VENTURA : County to Salute Day-Care Provider

The children in Pam Waldron’s day-care program all have their own toothbrushes. When the kids squabble, she encourages them to talk about their feelings.

The east Ventura mother of two is prepared for the worst. She has taken classes in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. She has an emergency earthquake plan that includes a comforting letter for each child from a parent.

Waldron, the first home-based day-care operator in Ventura County to receive accreditation from the National Assn. for Family Day Care, will receive a commendation from the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.

“I can’t imagine not having a house full of children,” said Waldron, who has provided day care from her home for nine years.

Her house is crammed full of children’s artwork, games, toys and books. She cares for five children, ages 2 to 10, who mingle with a friendly mongrel, Lucy, a 10-week-old kitten named Cleo, a parakeet, lizards, a hamster and a turtle.

Receiving accreditation was no easy task. She first had to evaluate herself on about 100 questions. Did she have three different musical toys? Do the children help prepare meals?

Then parents were asked to evaluate her anonymously, and the parent of a child she previously cared for was asked for input. Finally, someone from the Washington-based association spent seven hours observing her typical workday with the children.

The process took at least two months and costs $150. Waldron is part of a network of child-care operators trained and supervised by Patagonia, the Ventura-based outdoor-wear manufacturer. The company encourages accreditation and pays the fee for operators.

Waldron, who is active in day-care issues, joins 47 other operators in California and 293 nationwide accredited by the 3-year-old association. Three other operators in the county are in the process of getting accreditation.

The rigorous process far exceeds state licensing requirements, which focus mainly on health and safety concerns.