Unlicensed Daycare and Swimming Pool??

[gravy_train]

Hi there - just wondering if anyone else out there has an unlicensed daycare in a home with a swimming pool? My pool is above-ground and has a fence around the top of the walls as well as a self closing latch with a padlock that is always locked during daycare hours.
I do not use the pool with my daycare kids. I'm just curious how others with pools ensure the safety of the kids, if you've had much opposition from (potential) clients, and if you're nervous about what possible new government regulations in Ontario could mean for those of us with pools?
I read that after an inquest into that little boy in Orleans' death, the jury recommended that non-licensed daycare homes register and be available for random health and safety checks. Personally, I want to make sure that my home and yard are safe for my kids (obviously), but am still nervous about what this could mean for providers like me.

[sunnydays]

I don't have a pool, but do you have extra insurance for your daycare? Did your insurance company accept to insure you with the pool? Many companies won't.

[gravy_train]

Yes, i have insurance for my daycare :-).

[sunnydays]

It sounds like you are doing everything you should be doing. Are your own family members allowed to use the pool during daycare hours? I would think that if it is fenced and locked during daycare hours and you check that lock every morning...it should be safe :)

[jazmic]

I read they are recommending that anyone with a pool be banned from being able to operate a daycare and that the cap for the number of children be lowered as well. But who knows if any of these recommendations will actually be implemented?

[Inspired by Reggio]

I don't have a pool, but do you have extra insurance for your daycare? Did your insurance company accept to insure you with the pool? Many companies won't.

Yup ~ our broker told us when we were house hunting for a home for us to do daycare in not to purchase a home with a pool or a trampoline cause it would be challenging to find insurance company that would cover a 'pool' in the daycare ryder.

Gravy_train does your policy for your home childcare ryder clearly indicate that there is a pool on the premise?

You have to be very careful with ensuring that your ryder actually PROTECTS you otherwise you are paying into something that they have purposefully left open to being able 'void' your policy in the event of a claim stating 'that was not covered under your policy' ... aka if your policy does not clearly indicate that you have a pool AND are doing home childcare if you ever NEED your insurance they are going to be able to say 'sorry we were not informed there was a pool on the premise where the daycare was being operated and therefore the policy is void' ... I do not trust insurance company as far as I can throw em ... they always look for ways to deny deny deny!

Just last week a peer I network with found out that the insurance she THOUGHT has had for the past several years was not valid because it only covered 'three daycare children' instead of the 5 daycare children she is allowed and 'assumed' would be covered.

Never assume anything with insurance and make sure your policy is clearly worded to cover everything you NEED!