• Violation

  R 400.8140 · R 400.8140 Discipline. (2) All of the following means of punishment are prohibited: (a) Hitting, spanking, shaking, biting, pinching, or inflicting other forms of corporal punishment.

  On 05/18/2023, I spoke with licensing consultant Christine Noel, there is a new licensee designee for the Down River Head Start, her name is Karen Lake. On 05/18/2023, I completed an unannounced onsite inspection at the Down River Head Start, I completed interviews with child care staff member 1, child care staff member 2, and Child A's mother. Child care staff member 1 is the assistant with the center. She has been at the center for this school year and has previously worked in other school districts. She knows about the incident in the complaint and both she and program director provided written statements already to their boss. They were notified by Child A's mother, via the remind application. They forwarded the complaint to their boss who came out to the center to observe. They also reached out the center's family advocate for assistance. Child care staff member 2 called and told child care staff member 1 not to respond via the remind application to Child A's mother, and that they would sort out who would respond to Child A's mother. She does not know why Child A reported to someone she was hit in the stomach, she was not. They asked Child A if she wanted to use the potty and she said no. They take turns on who toilets the children between herself and program director. They have a changing area behind a wall of cabinets, across from the bathroom. She got her behind the wall of cabinets, and asked program director to come over, as she needed the diaper cream. She asked her if she wanted to go potty and she said no. She put a little bit of diaper cream on her as she was a little red, and then put the diaper on and sent her to play. Last week Child A had what looked to be blisters down there and they had been concerned with it. When Child A was in on Wednesday it looked better, she had a normal diaper change and then went to play with friends. This was in the morning around 10:25 or so. Later on, in the day the program director changed her diaper after rest time but before snack. She was sitting at the snack table, as usually a few kids wake up before others and the come to the snack table. She saw the program director changing the diaper, she asked program director if she needed the diaper cream, and she said no that Child A was dry. Child A was asked if she wanted to go potty, she said no, washed her hands and went to have snack. This would have been around 2:15 pm or so. The children are picked up from school around 3:00 pm, they parents line up outside the door. They do not provide any documents to parents about food, diaper changes or anything like that. They use the remind application to communicate. Child A started late in the school year and has not attended all year, she is unsure of the exact date but believes it was last week of January or first week of February. She has not been in school since that day last week. A lot of things happen with Child A, about two weeks after starting here she heard they took her to the hospital after she was heard making kissing noises at the table, she admits she did not get the whole story, but that it was insinuated something to do with an ex. She feels they have a good relationship with mom, open and honest through the remind application mostly. There are no concerns no issues that she knows of, she has seen a few spots on the shoulder that when she asked about them was told she fell on a trampoline at dad's house. On 05/18/2023, I interviewed child care staff member 2. She is not at the center every day, just when needed by staff or parents. She conducts home visits and supports the parents as needed. She has two classrooms that she is responsible for. She was assigned to this classroom this year. She received a call from Child A's mother stating that child reported she had been hit by a teacher. She provided the information to her upper management, they had a meeting, and it's her understanding the licensee Karen Lake called Child A's mother. Child A's mother then messaged her

Child A was hit in stomach by staff member

Disposition: Substantiated