Discovery Point #43

591-1-1-.25(13) · Rule 591-1-1-.25(13) requires that potentially hazardous equipment, materials and supplies shall be stored in a locked area inaccessible to children. Examples of items to be stored include non-food related products under pressure in aerosol dispensing cans, flammable and corrosive materials, cleaning supplies, poisons, insecticides, office supplies and industrial-sized or commercial buckets with a capacity of three gallons or more or any other similar device with rigid sides which would not tip over if a toddler fell into the container head first.

During an investigation, it was determined that on September 3, 2024, a two-year-old child used a chair to reach a counter and grabbed adult scissors off the counter and sustained a cut to the thumb due staff failing to store hazardous supplies in a locked cabinet. There were two staff present in the classroom when the incident occurred. One staff member was putting a cot away and the other staff member was diapering a child. The injury required professional medical attention.

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591-1-1-.32(7) · Rule 591-1-1-.32(7) requires that children shall be supervised at all times appropriate to the individual age, needs and capabilities of each child. Such supervision must include, but not be limited to, indoor and outdoor activities, mealtimes, naptime, transportation, field trips, and transitions between activities. "Supervision" means that the appropriate number of Staff members are physically present in the area where children are being cared for and are providing watchful oversight to the children, volunteers and Students-in-Training. The persons supervising in the child care area must be alert, positioned to maximize their ability to hear and see the children at all times, and able to respond promptly to the needs and actions of the children being supervised, as well as the actions of the volunteers and Students-in-Training, and provide timely attention to the children's actions and needs. Staff shall be attentive and participating with all children during mealtimes and shall be seated within an arm’s length away from children thirty-six (36) months of age and younger.

During an investigation, it was determined that on September 3, 2024, staff failed to provide adequate supervision when a two-year-old child grabbed scissors off a counter and sustained a cut to the thumb. The child used a chair in the classroom to reach the counter for the scissors. One staff member was putting a cot away and the other staff was diapering a child when the incident occurred. The staff's attention was not directed at the children and the child in question was injured as a result. The injury required professional medical attention.

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591-1-1-.12(1) · Rule 591-1-1-.12(1) requires all indoor and outdoor furniture, activity materials, and equipment shall be used: in a safe and appropriate manner by each Employee and child in attendance; and in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, recommendations, and intended use. All equipment and furniture shall be used only by the age-appropriate group of children. Based on investigative findings which included interviews and statements, it was determined that on March 17, 2022, equipment was inappropriately used when a two-year-old child climbed onto two stacked chairs in the classroom and fell, sustaining a cut to the bottom lip. The investigation revealed that two center staff supervised eleven toddlers during a transitional period, when a two-year-old climbed on a two-high stacked set of child sized chairs in the manipulative area of the classroom. The child lost balance and fell bumping the bottom lip on a nearby built-in shelf. Staff statements revealed that there were two center staff in the classroom. One supervising staff was tending to another two-year-old child, and the other center staff was providing supervision throughout the classroom assisting children with clean up and transitioning tasks. The child received professional medical treatment in the form of a stitch for a cut to the bottom lip.

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