• Violation

  R 400.8125 · R 400.8125 Staff; volunteer; requirements. ....................................... ... ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................... (1) All staff and volunteers shall provide appropriate care and supervision of children at all times.

  On 11/21/2022 Child A's Mother stated on 11/21/2022 Child A was left unsupervised in the coat room for about five minutes. Child A's Mother said she works in the school where the center is located. Program director Ms. Ashley Lawrence and child care staff member Ms. Taylor Smith came to her classroom to tell her what happened. Child A's Mother said Child A was left in the stroller for about five minutes inside the coat room which is adjacent to the classroom. The coatroom has an outside door and remains locked at all times. A person has to ring the bell for access. Child A's Mother said she was informed by Ms. Lawrence that Ms. Lawrence had contacted licensing informing the bureau of what occurred. Child A's Mother said she appreciated the transparency the center had with her and has no concerns with the care Child A receives. On 12/06/2022, Ms. Lawrence stated four staff members were working with ten children on 11/21/2022. They returned from a walk outside and began to remove children from strollers and move the children into the classroom. Two child care staff members Ms. Joanna Holcomb and Ms. Carrie Marshall began changing diapers while one staff member Ms. Natasha Greer started preparing lunch. After diapers and handwashing, children were seated for lunch. Child care staff member Ms. Cindy Stone removed Child E (male, 6 months) from the upper part of the double stroller. Child A was in the lower portion asleep. After a few minutes with children seated at the table, Ms. Greer noticed Child A's place where he sits to eat was empty. A staff member immediately went to the stroller to locate Child A who was sleeping in the stroller. It is her understanding Child A woke up, got his diaper changed, and sat for lunch. Ms. Lawrence said she and Ms. Smith walked to Child A's Mother's classroom and told her what happened. On 11/21/2022 the center put a new protocol in place to ensure a child is never left unsupervised again. A dry erase board has been added near the classroom door. Staff complete a name to face for each child and write names on the board before exiting for outside. When the return to the classroom, child care staff cross off each child's name ensuring each child is accounted for. In addition, new buggies have been purchased and each child is more visible. On 12/06/2022, Ms. Marshall stated the children were outside on a walk with staff. Child E was in the upper portion of the double stroller while Child A was in the lower portion of the stroller sleeping. When the group returned, Child E was upset and throwing a fit, so Child E was brought into the room for diapering and then lunch. Ms. Stone entered the classroom. During lunch. Ms. Greer noticed Child A was missing. Ms. Marshall said she quickly got up and grabbed Child A out of the stroller and put him in his crib. Ms. Marshall thinks Child A was unsupervised in the coat room about 3 five minutes. The children and staff were outside on a walk for about twenty minutes. Ten minutes prior to returning to the center Child A fell asleep. In the past, staff would always finish outside time even if one of the children fell asleep in the stroller. On 12/06/2022, Ms. Greer stated she was preparing lunch for the children. She had each child's food ready and on the table. The children were hungry and screaming for their food. She said she was setting it up as fast as she could. She asked staff if someone could feed Child A. Ms. Stone said she would feed him. At that moment Ms. Greer looked around and asked where Child A was. She and Ms. Marshall made eye contact. She said she ran out of the room into the coat room and picked Child A up out of the stroller. She cannot recall if Child A ate lunch right away. On 01/04/2023, Child B's Father stated he is pleased with the care Child B (male, 1 year) receives at the center. Child B has never been in care outside of their home so this is a first experience for Child B. The care he receives is amazing. Quite often he will peek in a

Child A (male, 8 months) was left sleeping in the stroller, unsupervised in the coat room when child care staff returned to the classroom from outdoor play.

Disposition: Substantiated