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Pulling inspections, violations, and complaints.
Home › MI › Newaygo › Little Explorers Daycare
State records list this provider as Closed. Review the inspection and enforcement history below, and confirm the current status on the official state source before enrolling.
Newaygo MI 49337 · License #DG620379395 · Home-based · Group Home
Not published by the state. Owners can add hours via profile claim.
When they operate
Ages served
Ages not published.
R 400.1913 · ......... R 400.1913 Discipline; child handling. (3) Personnel shall not do any of the following: Use time out for children under 3 years old.
Ms. Vawter was using time out for Child A who was under 3 ears old at the time.
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: (a) Hit, spank, shake, bite, pinch, or inflict other forms of corporal punishment.
On 10/13/2022, 1 spoke with Child A's Mother who reported that on 10/04/2022, when she was dropping Child A off at 9:00 AM, she observed Child B sitting in the crib wearing a fleece. She told Child B's Mother that she saw Child B wearing the fleece. Child B's Mother told her that she asked Ms. Vawter why Child B still had it on and was told because it was cold in the house. Child A's Mother has seen Child B sitting in a bouncy seat inside the crib and the last time was about a month ago. Child A's Mother did not notice that it was cold in the house. On 10/13/2022, I completed an unannounced on-site inspection and met with Ms. Vawter who was working with Child Care Staff Member 1 (CCSM1). Ms. Vawter reported that her assistant staff members are CCSM1, Child Care Staff Member 2 (CCSM2), and Child Care Staff Member 3 (CCSM3). Ms. Vawter said that Child B lays in the crib in the morning to drink her bottle and to take a nap. I asked her if Child B was ever in a bouncy seat inside the crib and she confirmed that that had happened. She said that Child B was in the bouncy seat to keep her upright after drinking a bottle so that she did not spit up. Ms. Vawter did not have documentation on file from a medical professional detailing that Child B could sleep in a bouncy seat. Child B gets dropped off at either 7:30 to 7:45 AM or around 9:00 AM. Ms. Vawter said that if Child B was in the crib at 9:00 AM, it was because she had been put back in the crib to drink her bottle. Ms. Vawter denied that her house was cold and said that parents do not come in but because they sometimes talk at the door, cold air comes in from the door being open for a while. Ms. Vawter also explained that the fleece that Child B was wearing was not an outside coat or jacket but that it was more like a sweatshirt. She denied that Child B was overdressed and denied that her house was cold. The house was a comfortable temperature during the inspection. According to the attendance records that Ms. Vawter provided me after the inspection, Child B arrived at 7:30 AM on 10/04/2022. Ms. Vawter reported that CCSM1 was working with her on 10/04/2022. CCSM1 reported that she has not seen Child B in a crib for 1 hours or with a coat 1/2 on. She has not noticed the house to ever be cold. During the inspection, I observed a toddler on a nap mat with a bottle. Ms. Vawter reported that she was not aware that children could not have bottles while they are in bed. 3 e ►' 1 1 .i•• •• and * • of I• • i •' • • ` • •' i • `d • f •' e ►' 1 !'• i • i i • •I i' LI '&1 Fi I tS -• .' • • •] I * !' t ii .ni ['JL'WP'Pk' !1i ii • • r I! ^• •I • •.. is •:I `• I. • I• ~ ~ ~' •:• f:: a • ' .-' . f .'f • R' .'i • ~ •. f 0 Ms. Vawter was asked about the spanking allegation, and she reported that Child A's Mother told her that Child A said that CCSM1 spanked him, and that Child A complains when Child A's Mother spanks him so that is why Child A's Mother believes him. Ms. Vawter reported that Child A is a child who tells a lot of stories and talks about things like lighters and fire, climbing to the ceiling, and pooping on his dog. Ms. Vawter explained that she and CCSM1 were working the day that Child A said he was spanked. She denied that he was spanked and shared that Child A had been biting that day and they had redirected him. She did not see him get spanked and did not hear him cry. She has no concerns about CCSM1's discipline techniques. She has spoken with CCSM2 and CCSM3 and neither of them have seen CCSM1 use inappropriate discipline. I interviewed CCSM1 who denied that she spanked Child A and explained that she did discipline him by putting him into a highchair for time out. CCSM1 reported that Child A was not happy about being in the highchair, but he had cartoons to watch. They were getting ready to go outside and Child A pooped in his pants. Ms. Vawter said that he could not go outside and had to sit in the highchair. CCSM1 estimated that Child A was sitting in the highchair for 10 to
On 10/04/2022, Child B (female, 8 months old) was sitting in a crib wearing a thick fleece for an hour and a half after arriving at the child care home because it cold in the home.
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: recordkeeping. Open / not marked corrected.
R 400.1903 · R 400.1903 Licensee responsibilities. (1) A licensee shall be responsible for all of the following provisions: (c) Provide for a child care staff member, who has valid CPR and first aid certifications, to act on behalf of the licensee when the licensee is unable or unavailable to provide direct care. 7 •, •, - • - - • • • • • : !' . X11 'f! • •- • r -• _______ • ii. r"m tills] I * ` • • r •]
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: health medication. Open / not marked corrected.
R 400.1904a · R 400.1904a Child care staff member; employment requirements. (2) Before caring for children at a child care home, an individual shall provide the licensee with all of the following: (b) A valid certification in first aid.
CCSM1, CCSM2, or CCSM3 did not have valid certification in first aid on file.
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: health medication. Open / not marked corrected.
R 400.1904a · R 400.1904a Child care staff member; employment requirements. (3) Prior to contact with children, the individual shall be determined by the department to be eligible to serve as a child care staff member, pursuant to section 5n of the act, MCL 722.115n, and as required by R 400.1925.
CCSM1 and CCSM3 had contact with children prior to being determined to be eligible to serve as a child care staff member.
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Open / not marked corrected.
....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... MCL 722.115p Child care center, group child care home, or family child care home; potential or current child care staff member convicted of crime. (1) Except as provided in section 5n(14) and (15), a child care center, group child care home, or family child care home shall not allow an individual to be a child care staff member without requesting a criminal history check as required by section 5n.
CCSM1 was working as a child care staff member during my onsite on 10/13/2022; however, she was not fingerprinted until 10/17/2022. ......................
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: background checks. Open / not marked corrected.
R 400.1905 · R 400.1905 Training. (3) A licensee shall ensure that child care staff members and child care assistants, prior to caring for children, have training that includes information on all of the following: (a) Safe sleep practices to prevent sudden infant death syndrome. (b) Recognition of and the reporting of child abuse and neglect. M (c) Prevention of shaken baby syndrome, abusive head trauma, and child maltreatment.
CCSM1 and CCSM2 did not complete the required trainings prior to caring for children.
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: recordkeeping. Open / not marked corrected.
R400.1905 · R400.1905 Training. (4) Within 90 days after receiving a child care license or of being hired at a child care home, a licensee, a child care staff member, and a child care assistant shall complete training on all of the following topics: (a) Child development. (b) Administration of medication. (c) Prevention of and response to emergencies due to food and allergic reactions. (d) Handling and storage of hazardous materials and the appropriate disposal of biocontaminants. (e) Precautions in transporting children. (f) Building and physical premises safety. (g) All hazards emergency preparedness and response planning.
CCSM2 did not complete the required trainings within 90 days of being hired by the child care home.
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: ratio. Open / not marked corrected.
R 400.1906 · R 400.1906 Records of a licensee; child care staff member; child care assistant. (1) A licensee shall maintain a file for each child care staff member and each child care assistant that includes all of the following: (a) The individual's first and last name, address, telephone number, and date of hire. (b) Daily records detailing arrival times and departure times at the child care home. (c) A statement signed by a licensed physician or his or her designee that attests to the individual's mental and physical health., and which must be updated as follows: (i) For an applicant or licensee, within 1 year before issuance of the initial license and at the time of subsequent renewals. (ii) For a child care staff member and a child care assistant, within 1 year prior to caring for children and at the time of subsequent renewals of the child care home's license. (d) Other physician attestations and records as required in R 400.1919. (e) Training records, as defined in R 400.1905(5), which may also be viewed online at MiRegistry during an on-site inspection. (f) A completed and signed Michigan Child Care Background Check Consent and Disclosure form as required in R 400.1925. (g) A written statement, signed and dated by the child care staff member or child care assistant at the time of hiring, indicating all of the following information: (i) The individual is aware that abuse and neglect of children is unlawful. (ii) The individual knows that he or she is mandated by law to report child abuse and neglect. (iii) The individual has received a copy of the licensee's discipline policy.
There were no signed statements on file as required in subrule (g) for CCSM1 and CCSM2.
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: background checks. Open / not marked corrected.
Communicable disease; immunization; mental and physical health; physician attestation; tuberculosis. (2) A licensee shall obtain from a child care staff member and a child care assistant a written statement, signed by a licensed physician or his or her designee within 1 year prior to caring for children, that attests to the child care staff member's or child care assistant's mental and physical health. The attestation must be renewed at the time of subsequent renewals of the child care home's license.
There were no medical clearances on file for CCSM1, CCSM3 and CCSM2.
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: background checks. Open / not marked corrected.
R 400.1919 · R 400.1919 Communicable disease; immunization; mental and physical health; physician attestation; tuberculosis. (3) An applicant, licensee, child care staff member, child care assistant, and a member of the household who is age 14 or older shall provide written evidence of freedom from communicable tuberculosis (TB) prior to caring for children or living in the child care home.
There were no TB tests on file for CCSM1, CCSM3 and CCSM2.
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: health medication. Open / not marked corrected.
R 400.1925 · 1 R 400.1925 Comprehensive background check; fingerprinting. (2) An applicant or licensee shall do all of the following: (f) Immediately disconnect each individual from the system once he or she is no longer a licensee, adult member of the household, child care assistant, child care staff member, or an unsupervised volunteer under the license. 12
Ms. Vawter has not maintained the child care background check system accurately. Former CCSM CCSM5 and former adult household member Luke Vawter were not disconnected from the license as required.
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: supervision. Open / not marked corrected.