Stacie's Daycare

R 400.1911 · R 400.1911 Care; supervision; children. (1) A licensee shall ensure appropriate care and supervision of children at all times. 7

Child A's Mother stated that on several occasions while she was at the child care picking up Child A from care, Ms. Allen commented that she left briefly during the day to go to one of her rental properties. Ms. Allen did not inform Child A's Mother ahead of time that she would be absent from the child care. Ms. Stacie Allen stated that she does leave the child care sometimes to run quick errands. Usually, it is during nap time when the children are asleep. There are always enough child care staff members present when she leaves. Ms. Stacie Allen stated that she was not aware that she was supposed to inform the parents when she leaves for quick errands. She always informs them when she will be absent for most of the day. Ms. Haylie Allen stated that Ms. Stacie Allen occasionally leaves the child care for about 45 minutes to an hour to run quick errands. She is always with the children along with Ms. Diane Allen, child care staff member. There are usually only six children in care when Ms. Stacie Allen leaves. Ms. Diane Allen stated that she occasionally works at the child care when Ms. Stacie Allen needs to leave for an appointment or to run an errand. Child B's Mother stated that she was aware of Ms. Stacie Allen leaving the child care for a medical appointment. She was not aware of her leaving briefly to run errands.

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R 400.1913 · ................................................... R 400.1913 Discipline; child handling. .................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................................................ (3) Personnel shall not do any of the following: (f) Confine a child in an enclosed area such as a closet, locked room, box, or similar enclosure.

Ms. Stacie Allen did not force Child A to sit alone in a dark and scary room.

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R 400.1903 · R 400.1903 Licensee responsibilities. (1) A licensee shall be responsible for all of the following provisions: (d) Inform parents when a child care staff member is providing care in the absence of the licensee. I

Ms. Stacie Allen does not always inform parents when she will be leaving the child care for brief errands.

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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.

I reviewed Ms. S. Allen's license information. Ms. Allen's group child care license was issued on 6/14/2021. Prior to this date, Ms. Allen was licensed as a family child care home provider under license numbers DF580402072 and DF580387081, both of which are now closed. I interviewed the complainant to verify the allegations. The complainant indicated that their concerns date back up to three years ago. The complainant indicated that he or she debated on where to file a complaint against the license. I interviewed Child A's Mother. Ms. S. Allen and Child Care Staff Member (CCSM) Ms. H. Allen work at the group child care home. She stated that on 7/22/2021, Ms. S. Allen told her at the time of pick up that Child A had a "horrible day." Ms. S. Allen told her that Child A hit Child B in the face five times with a football. Ms. S. Allen stressed that Child A could not continue with this behavior. Child A's Mother apologized and said that she would talk with Child A, despite not understanding his aggressive behaviors as he does not act this way at home. She also does not believe that Child B's Mother was notified about what happened, as she did not witness her talking to Child B's Mother. While driving home, Child A told her that 3 Child B wanted to play football, he threw the ball, and the ball hit Child B in the face. Once they got home, Child A demonstrated what happened by throwing a ball toward her. Child A said that Ms. S. Allen came outside, and he got into trouble. Initially, Child A said that he was placed in time out. Child A's Mother asked him several following up questions to include if anything else happened or if anyone hurt him. Child A denied that anything else occurred. Despite Child A's denial, Child A's Mother stated that she had a "gut feeling", so she continued to question him. She asked Child A directly if anyone "spanked" him, and he denied it. She continued to question him, and he maintained that he was only placed in time out. She continued to ask him what else happened and ask if he "got hit" because she believed that something else occurred. After being asked several times if someone hit him, Child A told his mother that "Stacy spank butt", referring to Ms. S. Allen. Child A had a look on his face like "oh shoot." Child A demonstrated that Ms. S. Allen used her right open hand and reached behind him to "spank his butt" two times. Child A's Mother checked Child A and found no redness or injury. Child A's Mother continued to question Child A after he disclosed being spanked. Child A again said that nothing happened, but upon more questioning, he again said that it he was spanked. Child A's Mother stated that she did not speak to Ms. S. Allen about what Child A said, and he returned to care the next day. Child A's Mother stated that this was the first time that Child A has disclosed any physical discipline. She has frequently asked him about the discipline at the group child care home the last year, and he has never disclosed anything inappropriate or physical occurring. Child A always says that Ms. S. Allen was "nice" and that "I love her." Child A's Mother now wonders if the children in care have been spanked for a while. She believes this because the child care has had "different vibes" the last six months. Specifically, Child A has been getting into trouble for not listening. She has started being told that Child A had "a bad day, a horrible day, and good luck with him" when she would pick him up from care. In addition, in June 2020, she observed Ms. S. Allen appear frustrated with an unknown 1 year old. She observed Ms. Allen grab the child and sit them down in a harsh manner. No other details were known about this event, which would have occurred under a different license number that is now closed. Child A's Mother stated that she did not express her concerns with Ms. S. Allen. She had considered removing Child A from care previously but expressed that being a single parent is stressful and Child A does

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R 400.1961 · R 400.1961 Parent notification required; incidents; accidents; illness; disease; isolation. (1) A licensee shall promptly report to a child's parent any of the following: (b) A child who is exposed to a communicable disease so the child may be observed for symptoms of the disease. 7

I interviewed Child A's Mother. She stated that she recently had to miss several days of work due to Ms. S. Allen's belief that Child A was ill. The week of 7/12/2021, she was told that Child A had diarrhea and that she needed to pick him up from care. However, later that day he did not have diarrhea while in her care. She was also informed later that day that possibly two other children in care had strep throat. Child A's Mother took Child A to the doctor, and he was not ill. She notified Ms. S. Allen, by text message, that Child A as not ill. Ms. S. Allen responded to the text message asking if she even took him to the doctor and wanted to know what the doctor said. Child A's Mother stated that she felt that her text message was unprofessional because of the number of question marks and exclamation marks that were used in the text message. Child A's Mother does not believe that Child B's Mother was notified about the possible illness occurring at the children care group home, as when she mentioned something in front of her, Child B's Mother acted like she was unaware that children in care had strep throat. I interviewed Ms. S. Allen and Ms. H. Allen separately. Both denied the allegation saying that they maintain good communication with the parents regarding illnesses occurring at the group child care home. If a child is sick, they ask the parents to keep their children home. If a child becomes sick while in care, the parents are contacted to pick up their child. For example, Child A recently felt warm, he was not eating well, and he had diarrhea. As such, he was sent home. Recently, there were a few children in care that tested positive for strep throat, and all the parents were notified by text or at the time of pick up. I interviewed Child B and Child C's Mother, and Child D and Child E's Mother separately. Both reported that Ms. S. Allen has good communication about any illness occurring at the group child care home, including the possible contact with strep throat. Child D and Child E's Mother stated that one of her children recently had an illness, and she was aware that the other parents were notified by Ms. S. Allen.

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R 400.1903 · R 400.1903 Licensee responsibilities. (1) A licensee shall be responsible for all of the following provisions: (g) Report to the department within, 3 business days, any changes in the household composition or when any new or existing member of the household or child care personnel has any of the following: (i) An arrest. (ii) A conviction. (iii) An arraignment for an offense that if convicted would lead to that individual's ineligibility to be connected with a child care home.

I interviewed Child A's Mother. She stated that throughout the years, she has known Ms. S. Allen to date multiple men. She assumes that one male may have lived there over a year ago, which would have been under Ms. Allen's previous license. She is not aware of any of men currently living at the residence, but they may visit the home. For example, if the men spend the night, they may still be present the next morning. According to Child A's Mother, the last time she saw a male present at the residence was three or more months ago, which would have been under her previous child care license that is now closed. Child A's Mother has never expressed any concerns to Ms. S. Allen regarding the male visitors. She has not seen any of the men act inappropriately. Child A's Mother acknowledged that she has not observed this occur since Ms. Allen became licensed to provide group child care. I interviewed Ms. S. Allen. She denied the allegations. She denied that any men live at her residence. She stated that she dated one ex-boyfriend for over a year, but that relationship ended prior to her becoming licensed to operate her current group child care home. While dating her ex-boyfriend he would visit a few times a week, possibly staying the night. Despite this, he was not at the child care home during child care hours. He left in the morning prior to the first child arriving in care and did not return until after her child care was closed. Her ex-boyfriend also maintained a full time home elsewhere. As such, she dd not consider him a household member. Ms. Allen stated that if Child A's Mother ever saw her ex-boyfriend at her home, it was because she refused to pick up Child A before she closed for the day. Child A would often be at her residence long after she closed. Child A often had to eat dinner at her home, as well as he has spent the night. Child A's Mother never expressed any concerns regarding this situation under her previous license. I provided Ms. S. Allen with technical assistance regarding the state law and how it defines an adult household member. According to the law, a person that resides at the home on an ongoing basis, or who has a recurrent presence in the home, including, but not limited to, overnight stays. As such, moving forward, if an adult visits the home a few times a week or spends the night on a recurring basis, they need to be cleared by the department to assure they are eligible to be present at the residence. Ms. S. Allen expressed an understanding of this law. Ms. Allen stated that she has recently started dating a new man. He has not interacted with any of the children, nor has he visited the house on a recurrent basis yet as he lives over an hour away. He has only spent the night on one occasion, the previous evening. He stressed that he is not a household member. She stated that if the relationship were to continue, and if he would be present at the home on recurrent basis, that she would have him deemed eligible with the department. During the investigation, Ms. S. Allen notified me that she is no longer in a relationship with this new male individual. I interviewed Ms. H. Allen. She denied that allegations. She has not observed any men being around the children in care. No one else lives at the child care home. If Ms. S. Allen has a visitor, it is not during child care hours. She has never been concerned about any visitors, nor has she observed anything that she would define as being there on a recurrent basis under her current child care license. I interviewed Child B and C's Mother and D and Child E's Mother separately. They had no concerns, staying that no one else resides at the home. They have not seen any males at the home during pick up or drop off.

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R 400.1903 · R 400.1903 Licensee Responsibilities. (3) The licensee shall permit parents of enrolled children who are in attendance to visit the child at the child care home at any time during hours of operation, as required in section 3a of the act, MCL 722.113a.

I interviewed Child A's Mother. She stated that Ms. S. Allen prefers that the children are dropped off at the door as the children cry longer if their parents stay at the home. Child A's Mother used to drop off Child A inside the residence, but Ms. S. Allen decided that she was not longer comfortable with parents coming into the home. Child A started to cry once Child A's Mother stopped coming into the home to drop him off at the residence. The children are also picked up outside or at the door. I interviewed Ms. S. Allen and Ms. H Allen separately. They both stated that parents are allowed to enter the home if they wish. They stated that since COVID-19 started, they have asked that parents drop off and pick up their children at the door to limit the amount of people visiting the inside of the home. Despite this, if parents want to come inside, they are allowed to enter the home. I interviewed Child B and Child C's Mother and Child D and Child E's Mother separately. Neither parent expressed any concerns. Both stated that they have dropped off and picked up their children near the door. They both indicated that they are allowed to enter the residence if they wish.

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R 400.1910 · ................... .......... ... ...... ... ...... ........ ............ . I p R 400.1910 Ratio of ersonnel 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. marriaae. or adoption. 11

I interviewed Child A's Mother. She was aware that Ms. S. Allen works alongside CCSM Ms. H. Allen. She remembered being at the group child care home on 7/19, 7/20, or 7/21, saying there seemed to be a lot of children, several of which were young, in care in the morning when she dropped of Child A. She was not 10 certain of the exact numbers or ages of children, but she believes that Ms. S. Allen may have been by herself as she did not see Ms. H Allen when dropping off between 7:45a.m. — 8:00a.m. I completed two unannounced on-site inspections to the residence. During both inspections, Ms. S. Allen was operating in compliance with the personnel to child ratio requirements. On 7/28/21, Ms. S. Allen and Ms. H. Allen were caring for nine children. On 9/15/21, Ms. S. Allen and Ms. H. Allen were caring for five children. Based on the children's ages, an additional caregiver was not required. I interviewed Ms. S. Allen and Ms. H. Allen separately. Both expressed understanding with the personnel to child ratio requirements. Both denied the allegation, saying that they are operating within the required personnel to child ratio requirements. Both indicated that Ms. H. Allen lives within minutes of the residence, and that she works at the group child care home daily. I reviewed the children and child care staff member daily attendance records for the entire month of July 2021. Based on records, it appears that Ms. S. Allen operates in compliance with the personnel to child ratio requirements based on the number of children in care and based on the children's ages. I interviewed Child B and C's Mother and Child D and E's Mother separately. Neither expressed any concerns. They both indicated that Ms. H. Allen is also present daily at the residence. They both feel that there are enough caregivers for the number of children in care.

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