Great Beginnings

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.

On 12/19/2022, and I conducted an unannounced on-site inspection. We interviewed Denise Giosa (program director/license designee); (assistant 3's caregiver), (lead i 2 older toddler caregiver), and (lead 3;s caregiver). The interviews were conducted privately in the ice. Ms. Giosa stated that approached her on 10/19/2022 and told her that she observed hugging the children goodbye, as they were walking from the drop-off classroom to their assigned classroom, also observed *ta inChild A and other children on their , as hey walked down e a s said she was not sure if that was considered inappropriate behavior but to bring it to Ms. Giosa attention. Ms. Giosa said that she has hugging the children and guiding observed_ them down the hallways and has never seen anything inappropriate. Ms. Giosa stated that she pulled up the previous two days of video recording and reviewed the footage. Ms. Giosa saw nothing in the footage that would be considered inappropriate touching. Ms. Giosa described the center as "very hands-on" and vin " and said that the children and the families all love and respect has been working at the center for the past 15 years and has no idiscipline history and no history of allegations of inappropriately touching a child. Ms. Giosa stated is new to the child care field and is a "bit sensitive" and was just beingth oavteWrlycauious. Ms. Giosa denied ever receiving complaints from parents or staff and the way she interacts with the children. Ms. Giosa staterde tghaatr dshineg dWid nosend an incident report to licensing since was not reporting anything that was considered inappropriate. stated that she has observed in the past playfully tapping children on the when she is hugging them goodbye. stated that e children not seem u set with this behavior and appear to laugh when being embraced by said that she brought what she observed to Ms. Giosa's attentio*in toober because she wasn't sure if staff were supposed to hug children in that way. denied seeing' act inappropriately with the children and denied hearing children, staff, or parents complain about behavior. appeared very upset by these allegations and stated that she does not "une"rsand why someone would think she was the children inappropriately. stated that she hugs the children and sometimes pats them on the as a way of telling them "good job". also said that she sometimes touches children on the area to guide them down the hallway. denied ever a child in a stated thatshe has cared for Child A since she was an infant and that she often hugs and comforts her throughout the day. ■ W stated that she spoke with Ms. Giosa back in October about this and they bo agreed that she was not doing anything inappropriate, so the matter was just dropped. 3 stated that works in the classroom next to hers. ■ stated that she has never had concerns about inappropriately touching a child, indicated that does hug the children in her classroom but in an inappropriate way. denied hearing complaints from children, staff, or parents regarding the way interacts with the children. While on-site I walked through and observed the entire center. No video footage was viewed since the video recording only saves for 48 hours and no reported concerns occurred in the past 48 hours. On 12/19/2022- spoke with Child As mother via telephone. Child A's mother denied concerns with the center and had no issues whatsoever with the way hugs Child A. Child A's mother is very happy with the care that is being provided at the center. On 01/11/2023_ spoke with Child B's mother via telephone. Child B's mother denied having any concerns with the care that is being provided to Child B at the center. Child Bs mother stated that she is very happy at the center and said her children have never complained to her about anything occurring at the center.

View state record