• Violation

  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.

  An incident report was submitted on 11/22/2022. The incident detailed incidents that were reported to program director/licensee designee Ms. Alexandra Humerickhouse on 11/17/2022 regarding child care staff member (CCSM) Ms. Paige Northrup-Nickell. The incidents reported were from 11/14/2022 and 11/17/2022. Ms. Westcott was alerted of the incidents via text messages on 11/17/2022 and in person on 11/18/2022. The complaint source detailed incidents where Ms. Northrup-Nickell took her fingertips to the foreheads of Child A and Child B and pushed them in a backwards motion. There was also mention of Ms. Northrup-Nickell being on her phone, some inappropriate conversations between child care staff members and lack of lesson planning all taking place when neither 2 Ms. Humerickhouse nor Ms. Taylor Westcott program director (at a different Stepping stones location) were present. On 11/18/2022 Ms. Westcott and Ms. Humerickhouse requested Ms. Northrup-Nickell to meet them at the original Stepping Stones location in the office. Ms. Northrup-Nickell arrived and climbed through the infant room window to get into the office to "avoid attention and being seen by other child care staff members and causing drama". Ms. Humerickhouse reported she asked Ms. Northrup-Nickell about the alleged incidents and Ms. Northrup-Nickell said she "plays a game where she lightly pushes Child A's belly and then he gets up laughing and wants her to do it again." I completed an onsite inspection on 11/23/2022. Program director/ licensee designee Ms. Alexandra Humerickhouse was not present on 11/14/022 or 11/17/2022 at the time of the alleged incidents. Ms. Humerickhouse spends two to three days a week at the original Stepping Stones Center location switching places with the program director at that location. Ms. Humerickhouse has never seen child care staff member (CCSM) Ms. Paige Northrup- Nickell use her fingers to push Child A or Child B's foreheads. I interviewed CCSM Ms. Rachel Hayes and CCSM Ms. Katrina Williams. Both child care staff members reported being asked by Ms. Humerickhouse or Ms. Taylor Westcott, program director (at a different Stepping stones location) if they had ever witnessed Ms. Northrup-Nickell "maliciously" push on the foreheads of children. Both Ms. Hayes and Ms. Humerickhouse reported they have witnessed Ms. Northrup-Nickell use her fingertips to push on the forehead of Child A. They both reported they viewed it more as play and not something with malicious intent. Ms. Hayes reported Child A likes to play more "aggressively" like this. Ms. Hayes has observed Ms. Northrup-Nickell put her hand up in front of a child's face about an inch or two away from the child's mouth to block a child's cough. Ms. Williams reported she has never seen Ms. Northrup-Nickell put her hand by or over a child's mouth. Ms. Hayes and Ms. Williams both stated they have no concerns with Ms. Northrup-Nickell's interactions with children in care. After the interviews at this Stepping Stones Monument location, I went to the original Stepping Stones center location to interview program director Ms. Taylor Westcott and additional child care staff members with information. Ms. Westcott communicated with child care staff members on 11/17/2022 that had first hand knowledge of the incidents. Ms. Westcott pointed out Ms. Northrup-Nickell had a rough week that week due to things in her personal life. I interviewed child care staff member Ms. Sarah Rood on 11/23/2022. Ms. Rood had only second-hand information on the incidents reported and her own personal opinions of other child care staff members. I completed the final onsite inspection at Stepping Stones Monument on 11/29/2022. I interviewed child care staff member Ms. Izabella Nelkie. Ms. Nelkie reported she has observed Child A approach Ms. Northrup- Nickell and she uses her fingertips to push back on his forehead. Child A throws his arms up and laughs. She has never seen Ms. Northrup-Nickell put her hand over a child'

Child care staff member (CCSM) Ms. Paige Northrup-Nickell was observed on 11/14/2022 and 11/17/2022 using her fingertips on the foreheads of Child A (male, 15 months old) and Child B (male, 22 months old) and pushing their heads in a backwards motion. She was also observed putting her hand over a child's mouth.

Disposition: Substantiated