Bright Beginnings Child Care daycare inspections in Fort Gratiot, MI

R 400.8155 Child accidents and incidents; child and staff illness. ............. (4) If a center becomes aware that a staff member, volunteer, or child in care has contracted a communicable disease, then the center shall notify parents and provide all of the following information: (a) The name of the communicable disease the children were exposed to. (b) The symptoms of the disease. (c) Prevention measures as recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at the following website: htt s://www.cdc. ov/DiseasesConditions.

On 05/9/2023, I spoke with the complainant who expressed concern regarding multiple cases of hand foot and mouth disease at the center and does not feel that the licensee is reporting it promptly or properly. On 04/14/2023, a child with hand foot and mouth disease, came to the center for an hour and was sent home when sores were noticed. Nothing more was communicated so that complainant assumed the issue was controlled and taken care of. The complainant indicated they were aware that multiple parents called the center on Friday, 04/28/2023, to report their child had hand foot and mouth disease and informed the licensee. However, the licensee did not send out a notification letter until Tuesday, 05/02/2023. The complainant feels this is a little too late. The infant class and two toddler rooms were completely wiped out with hand foot and mouth disease. The complainant feels that a notification should have gone out on Monday, 05/01/2023. The complainant's child became sick with hand foot and mouth disease and if the complainant was made aware on 05/01/2023 they would have kept their child home and maybe they would not have caught it. The complainant would have done things differently if they had known, which is what is frustrating. 2 The method of notification is for the licensee to send out an email. The complainant felt that the licensee should have left a note in the child's mailbox or on the door as she does for other things. The complainant contacted the health department and was informed that that licensee is not at fault and that hand foot and mouth disease does not need to be reported to them. The complainant was not aware of that information until after the complaint was filed. Overall, the complainant is concerned that the licensee is doing state minimal. I completed an unannounced, on-site inspection on 05/15/2023 and arrived at the center at 11:45 AM. I spoke with licensee/program director, Jill Minard, and child care staff member 1 (CCSM1). Ms. Minard and CCSM1 confirmed that there have been cases of hand foot and mouth disease at the center and that they have promptly notified parents. The first incident that the complainant references to happen the week of 04/10/2023. A child in the pre-prep classroom went home on Monday, 04/10/2023 at 12:00 due to having a fever. The child returned on Friday, 04/14/2023 at 7:30 AM. On 04/14/2023, blisters were observed on the child and they were sent home at 8:20 AM. It was not confirmed that the child had hand foot mouth because they were not taken to the doctor. An email notification was sent to all enrolled parents through the smore email system. Ms. Minard and CCSM1 provided me with a copy of that notice which verifies notification of the communicable disease. The second incident involving hand foot and mouth disease occurred on 05/01/2023. On Thursday, 04/27/2023, a child in the tiny tot room was sent home at 12:00 with a fever. The child does not attend Fridays (which would have been 04/28/2023). The child returned on 05/01/2023 with a doctor's note indicating she was ready to return to child care. The child was present on 05/01/2023 from 8:20 AM to 9:20 AM when they were sent home again due to a fever. The child was taken back to the doctor who confirmed that the illness was due to hand foot and mouth disease on 05/02/2023. It was at that time that the center sent out another notification notice of the confirmed communicable disease though the smore system. Ms. Minard and CCSM1 provided me with a copy of that notice of verification. Ms. Minard has followed the center's written illness policy. Two notices within a two- week period were sent out after each child was physically in the center. The first notice was sent in April even though the child did not have a confirmed case of hand foot and mouth disease. The center suspected hand foot and mouth disease, the notification referenced the communicable disease and what symptoms to look for. Both times the children were isolat

R 400.8140 Discipline. (1) Positive methods of discipline that encourage self- control, self-direction, self-esteem, and cooperation must be used. .................

On 12/9/2021, I privately spoke with Child A's Mother. She described Child A to have a bruise on his right arm, but that it is gone now. When she questioned Child A about the bruise, he has changed his story multiple times. Child A spends time between her home and his father's home. She picked Child A up 12/3/2021 and he changed his own clothes that night. On 12/04/2021, she noticed the bruise and Child A told her that his father did it. Child A's Mother does not feel she needs to inspect Child A and did not suspect that he was being abused. Child A then went back to his father's house on 12/05/2021. Child A's Mother then picked Child A back up on 12/07/2021. While they were in the car, she asked Child A about his arm and he said that Ms. Megan did it. Child A told her that Ms. Megan grabbed him when he went into the big kid room and then put him in time out. Child A's Mother could not get any additional information from Child A and called the center to see if they had any updates or if they had noticed any marks, but not receive a call back. It is Child A's Father who takes Child A to the center and she is not sure if she has been taken of the child information card. Child A's Mother has only been to the child care center once. Child A's Mother does not know exactly where the mark occurred or how it occurred. She did give me permission to interview Child A. On 12/9/2021, I privately spoke with Child A's Father who shared that he and Child A's Mother share joint custody. Child A's Father reported that Child A was with his mother from 12/3/2021 at 6:00 PM to 12/5/2021 at 9:30 AM. When he picked up Child A on 12/5/2021 he noticed the bruise. Child A's Father then took Child A to the ER and McLaren Hospital on 12/6/2021 and made a police report through St. Clair County Police Department. Child A's Father confirmed that he was then contacted by the Department of Health and Human Services on 12/7/2021 or 12/8/2021, he would not recall which exact date. Regarding the allegation made by Child A that the bruise was caused by child care staff member, Ms. Megan, Child A's father did not believe that to be true. Child A was last in attendance at the center on 11/23/2021 and did not return until 12/07/2021, which is after when the bruise was noticed by both parents. Child A's Father had time off from work so kept Child A home with him after the Thanksgiving break. Child A has been attending the center since March 2019 and is scheduled on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday from 8:00 AM to 2:30/3:00. Child A's Father reported 3 that he had absolutely no concerns with Child A's caregivers at all. Child A's caregivers are Ms. Megan and Ms. Amanda and they love him, hold him, and console him. Child A's Father reported to having zero concern for the care that Child A receives at the center. He expressed that he felt horrible that Child A's caregivers are a part of the investigation because they have gone above and beyond for Child A and that he is grateful for them. Child A's Father gave me permission to interview Child A. I completed an unannounced on-site inspection on 12/13/2021. I arrived at the center at 9:00 AM and first privately spoke with Licensee/Program Director, Jill Minard. I informed Ms. Minard regarding the allegations. Ms. Minard shared that Megan Hedberg has been employed by the center since March 2013 on a full-time basis. Ms. Hedberg works in the 4-year-old room where she is described to be always calm. Ms. Minard loves the way Ms. Hedberg talks and interacts with the children and describes her as "simply amazing." There are no write ups or concerns recorded in Ms. Hedberg's file. There have been no concerns regarding Ms. Hedberg expressed by other child care staff members or parents. Ms. Minard described Ms. Hedberg as a hard worker and will come in on the weekends to help clean or prep her class lesson for the next week. Ms. Minard described the center discipline policy to be one that utilizes positive discipline techniques and th

R 400.8140 Discipline. (1) Positive methods of discipline that encourage self- control, self-direction, self-esteem, and cooperation must be used.

On 10114/2020, I made a joint telephone call to Child A's Mother along with Child A i-year-old, male) was enrolled in the center for the last years and was in the Preschool 3 room. He began attending at the age of 12 weeks and was enrolled until During the last week that Child A attended the center, he was complaining of stomach aches and did not want to go. He then made a comment in passing about how during nap time "she grabbed my ankle and it hurt my bones". Child A then made the comment again to her mother when he was talking to her on the telephone. Child A's Mother stated that was the one and only thing that Child A has ever said and that she did not mentioned anything to the center because she did not think it was anything at the time. Child A's Mother has never had any concerns for abuse or neglect of Child A during his time at the center. She denied that he every had any unexplained marks or bruises. Child A's Mother denied knowing who Child A's current child care staff members were and said that with COVID there had been a lot of turnover. When asked if she knew if Child A had a child care staff member named Sara, she confirmed that he previously had and that Sara was his "very favorite", but that she had left in February/March for another job. Child A's Mother did not recall Sara's last name. She stated that she does not recall who Child A's child care staff members were at the time back in September when he made that comment. Child A's Mother removed Child A from the center due to his stomach aches and convenience. She stated that due to employment locations, she had already been thinking of switching and thought it may be time given his stomach aches. She stated that in passing on 10/13/2020, she mentioned the comment that Child A made back in September to . Child A's Mother stated that if she ever thought there was a concern with the care Child A received at the center, she would have reported it. Child A's Mother added that she is also a mandated reporter and if there was a concern, she would have reported it. She stated that the statement he made is not indicative of the care he has received over the last three years. Child A's Mother expressed that Child A has and is just_ years old. She reports a good relationship with Ms. Minard and left the center on good terms. On 10/19/2020, and I conducted an unannounced, on-site inspection to Bright Beginnings. We first spoke with Licensee and Program Director, Jill Minard, and informed her of the allegations. Ms. Minard stated that she had begun to have discussions with Child A's Mother regarding Child A's behaviors. Child A's behaviors were described to be age appropriate while in the toddler room, but as he transitioned to the preschool rooms with more children, he had a difficult time. Ms. Minard denied that any child care staff member had come forward with concerns regarding inappropriate methods being used s,vith Child A. She indicated that the child care staff members who would have worked with Child A included Morgan Martin, Grace Navarro, Shanae Maskell, Tristyn Livermore, Annie Timm, Melissa Mae, and Sara Richards. Cl On 10/19/2020, and I privately interviewed child care staff member Morgan Martin. Ms. Martin works in the toddler room and is familiar with Child A from his time in that room. The main discipline techniques used in the toddler room include redirection and praise. Any form of corporal punishment was prohibited. She denied ever witnessing any inappropriate discipline methods used with Child A at any time. Ms. Martin indicated that if she ever witnessed anything of concern, she would have reported it to Ms. Minard. We asked about Child A and nap time. Ms. Martin described Child A to have been loud and disruptive at nap time and that it was a daily struggle. He would constantly get up and run off the cot and would kick them as they tried to lay him back down. Ms. Martin denied that Child A was ever held down on his cot, but that child care staff memb

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R 400.8140 Discipline. (1) Positive methods of discipline that encourage self- control, self-direction, self-esteem, and cooperation must be used. .................

R 400.8140 Discipline. (1) Positive methods of discipline that encourage self- control, self-direction, self-esteem, and cooperation must be used.