Fremont International Academy

R 400.8125 · R 400.8125 1 Staff; volunteer; requirements. (1) All staff and volunteers shall provide appropriate care and supervision of children at all times.

On 12/13/2022 licensee designee Callie Hull contacted me regarding the reported incident. Ms. Hull does not typically work onsite at this facility but oversees the license and the general operation. Jennifer Martinez is the program director and a second licensee designee for this facility. Ms. Hull was contacted by Child A's Mother and told that Child A had a serious incident while on the playground during child care hours. Child A was reportedly sliding down the rail slide parallel bars on the large play structure at the school playground during outdoor play time when the incident occurred. She had a leg on each one of the bars and was sliding down to the ground. At some point during this activity, Child A's hair braids became ensnared somehow and the braids were ripped from her scalp. Child A then fell to the ground and hit her head and chin. Ms. Hull stated that Child A was reportedly stuck for a period of time with her hair entrapped and screaming, but no child care staff member (CCSM) observed or intervened. Eventually, Child A's hair ripped from her scalp, and she fell to the ground. Child A's Mother reported that other children were attempting to assist Child A during the incident, but no staff were in the vicinity. Child care children had to go and get a CCSM after Child A was already injured. Ms. Hull indicated that all of the CCSM's were congregated away from the playground on the pavement quite a bit away from the play structure. Ms. Hull stated that neither Ms. Martinez or a CCSM contacted Child A's Mother to report the incident or provided her with a written report. Child A's Mother found out when she arrived to pick up Child A from the facility. A CCSM brought Child A out to her car and told her there was an accident on the playground and Child A was injured. They did not tell her the seriousness of the situation. Child A was crying and very upset when she was brought to her at pick up. Child A's Mother took Child A to Battle Creek Bronson Emergency for treatment. Child A's Mother reported that according to the treating physician, Child A suffered a mild concussion and that the hair follicles were ripped from the scalp. She was also told that the hair may never regrow in the injured area. Child A's Mother is very upset with the lack of supervision on the playground and the lack of immediate notification. Ms. Hull confirmed that Ms. Martinez and or a CCSM should have contacted Child A's Mother immediately due to the seriousness and type of injury. On 12/14/2022 I received the written incident report from Ms. Martinez. The incident report states "Child A was playing on the jungle gym with two children. She was going down the bars backwards and her hair got stuck in the holes on the floor of the jungle gym. The other two children tried to get her unstuck but were unsuccessful. One child went to get a teacher while the other kept trying to get her hair free. By the 3 time the first child came back with an adult, the braids that were stuck got ripped out of her head." The incident report further indicated that immediately after the incident, the entire class returned to the school building. Child A's Mother arrived shortly after the class returned to the building. CCSM Maliya Frost walked Child A out to meet her mother and notified her that Child A had some braids pulled out of her head but was ok. 4 On 12/15/2022 I completed phone contact with Child A's Mother. She stated that she is upset with child care about the reported incident. She expressed that no child care staff were present to assist and there was no supervision on the playground when Child A was injured. She was told that all the staff were standing away from the playground on separate, raised paved area talking to each other instead of watching the children. Even from where the CCSMs were located, she does not understand how they did not hear her child screaming and yelling. Another student had to go and notify them what was occurring and ask for help. C

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R 400.8155 · R 400.8155 Child accident and incidents; child and staff illness. (1) A center shall have a written plan for how and when a parent is notified when personnel observe any of the following: (b) A child experiences an accident, injury, or incident.

During phone contact with Ms. Hull, she indicated that according to their parent notification plan for accidents and injuries Child A's Mother should have been called immediately after the incident occurred due to the severity and type of injury. The incident report provided to the department reported that the accident occurred at approximately 5:10 PM. During the onsite inspection, Ms. Martinez reported that Child A and all child care children and staff returned inside from the playground at approximately 5:20 PM. She further stated that Child A's Mother arrived to pick up Child A a few minutes after arriving inside. Child A's Mother was verbally notified at pick up. No written notice was given to Child A's Mother at that time. Ms. Martinez acknowledged that it is her understanding that none of the CCSMs had really assessed the extent of the injury or provided first aid before Child A left that day. During phone contact with Child A's Mother, she expressed frustration that the child care did not immediately notify her or any emergency contacts. She further indicated that the child care did not provide basic first aid or appear to know the extent or type of injury when they verbally notified her at pick up. She did not receive a written notification. Mr. Robinson and Ms. Harris were not able to report when Child A was picked up from the child care following the injury. Mr. Robinson was not aware of the seriousness of the injury and did not call parents or provide any first aid. Ms. Harris stated that Child A was holding her head and crying, but she did visually assess the injury or provide first aid. Neither wrote up an incident or accident report. I reviewed the center's policy for parent notification of accidents and injuries. The policy states "minor cuts and scrapes will be treated with band-aids, ice packs and staff monitoring. Family notification will be made by face-to-face or written notification at the end of day. More critical injuries will be attended to with first aid care. Family notification will be made immediately by phone or email following the occurrence of an injury that occurs to the head."

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