• Violation

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

  On 11/10/2022, I interviewed Child A's Mother. Child A's Mother expressed that Child A was found alone outside after recess by another preschool parent, Child B's Father, who was waiting to pick up his child from the same classroom. Child A's teachers were Child Care Staff Member 1 and Child Care Staff Member 2. Child A was seen walking alone on the residential sidewalk outside of Montfort Elementary. Child A expressed that when he could not find anyone outside, he planned to walk to his grandmother's house. Monfort Elementary is located within a residential neighborhood in Shelby Township. Child B's Father was familiar with Child A and knew he was in his child's classroom. Child B's Father wanted to assist Child A because he was crying and stated to him "my teachers left me outside." At about the time that Child A was found more preschool parents were arriving because the incident had occurred right before dismissal time. According to Child B's Father, Child A was with him and other parents for about 10 minutes before Child Care Staff Member 2 opened the door to search for him. Once all the children were dismissed to the parents shortly after 12:00 p.m., Child Care Staff Member 1 officially informed Child A's Mother about the incident with Child A being left outside unattended after they finished their afternoon recess. Child Care Staff Member 1 was sincerely apologetic and took full responsibility for the incident. Child Care Staff Member 1 expressed that she did her count of all the children but at one point between finishing the count and the children walking into the building, Child A must have run out of line and behind a tree. Child Care Staff Member 1 expressed she had never lost a child before and apologized profusely for the incident. The frustration was not with Child Care Staff Member 1 since she immediately communicated the incident 3 but with the administrative staff thereafter not communicating to the parents. Child A is no longer enrolled at the preschool and hopes that in the future if another incident such as this occurs, the administration communicates better with their families. Child A's Mother did not have any concerns with the child care staff members or the school prior to the incident, just disappointed in the lack of communication after the incident occurred. On 11/14/2022, I conducted an onsite inspection where Child Care Staff Member 2 and the Early Childhood Coordinator Child Care Staff Member 3 were present in the classroom with 12 children. Child Care Staff Member 3 explained that Child Care Staff Member 1 is no longer employed, and she was filling in for Child Care Staff Member 1 until they can hire another child care staff member for the classroom. I observed the child care staff members with the children in the classroom and they were engaging and attentive with the children during the visit. On 11/15/2022, I interviewed Child B's Father. Child B's Father explained that he found Child A alone with no other adult outside at Montfort Elementary school grounds. Child B's Father had pulled up to the school's parking lot to pick up his child from preschool at 11:43 p.m. The preschool class dismisses their class at 12:00 p.m. Child B's Father saw Child A walking towards the residential road where he was closer on the sidewalk side. Child A was seen crying and as Child B's Father approached him stated to Child A "Are you o.k., Child A, is that you?" When Child A recognized it was an adult he was familiar with from his preschool, Child A expressed "teacher wouldn't let me in." Child B's Father was consoling Child A for a few minutes and then held his hand to start walking towards the preschool door to wait for the student dismissal. Child B's Father had his own 1 year old son in his arms and held Child A's hand as they walked towards the preschool door. Some preschool parents were beginning to arrive at the school parking lot and walk towards the door to await dismissal. Child B's Father was with Chil

On 11/09/22 Child A (4-year-old, male) was left outside unattended at Monfort Elementary.

Disposition: Substantiated