EXCERPT FROM: KCBD News
By Ben Lawson
LUBBOCK, TX (KCBD) - Your fingerprint is one of the latest developments in childcare security, and now it's being used here in Lubbock. The system caught our attention while we were doing another story.
Last month, we told you how lawmakers are looking at increased training requirements for childcare workers. When we went to find out how that could affect centers locally, we noticed that at the center we went to, Doodlebug Square, the parents had to scan their fingerprint as they came in.
It made us curious, so we asked about it. Turns out, it's one of the latest security programs available for childcare centers.
The system at Doodlebug requires each parent to register with their children. Their fingerprint is scanned and recorded, and they also come up with a unique password.
A child cannot be dropped off, or more importantly, picked up without both identifiers. "The only people that can get through the door are the people that have already registered with us," Assistant Director Erin Higginbotham said.
"Parents that come in to tour are always very appreciative of that, knowing that not just anybody can come in and pick their child up, which shouldn't happen anyway, but they're not going to get buy us as easy," Higginbotham said.
She says with different situations that arise, childcare safety is of increased importance. "You never know what's going to happen in families, if you have a custody battle going on, you just never know with people nowadays," Higginbotham said.