THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, March 8, 1995 TAG: 9503070056
SECTION: ISLE OF WIGHT CITIZEN PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LINDA MCNATT, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ISLE OF WIGHT LENGTH: Medium: 73 lines
AT FIRST, DEBORAH M. WHITE was responsible for her own children, two daughters.
Then, when the Old Dominion University graduate and Chesapeake native took on the task of starting a day-care program at Isle of Wight Academy, she was responsible for about 20 children. That facility now has grown to care for nearly 60 youngsters.
But recently, White took on an even larger task.
When she accepted an appointment from Gov. George Allen to the Virginia Child-Day-Care Council, she agreed to help oversee the safekeeping of thousands of children across the state.
The council, which evolved from General Assembly action in 1987, is designed to set standards for licensing day-care facilities throughout Virginia. It comprises 18 people representing various professions, all of them appointed directly by the governor. In addition, there are two advisory members.
White, 38, is the only council member from Hampton Roads.
``It's an honor,'' she said recently. ``I actually represent the Virginia Council for Private Education, and I think I can bring a different perspective to the Child-Day-Care Council. I come from a small facility, a different background. A lot of centers have 400 or 500 children.''
The council is made up of representatives from the legal and medical professions and the clergy, said Arlene Casper, program development supervisor with the Virginia Department of Social Services.
Serving on the council are operators of day-care facilities, health professionals and representatives from Social Services, the state Department of Education, fire programs and Housing and Community Development, in addition to a parent and a child-development specialist, all with a common goal.
``We are responsible for establishing minimum standards to make certain children who are separated from their parents or guardians during part of the day are kept safe and well,'' White said. ``We make sure the standards are fair. They are there to protect the children, to reduce the risk in the care-giving environment.''
The standards set by the council are administered by Social Services, and the council works directly with licensing agents with that department.
``Being from a licensed facility, I was already aware of the standards,'' White said. ``The biggest concerns are always safety issues, as well as staff-to-student ratio.''
The council, which is re-examining the standards, meets monthly in Richmond.
White, who lives in Central Hill, was one of three Virginians nominated to fill an unexpired term. She will serve through next June.
White settled in Isle of Wight County when her husband, Lloyd, who works for Virginia Power, was transferred here. She has a bachelor's degree in psychology with an emphasis is child development and is working on her master's degree in education.
She has experience working in juvenile psychiatric centers in Portsmouth and Richmond. She also started a day-care program at a church in New Kent County and has been with the Isle of Wight Academy's program since it began several years ago.
``I'm excited about this,'' she said. ``From talking with other council members, I think I can add something. Here, at our day care, we're so small that we know our parents, we know our grandparents. It's different here. So many of the day cares have so many children.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MICHAEL KESTNER
Deborah M. White talks with youngsters at the Isle of Wight Academy.
The children are, from left: Jordan Key, Lauren Chase and Tiffany
Cowan.
by CNB