I work at a domestic violence shelter here in the Lancaster Ohio area. We deal with primarily women and children. Mothers who are trying to get back on their feet, solely alone. We had a young mother back in Sept-Oct-Nov of 2019. She had a toddler daughter that went to Small Wonders and mom worked at a nearby pizza place here in town. She would WALK her daughter to daycare, and then walk herself to work. It was known her daughter had a hard time taking a nap, making it complicated for the staff and other children. Probably the trauma of her prior home life, and being apart from her mother increased this child's behavior. The daycare had called several times stating the child had "a fever." And mom would have to walk back to the daycare, and then walk back to the shelter ending her work day. Mom was almost fired for having to leave work on whim due to these sudden bouts of a fever. The last few times the child was sent home, we at the shelter took the temperature of the child. And it was NOT high at all(normal temp). At first we didn't think anything about it. By the 4th or 5th time we became suspicious on what was happening. I was able to go pick up the child with the mother and questioned Small Wonders on what they used to take this child's temperature. I was informed they were in between thermometers and getting new ones soon. Which I found convenient for this situation. They were taking her armpit temperature. As we all know that is the least accurate measurement. Anyways.... after expressing my distrust in the situation, the manager (Dava Keglor) stated IF we went to the hospital and she was cleared of a fever, she could return. SO we did that. SO here I am taking time from my work schedule, mom is almost at the verge of being fired, to take this poor disheveled toddler to the ER for a temp check. Sure enough, we were IN and OUT. Temp read at 98.5. We were told she was read at 99.0 or 99.5 I cant remember now. But they said they tack on an extra .5 with the least accurate way to take a temperature. SO, the hospital gives us paperwork clearing her of a fever. We take it back to the daycare, and now they mysteriously will not let her back in. Stating that they do not go by the temp taken at a hospital. Pretty much insinuating their devices are not accurate(but their armpit thermometers are). BUT they are in between thermometers at Small Wonders currently hmmm. Anyone else find this odd? And sad. Once again, mom is just trying to work and earn money to obtain housing. As we stand there in shock that they will not take the child, someone who is above the manager comes out..who I hadn't even spoken to or seen prior states that they do not have to take the child, and that I was being disruptive and causing a scene. Really? There was no cursing, or loudness. IF those things had occurred.. I would imagine the police would have been called? OR they would have contacted my director(they knew where I worked). It's a Shame that because they were called out about what was going on, they felt the need to lie, and shift the attention to my "behavior." When all I was doing was sticking up for my meek client(who by the way has a learning disability). And taking the action THEY instructed us to do. In my opinion they didn't want to deal with the co-dependent child, and were trying anyway to get her out of their daycare.. because she was being disruptive. That does not make it OK to make up bogus temperature claims multiple times in a month. Causing the mother to miss out on work because she has no one else to watch her child. You are paid to do a service, you do that service. My staff and I will never use Small Wonders. And I/we will suggest to everyone NOT to as well. Once the claim of me being disruptive was said, I fully realized what was going on. Sad really. Also, forgot to mention..when I first originally went in with the client to discuss the "fever" with Small Wonders staff, Mom had been denied prior to see the temperature for herself. Ironically enough, after ALL this the child was never sent home for a "fever." You have a childcare service so people can function through their life during the day for employment. Remember this the next time a child is a pain in the butt for you, and you just don't want them there. It could cost them their home. read more