R 400.8155 · R 400.8155 1 Child accidents and incidents; child and staff illness. (2) A center shall ensure that a child who is too ill to remain in the group is placed in a separate area and is cared for and supervised until the parent arrives.

I placed a telephone call to Program Director Holly Freeman after receipt of the complaint on 08/10/2022. Ms. Freeman stated that the allegations are not true. Some children and child care staff members have tested positive for covid but policies are being followed. Health checks are done on the children every morning, upon arrival. If they have symptoms of covid, they are separated from the group and a call is made to the Telemon state health coordinator for direction. Each situation is different. The child may or may not be sent home. If the child has a fever, they are always sent home. If a child care staff member (or any other staff member) has symptoms, is exposed, or tests positive, they have to contact human resources and ask for direction. All staff members have been vaccinated or they have to test weekly for covid. In addition to these measures, the program director also contacts the county health department in each case and follows those recommendations as well. All staff and children over the age of two years wear masks. The only time they do not have to wear masks is when they are eating or when they are socially distanced outside. Ms. Freeman advised that currently one child care staff member is not working due to covid. She has been out for approximately three weeks. She had been exposed and was told to quarantine. Then she was exposed again and told to quarantine again. Then she tested positive for covid on 08/07/2022. The infant room and the preschool room were closed at one point for three days because covid appeared to be spreading. A parent with a child in each room admitted afterward that both of her children had covid and that she had sent them to the center, knowing, they were positive. Following our conversation on 08/10/2022, Ms. Freeman sent me a copy of the center's policy on illness and exclusion. The policy matched her statements. I conducted an on-site inspection on 09/01/2022. I spoke with Program Director Christina Razo. She reiterated Ms. Freeman's statements. She advised that a child was sent home on this date due to coughing and a fever. The child was the only child in the room at the time so there was no need to do anything further. While on-site I interviewed Child Care Staff Members Delores Santiago, Annabelle Meza, and Elvia Williams. All three advised that the center follows all protocols regarding covid. During my inspection, I was asked to wear a mask. I observed all staff members and all children aged two and older wearing masks. Each time I entered a different room at the center, I was asked to wash my hands. 3

Open Not marked corrected in the state record

Category: supervision. Open / not marked corrected.