Following the rules?  It doesn't matter...

Here comes the Fire Marshall... he tells you to keep the playground gates unlocked.  Here comes the insurance inspector... she tells you to keep the playground gates locked.  Here comes the state licensing inspector... she tells you how many staff per child in each age group you must maintain.  Here comes the accreditation inspector... he tells you to put more toys in each classroom. 

Somehow you manage to juggle all these competing points of view.  You've worked hard and your center is in the best shape it has ever been in.  Enrollment is steady even with the bad economy and you are feeling like all the hard work is really paying off.  Then one afternoon your driver goes to the local elementary school to pick up your group of after school children.  The van is full.  You've got the driver and 14 kids.

On the way back to school some guy driving an SUV is texting on his cell and paying no attention; BAM, he plows right into your van. 

The SUV driver panics and drives off without stopping.  Three of the children are transported to the hospital where they are treated for concussions and sent home.

Six months later you receive a notice from an attorney that the Jones family is suing you for the injuries sustained by their daughter in the accident.  You are sure that you're fine... it wasn't your driver's fault and you followed all of the state's rules for transporting children.

When you get to court you are asked by the attorney represnting the Jones how many adults were in the van with the children and you answer one.  The attorney asks if this was the driver.  You answer yes.  The attorney then asks you if you are aware that the National Health and Safety Performance Standards for child care state that child to staff ratios must be maintained when transporting children and that drivers may not be counted.  You freeze... you didn't know.

These standards are indeed the standards to which you will be held accountable in court and they are usually more rigorous than state rules.  For your own copy of the standards visit:  http://nrc.uchsc.edu