• Violation

  R 400.8143(1) · R 400.8143(1) Children's records. At the time of a child's initial attendance, a center shall obtain a child information card, using a form provided by the department or a comparable substitute, that is completed and signed by the child's parent. The center shall keep it on file and accessible in the center. Bureau

  Open Not marked corrected in the state record

  Category: recordkeeping. Open / not marked corrected.

• Violation

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

  On 11/1/21, licensee designee Laura Tinsley called to report an allegation of inappropriate staff-to-child contact that Child A's caregiver, Staff 1 had shared with her. On 10/25/21, Child A's mother told Staff 1 that her daughter said Staff 3 had pushed her down. I interviewed Staff 1 on 11/04/21. On 10/25/21, Child A's mother called to say that her daughter told her Staff 3 pushed her and that she's not nice and also pushed boys down. Staff 1 was shocked and told the parent that she or Staff 2 are always present in the room when Staff 3 is there. She assured the parent that children are safe in her classroom and that she would notify her supervisor, Laura Tinsley, which she did. The next morning (10/26/21) at drop off Staff 1 again assured her that they are looking into the matter. She did not sense that Child A's mother remained concerned. On 10/28/21, Child A's mother and grandmother told her that Child A is coming home every day telling them she is being pushed. Child A said it happened by the cubbies at "Choice Time." Staff 1 explained to me that Choice Time is the first half hour of the day where children choose an activity prior to going outdoors. The GSRP program began the first week of October. During the first two weeks, three staff members were assigned to a classroom of 11 children. Staff 3 had only been present during this morning period during the first two weeks of school. She has since only assisted in the classroom during lunchtime. Staff are never left alone with children, including when children use the restroom. There is a restroom in the classroom. There is a curtain for privacy and the door remains open. Staff 1 could not recall a time when she saw Staff 3 in the restroom with children. Staff 1 has worked with Staff 3 for two years. She has never had concerns about the appropriateness of her interactions with children. None of the children or parents have ever complained about Staff 3 prior to this allegation. Laura Tinsley called Child A's mother on 10/29/21 to learn about her concerns firsthand. She provided a description of this contact in a document that she submitted to me along with an incident report dated 11/1/21. I've summarized the content here. Ms. Tinsley noted that Child A's mother said Staff 3 had pushed Child A down. Ms. Tinsley asked if Child A told her where this had happened, Child A's mother placed the call on speaker phone and Child A said that Staff 3 had pushed her out of the red chair and pushed the boys too. Child A's father joined the conversation, asking how many times it happened. Child A said 10 times, then 20. Child A's grandmother joined the conversation and reiterated that the child keeps reporting this same story about being pushed. Ms. Tinsley asked Child A's mother to take the call off speaker phone. She explained to Child A's mother that she had interviewed Staff 3 who denied the allegation. She described how Staff 3 routinely sat with Child A at the lunch table and talked to her and characterized the 3 relationship as very positive. Ms. Tinsley told her that she had spoken to Staff 1 who had worked with Staff 3 for two years and said she would have called Ms. Tinsley immediately if she had seen Staff 3 engage in this behavior. Staff 1, Staff 3 and Staff 2 are the only three staff members that work in Child A's classroom and all denied witnessing the behavior that Child A had described. When asked her perspective, Ms. Tinsley told Child A's mother that none of the staff members ever work alone with the children and said it would be difficult for the repeated aggression described to go unnoticed. She assured Child A's mother that she would not tolerate this behavior in her program. Child A's mother said she understood but wanted something done about it since Child A's claims are persistent. Ms. Tinsley said she would place Staff 3 at a different lunch table so that Staff 3 would not need to interact with Child A. Staff 3 only works during the hours of 11:30 a.m. and 2:00

Child A (female, age 4) alleged that a child care staff member pushed her and other children down.

Disposition: Substantiated