Holley Brinning - Washington IA Registered Child Development Home B

We were in need of childcare unexpectedly In December of 2017. Holley was referred to us my our previous childcare provider. We met with Holley and her then partner, Candice. We thought her house was very clean, had age appropriate toys, and an appropriate space for children our children’s ages (3 and 4). They reassured there were always two of them and in the past two years had never closed stressing their reliability. Candice abruptly was gone around February. My 4 year old told me Holley told her she was fired. I was disappointed that this was shared with or around my child but I chose to ignore it and move on. Shortly after, Holley’s son became ill with Influenzea and she had to close for three days. I understand completely as we dealt with Influenza this year as well. Holley offered ideas of other care providers in the area that would take on our children those three days. I opted out and we took personal days ourselves. I asked for prorated rates and she didn’t want to do that. After I argued that we had to take personal days for her closing, she finally prorated. On another account, Holley text me at 5am on a Friday to say she could not open because she was ill. I did not see the message until 7am as I was leaving for work and had to find childcare quickly. The last week at Holley’s, she sent a message on Wednesday afternoon stating she would be closed due to a class being rescheduled that she had to take. I expressed my displeasure with the short notification and she suddenly found arrangements and didn’t need to close but said she is not in control of the change of mandatory classes needed per state requirements. On my children’s last day, I had asked to have all of their belongings ready to take home. I had given Holley a note with the items that were at her home two weeks prior so she could begin collecting their items. Maveric had a couple changes of clothes for potty training purposes, a few cups with name labels, and pull ups. When I picked my children up, Holley acted surprised I asked for our belongings and said she needed time to collect them. I gave her a couple hours that afternoon and she did not have them ready again. We were in town later that evening and no one answered the door. She said she forgot her daughter had a game but I could come after later that night. We went by later that evening, it was late, and no lights were on so we went on by. She finally messaged me that she could not find the items two days later and she would pay for the missing items but she found three cups. I sent her photos and amounts of the missing items and said I’d pick our cups after we returned from vacation. When we returned home, I said I would be by to pick up our cups and she responded that they were lost. I was blamed for having our items at her house and that we should have only had security items there. Several times my son would have an accident and she threw his clothes in wash or their cups were in the dishwasher even if I asked for them come home. She reassured they would be placed in my child’s drawer. We were never paid for the missing items. Also during our time at Holley’s she was under investigation by DHS for an injury of a child at her daycare. We received a couple calls from a social worker concerning this. I do have to say, my children love Holley but I find her unprofessional, unreliable, untrustworthy, and dishonest. We will not be returning to her daycare as I will be staying home next year but would not have returned if I continued to work.