Carson to Close Popular Latchkey Program Next Week

Kids Club, a popular latchkey program run by the Carson Parks and Recreation Department, is in violation of state licensing regulations and will be closed Monday, city officials have announced.

Tiny Tots, a day-care program run by the city’s community services division, is also in violation of licensing regulations, but the officials said they hope to keep it open.

Kathleen Norris, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Social Services, said the programs, defined by the department as child-care centers, were operating without licenses.

The Kids Club program provides before- and after-school supervision at each of the city’s 12 parks, according to city officials. Tiny Tots is a preschool program for 3- to 5-year-old children that is conducted at the park activity centers and the city’s Community Center.

Norris said the social services department’s analysts visited one of the parks on an unannounced inspection Nov. 6 after being tipped off by an anonymous caller. The city was issued a notice at that time that it had until today to file an application for a license. The program directors must also be certified, which requires an academic degree in child development or experience in a day-care center, or a combination of both.

Scot Yotsuya, deputy city administrator, said the city decided to file an application to license the Tiny Tots program but not the Kids Club program.

“We believe it would be more difficult to obtain a license for Kids Club, based upon the requirements,” Yotsuya said, adding that city officials believe the Kids Club service could be provided through Tiny Tots.

City Administrator Jack Smith said about 200 children are involved in the Kids Club program. They are escorted from school to a neighboring park by a recreation employee and then take part in various park activities, such as crafts classes, organized sports and field trips.

Fees for the service range from $15 to $29 a week for each child, depending on how long or often a youngster is supervised.

Rebecca Perry, a single parent whose two sons are in the latchkey program at Calas Park, Tuesday night urged the Carson City Council not to close the program. After a presentation to council members, Perry talked about how important the program was for her and her sons, Joseph, 9, and Donald, 12. The boys are at the park from 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., five days a week while Perry is at work.

“I don’t want my boys to walk home and stay home for four hours alone,” Perry said, “or hanging around the park for four hours without supervision.”

Eva Gatling, a spokeswoman for the city, said the parks would continue to offer after-school activities but that they would not be part of a formal latchkey program and that there might not be as much supervision.

Mayor Vera Robles DeWitt said the closing of the Kids Club program was out of the city’s control and stressed that it had nothing to do with current budget considerations.