Sebring Melissa

R 400.1903 · R 400.1903 Licensee responsibilities. (1) A licensee shall be responsible for all of the following: (a) When the child care home is in operation, the licensee shall be present in the home on a daily basis and provide direct care and supervision for the majority of time children are in care, except for any of the following circumstances: (i) Vacation or personal leave, which must not exceed 20 days within a calendar year. The 20 days of vacation or personal leave means the licensee is absent the entire day or at least 51% of the day when the child care home is operating. A licensee may have a short periodic absence from the home. (ii) Medical treatment and subsequent recovery.

On 11/16/21, I conducted an unannounced onsite inspection to Ms. Melissa Sebring's group child care home. Ms. Melissa Sebring was present at the home. I informed Ms. Melissa Sebring of the allegations. Ms. Melissa Sebring denied the allegation. Ms. Melissa Sebring denied not being present at the child care home on a daily basis. Ms. Melissa Sebring said she works at the child care home daily. On occasions, if she has an errand to complete, she will assure she has at least two child care staff members present to maintain the correct child care staff member to child ratio requirement of 1:6. During my unannounced onsite inspection, Ms. Melissa Sebring and Ms. Hannah Selbolt, child care staff member were caring for 12 unrelated children. Ms. Melissa Sebring was within the correct child care staff member to child ratio requirement of 1:6. I reviewed Ms. Sebring's attendance records for both the children and child care staff members for the past two weeks. According to the attendance records, Ms. Melissa Sebring has been within the correct staff member to child ratio requirement of 1:6 and has been present at the child care home each day. According to the attendance records, Ms. Melissa Sebring opens the child care home daily, and has Ms. Jennifer Sebring, child care staff member working with her from 5:30 a.m. until 9:00 a.m. At that time, Ms. 3 Jennifer Sebring leaves and Ms. Hannah Selbolt arrives for care and remains onsite until closing at 5:00 p.m. On 11/12/21, Ms. Melissa Sebring was scheduled off and had both Ms. Jennifer Sebring and Ms. Selbolt working from open to close. Regarding attendance records, Ms. Melissa Sebring said that she maintains an attendance record for both the child care staff members and children on paper and then inputs them into the computer electronically. In addition, Minor Household Member 1 (MHM1) (age 17 years, female) acts as a child care assistant. MHM1 works alongside another adult child care staff member and is never unsupervised with the child care children. Ms. Melissa Sebring admitted on occasions, her driveway can seem congested with children and their parents. Ms. Melissa Sebring explained that she is very strict with the child care parents regarding drop off and pick up times to assure she maintains in compliance with the child care staff member to child ratio requirement of 1:6. When she is setting her scheduling for child care staff members, Ms. Melissa Sebring plots out each day when another child care staff member is needed when the seventh child care child arrives to care. According to Ms. Melissa Sebring's attendance records for the week of 11/8/21 until 11/15/21, from 6:00 a.m. until 8:00 a.m., there were eight unrelated children present in her care, both Ms. Melissa Sebring and Ms. Jennifer Sebring are working to maintain the correct child care staff member to child ratio requirements. Between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., an additional four unrelated children arrived for care thus maintaining their correct staff member to child ratio requirement of 1:6. At 9:00 a.m., Ms. Selbolt arrived for work and on most occasions, Ms. Jennifer Sebring leaves unless she is still needed. Ms. Melissa Sebring reiterated that she is very diligent on her scheduling to assure that she maintains the correct child care staff member to child ratio requirement of 1:6 at all times. On 11/22/21, 11/23/21, and 11/24/21, I separately interviewed Ms. Jennifer Sebring and Ms. Hannah Selbolt, who are child care staff members and MHM1 who is a child care assistant for Ms. Melissa Sebring via telephone. I informed them of the allegations. They each denied Ms. Melissa Sebring not being present at the child care home and reiterated Ms. Melissa Sebring's statement regarding her always being present at the child care home each day. If Ms. Melissa Sebring is absent for a short period of time, they all confirmed that Ms. Melissa Sebring makes all of the child care parents aware via telephone or a posted message left on th

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R 400.1910 · R 400.1910 Ratio of personnel to children. (1) The ratio of personnel to children present in the home at any 1 time must be not less than 1 member of the personnel to 6 children. The ratio must include all children in care who are not related to any personnel and any of the following children who are less than 6 years of age: (a) Children of the licensee. (b) Children of a child care staff member or child care assistant. (c) Children related to any member of the household by blood, marriage, or adoption.

On 11/16/21, I conducted an unannounced onsite inspection to Ms. Melissa Sebring's home and interviewed her regarding the allegations. Ms. Melissa Sebring denied the allegations indicating that none of her child care staff members have come to her stating they were overwhelmed. Ms. Melissa Sebring also denied the child care children not being watched and being able to run around her home freely or infants being left in cribs for long periods of time. Ms. Melissa Sebring resides in a one-story house with a basement located in a residential area of Grand Ledge, Michigan. Ms. Melissa Sebring provides child care in the lower level (basement of the home). The main level of the home is not utilized unless the child care children are being dropped off or leaving child care. The lower level of the home consists of an open floor plan separated into two separate areas for the children to play and learn. There is an infant room off of the child care use space that is used specifically for the infants and their cribs for sleeping purposes. Ms. Melissa Sebring said the child care children are able to roam freely throughout the lower level except for the infant area. Ms. Sebring said all of the children are always under direct supervision of the child care staff members at all times as the child care staff members interact with the children throughout the day. The lower level of Ms. Sebring's home also contains a gated stairway that prevents the child care children from gaining access to the main level of the home. During the Covid-19 Pandemic, Ms. Melissa Sebring set up with the parents to drop off the children and pick them up in the breezeway of the main level of her home. Ms. Melissa Sebring said when the parents arrive to pick up their child from care, a child care staff member walks with the child upstairs and exchanges the child with their parent at the breezeway of the home. Ms. Melissa Sebring denied the infants being left in their cribs for the entire day until their parents arrive to pick them up from care. She said the infants are in the same child care areas as the other child care children. Ms. Melissa Sebring said the infants are only put in their cribs for sleeping purposes. On occasions when both child care staff members need to attend to children's needs, Ms. Melissa Sebring said she may have to put an infant in a crib momentarily for safety purposes to deal with another child that was crying. Ms. Sebring said she does not want to leave the children on the ground while there are other walking children nearby. During these times, the infant is only put into the crib for a "very short time limit" while the child care staff members deal with the other child in need of attention. On most occasions, Ms. Sebring said the infant will usually be placed in a saucer or handed to another child care staff member while they address the other child in need. Ms. Melissa Sebring said the infants' interactions with the child care staff members each day include nurturing contact that includes cuddling and holding them, tummy time, talking with them, rocking and holding them, feeding them, and checking and 7 changing their diapers when needed. She denied any infant child being left in a crib for any extended period of time while they have been awake. On 11/16/21 and 12/01/21 during my unannounced onsite inspections, I was able to observe Ms. Melissa Sebring, Ms. Hannah Selbolt, and Ms. Jennifer Sebring interact with the child care children. During my observation time, I observed all of the child care staff members interact with all of the child care children during freedom of choice activities and nap and rest time. There were infants asleep in the cribs while I was onsite. There were also two infants awake and in the same area as the other child care children. None of the children observed exhibited any fear or hesitation toward the child care staff members. The child care staff member's interactions with the children during my observation

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R 400.1906 · R 400.1906 Records of a licensee; child care staff member; child care assistant. ............ ... ......... (1) A licensee shall maintain a file for each child care staff member and each child care assistant that includes all of the following: (b) Daily records detailing arrival times and departure times at the child care home.

On 11/16/21, I conducted an unannounced onsite inspection to Ms. Melissa Sebring's home and interviewed her regarding the allegations. Ms. Melissa Sebring denied not communicating with the child care parents and informed me that she and the child care staff members communicate with the child care parents on a daily basis both at the time of drop off and pick up times and during the day through telephone text messaging and telephone calls. Ms. Melissa Sebring said she and the child care staff members inform the child care parents about their rj children's experiences each day while in care. The parents of infants and young toddlers are also provided with a daily information informing them of their child's food intake, sleeping patterns, elimination patterns, developmental milestones, and any unusual changes in the child's behavior. On 11/22/21, 11/23/21, and 11/24/21, I separately interviewed Ms. Jennifer Sebring and Ms. Hannah Selbolt, who are child care staff members and MHM1 who is a child care assistant for Ms. Melissa Sebring via telephone. I informed them of the allegation. They each denied Ms. Melissa not communicating with the child care parents each day. They all confirmed that Ms. Mellissa Sebring and all of the child care staff members communicate with the child care parents on a daily basis that incudes during drop of and pick up times and by telephone or text messaging during child care hours. On 1/7/22, I separately interviewed Child A's Father, Child B's Mother, and Child C's Mother via telephone. All of the parents denied Ms. Melisa Sebring or any of the child care staff members not communicating with them. They all confirmed communicating with Ms. Melissa Sebring and her child care staff members on a daily basis either by telephone or in person at the time of arrival and pick up each day. All of the parents also confirmed the child care staff members informing them each day of their children's experiences while in care each day. Child B's Mother said Ms. Melissa and Sebring has even called her before to inform her of another child care child struggling with biting, Ms. Melissa Sebring would either contact the children's parents involved by telephone or a text message of the biting incidents. R400.1961 Parent notification required; incidents; accidents; illness; disease; isolation. (1) A licensee shall promptly report to a child's parent any of the following: (a) Any incidents, accidents, suspected illness, or other changes observed in the health of a child. (b) A child who is exposed to a communicable disease so the child may be observed for symptoms of the disease. ANALYSIS: Ms. Melissa Sebring communicates with the child care parents on a daily basis either by in person or telephone and text messages. Ms. Melissa Sebring informs the parents of their child's experiences each day while in care to include any of the above-mentioned information. CONCLUSION: I VIOLATION NOT ESTABLISHED 10

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R 400.1911 · 1 R 400.1911 Care; supervision; children. (1) A licensee shall ensure appropriate care and supervision of children at all times.

On 11/16/21, I conducted an unannounced onsite inspection to Ms. Melissa Sebring's home and interviewed her regarding the allegation. Ms. Melissa Sebring denied having any knowledge of a child care child having an adult handprint on their back. Ms. Melissa Sebring informed me that her discipline policy consists of the use of positive discipline methods that include redirecting the children or talking with them when they misbehave. She said the use of physical discipline is not condoned by her and the child care staff members. Ms. Melissa Sebring informed me that she did not even use physical discipline with her own children when they were young. Ms. Melissa Sebring denied any child care parent ever questioning her regarding any child receiving a handprint on their back while in care. She had no idea where this allegation stemmed from and asked why the complainant would wait until now to report this allegation if it had allegedly occurred during the summer months. On 11/22/21, 11/23/21, and 11/24/21, I separately interviewed Ms. Jennifer Sebring and Ms. Hannah Selbolt, I who are child care staff members and MHM1 who is a child care assistant for Ms. Melissa Sebring via telephone. I informed them of the allegation. They each denied having any knowledge of Ms. Melissa Sebring or any child care staff member using physical discipline on any child care children. They all denied seeing a handprint on any child care children during the summer months or anytime children have been in care. They all confirmed being made aware of Ms. Melissa Sebring's discipline policy at the time of hire which does not condone the use of any physical discipline but rather encourages the use of positive discipline strategies that include verbally redirecting the child, the use of positive praises, and talking with the child about their behavior. Ms. Hannah Selbolt and Ms. Jennifer Sebring both said they rarely utilize time outs as a behavior strategy. On 11/16/21 and 12/01/21 during my unannounced onsite inspections, I was able to observe Ms. Melissa Sebring, Ms. Hannah Selbolt, and Ms. Jennifer Sebring interact with the child care children. During my observation time, I also observed Ms. Melissa Sebring's discipline policy that reflected her statement regarding the use of positive methods of behavior strategies that included using verbal praises, removing the children from the undesired behavior, and on some occasions time-outs when necessary for children aged 3 and older. During my observation times, the child care staff member's interactions with the child care children were positive and nurturing, I did not observe any child exhibit any fear or hesitation toward any of the child care staff members while they interacted with them. On 1/7/22, I separately interviewed Child A's Father, Child B's Mother, and Child C's Mother via telephone. All the parents confirmed being made of Ms. Melissa Sebring's discipline policy at the time of enrollment. They all denied having any knowledge of Ms. Mellissa Sebring or any child care staff member using any type of 11 physical discipline on any child care child and acknowledged that Ms. Melissa Sebring's discipline condones the use of any form of corporal punishment.

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R 400.1914 · R 400.1914 Daily activity program. (1) Personnel shall engage in positive interactions with children. For infants and toddlers, interactions may include, but are not limited to, all of the following: (a) Nurturing contact, such as talking to, holding, rocking, cuddling, and giving eye contact throughout the day and during daily routines such as feeding and diapering.

Ms. Melissa Sebring provides the infants and toddlers with positive interactions each day that include the above-mentioned interactions. She does not leave the infants in cribs for long period of times unless they are sleeping.

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R 400.1913 · R 400.1913 Discipline; child handling. (3) Personnel shall not do any of the following: (a) Hit, spank, shake, bite, pinch, or inflict other forms of corporal punishment.

Ms. Melissa Sebring uses positive methods of discipline with the child care children. She prohibits the use of corporal punishment.

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