know we have an after school program where they bus the children to another school after their morning session ends. She'll probably be on the pump by then. I live in Illinois, so if anyone else lives in Illinois, and knows more about our state rules, let me know. I'll also do independent research. I wish we could keep our nanny forever (she's a cross between Marry Poppins, Florence Nightengale and Maria Von Trapp!!). I also know that the school nurse is only in our school in the mornings, and there is a district nurse available. I spoke with her and she's very nice and referred me to a CDE in the area I live. I do work from home two days a week, so that is really beneficial to us. I just don't know what I'm going to do about summer camp, and everything else.

[momtojess]

Jess has been in daycare, two preschool, and now the YMCA afterschool care, and we havent had an issue with any of them. I trained them all on what to do. At the beginning they called me at work but after a few weeks it was no big deal for them.

She is in 1st grade now. She could have went to the summer Y at the schhol last summer, but I didnt send any of my kids. I wanted a nanny for the summer. Tomorrow there is no school and she will be a the Y program all day. I am sure they will call me 10 times throughout the day to verify everything, but that is fine.

[Amy C.]

Yes, but how old was he?

I am sorry, I wasn't clear. He was in child care at diagnosis from aged three until Kindergarten and then in summer child care until he was in 3rd grade.

[twodoor2]

I am sorry, I wasn't clear. He was in child care at diagnosis from aged three until Kindergarten and then in summer child care until he was in 3rd grade.

When you say "child care", you mean a daycare place. I guess I'm wondering if I can even put her in a privately run daycare???

[momtojess]

When you say "child care", you mean a daycare place. I guess I'm wondering if I can even put her in a privately run daycare???

Jessi was in a private day care when she was 2 and they didnt have any problem. I interviewed about 4 places and all of them were happy to take her.

[Mama2H]

Alot of privately run daycares are still federally funded. If they are on the food program they are federally funded. If they get grants for equipment they are federally funded. Now I don't think *I* would want to put my child in a private childcare that didn't want them because you are picking ONE person to care for and love your child as thier own and you want them to WANT to take care of your child.

[Amy C.]

When you say "child care", you mean a daycare place. I guess I'm wondering if I can even put her in a privately run daycare???

Absolutely -- they had no problems accepting what Philip needed to do or have done. For the most part, these were summer day care operations or camps he wanted to attend.

Lots of folks have their child with diabetes in day care -- for some it didn't work out. It worked ok for my son.

[Madisonsmom]

When you say "child care", you mean a daycare place. I guess I'm wondering if I can even put her in a privately run daycare???

I teach preK at a daycare in Texas. I know we can not turn any child away for medical reasons. I would think it would fall under the americans with disablities act.

What I would do when the time comes look into programs around your home. See if you like the place and the people. If you like it then tell them about the diabetes and go from that point.

Another thought is mabey there is a teenager or college student that could be a summer nanny. I know many of the college girls at our church come home and do that for some church members.

[wendyc]

Last year we had a T1D babysitter. She was home from college and came over 3 mornings a week. It worked great for us. I found her via CWD.

Abby was enrolled at a Goddard School (I know of 1 in IL), and they were incredibly accomodating. They actually requested that we set up a 504 for Abby to make sure they were covering all the bases.

[mmc51264]

I pm'd you, but check with your local JDRF chapter. They might have some insight into diabetes-friendly daycares, older kid-care or babysitteres. Here in NC, we have quite a few daycares that do older kid care in the mornings and afternoons before school and daycare in the summer. I have not had any trouble finding daycare/preschool for my son at all. When we were looking for a closer daycare, all but one was willing to work with us and Zach's diabetes. I think many people don't realize that most places want to help and they sometimes have children with worse conditions to deal with on a daily basis (we have children with Tourette's, epilepsy and seizure disorders at our daycare).

[twodoor2]

Last year we had a T1D babysitter. She was home from college and came over 3 mornings a week. It worked great for us. I found her via CWD.

Abby was enrolled at a Goddard School (I know of 1 in IL), and they were incredibly accomodating. They actually requested that we set up a 504 for Abby to make sure they were covering all the bases.

The Goddard School is right near us.