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Pulling inspections, violations, and complaints.
Home › MI › Allendale › Little Mitten Child Care
State records list this provider as Closed. Review the inspection and enforcement history below, and confirm the current status on the official state source before enrolling.
11272 Edgewater Dr., Allendale MI 49401 · License #DC700405407 · Center · Center
Not published by the state. Owners can add hours via profile claim.
When they operate
Ages served
R 400.8182 · R 400.8182 Ratio and group size requirements. (3) In each room or well-defined space, the maximum group size and ratio of child care staff members to children, including children related to a staff member or the licensee, must be as shown in Table 4: (a) For infants and toddlers, there shall be 1 child care staff member for 4 children and a maximum group size of 12.
On 08/31/2023 I completed an unannounced onsite inspection. I interviewed CCSM 1, Child Care Staff Member 2 (CCSM 2), Child Care Staff Member 3 (CCSM 3), Child Care Staff Member 4 (CCSM 4), Child Care Staff Member 5 (CCSM 5), Child Care Staff Member 6 (CCSM 6), Child Care Staff Member 7 (CCSM 7), Child Care Staff Member 8 (CCSM 8), and Child Care Staff Member 9 (CCSM 9). I spoke to CCSM 1 regarding staff to child ratios at the center. CCSM 1 stated the center has not been operating out of ratio in any of the classrooms. She acknowledged she will step into classrooms when needed and will close classrooms if there are not enough staff to maintain ratio. CCSM 1 denied that parents have been working in classrooms. She identified that the owner, Nicole McIntyre has sent a message to parents on the Pro Care application asking for parents to volunteer their time to work in classrooms to maintain ratios. One parent originally stated she would help but later decided not to. CCSM 2 stated the Sleeping Bears classroom is out of ratio on occasion. She could not recall an exact date but stated they were a few days last week. CCSM 2 stated Nicole McIntyre sent out a group message on Pro Care asking parents to volunteer their time at the center. She denied seeing any parents working in classrooms and the message on Pro Care has since been deleted. CCSM 3 stated the Painted Turtles classroom has not been out of ratio in the last week. She stated over the summer in the mornings the classroom would be out of ratio while waiting for staff to show up. They would attempt to move children around to different classrooms to maintain ratio. CCSM 4 and CCSM 5 stated the Great Wolves has not been operating out of ratio. They denied that parents have been asked to work at the center to help with ratio. CCSM 6 who works in the Petoskey Stones classroom stated the center was out of ratio on 08/22/2023 and 08/24/2023. She stated they were not out of ratio in their classroom but other classrooms and typically in the mornings. CCSM 6 identified she saw the message on the Pro Care application regarding parents volunteering in the center but did not actually see any parents working in classrooms in the center. 4 CCSM 7 stated the Eastern White Pines classroom operates within ratio. She denied seeing the message asking parents to help in classrooms at the center. She did not see any parents working at the center. CCSM 8 stated the center is typically pretty good at moving around children or staff to maintain ratios. She stated if the rooms are out of ratio, it is only for a short time while rooms and staff are moved around. CCSM 8 read the message on Pro Care stating parents were being asked to volunteer in classrooms to maintain ratio but this message has been deleted. CCSM 8 did not see parents working in classrooms. CCSM 9 stated she works in the White Tails classroom. She identified that she is often out of ratio. She was out of ratio at least twice in the past week. CCSM 9 stated she was at a 1:17 ratio with her youngest child present being 3 years 10 months. She could not recall the specific dates for all the times her classroom has been out of ratio. CCSM 9 had heard that parents were asked to volunteer in classrooms but, she has not witnessed any parents doing this. On 09/08/2023 I spoke owner/licensee Nicole McIntyre regarding staff to child ratio. She stated maintaining ratio has been difficult at the center. She has closed classrooms and asked parents to keep their children home if possible. She stated she hasn’t been at the center recently. I reviewed the name to face attendance sheets for the weeks of 08/21/2023- 08/25/2023 and 08/28/2023-09/01/2023. On the following dates the center was operating out of ratio: On 08/21/2023 the Sleeping Bears classroom (Birth- 30 months) was operating at a 1:8 ratio prior to 8:40am. Based on the age of the youngest child present, the classroom should have been operating at a 1:4 ratio. On 08/21/2023 the Painted Tur
The center is operating without a qualified program director. The center is operating out of ratio in multiple classrooms. The owner of the center is having parents work in classrooms to maintain ratio.
Disposition: Substantiated
Disposition: Substantiated
After being irked up from the center on 05/21/2021, Child A I had an unexplained mark on back.
Disposition: Substantiated
Generated from this facility's specific inspection record
Data synced from Michigan MiLEAP, Child Care Licensing Bureau on Jul 9, 2026 · Source records · Report an error
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: ratio. Open / not marked corrected.
R 400.8182 · R 400.8182 Ratio and group size requirements. (3) In each room or well-defined space, the maximum group size and ratio of child care staff members to children, including children related to a staff member or the licensee, must be as shown in Table 4: (b) For preschoolers 30 months of age until 3 years of age, there shall be 1 child care staff member for 8 children and a maximum group size of 16. 6
Based on staff interviews and reviewing the name to face attendance sheets, the center has failed to maintain appropriate ratio requirements on more than one occasion in the 30 months or older classrooms (White Pines and White Tails).
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: ratio. Open / not marked corrected.
R 400.8182 · R 400.8182 Ratio and group size requirements. (3) In each room or well-defined space, the maximum group size and ratio of child care staff members to children, including children related to a staff member or the licensee, must be as shown in Table 4: (c) For preschoolers 3 years of age, there shall be 1 child care staff member for 10 children.
Based on staff interviews and reviewing the name to face attendance sheets, the center has failed to maintain appropriate ratio requirements on more than one occasion in the 30 months or older classrooms (White Pines and White Tails).
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: ratio. Open / not marked corrected.
R 400.8113 · R 400.8113 Program director qualifications; responsibilities. (7) Early childhood program directors shall meet 1 of the following qualifications shown in Table 1… TABLE 1 Early Childhood Program Director Qualifications Education Coursework in Hours of Early Experience Childhood Education or Child Development (a) Bachelor’s degree or higher in early childhood education or child development (b) Bachelor’s degree or 18 semester 480 hours higher in a child-related hours and field including (c) Montessori credential 18 semester 480 hours hours and (d) Associate’s degree in 18 semester 480 hours early childhood education hours and or child development including (e) Valid child development 18 semester 960 hours associate credential with hours and (f) Sixty semester hours with 18 semester 1,920 hours hours and 3
On 08/31/2023 I completed an unannounced onsite inspection at the facility and spoke to Child Care Staff Member 1 (CCSM 1). She stated she is the assistant director. She confirmed that their program director put in her two week notice on 08/24/2023 but after a discussion with the owner left employment on 08/25/2023. She was unsure who the interim director was and did not think there was a person assigned to this role. She identified the child care center plans to close permanently in the next month but did not have an exact date. 2 During my onsite inspection the owner and licensee, Nicole McIntyre sent out a text message to all staff members including CCSM 1 notifying them that the center would be permanently closing after tomorrow 09/01/2023. On 09/08/2023 I spoke to the licensee, Nicole McIntyre by phone. She stated the center is now closed. Prior to them closing the center permanently on 09/01/2023 at the end of the day they did not have a program director. She identified that their program director emailed her two week notice on 08/27/2023 but never showed back up to work. She denied hiring a replacement due to closing the license.
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Open / not marked corrected.
R 400.8140 · R 400.8140 Discipline. (1) Positive methods of discipline that encourage self- control, self-direction, self-esteem, and cooperation must be used.
Based on interviews, staff members used positive methods of discipline with Child A when he would act out. Staff members used redirection, modeling, and shadowing to rectify Child A's negative behaviors.
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: ratio. Open / not marked corrected.
R 400.8125 · R 400.8125 Staff; volunteer; requirements. (1) All staff and volunteers shall provide appropriate care and supervision of children at all times.
Wup On 05/27/2021, the department received a complaint indicatin that on 05/21/2021 Child A was in care at the center all day. father picked and brought■ home, and Child A's uncle and aunt baby that evening. They noticed a mark on Child A's back and sent a picture of it to Chips parents to ask if it was a bruise or a birthmark. Child A's parents had not noticed it before. They took Child A to the doctor's office on 05/26/2021 to be evaluated. U 02/2021 I completed an announced face to face visit at Child A's home with They stated they have been at the child care center since _t. with their , and Child A started there in 'We love Peayyocare.They're very personable, we have had no concerns." Child A's Father picked ■ up from the center on 05/21/2021 and■ `wasn't fussing or anything," ■ demeanor was normal. Child A's Mother and Father were going out of town for the weekend, so Child A's uncle and aunt were coming to watch the children. When asked about Child A's uncle and aunt, Child A's parents stated they had "absolutely no 0 concerns about them." Shortly after leaving, Child A's Uncle sent a picture and text to Child A's parents saying they had found a mark on back and asked if it was a birthmark. They didn't have phone service and didn see the text until they were returning home that Sunday. They had not seen the mark before. They stated that Child A had not had any chan es in demeanor recently, had not had any falls or accidents that the were aware of. has been rolling for about a month, but is supervised when on the floor. ' On 06/02/2021 I completed an unannounced on-site visit with . We interviewed Licensee Nicole McIntyre. She stated I Penn attending their center since was about months old, in the classroom. ■ attends . In that time, have 3 around 2-3 child care staff members helping with care. On 051211202.1 there were six children in the room and staff members eah Forsyth and Alicia Morrow m were also present, with Ms. Morrow acting as primary caregiver. Ms. McIntyre stated, We have zero tolerance for inappropna e behavior with the staff. I'm here every day and have no concerns for those caregivers." Neither staff member has been written up for anything or had an disciplinary action taken for any reason. On 05/21/2021, Child A was in care from . "From my understanding, Child A's mother was talking t--b grandmother about the mark and how it hadn't been changing, and she recommen d that she take in to the doctor to make sure everything was ok." Ms. McIntyre hasn't seen the mar ierself, but Program Director Katie MacDonald had, and she had been in contact with Child A's Mother about it. Ms. McIntyre reported no concerns for Child A's parents or how they interact with She said, They are great parents. I've not had any concerns ever." a . Mi 's Program Director Katie MacDonald said she has "It's an amazing family. They are great. n Mother ca fled s. MacDonald and asked if she would step into the room and look at the mark on Child A's back. "Her mom had gotten her worried. She had seen the mark and thought it looked strange because it hadn't changed or otten yellow or anything. Child A's Father came and picked up and brougl- to the doctor." When asked about Child As primary caregiver, Alicia Morrow, Ms. MacDonald replied, "She's quiet, has a true passion for these kids. She leaves notes about each kid's likes and dislikes for the other staff. I have no concerns about her at all, I've never even seen her get frustrated." When asked about the other child care staff member in the room, Leigha Forsyth, Ms. MacDonald said, `;She's awesome and hardworking. She likes working with the babies and wants to stay in that room. I haven't seen her get frustrated or upset." Ms. MacDonald said she has no clue" how Child A got the mark on back. Alicia Morrow said she had heard that there was a bruise found on Child A's back and 'o $ parents had taken the doctor to see if there was internal bleeding or something like that goir ng on. "l hadn'
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: supervision. Open / not marked corrected.