Positive Start Child Dev. Center

R 400.8720 · ........................_... ............................................................................................... R 400.8720 All motor vehicles. (2) All motor vehicles, except multifunction school activity buses and school buses inspected by the department of state police as indicated in subrule (3) of this rule, must be inspected annually by a licensed mechanic. A copy of the inspection must be kept on file at the center. Volunteer vehicles are not required to be inspected.

On April 24, 2023, I interviewed the complaint source. The complaint source stated Child A (male, age 8) was punched in the chest by Child B (male, age 6) on April 20, 2023. The injury did not leave a bruise but caused Child A to wheeze. Child A had a lump on his chest between the bones which was red. It is unknown if Child A received medical attention. CCSM 1 and CCSM 2 were present at the facility. CCSM 2 was on her cell phone and not paying attention to the child care children. CCSM 2 is frequently on her cell phone and not paying attention to child care children. CCSM 1 intervened between Child A and Child B. On April 19, 2023, Child A was hit in the mouth by another child, causing red swollen gums. No one was informed about Child A's injury. The child's identity was not provided. The facility does not supervise child care children. Incident reports were requested for Child A and Karen Brandon, Program Director/Licensee Designee refused to provide the incident reports. Ms. Brandon was upset about a previous complaint to the state and refused to give the incident reports. There have been 12-16 incident reports in the last three months for injuries to Child A. The police were called to the child care facility on April 21, 2023. Mt. Morris Township Police Department responded; it is unknown which officer responded to the facility. The facility has video cameras. The complaint source sent screen shots of negative Google Reviews on the child care center. On April 24, 2023, I interviewed Child A's Mother. Child A's Mother tried to speak to Ms. Brandon about Child A's injury on April 20, 2023. Child A was running around with Child B when he was hit in the chest by Child B. Initially Child A's Mother was told Child A hit Child B first. The video footage showed that this was not the case. Child A reported he did not hit Child B. CCSM 1 and CCSM 2 were present at the facility. CCSM 2 was on her cell phone and not paying attention to the child care children. CCSM 2 is frequently on her cell phone and not paying attention to child care children. CCSM 1 intervened between Child A and Child B. On April 19, 2023, Child A was hit in the mouth by another child, causing red swollen gums. The injury 3 was not reported. Child A did not receive medical attention and there are no photographs of the injuries. On April 25, 2023, I completed an unannounced onsite inspection at the facility. I interviewed Karen Brandon. Ms. Brandon confirmed that Child A was injured on April 19, 2023, and April 20, 2023, and provided injury reports. Ms. Brandon is not aware if Child A received any medical attention. The April 19, 2023, incident report stated that Child A was rough housing with another child and asked to stop. The children did not stop, and Child A was accidently bumped in the mouth and received an ice pack. The incident report was filled out by Ms. Brandon on April 20, 2023, after she was made aware of the incident. The child care staff did not fill out the incident report on April 19, 2023. The April 20, 2023, incident report stated that Child A was smacked by another student in the chest, the children were separated. Initially it was thought Child A hit first but after reviewing the video footage it is observed that Child A did not hit the other child. Ms. Brandon attempted to show me the video footage but was unable to go back to the day of the incident. The video footage did not save past four days. CCSM 1 was in close proximity to the children and intervened. CCSM 2 was present and working with an infant age child, five latchkey children were present on April 20, 2023, at the time of the incident. CCSM 2 was not observed on her cell phone on the video footage. Ms. Brandon denied that CCSM 1 has had any issues with being on her cell phone during the care and supervision of children. Ms. Brandon does not have any concerns with how CCSM 1 supervises child care children. The Mt. Morris Township Police were at the child care facility on April 21, 2

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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 April 19, 2023, 1 interviewed the complaint source. On April 11 2023, the complaint source observed Child A and Child B engage in One of the children was i r#e complaint source did now know which child was in what position. When asked what they were doing Child A and Child B said they were playing with puzzles, no puzzle pieces were observed. The complaint source notified Child Care Staff Member (CCSM 1) regarding the behavior she observed. CCSM 1 told the complaint source she would keep an eye on Child A and Child B. When Child A and Child B noticed they were being watched they moved toward another area of the classroom. CCSM 1 noticed Child A and Child B were being watched and asked them to come out of the corner. Once Child A and Child B noticed they were no longer being watched they went back to the corner of the classroom. The complaint source called and spoke with Karen Brandon, program director, who said she would take care of the situation. CCSM 1 did not want to report the situation because she did not observe the interaction occur. On April 19, 2023, 1 completed an unannounced onsite inspection. I interviewed Karen Brandon. Ms. Brandon was informed of the concerns regarding Child A and Child B by Witness I on April It 2023. This was possibly not the first time an allegation „~ . Ms. Brandon is not sure when the other allegations occurred an Resnot believe any contact occurred. Child A and Child B were talking . The child care staff did not inform her about the incidents. On April 11, 2023, CCSM 1 and CCSM 3 were working in the classroom. Witness 1 was observing the classroom. CCSM 1 did not inform Ms. Brandon regarding the allegations of Child A and Child B. Ms. Brandon has had previous concerns rear ing the supervision provided to child care children by CCSM 1. The facility has video cameras, but the footage does not save past four days. Ms. Brandon was unable to access the video footage for April 11; 2023, during the onsite on April 19, 2023. Ms. Brandon viewed the video footage after the incident was reported and you could not see what Child A and Child B were doing in the video. On April 19, 2023. 1 interviewed CCSM 1. CCSM 1 did not observe any Child A and Child B on April 11, 2023. CCSM 1 was sitting on the floor and did ask Child A and Child B to come out from behind the cubby area. Child A and Child B play together a lot and often sit close together. CCSM 1 was informed by Child A's Mother that Child A's Sister was told by Child A that she Child B. CCSM 1 believes she was told this information last week _ 3 but is not entirely sure when. CCSM 1 told Child A's Mother she would monitor Child A and Child B. On April 19, 2023, I interviewed CCSM 3. CCSM 3 was working in the classroom Iasi week with CCSM 1. CCSM 3 did not see any inappropriate interactions between Child A and Child B. CCSM was working 1-1 with another child. CCSM 3 has noticed that Child A and Child B tend to want to hang out alone and will try and be in areas where they cannot be seen. CCSM 3 figured they were best friends and wanted to be alone. CCSM 3 was made aware of the alleaations late the same day or the next Aday. CCSM 3 was told one of the children It was unknown which child was in what position. . On April 25, 2023, I interviewed Child A's Mother. Child A's Mother was informed of the incident involving Child A and does not have any concerns with the supervision provided by the facility. On April 25, 2023, I interviewed Child B's Mother. Child B's Mother was informed of the incident involving Child B. Child B's Mother was told Child B was involved in an . Child B's Mother does not know which child was in what position. Child B may also have been Child B's Mother had not had any previous concerns regarding supervision.

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R 400.8158 · ......................................................—.... ..... R 400.8158 Incident, accident, injury, illness, death, fire reporting. (2) A licensee, licensee designee, or program director shall report to the child's parent and the department, directly or via phone, fax, or email, within 24 hours of the occurrence of any of the following: (b) An incident involving an allegation of inappropriate contact.

Ms. Brandon did not report to the department within 24 hours of notification regarding the allegations of Child A and Child B.

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R 400.8158 · R 400.8158 Incident, accident, injury, illness, death, fire reporting. (4) A licensee, licensee designee, or program director shall submit a written report to the department of the occurrences outlined in subrules (1), (2), and (3) of this rule, in a format provided by the department, within 72 hours of the verbal report to the department. ..........................................................

Ms. Brandon did not submit a written report to the department within 72 hours of notification of the allegation of Child A and Child B.

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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 March 2, 2023, I spoke to Child A's mother. Approximately two weeks ago, Child A ate the non-edible filling of an ice pack while on the bus. Another child opened up the pack and told the other children it was candy. She was contacted by the center after this occurred and was given an incident report. The center said that they contacted poison control, who advised the children to drink water. Child A had diarrhea the next day after consuming the contents of the ice pack. She was not sure of the date that the last time Child A had been left unsupervised at the school but thought it was approximately two weeks prior. She said that Witness 1 at McMonagle Elem. School would be able to confirm this. Child A still attends the child care and likes it, but she is concerned about supervision. I interviewed Child B & C's mother who believed that the ice incident on the bus took place on February 7, 2023. She was contacted by the program director Karen, letting her know that both Child B and Child C had consumed some of the ice pack. She said 3 that the center bus was dropping children off at the school before the school opened and that children would have to wait outside for approximately 5 to 10 minutes before the school would open. She stated that the staff are on their phones "all the time." I made an unannounced onsite inspection to the child care center on March 6, 2023. The program director Karen Brandon was out sick. I spoke to licensee Yvonne Bowe- Gilliard. She was aware of the incident on the bus with the ice pack. She knew that Karen Brandon had contacted poison control when this occurred, and they instructed her to have the children drink water. Center policy is that caregivers cannot have their cell phones out when dealing with children. While at the center, I was able to interview Child A (male, age 8), Child B (female, age 9), and Child C (female, age 7). When asked about being dropped off at school. Child A confirmed that in the morning, the center bus takes them to school. The bus stops by the front door and a teacher will let them in the building. Child A said that the bus does not leave until they are in the building. He said in February, Child D (male, age 10) had an ice pack on the bus. The liquid inside was leaking out and he licked it, along with Child B and Child D. He said that he immediately spit it out. He said that this happened while the Child Care Staff Member 1 (CCSM1) was driving the bus. He denied seeing any staff using their cell phones. Child B told me that she rides the bus from child care to school and back to the center after school. She said that at the end of January or early February that the kids had to wait outside of the school for 1-3 minutes because the school door was not open but said that the bus driver never pulls away until they get in the door of the school in the morning. Regarding the incident on the bus, she said that another child had what she described as one of those items that "you shake, and it turns cold." The contents of this were leaking out and Child A ate it. She licked it and spat it out in her hand because it tasted sour. She was made to drink water when she got to the center but that she never felt sick after consuming this. This happened while the bus was being driven. The children told the bus driver what happened when the bus stopped at the center. Child B denied seeing any staff using their cell phones. Child C told me that she witnessed Child A and Child B both consume the leaked contents of the ice pack but that she did not do this and did not see any other children do this. This happened on the bus as they were being driven from school to the center. When asked about being dropped off at school. Child C told me that they wait on the bus until the school doors open. She said that they used to wait outside of the school until the doors opened but she denied that the bus had ever left while they were waiting for the school doors to open. I asked Child C about staf

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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 04/08/2022. I spoke with a time 4 completion of an unannounced onsite inspection at the center. At completion of our telephone call, On 04112/2022, I completed an unannounced onsite inspection at the center from am — pm and interviewed program director/licensee designee Yvonne Bowe-Gilliard and child care staff members CCSM Yvonne Harris Andrea Carroll and Child B's Mother. Ms. Bowe-Gilliard stated that she was out of the building in the morning of 04/07/2022. She found out about the allegations when she returned to the building at approximately 8:40 am. She was informed by office worker Siobhan Bowe-Rives that Child A's Aunt returned to the center with Child A after picking him up from the center for behavioral concerns and notified them that he had a bruise on the back of his neck. Child A's Father showed up at the center at approximately 5:15 pm and showed her pictures of the mark on Child A's neck, asked her if she was aware of how the injury occurred, and reported concerns about how it happened. She told him that she was unaware of how the injury occurred. She clarified that CCSM's Andrea Carroll and Yvonne Harris worked with Child A on 04/07/2022. Ms. Carroll had already left for the day. so she spoke with Ms. Harris after Child A's Father left the center. Ms. Harris reported that she observed Child A and Child B in an altercation near the library area of the room. She then saw a wood puzzle piece fly in the air and observed Ms. Carroll intervene. Ms. Harris reported that she didn't pay attention after this, as she was aware that Ms. Carroll was managing the situation. Ms. Bowe- Gilliard spoke with Ms. Carroll later that night who notified her that she did not notice a mark on Child A until Child A's Aunt returned and showed her. She did not know how it could have happened. Ms. Bowe-Gilliard has never seen Ms. Carroll inappropriately care for any child, including Child A, and confirmed that she always utilizes positive methods of discipline. She added that Ms. Carroll is very good with the children, very patient, and she has never received any parent or child concerns regarding the care she provides. I confirmed that the cameras do not record the room that is partitioned off by partial walls. Ms. Bowe-Gilliard stated that Child A has not been to the center since the allegations. She was never notified that Child A obtained medical treatment for his injury. Ms. Harris stated that she was notified of the allegations by Ms. Bowe-Gilliard and she did not observe Child A obtain an injury. She added that it may have occurred during breakfast. She was in the rear portion of the room when she heard a scream and saw a wood puzzle piece in the air. She observed Ms. Carroll intervene with Child A and Child B who were in an altercation, by taking Child A by the hand and redirecting him. When breakfast was over, she observed and overheard Ms. Carroll and Child A on the telephone with Child A's Grandmother and Child A appeared to 11 be upset, as he began stomping his feet and yelled "no" two times. She never observed a mark on Child A. Ms. Harris has never seen Ms. Carroll inappropriately care for any child, including Child A, confirmed that she always utilizes positive methods of discipline and she has never received any parent or child concerns regarding the care she provides. Ms. Carroll explained that Child A's scratch on his neck was brought to her attention by Child A's Aunt who returned to the center after picking him up for behavioral concerns. At this time, Child A's Aunt was Facetiming with Child A's Grandmother and asked, "What happened to his neck." She stated that she explained to Child A's Aunt that she was unaware of how the scratch occurred and reported the alteration with Child B earlier. After this altercation is when she and Child A Facetimed Child A's Grandmother, who was unsuccessful in calming Child A down, so Child A's Grandmother told her that she would send Child A's Aunt to pick him up. Child A's behavior

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