• Violation

  R 400.1908 · R 400.1908 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.

  An onsite inspection was completed from 3:20 pm until 4:35 pm on 04/06/2023. I reviewed the allegations with Ms. Tricia Slatton. Ms. Slatton reported that she is currently licensed to care for 14 unrelated children. At the time of this inspection, there were 17 children in care. Ms. Slatton, Child Care Staff Member (CCSM)1 and CCSM2 were caring for the children. Ms. Slatton explained that Child A (two-year-old, male), Child B (three-year-old, male), Child C (three-year-old, female), and Child D (one-year-old, male) are her grandchildren. Ms. Slatton 2 reported that there are 18 children present on most days, including her four grandchildren. Ms. Slatton provided attendance records for the weeks of 03/27/23 to 03/31/23,and 04/03/2023 to 04/07/2023. In reviewing these records, there were not more than 12 children present from 5:30 am to 9:00 am at any time, and there were not more than 18 children present at any time. Child A and B were present every day from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm, Child C was present every day from 6:30 am until 5:30 pm, and Child D was present every day from 9:00 am until 5:00 pm. Ms. Slatton reported that there were 18 children and 3 child care staff members present on 04/03/2023. She stated that she, CCSM1 and CCSM2 were all standing in the kitchen as children were lined up for lunch. On 07/14/2022, a variance exemption for ratio was approved. Ms. Slatton's variance allowed for the ratio to change from 1 child care staff member per 6 children to 1 child care staff member per 7 children. On 05/22/2023, I interviewed CCSM1. He reported that when there are more than 14 children in care, the extra children are Ms. Slatton's grandchildren. On 05/22/2023, I interviewed CCSM2. She reported that she has worked at this child care home since January 2022. She works Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. CCSM1 reported that there are between 10 and 13 children present on an average day, and between 14 and 18 children present on a busy day. If there are 18 children present at any time, 4 of the children are Ms. Slatton's grandchildren. Child D is CCSM2's child. On 05/22/2023, I interviewed Child A and B's Mother. She reported that Child A and B are Ms. Slatton's grandchildren. Child A and B's Mother reported that when there are more than 14 children at the child care home, the other children are Ms. Slatton's grandchildren. Child A and B's Mother reported no concerns with supervision. On 05/22/2023, I interviewed Child C's Mother. Child C's Mother is Ms. Slatton's daughter, and Child C has received care at this child care home for about three years. On 05/22/2023, I interviewed Child E's Mother. She reported that Child E (four-year- old, female) is dropped off at 6:30 am, and she is picked up at 4:00 pm. There are usually only a couple of children at the child care home when she drops Child E off. There are more children present when she picks Child E up, but she does not think that she has ever seen 18 children present at any time. Child E's Mother is aware that three of Ms. Slatton's grandchildren who attend the child care home, but she does not know who the fourth grandchild is. Child E's Mother reported that Ms. 3 Slatton, CCSM1 and CCSM2 are usually working every day. She has never had any concerns regarding supervision.

On 04/03/2023, there were 18 children in care with two child care staff members.

Disposition: Substantiated