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

The child care staff members did not provide appropriate care and supervision when they left Child A outside unattended for approximately five minutes.

Open Not marked corrected in the state record

Category: supervision. Open / not marked corrected.

R 400.8140 · R 400.8140 Discipline. (2) All of the following means of punishment are prohibited: (a) Hitting, spanking, shaking, biting, pinching, or inflicting other forms of corporal punishment.

On 12/05/2022, I completed an unannounced on-site inspection at the child care center. I interviewed licensee designee and program director Tami Elliott and co-program director Shawn Dorris. Both were aware of the allegations and had reported the allegations to their assigned licensing consultant, Dalerie Hughes. Ms. Elliott said she was on vacation last week when she received a text message from the Witness on 11/30/2022. The witness stated she observed CCSM 1 use physical discipline on a male child. The witness stated CCSM 1 grabbed the male child by the arm twice, yelled at the male child in the face, and spanked the male child two to three times on the bottom. Ms. Elliott contacted Ms. Dorris regarding the concern. On 12/01/2022, Ms. Dorris spoke to the witness who stated on 11/30/2022 at 4:30p.m. she witnessed CCSM 1 grab a male child by the arm, then hit him on the bottom two or three times. The witness did not know the name of the child. The witness described the child as being not African American, but possibly mixed race and wearing a "fluffy hat with an orange ball." Ms. Dorris 2 showed the witness a list of pictures of the children in the classroom where the witness observed the incident. The witness identified Child A as the child who "most stood out" as the child the witness believes CCSM 1 hit on his bottom. Ms. Dorris verified Child A has a hat with a fluffy ball on top. When Ms. Dorris reviewed the attendance sheet for 11/30/2022 she found that Child A was signed out of the center prior to 4:30p.m. when the witness stated she observed the incident. Ms. Dorris pointed out this information to the witness who said maybe the incident happened earlier than originally thought. Ms. Dorris said she spoke to CCSM 3 who is the lead caregiver in Child A's classroom and works with CCSM 1 regularly. Ms. Dorris inquired whether CCSM 3 ever had any concerns with CCSM 1's interactions with Child A, or any other children in the classroom. CCSM 3 told Ms. Dorris she has never had any concerns with how CCSM 1 interacts with Child A, or any children in the classroom. CCSM 3 told Ms. Dorris there are times CCSM 1 uses a tone of voice that can make her sound frustrated at times, but nothing that caused concern. When Ms. Dorris told CCSM 3 about the allegations against CCSM 1, CCSM 3 said she was "shocked" as she said she had never seen CCSM 1 , or any other child care staff members, use physical discipline with Child A or any other child. CCSM 3 told Ms. Dorris she does not recall any incidents with CCSM 1 or Child A on 11/30/2022 that were concerning. Ms. Dorris spoke to CCSM 1 in person while Ms. Elliott participated via speaker phone. Both Ms. Elliott and Ms. Dorris attempted to ask CCSM 1 if she could think of anything that happened in the classroom on 11/30/2022 that they might be concerned about without leading CCSM 1 into anything specific. CCSM 1 could not think of anything to report to Ms. Dorris and Ms. Elliott. When Ms. Dorris and Ms. Elliott finally told her the allegations, CCSM 1 was "shocked and devastated." CCSM 1 denied that she yelled at or spanked any child in the classroom. CCSM 1 told Ms. Dorris and Ms. Elliott she does not even spank her own children. Ms. Dorris and Ms. Elliott said CCSM 1 has worked at the child care center for about one year. They both said they have never had any concerns about CCSM 1 using inappropriate discipline, or any other concerns, since she has worked at the child care center. I reviewed the attendance sheet from 11/30/2022 and found that Child A was signed out at 3:54p.m. I interviewed CCSM 2. CCSM 2 said she worked in the classroom with CCSM 1 on 11/30/2022. CCSM 2 said she does not remember seeing anything out of the ordinary on that day during the timeframe it was reported CCSM 1 allegedly used physical discipline on Child A. CCSM 2 said she does not recall observing CCSM 1 appear to be frustrated with Child A, or any child in the classroom. CCSM 2 said she does not remember hear

Open Not marked corrected in the state record

Category: recordkeeping. Open / not marked corrected.