UPDATE: Daycare requiring SS# of baby+parental home visit

BronzeMama

The provider finally got back to me. Here's what she wrote in the email. Essentially DCFS needs the baby's SS#, she says. Plus the home visit is to better understand the child and parent. I'm the one asking the questions and she responded in a diffferent color (hopefully it comes out on your computer screen.)

Thoughts?

2. I'm very interested in your daycare, but would prefer to limit SSN access due to issues with identify theft. On your application, you ask for a copy of the SS card for the baby and SSNs for both parents. Why is this? Other daycare centers don't ask for this information and the SS website doesn't list daycares as provider legally required to collect SSNs. 

For the children, we are required to have a copy of the birth certificate and SS card on file for DCFS licensing.  The SSN's for the parents are to be used for the voluntary background check, and end-of-year statements.  Providing the parent SSN is optional.  However, we would like to have as much information on file as possible to avoid requesting the information later.  All information provided to *** Care is confidential and will not be shared with any third parties without your consent.

3. Your application also says a home visit might be required. Why is this? What is it for?

To get to know your child and your family, we like to schedule a visit to observe how your child interacts with various aspects of your home (i.e. sleeping in crib, stimulating room colors, siblings, pets, etc.).  This allows us to holistically understand your child and possibly bring elements of your home to our facility; giving your child a sense of home away from home.  The home visit is totally optional.  

 

disneydiva34345

That sounds odd to me... 

jrsmama2010

I dont use daycare, but that sounds very odd to me... Maybe I've watched to many movies though

kjg5445

>_>

 i'd be moving on to a different daycare. 

MarriedLady06

Really odd in my books.... I'm creeped out for you... I would definitely be doing a fact check on if they really need your LO's SSN.... You are definitely right to question this. 

punkrockabye

If I recall correctly, you're in Chicago, correct? Try contacting DCFS to check the validity of the daycare being required to provide the child's SSN to them. I guess I can see  their reasoning for wanting a home visit but making it completely optional, but the SSN thing is weird to me, as is the parental background check--granted, maybe it is standard to do a check on the parents, we haven't done anything with daycares yet because we currently don't need to. But what would a parent's background have to do with the facility's ability to watch their child, if the parent is not staying at the facility and interacting with other kids? I know background checks are serious business when it comes to childcare employees, but... the parents?

carladillon

Is this a center, oR a home based provider?

BronzeMama

carladillon:

Is this a center, oR a home based provider?

 

Home based day care in Chicago.

baloneydisc

I pulled this off of the Illinois DCFS licensed daycare brochure:

 Parents must be provided a certified copy of the child?s birth certificate when enrolled for the fist time (the original certificate will be returned to the parent with in 24 hours)

 It says nothing about SSNs.  Here's the whole brochure: https://www.state.il.us/dcfs/docs/CFS_1050-51_Summary_for_DCH.pdf

 

PenelopePond

BronzeMama:

carladillon:

Is this a center, oR a home based provider?

 

Home based day care in Chicago.

I would find some place new.

jlh2716

BronzeMama:

 

For the children, we are required to have a copy of the birth certificate and SS card on file for DCFS licensing.  The SSN's for the parents are to be used for the voluntary background check, and end-of-year statements.  Providing the parent SSN is optional.  However, we would like to have as much information on file as possible to avoid requesting the information later.  All information provided to *** Care is confidential and will not be shared with any third parties without your consent.

Uh...no. That sort of info should be given on a need-to-know basis only, and that's not a reason I'd ever hand out a SS#. If they ever needed to know, then they can ask. And I wouldn't give a rat's ass how (in)convenient it might make her job, just...no. The home visit is just weird to me, all the way around. If it's optional, then I'd decline.

Honestly, I'd check to make sure that they do indeed need the info they're asking for. It just all sounds weird.

Edit: Just read the other comments and your responses. The fact that your state seems only to require the birth certificate and that this is a home-care provider, I'd look elsewhere, pronto.

LoveBeingAWife33008

No way.

Eveanyn

Nope, go ahead and find a new place.

m3l0d1

Agreed with PPs, find some other day care. 

I think you mentioned that this day care is affordable compare with other daycares, however, if it'll give you headache in the future like stolen identity, it is definately not worth it. Imo. 

thenorris3

No way I'd go there!  I wouldn't give out the info.  And why would they new to do a home visit??!!  Very weird.

KarBear

How do they have time to do a home visit?

 And, the only SS# being exchanges should be hers to you so YOU can file taxes. She won't need yours. 

 Find a new place.  

ni077169

I would move on and report them. I have worked at several day cares in two different states and never is that required for licensing. 

mjcleve

Our daycare has a SSN spot on the form and they tell us we don't have to fill it out and if people do fill it out, they black it out on the form.  They're a licensed daycare in Iowa.  They've never asked for parent's SSN.

And that home visit is kind of strange.  I've never heard of that!

alaskabride2be

Like everyone else has stated I would not give out you or your child's SSN to this provider. I have had my son in both centers and in-home providers and have NEVER had to provide this information to either. The only SSN/Tax Id information that should be exchanged is the provider giving you that info for when you file your taxes and can claim your child care expenses.

MichelleL1118

Call your state's DCFS & ask them if they require day care centers to have a copy of the child's SS card.  I'm betting they don't.  I wouldn't provide ANY SS numbers to a day care provider, but I'm paranoid like that.

BronzeMama

elainelbuck:

I pulled this off of the Illinois DCFS licensed daycare brochure:

 Parents must be provided a certified copy of the child?s birth certificate when enrolled for the fist time (the original certificate will be returned to the parent with in 24 hours)

 It says nothing about SSNs.  Here's the whole brochure: https://www.state.il.us/dcfs/docs/CFS_1050-51_Summary_for_DCH.pdf

 

Thanks for this. I was looking for something like this and couldn't find it. Yes, I think I need to move on. Wish this wasn't so difficult - and so expensive...

mAnYaSha

Creepy.

We are in Houston, both at home daycare and church owned daycare requested DS's SS#. I was very hesitant to give it, but both use standard government forms and aparently it is a required field. We did not show/let them copy SS card or BC.

Tax statement should show THEIR Tax ID/SS#, not yours and visiting your home should not be mendatory. Can you imagine traditional daycare going to all those kids' homes ?

Keep looking and I would look into potentially reporting them for suspicious activity. Although at the end of the day, if you trust them with your most precious posession, then taking them to your home and giving them personal info is just not as scary. BUT... this seems to throw a creepy vibe to all bumpies.

Eaky77

Lurker here... but I would run, and run fast.  I ran a daycare in Wisconsin. NONE of that info was needed, or asked for.  And no way would there be an in home visit.  Specially for an in home daycare.  Find yourself a center, in my experience, states crack down harder on centers.  I was floored when I called to complain about an in home daycare that was letting kids, as young as 2 outside by themselves in a fenced in area, and they said for an in home setting that was fine.  Good luck, I know it can be stressful!

Lanibee

AndreaR1983:

BronzeMama:

carladillon:

Is this a center, oR a home based provider?

 

Home based day care in Chicago.

I would find some place new.

Me too, no thank you that's too odd

KSullivan100

For several years, I worked for a government funded day care program.  We could not accept children without a valid SSN.  Also, household members had to have valid SSNs.  We were funded partially by the US Federal government and if they found out we were providing services to children who did not have some form of documentation, we could lose our funding.