Seeking a Remedy for a Child-Care Dilemma

I work as a director and teacher in my accredited child-care center, sometimes 10 hours a day, sometimes paid and sometimes not paid.

No, children are generally not well cared for, even in L. A., but some of us care for them well, and there is hope for upgrading the quality of care in this country. That’s why it’s so distressing that your series on child care did not mention the subject of accreditation.

The National Assn. for the Education of Young Children is like the American Medical Assn. is to doctors or the American Bar Assn. is to lawyers, so why would you not mention that this professional group has set up an academy that sets standards that go above and beyond licensing?

If every parent looking for child care asked, “Are you accredited with the Academy of Early Childhood Programs?,” the quality of care would go up immediately.

When there is state licensing and supervision of child care, as in California, the worker who supervises a facility looks for items such as the temperature of the water and whether there is enough space for each child. These are good things, but workers doing site visits do not know what is appropriate teaching with young children, what activities and what toys and equipment are suitable, only that they are safe.

BETTE SIMONS

Sherman Oaks