• Violation

  R 400.8140 · R 400.8140 Discipline. (2) All of the following means of punishment are prohibited: (a) Hitting, spanking, shaking, biting, pinching, or inflicting other forms of corporal punishment.

  On 02/22/2021, I conducted a telephone interview with the complainant. The complainant stated, "My son told me that the teachers at the center threaten children and once, a teacher took off her shoes and attempted to hit a child". The complainant did not have any other details. The complainant could not identify the child or the caregiver responsible. On 02/22/2021, I conducted a telephone interview with Child A's Mother. She said a staff member at the center threaten to "whoop" her children. She did not know which staff made the threat. Child A's Mother said Child A informed her a staff member removed her shoe and threaten to hit a child. She did not know which staff was responsible for this, nor did she know the child's name. She said Child A was denied the opportunity to use the bathroom because the teacher told him that the school was closing and to hold it until his mother arrived. Child A's Mother said she spoke with the program director, Alethea Peterson, about the incident, and she reported that she would get back with her. Child A's Mother provided permission for me to speak with Child A during the inspection at the center. On 02/24/2021, I conducted an unannounced inspection to the center. I interviewed program director Alethea Person; Licensee designee, Jacqueline Pippen; child care staff members; Alfreed Peterson and Mi Angel Jones and Child A. Ms. Person and Ms. Pippen denied that the staff use form of physical discipline or that any the staff have threaten to spank the children. Ms. Person and Ms. Pippen denied being aware of any concerns for the staff. Ms. Person said between 5:45 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. the children line up in the hall and prepare to go home. She said the children wait in this area until parents arrived, at which time the teachers start to sanitize the classrooms. Ms. Person said Child A was told that they were closing and therefore, they had to stand in the hallway, however, he was never told he could not use the bathroom. Ms. Person said the staff member who was with him at that time is Ms. Jones. She said Ms. Jones informed her that Child A never asked to use the bathroom. Ms. Person said staff will never prevent a child from using the bathroom. Ms. Peterson and Ms Jones also denied knowing of any staff that have threaten to spank the children. They did not recall of any incident where a staff member removed her shoe and tried to hit a child. Ms. Peterson denied having any knowledge about Child A being refused the bathroom. She said she was sanitizing the classrooms at that time. Ms. Jones said she is not Child A's caregiver during the day, however, the classes combined after 5:00 p.m. and she is responsible for Child A during that time. Ms. Jones said Child A never asked if he could use the bathroom. She said she believes that Child A assumed he could not go to the bathroom because they closed one side of the center. She said the children wait for their parents in the hall, while the staff sanitize the rooms. She said Child A asked if he 3 could go back into the room to get his charger and she allowed him to. She said he never asked about the bathroom. Child A said he likes attending the child care center. If he gets in trouble while at the center will have to sit in a chair. Child A denied witnessing a staff member whoop any children at the center. He said, "One time a kid almost hit me with a belt, but the teacher took it from him". Child A said he asked the staff member if he could use the bathroom and she told him no. He said that is all that happened. On 04/01/2021, I conducted a telephone interview with child care staff member, Jessica Norfolk. Ms. Norfolk denied that physical discipline is used at the center. She denied having any knowledge of staff threatening to spank children. Ms. Norfolk denied knowing if staff refused to allow Child A to use the bathroom. On 04/01/2021, I conducted a telephone interview with Child B's (5-year-old female) Mother and Child C's (11-year-old female) Moth

The teachers threaten to spank the children. One teacher took off her shoe and attempted to hit a child. Child A (6-year-old male) was also not allowed to use the bathroom. Child A was not served breakfast because staff stated he was in virtual school.

Disposition: Substantiated