Wee Excel Preschool & Child Care

R 400.8176 · R 400.8176 Sleeping equipment. (6) Car seats, infant seats, swings, bassinets, and play yards are not approved sleeping equipment.

On 10/13/2020, I conducted a telephone interview with Complainant. Complainant indicated that infants are placed to sleep in cribs with stuffed animals, blankets, and bottles. Complainant stated that Child A (8-month-old female) has a stuffed animal and the stuffed animal is placed in the crib with Child A. I explained to Complainant that I had been to the center for an unannounced interim inspection on 09/28/2020 and had not observed any of the allegations made in the complaint. Complainant could not offer an explanation on why none of the alleged violations occurred the day of the interim inspection. On 10/13/2020, I conducted an unannounced onsite inspection at Wee Excel Preschool and Child Care in Roseville. The program director and licensee designee, Heather Davis, was working in the infant room when I arrived. She indicated that a child care staff member recently quit without notice and she is covering in the classroom because she is short-staffed. She stated that Ashley Johnson, child care staff member and Lorraine Husk, child care staff member consistently work in the infant room, but neither were there during the onsite inspection. I informed Ms. Davis of the allegations in the complaint. During the onsite inspection, I observed Child A sleeping in the crib. Child A did not have a blanket, stuffed animal, or bottle in the crib with her. Ms. Davis stated that Child A does not have a stuffed animal or blanket, but has a "luvie" which was in the child's bin. The "luvie" was a very small blanket about the size of a sheet of paper that Child A uses for comfort. Ms. Davis stated that Child B (9-month-old female) is the only other infant currently enrolled and attending care at the center. Child B was not in attendance during the onsite inspection. Ms. Davis indicated that Child B does not have a blanket or stuffed animal, but she does use a sleep sack. She also denied that Child A or Child B are placed in cribs with bottles. I then interviewed the second child care staff member covering in the classroom, Kayla Latte. Ms. Latte stated that she is not in the infant room daily, but works in the infant room occasionally during the week and she has never observed infants sleeping with blankets, stuffed animals, or bottles. On 10/29/2020, I conducted a telephone interview with Ashley Johnson. Ms. Johnson confirmed that she works in the infant room. She stated that infants are never allowed to sleep with blankets, stuffed animals, or bottles in their cribs. 3 ei r~y:~y.~~~~~■~r ara~~ f - - - ~.r~r. rrra:n~ i 1 i 1 f rI -R -f • - •- f 1 - .. Isis] • i i i A ■ .-. I h13'11 Li __ .- - ... • • 0

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R 400.8182 · R 400.8182 Ratio and group size requirements. 3) In each room or well-defined space, the maximum group size and ratio of caregivers to children, including children related to a staff member or the licensee, shall be the following: (a) For infants and toddlers, there shall be 1 caregiver for 4 children and a maximum group size of 12.

During the 10/13/2020 interview with Complainant, Complainant stated that infants fall asleep in bouncy seats or swings and are allowed to sleep there for hours. During the 10/29/2020 and 11/05/2020 interviews with Ms. Johnson and Ms. Husk, they both denied ever observing or allowing an infant to sleep in a bouncy seat or swing. They indicated that once an infant falls asleep in a swing or bouncy seat, the infant is moved to a crib. During the 10/29/2020 telephone interview with Child A's Mother, she denied ever observing Child A sleeping in an infant swing or bouncer. She also denied ever observing any other infant sleeping in an infant swing or bouncer. During the 12/03/2020 interview with Child B's Mother she denied ever observing Child B or any other infant asleep in a swing or bouncer. During the 12/03/2020 exit interview with Ms. Davis, I informed her that I had not found any evidence to support that infants were allowed to sleep in bouncy seats, swings, or other unapproved sleeping equipment.

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R 400.8185 · R 400.8185 Primary care. (2) The center shall implement a primary care system so that each infant and toddler has a primary caregiver.

During the 10/13/2020 interview with Complainant, Complainant stated that after the center reopened from the initial COVID-19 shutdown, the center was out of ratio. 5 Complainant stated that the infant room had a 1:5 child care staff member to child ratio for the entire summer. The ratio was initially a 2:6 child care staff member to child ratio, but when one child disenrolled, the second caregiver was moved to another classroom and a 1:5 ratio remained. During the 10/13/2020 unannounced inspection, I observed a 2:8 child care staff member to child ratio in the infant room. Ms. Davis stated she was working in the room because on 10/12/2020, an infant staff member suddenly quit leaving her shorthanded. Ms. Davis denied that any rooms were out of ratio during the summer. She indicated that children from the transition classroom are combined with infants because of low enrollment. During the telephone interviews with Ms. Johnson, Child A's Mother, Ms. Husk and Child B's Mother, they each denied that the infant classroom was ever out of ratio. Child A's Mother stated that there was one day that the staff members were upset and short staffed because someone had quit. Child A's Mother stated when the fifth child arrived that morning, the child care staff members called for an additional person to come into the room. During the 12/03/2020 exit interview with Ms. Davis, I informed her that I had not found a violation of the ratio rule.

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R 400.8330 · R 400.8330 Food services and nutrition generally. ................................................. ..................................._..................................................................... (16) Bottle warmers must be shut off when not in use. A child care staff member shall not hold a child while removing a bottle from the heating device.

During the 10/13/2020 interview with Complainant, Complainant stated that there are no primary care assignments for infants and toddlers. During the 10/13/2020 onsite inspection, I observed a white board in the infant classroom with primary care assignments listed for each child and child care staff member. Ms. Davis and Ms. Latte indicated that primary caregivers are assigned and listed on the board. Ms. Davis did not know why there was an allegation that there are no primary care assignments. During the 10/29/2020 interview with Ms. Johnson she confirmed that there are primary care assignment in the classroom and that it is not just in writing, but also implemented. During the 11/05/2020 interview with Ms. Husk, she indicated she did not know what primary care meant. She was able to explain that there is a list of children that are assigned to a child care staff member and that staff member is responsible for that group of children's needs. Ms. Husk stated she then turns her group of children over to another child care staff member when she leaves for the day. During the 10/29/2020 and 12/03/2020 interviews with Child A's Mother and Child B's Mother, they were not familiar with the term primary care, but stated that they are aware of the board with the person responsible for their child's care. Child A's Mother and Child B's Mother were satisfied with the care their children receive and stated they had no problems communicating with the primary caregivers. During the exit interview with Ms. Davis, I explained that although Ms. Husk, Child A's Mother and Child B's Mother were not familiar with the term primary care, they were able to describe assigned workers and primary care responsibilities. I informed Ms. Davis that I had not found a violation of the primary care rule.

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R 400.8345 · R 400.8345 Water supply; plumbing. (4) All plumbing fixtures and water and waste pipes must be properly installed and maintained in good working condition.

During the 10/13/2020 interview with Complainant, Complainant stated that child care staff members are holding infants when they remove bottles from the bottle warmer. Complainant was aware that this is a new rule and stated that staff members are still holding babies while removing bottles. The Complainant did not identify which child care staff members were involved. During the 10/13/2020 onsite inspection, I explained to Ms. Davis that there was also an allegation that child care staff members are holding infants while removing bottles from the warmer. Ms. Davis was not aware of any staff members holding infants while removing bottles from the warmer. She did state she was not aware that was a new rule. I observed that the bottle warmer was in the kitchen that is adjacent to the infant room. The bottle warmer was not accessible without fully entering the kitchen area asked Ms. Davis if child care staff members took infants into the kitchen to remove the bottles from the warmer. Ms. Davis stated that children are not taken into the kitchen. During the 10/29/2020 and 11/05/2020 interviews with Ms. Johnson and Ms. Husk, both denied that infants are taken into the kitchen when removing the bottles from the warmer. Both stated they were informed by Ms. Davis that there was a new rule prohibiting child care staff members from carrying children while removing bottles from the warmer. During the interview with Child A's Mother and Child B's Mother, they both denied ever observing children in the kitchen or a child care staff member removing a bottle from a warmer with a child in their arms. During the 12/03/2020 exit interview with Ms. Davis, I informed her that I did not find a violation of the rule prohibiting a child care staff member from holding a child while removing a bottle from the bottle warmer or any heating device.

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