Loading
Loading facility…
Pulling inspections, violations, and complaints.
Loading
Pulling inspections, violations, and complaints.
Home › MI › Kalamazoo › Margaret Home Daycare
Kalamazoo MI 49004 · License #DG390405789 · Home-based · Group Home
Not published by the state. Owners can add hours via profile claim.
When they operate
Ages served
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.
On 06/21/2023 I conducted an unannounced onsite inspection to the child care home of Joy Abimbowo/Margaret Home Daycare. I observed ten child care children eating or finishing up a meal and two child care assistants present with Joy Abimbowo. It should be noted that the child care assistants for this child care home are Joy Abimbowo's two minor/teen children. They assist with the child care home around their school schedules. I obtained child information cards, children's attendance, and the discipline policy for the child care home. I interviewed Joy Abimbowo and her two child care assistants. Joy Abimbowo gave me permission to speak with each of them. Joy Abimbowo admitted that she did "tap" Child C's hand but did not spank her or any other child and did not give Child C a time-out. She denied threatening to whoop Child B's butt and indicated all the children play with the hole in the screen and she just redirects them to an activity. She intends to repair the hole in the screen this summer. Joy Abimbowo explained that the day she "tapped" Child C's hand, Child C had bit three children in a row. After the third child she bit, Joy Abimbowo got up and quickly attended to the bite on the child's hand and gave the child ice for his hand where he was bit. She then grabbed Child C's hand and lightly "tapped" the palm of her hand telling her not to bite, and that "mommy had told you not to bite." Joy Abimbowo then had Child C sit next to her with a quiet activity, and talked with her until she was ready to be nice with the other children, but this was not what she considered to be a time-out. This was in the same room with the other children where she and Child C were sitting together. She did contact Child C's Mother to discuss her biting incidents that day and tell her what had happened. The biting has been an ongoing issue and she is working with the child and mom on correcting this behavior. Joy Abimbowo reported that she uses redirection, positive reinforcement, talking with children about their behaviors, and time-outs for children that are over age three. For children that are over age three that need a time-out, she will have them go rest their bodies for a few minutes in their bed, or sit with a quiet activity, and then return to the group when they have calmed down. She does not let their time-out exceed the minutes appropriate for their age. For children under three, she sometimes has the child sit next to her with a quiet activity until they calm down and then can return to the group. She discusses the behaviors with the child when they have a time-out or come sit next to her. Child Care Assistant (CCA) 1 was aware that Child C has some issues with biting other children but did not observe this incident and did not see Joy Abimbowo "tap" Child C's hand. He reported that he has never observed Joy Abimbowo physically discipline any child at the child care home. CCA 1 indicated the discipline used at the child care home is to have the children sit at the table with Joy Abimbowo and do a quiet activity and talk with her about their behavior, redirection, or go in the nap room and rest for a few minutes until they are calm and then they return to playing with the group of children. 4 Child Care Assistant (CCA) 2 did observe this incident. He reported that Child C had bitten several children that day, which was something Child C had started doing regularly. After several children were bit and several attempts to get Child C to stop biting, Joy Abimbowo did "tap" the inside of Child C's hand (her palm). I asked CCA 2 how hard the "tap" was, and he indicated that Child C did not cry, so he did not feel it was very hard. CCA 2 reported that Child C sat with Joy Abimbowo for a few minutes after the "tap" and then Child C went back to playing with all of the children. CCA 2 indicated the discipline used at the child care home is redirection, talking about behaviors, and time-out by either laying down or sitting with Joy Abimbowo f
Child A told Complainant that Joy spanked her sister Child C (female, 2 years) and gave her a time out. Joy told Child B that if he put his finger through the hole in her screen that she would take his pants down and whoop his butt in front of his mom. 3
Disposition: Substantiated
Joy Abimbowo cares for too many children. Joy Abimbowo does not provide appropriate supervision. On one occasion a child needed her and she could not be located. Joy Abimbowo pinched a child's cheek and picked him up by the cheek. Joy Abimbowo is rude to parents and children and shamed a child because he needed help wiping his bottom.
Disposition: Substantiated
Generated from this facility's specific inspection record
Data synced from Michigan MiLEAP, Child Care Licensing Bureau on Jul 9, 2026 · Source records · Report an error
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: nutrition. Open / not marked corrected.
R 400.1913 · R 400.1913 1 Discipline; child handling. (3) Personnel shall not do any of the following: (d) Inflict mental or emotional stress, such as humiliating, shaming, threatening a child, or using derogatory remarks.
Joy Abimbowo denied threatening to whoop Child B's butt for poking his finger in the hole in the screen. Neither child care assistant observed this. There is not enough information to say whether or not this occurred. I
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: recordkeeping. Open / not marked corrected.
R 400.1913 · R 400.1913 Discipline; child handling. (3) Personnel shall not do any of the following: (g) Use time out for children under 3 years old.
Joy Abimbowo denied using time-outs on children under age three, and indicated for younger children she uses redirection or have them sit with her and do a quiet activity. The child care assistants reported that children sit with Joy Abimbowo with a quiet activity or lay down for a few minutes. In the incident that occurred with Child C, Joy Abimbowo had Child C sit with her, talk about the behaviors, and do a quiet activity for a few minutes until Child C was ready to return to the group of children.
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: recordkeeping. Open / not marked corrected.
R 400.1908 · R 400.1908 j Capacity. (1) The licensee shall ensure that the actual number of unrelated children in care at any 1 time does not exceed the number of children for which the child care home is licensed, not more than 6 children for a family child care home and not more than 12 children for a group child care home. I
Ms. Abimbowo is licensed as a group child care provider and can care for a maximum of 12 unrelated children. I made an unscheduled onsite inspection at Joy Abimbowo's child care home on 2/21/2021. In addition to Ms. Abimbowo, there were 7 unrelated children and one child care assistant under age 18 present in the home. Ms. Abimbowo informed me that she only has 11 children enrolled and has never had more than 12 children present at one time. She stated that her child care assistant is always present if there are more than 6 children. I reviewed the attendance records for the month of February. The records confirmed Ms. Abimbowo's statements. I spoke on the telephone with Child A's Mother and Child B and Child C's Mother on 3/15/2021. I explained the capacity and ratio requirements to each parent. Both parents informed me that Ms. Abimbowo complies with these licensing rules. I attempted contact with Child D, Child E and Child F's Mother and Child G's Mother, however, I did not receive a return call.
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: ratio. Open / not marked corrected.
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.
Ms. Abimbowo informed me that she is always in the room and supervising the children. There would never be an instance when a child would be unable to locate her. Both parents reported that Ms. Abimbowo provides appropriate care and supervision.
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: supervision. Open / not marked corrected.
R 400.1911 · R 400.1911 Care; supervision; children. (1) A licensee shall ensure appropriate care and supervision of children at all times. I
Ms. Abimbowo denied ever pinching a child's cheeks or picking a child up by his/her cheeks. She denies using any kind of physical discipline. Ms. Abimbowo informed me about a time where a young child was climbing furniture and pushed another child. She placed her fingers very lightly on his cheek to turn him to face her. Ms. Abimbowo provided me a copy of her discipline policy. The discipline policy indicated that positive reinforcement such as redirection and time outs for children ages 3 and up are used in the child care home. It also states that corporal punishment of any kind will not be used as a method of discipline. Both parents stated that Ms. Abimbowo does not physically discipline children and that time outs is the typical method of discipline used in the child care home.
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: supervision. Open / not marked corrected.
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. Abimbowo denied being rude to anyone. The parents and children that attend her child care home are like family to her. A parent did not appreciate when Ms. Abimbowo expressed concerns about her child's behavior. That same parent asked her to assist her son with wiping after a bowel movement. Ms. Abimbowo did not have any issue with that request as she assists other children with this as well. She denied ever shaming him for needing her help. Neither parent expressed any concern about how Ms. Abimbowo speaks to them or their children and has never heard her shame anyone. Child A wears diapers and is properly cleaned and cared for. Child B and Child C's Mother informed me that Child C does not need assistance, however, Ms. Abimbowo does help Child B when using the bathroom. 5
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: recordkeeping. Open / not marked corrected.
R 400.1913 · R 400.1913 Discipline; child handling. (3) Personnel shall not do any of the following: (d) Inflict mental or emotional stress, such as humiliating, shaming, threatening a child, or using derogatory remarks.
Joy Abimbowo is not rude to families and does not shame children.
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: recordkeeping. Open / not marked corrected.
R 400.1907 · R 400.1907 Child's records. (4) Children's records required by the department must be immediately accessible and stored in a location known to all personnel.
Child information records were not immediately accessible and could not be located at the time of the inspection.
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: recordkeeping. Open / not marked corrected.