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Does daycare have right to refuse to disclose sign-in sheets?

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divorced-dad30

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? WV

I recently went through a divorce. I have joint legal custody of my child. I pay for half of my child's daycare expenses. Several months ago, during the divorce process, I politely asked my child's daycare provider if I could view my child's sign-in sheets so that I could have solid records of my child's routine in case it was needed in court. I was told yes, but that the records weren't in order and for me to come back the following week. However, when I inquired about the sheets the following week, I was told that the records were private. I felt as if the daycare provider discriminated against me and refused to provide access to these records because the records reflected negatively upon my ex.

Are sign-in/sign-out sheets considered a child record? Do I not have a right to view this information???
 


Ohiogal

Queen Bee
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? WV

I recently went through a divorce. I have joint legal custody of my child. I pay for half of my child's daycare expenses. Several months ago, during the divorce process, I politely asked my child's daycare provider if I could view my child's sign-in sheets so that I could have solid records of my child's routine in case it was needed in court. I was told yes, but that the records weren't in order and for me to come back the following week. However, when I inquired about the sheets the following week, I was told that the records were private. I felt as if the daycare provider discriminated against me and refused to provide access to these records because the records reflected negatively upon my ex.

Are sign-in/sign-out sheets considered a child record? Do I not have a right to view this information???
Yes you have a right to view it.
 

divorced-dad30

Junior Member
Yes you have a right to view it.
One would think so, but the daycare provider insists that the sign-in sheets are for their own internal use only and that she does not have to allow me to view them.

She is closer to my ex, and that is why she doesn't want to cough up the records.

Is there a law on this? I can't find anything. I'm a politically controlled community and my ex has a political title. I even subpoenaed the daycare provider, but the judge threw it out. (He's friends with the daycare provider's father.)

If I do have a right to my child's sign-in sheets, then how do I enforce that and obtain them???

Thank you!
 

divorced-dad30

Junior Member
What do you hope to gain by this?
My divorce is now over, so nothing more than peace of mind. It is driving me crazy that these sheets were withheld from me, purely to protect my ex. I feel that as a parent, I deserve access to them. I'm just looking for a law or something on the matter to bring closure to this event.
 

CJane

Senior Member
My divorce is now over, so nothing more than peace of mind. It is driving me crazy that these sheets were withheld from me, purely to protect my ex. I feel that as a parent, I deserve access to them. I'm just looking for a law or something on the matter to bring closure to this event.
Do you realize how paranoid this makes you sound?

Who cares when your ex dropped off/picked up kiddo? It's DAYCARE.

And unless the provider TOLD YOU that they were withholding the information from you to protect your ex? You're guessing at best.

Sign in sheets are not part of the child's "record" and it's not a school anyway, so it's not like they're educational records.

Seriously, if you cannot attain "peace of mind" because you weren't allowed to see if kiddo was dropped off at 6:30 am or noon, that's not the provider's problem.
 

divorced-dad30

Junior Member
Do you realize how paranoid this makes you sound?

Who cares when your ex dropped off/picked up kiddo? It's DAYCARE.

And unless the provider TOLD YOU that they were withholding the information from you to protect your ex? You're guessing at best.

Sign in sheets are not part of the child's "record" and it's not a school anyway, so it's not like they're educational records.

Seriously, if you cannot attain "peace of mind" because you weren't allowed to see if kiddo was dropped off at 6:30 am or noon, that's not the provider's problem.
I'm paranoid because I feel wronged that the daycare that MY child attends refuses to tell me WHO picked up my child on a certain day?

And I WAS told that the reason I wasn't being told who picked up my child was because she (daycare owner) felt that I would use the records negatively against my ex (because my ex never picked up or dropped off my child).
 

CJane

Senior Member
I'm paranoid because I feel wronged that the daycare that MY child attends refuses to tell me WHO picked up my child on a certain day?
Yeah, kinda. Was the child harmed?

Daycare centers in general don't like to get mixed up in custody battles. It's bad for business when they're forced to dig around in other people's drama. Probably ought to wrap your head around that now.


And I WAS told that the reason I wasn't being told who picked up my child was because she (daycare owner) felt that I would use the records negatively against my ex (because my ex never picked up or dropped off my child).

Not your day = not your business. No matter who's playing chauffeur.
 

rbw5147

Member
I requested the same records from my son's daycare and I too, was told that I would need a court order to obtain them.

In my situation, I requested them because my ex was attempting to state that my son was not attending childcare regularly while in my care, which wasn't true.

In the end, it wasn't an issue (as it shouldn't have been because my ex's allegations were not true), so I did not make the attempt to get the court order to obtain the records. Innitally, it peeved the hell out of me also, but because that was my issue and not anybody else's (including the truth), I let it go.

I certainly can't say whether this was legally within my child's daycare provider to withhold this, I'm only stating that I went through a similiar situation and was given the same answer. Also, in my case, there were no "bias" issues, as you have stated. This was a national childcare chain who I can be pretty certain are aware of legalities.

Obviously, I read different answers from Senior Members, I'm only telling you of what happened in my situation, which yes, was in a different state, but was a nationally run childcare, with lawyers in place within the corporation. If these records would not change anything or affect anything else than your ego (no offense intended), I personally would let it go.
 

divorced-dad30

Junior Member
Not your day = not your business. No matter who's playing chauffeur.
This was before there was ever a court ordered parenting schedule.

While it may be true that there is no law requiring a daycare to disclose who picked up or dropped off a child, I can almost guarantee that there is no law stating that a daycare cannot tell a parent who picked up or dropped off their child.

I've also posted numerous polls at various sites on the internet asking if parents felt that their daycare should disclose to them at their request who signed for their child, and EVERY poll has resulted in a resounded YES with EVERY poll being greater than 90%. Parents feel VERY strongly that they should know who signs for their child.

Divorce and family-related issues should NOT change this at all. Both parents, unless there is a court order saying otherwise, should be told anything at all that regards their child.

I guarantee that if a parent calls a daycare and says that the child is missing, the daycare would most certainly divulge who picked up the child. I can guarantee that they would not answer with: "Well, due to privacy laws, you'll have to get a subpoena for me to tell you who signed out your child today."
So it seems to me, that daycare operators are getting away with being able to discriminate and pick and choose who they release information to and under what circumstances. I'm sorry, but this just isn't fair in my opinion.
 

Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
This was before there was ever a court ordered parenting schedule.

While it may be true that there is no law requiring a daycare to disclose who picked up or dropped off a child, I can almost guarantee that there is no law stating that a daycare cannot tell a parent who picked up or dropped off their child.

I've also posted numerous polls at various sites on the internet asking if parents felt that their daycare should disclose to them at their request who signed for their child, and EVERY poll has resulted in a resounded YES with EVERY poll being greater than 90%. Parents feel VERY strongly that they should know who signs for their child.

Divorce and family-related issues should NOT change this at all. Both parents, unless there is a court order saying otherwise, should be told anything at all that regards their child.

I guarantee that if a parent calls a daycare and says that the child is missing, the daycare would most certainly divulge who picked up the child. I can guarantee that they would not answer with: "Well, due to privacy laws, you'll have to get a subpoena for me to tell you who signed out your child today."
So it seems to me, that daycare operators are getting away with being able to discriminate and pick and choose who they release information to and under what circumstances. I'm sorry, but this just isn't fair in my opinion.
Oh, I GET IT...you think that every form of discrimination is illegal. (not by a long shot).

You can take all the polls you want and it won't change the legal reality.

For the record: I agree...I'd be pretty darned mad if the daycare wouldn't tell me who had picked up my child. However, I understand that there is no legal requirement for them to do so.
 

Isis1

Senior Member
Daycare sign in sheets have every child's name on there. Children that are none of your business and you have no business knowing their names along with their parents and/or guardians who sign the children in and out.

Is there a no contact order protecting the child from a relative? Is there someone who drives drunk with the child in the car? What basis under your paranoia gives you the right to other children's information?

You have the option of requesting a copy of the school's records for emergency contact information. See who mom listed as pick up people. If it's that serious, you can just start showing up at the daycare to see who drops the child off.
 

proud_parent

Senior Member
I guarantee that if a parent calls a daycare and says that the child is missing, the daycare would most certainly divulge who picked up the child. I can guarantee that they would not answer with: "Well, due to privacy laws, you'll have to get a subpoena for me to tell you who signed out your child today."
There is a world of difference between releasing information for a single child when that information could aid in the child's safe recovery, and releasing information for multiple children for whom there is no immediate risk of harm.
 

Silverplum

Senior Member
Many posters here have been through The Wars and The Battles and the little skirmishes. They wear their scars and will show you their amputated stumps (metaphorically speaking) in order to help you (and others like you, all strangers) and prevent you from hurting in that same manner, and ~hopefully~ from hurting your child/ren by making stupid mistakes or avoidable errors.

I am very, very proud of those people. :) ;)

If you *want* to spend your time and money obsessing on a piece of paper that doesn't matter one whit, doesn't benefit your child, doesn't advance your case, and doesn't bring about World Peace -- then go for it. It's a stupid mistake, but it's yours to make.
 

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