• Violation

  R 400.8125 · 1 R 400.8125 Staff; volunteer; requirements. (1) All staff and volunteers shall provide appropriate care and supervision of children at all times.

  I interviewed Ms. Mentink, licensee designee. The center is located inside Hanover Horton Elementary School. The playground is located at the back of the building and is not fenced. Ms. Mentink acknowledged that on 2/9/23, Child A (age 5 years, female) was left outside in the play area unsupervised during the morning. Child A walked around the school to the front of the building where she was found by Witness 1. The program director Ms. Bammer and Child Care Staff Member (CCSM) 1 did not know that Child A was missing until she was returned to her room. At the time of the incident, the room contained 16 children ages 4 years and older with the two CCSMs. Child A was not injured, and she did not leave the property. Child A's Mother was notified. Child A continues to attend the center. Ms. Mentink stated that this situation "does not meet the quality of care we hold themselves too." Ms. Mentink and I reviewed the school's two different video footages. The first video footage shows a small area of hallway leading to the outside door where the children exit to go to the play area. The second video footage shows a view from the front of the school looking out into the parking lot. The total time of the video from when Child A was left outside until she was found was approximately 4 minutes and 26 seconds. The video footages showed the following: 8:54:14 - Ms. Bammer walks inside the building with some children. One child is holding the door. Ms. Bammer did not have the entire group of children. The children continued to enter the building. 8:54:41 - Child Care Staff Member (CCSM) 1 walks inside the building and he shuts the door following the last few children. According to Ms. Mentink, the room contains faster and slower walkers that were out of camera view at this point. At 8:55:36 - A non-center affiliated school-age child is observed in the hallway. The school-age child goes into a nearby room. Child A's face appears at the door windows. Her face quickly disappears. This video view ends. At 8:58:20 — Child A is observed at the end of the parking lot at the front of the building. She is not in the parking lot, but in a grassy area within view. 8:58:40 - Witness 1, comes into view. Witness 1 walks toward Child A. At the same time, a SUV is driving into the parking lot. The SUV was not in a position to strike Child A. Witness 1 puts his hands up and the vehicles stops. Witness walks to Child A and retrieves her. Witness 1 was also accompanied Witness 2. The video view ends. 3 According to Ms. Mentink, Child A was then quickly taken back to her room through a nearby door that is located right outside Child A's room. As such, the CCSMs did not know that Child A was missing for approximately 5 minutes total. Ms. Mentink stated that she has not had any previous concerns regarding Ms. Bammer or CCSM 1's ability to provide care and supervision for the children. Ms. Bammer has been employed for approximately five years. CCSM 1 has been employed since the summer of 2023, but he has previous work experience. Ms. Mentink stressed that this was an isolated incident in which both CCSMs feel badly that it occurred. The entire center is taking this incident seriously. The center is implementing new procedures and protocols for keeping an entire group of children together when traveling in the hallways. They are increasing their counting procedures. There is also an all-staff training planned for 2/27/23. I completed an on-site inspection to the center. The school is located near a residential area. The school sits back from the nearby houses as there is a long drive before entering the parking lot. The outdoor play area is not fenced and is located at the back of the school. Child A's room at one end of the school. I used a wheel measuring tool to determine distance lengths. There is a door leading outside to the parking lot area approximately 18 feet from the room door. However, to the get the outdoor play area, the children travel from the roo

On 2/9/23, Child A (age 5 years, female) was left outside unsupervised for approximately 4 minutes. The two Child Care Staff 1/2 Members (CCSMs) did not realize Child A was not with her group until Witness 1 returned her to the room.

Disposition: Substantiated