Brookes Backwoods Daycare

R 400.1913 · R 400.1913 Discipline; child handling. (3) Personnel shall not do any of the following: (d) Inflict mental or emotional stress, such as humiliating, shaming, threatening a child, or using derogatory remarks.

On 7/11/2023 I conducted an unannounced onsite visit to the home of Brooke Welch. No one was home. On 7/11/2023 I sent a text message to Ms. Welch asking when she would be reopening her facility. She responded that she was on vacation and would be back and reopen on 7/17/2023. On 7/19/2023 I conducted an unannounced home visit at the home of Brooke Welch. Ms. Welch had two children in care and Minor Household Member 1 (MHM1) (4- year-old male) was also present. Ms. Welch is aware that a complaint had been made and has spoken to the other parents in the child care about the allegations. She feels the complaint is a blessing in disguise because it caused Child A (4-year- old female) to leave her childcare. She felt Child A was difficult to control, she was not the best listener, and a poor influence on MHM1 and the other children. She 2 would climb on furniture and encourage other children to do dangerous things. The child who was most impacted by this was MHM1. He would act out a great deal when Child A was around. Ms. Welch does not normally use physical disciple with MHM1 and would never use physical discipline with a child care child. Ms. Welch does not remember using physical discipline with MHM1 in front of child care children. She said she would normally take him into a different room if she was going to use physical discipline. Ms. Welch has spoken with her child care parents and assured them that any discipline involving MHM1 would take place away from the other children. Child A's mother has pulled her from the childcare and since this occurred, MHM1 has been much better behaved. Ms. Welch supplied child information cards for the children as well as her discipline policy. On 8/10/2023, I made telephone calls to Child B's mother, Child C's mother, and Child D's mother. All three women indicated that they were satisfied with the care their children receive at Ms. Welch's home and they have no knowledge of Ms. Welch using physical discipline with MHM1 in front of their children. None of them had any concerns about Ms. Welch as a caregiver and they will continue to send their children to the child care going forward. On 8/10/2023, I spoke with Child A's mother. Child A attended the child care from January until July of 2023. In June of 2023 Child A brought her I-Pad to child care with her. One day, Child A's mother was looking through the photos on the I-Pad and saw a series of photos showing Ms. Welch using physical discipline on MHM1 while other children were present. She was aware that Ms. Welch used physical discipline with her own children and had asked her about it in the past. Ms. Welch said she would take MHM1 into the next room if physical discipline was going to be used. but thought it occurred away from the other children. Seeing Ms. Welch use physical discipline on MHM1 caused Child A some emotional stress. Child A has not returned to the child care. Pictures were forwarded to the investigator. On 8/10/2023 I conducted an exit conference with Ms. Welch at her home. She was shown the photographs and said she did not remember the incident but agreed that it appeared she was holding MHM1 on the couch and slapping his mouth. Ms. Welch was advised that while it was her right to use physical discipline with her own children, this was a licensing rule violation because it could send the wrong message to the child care children and instill fear or anxiety in them. They could also be physically hurt if MHM1 begins to thrash around or fights back. She was advised that if physical discipline was necessary, taking MHM! to another room away from the other children was appropriate in order to shield the other children from this act.