In Good Hands by David Hechler

How can you be sure that your child in day care is safe?
a) The day care I chose was highly recommended.
b) It’s fully licensed and government-approved.
c) My son’s provider loves him as much as I do.
d) All of the above.
e) None of the above.

The correct answer is “none of the above.” Recommendations may be helpful in selecting a facility, but they’re no assurance your child will be safe. The government may check, but you can’t count on the government to effectively monitor day care. And banking on a provider’s good will is no substitute for your own watchful eyes.

In Good Hands is a book about the importance of safe day care. It’s also the story of one family day care that parents loved even after a baby died. They continued to drop off their children after a second infant died in the home. Doctors ruled that both children were victims of sudden infant death syndrome, but that didn’t stop the police from launching a criminal investigation.

In 2017, The American Society of Journalists and Authors awarded In Good Hands first prize for a book of general nonfiction.