Doris Hale Child Development Center

R 400.8213(1)(b) · R 400.8213(1)(b) Staff; volunteer (1) All staff and volunteers present at the center shall: (b) Act in a manner that is conducive to the welfare o f children.

Based on my interviews of allowable information, Teacher 1 is conducive to the welfare of children.

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R 400.8280(2)(a) · R 400.8280(2)(a) Discipline (2) All of the following means of punishment are prohibited: (a) Hitting, spanking, shaking, biting, pinching, o r inflicting other forms of corporal punishment.

Based on interviews and review of video footage, there is not enough information to say that Teacher 1 hit Child A in the forehead in the bathroom. Teacher 1 denies hitting Child A.

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R 400.8280(1) · R 400.8280(1) Discipline 2 LANDMARK BUILDING • 105 W. ALLEGAN STREET • LANSING, MICHIGAN 48933 Michigan.gov/MiLEAP (1) Positive methods of discipline that encourage self-control, self- direction, self-esteem, and c ooperation must be used.

Teacher 1 did not use positive methods of discipline when she was observed on video footage reviewed grabbing Child B on his upper arms roughly and dragging him across the floor to his cot where she forcefully set him down. Teacher 1 also said she pushed Child A's head up to pay attention to her and look at her when she was talking to him about hitting during the incident in the bathroom. Based on interviews with other teachers, Teacher 1 has a history of handling children roughly by grabbing their arms to redirect them, moving them or sitting them down forcefully, holding children in a hug against their will, and raising her voice/yelling at children.

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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. 1

On 12/01/2022 I received a complaint that child care staff were observed yanking children by their arms and coats and yelling at children when getting them into line to go inside from the outdoor playground. This issue has been going on for several months and the concern was brought to the attention of the center. The center staff said they would address the issue and re-train staff, but there has not been any change in staff behaviors. On 12/05/2022 I conducted an unannounced onsite inspection to Doris Hale Child Development Center. One classroom was closed due to illness. The other four classrooms were open, and I observed children doing circle time, napping, and outdoor play. The children were playing on the front playground right outside of the room I was in, and I was able to observe and listen to them through the windows. The staff were appropriate with the children and interacted with them while they were playing. I observed the two child care staff line the children up at the end of outdoor play time by having each child grab a ring on the rope. Child care staff walked the perimeter of the playground to make sure all children were accounted for and then one child care staff stood at the front of the line and one at the back of the line. The staff counted children and took attendance before heading into the building. I interviewed the licensee designee, Joyce Cooper, co-director of education and children's services for Community Action Agency Headstart, Rosalyn Jones, program director, Amy Ayres, and child care staff, Jessica Sprague, Aliyah Jones, Amariyonna Martinez, Jocelyn Huerta, and Veronica Steinecke. I obtained child information cards, attendance, the center handbook, and copies of the child crisis plan, safe handling of children and behavior management/discipline policies. Ms. Cooper is the director of operations for Community Action Agency of South- Central MI and the licensee designee for this center. She indicated that she has never observed any of the child care staff inappropriately handling children or yelling at them when she has been at the center visiting. Ms. Cooper has observed child care staff pick up children by scooping them up under their arms with their hands under the child's armpits and indicated that all child care staff are trained on safe handling of children, as well as appropriate and positive methods for behavior management and interacting with children. Child care staff were also recently trained on all of these things again as there is a neighbor near the center that yells at staff outside in front of the children and has called in several complaints/concerns to the center director, the co-director of education and children's services for Community Action, Ms. R. Jones, and herself. One of the issues the neighbor was concerned about was the way staff were treating the children outside, specifically grabbing a child by their arm and yelling in their face. The center did take the neighbor's concerns seriously and re-trained all staff on safe handling of children, appropriate 3 care, and positive methods for behavior management at a staff meeting in October 2022. Ms. R. Jones confirmed that she did speak with a neighbor to the center who lives across the street and among his concerns, one was the way children are being handled and treated when lining up to go inside from the playground. The concerns were addressed with the center staff as part of a staff meeting held 10/27/2022, where they had the mental health specialist for Community Action, Kaitlyn Lucker, train staff on safe handling/lifting children, appropriate care and positive behavior management, and the child crisis plan. Ms. Ayres is the program director at the center. She reported that child care staff were re-trained on appropriate and safe handling of children at a staff meeting held 10/27/2022 by the mental health specialist for Community Action, Ms. Lucker. Ms. Ayres indicated the protocol for handling or lifting a child i

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R 400.8140 · R 400.8140 1 Discipline. (1) Positive methods of discipline that encourage self- control, self-direction, self-esteem, and cooperation must be used. I

Staff do not yell at children or yank them by their coats and arms. Staff uses positive methods of discipline.

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