Jessica and the Danger of Unlicensed Child-Care Facilities

The recent television dramatization of Jessica McClure’s rescue from a well in the yard of her child care provider overlooked a major point--this near-tragedy should never have occurred. Jessica, like hundreds of other children in California and elsewhere, was injured at an unregulated, unlicensed child-care facility.

Sometimes lost in such dramas is the fact that there are no national standards to regulate child-care quality. As Congress continues to debate the merits of child-care legislation, we cannot forget that while the availability and cost of child care are pocketbook concerns for every parent, licensing and safety standards are truly life-and-death issues.

Of the 52 child-care bills under consideration in Congress now, the Act for Better Child Care (ABC) is the only one with adequate provisions. Too often, pediatricians are called to treat children like Jessica only after their accidents; frankly, we don’t want the business.

DONALD W. SCHIFF MD

President

American Academy of Pediatrics