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Pulling inspections, violations, and complaints.
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Pulling inspections, violations, and complaints.
Home › MI › Sturgis › Kathryn Matz
Sturgis MI 49091 · License #DG750297744 · Home-based · Group Home
Not published by the state. Owners can add hours via profile claim.
When they operate
Ages served
R 400.1911 · R 400.1911 1 Care; supervision; children. (1) A licensee shall ensure appropriate care and suaervision of children at all times.
On February 23, 2022, I made an onsite inspection to the child care home and knocked on the door and rang the doorbell three times but no one came to the door. I tried contacting licensee, Kathryn Matz, by telephone but was unsuccessful. I sent Ms. Matz a text message to tell her that I had received a complaint and needed to speak with her about it. Later that afternoon, I received a text message in response and Ms. Matz said that she had just received my messages and was home, but she had been putting children down for nap and cannot always hear the doorbell when music is playing, and she often puts her phone on silent during quiet time, so it does not disturb the children. That evening, I spoke to Ms. Matz by telephone about the allegation. She admitted that on February 22, 2022, Child A (female, age 29 months) scratched Child B (male, age 14 months) near the eye by accident, but she denied that Child A was punished with a time-out and said that child care staff member, Melanie Ertman, was in the room and saw the incident happen while Ms. Matz was in the kitchen preparing lunch. Ms. Matz explained that Child B was climbing on a cot that was set up for naptime and Child A went over and tried to pull him off the cot and tell him he could not be on it. Ms. Matz stated that Child A has very sharp, paper-thin nails and does not have good spatial awareness and accidentally scratched Child B. Ms. Ertman pulled Child A aside on the steps between the child care room and the kitchen and told Child A that she must be careful and use nice hands because she gave Child B "an ouchy" and if Child B is doing something he should not be doing, Child A should let Ms. Matz or Ms. Ertman know and they will take care of it. Then Ms. Ertman and Child A got up and went and washed hands for lunch. Ms. Matz contacted Child B's Mother to tell her about the scratch. She also had Child B's Mother sign a "Bumps and Bruises Report" that she gave to Child B's Mother at pick- up time. Child A told Ms. Matz that she had been in time-out with Ms. Ertman and Ms. Matz told her that she was not in trouble. At pick-up time, Ms. Matz started to tell Child A's Mother about the incident, but they were interrupted when another parent arrived, and they agreed they would talk about it later. Child A told her mother that she had been in time-out. Ms. Matz explained 3 that she does not put children under age three in time-out, but she thinks Child A thought she was in trouble because Ms. Ertman and Child A sat down to talk on the same steps as the place where older children sit in time-out when they misbehave. Ms. Matz said that Child A's Mother asked for a copy of the home's discipline policy and Ms. Matz texted it to her right away. Ms. Matz stated that Child A had accidentally scratched Ms. Ertman the week before and Child A's Mother had trimmed Child A's nails. When Child A scratched Child B, they looked at her nails again and they were not long, but they were paper-thin and sharp. Ms. Matz said that Child A had also scratched another child recently, but that was also an accident. I asked Ms. Matz if they have had any behavioral problems with Child A and she said occasionally Child A will be mean and push other children down, but she is usually just trying to play with them. Child A does not have any siblings, so she is still learning how to play with others, and her behavior is typical of a toddler. I asked Ms. Matz to forward a copy of the incident report that was given to Child B's Mother, a copy of her discipline policy, current child information cards, and child-in-care statements for the children enrolled in care. On February 23, 2022, I made a phone call to the Complainant and left a voicemail. On February 24, 2022, she returned my call and left a voicemail requesting I call her back and denied making a complaint to the department. On February 28, 2022, I received a copy of Ms. Matz's discipline policy, her current child information cards, child-in-care stateme
Child A (female, age 29 months) scratched Child B (male, age 14 months) while he was laying on a cot. Both Ms. Matz and Ms. Ertman were in the kitchen making lunch. Child A was placed in a time-out for scratching Child B. The provider had the parents sign a form to state they had reviewed Ms. Matz's discipline policy months ago, but she has not given out a copy of the discipline policy.
Disposition: Substantiated
Generated from this facility's specific inspection record
Data synced from Michigan MiLEAP, Child Care Licensing Bureau on Jul 9, 2026 · Source records · Report an error
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: supervision. Open / not marked corrected.
R 400.1913 · R 400.1913 Discipline; child handling. (3) Personnel shall not do any of the following: (a) Use time out for children under 3 years old.
On February 23, 2022, I spoke to Ms. Matz about the allegation by telephone. She stated that on February 22, 2022, she spoke to Child A's Mother about Child A scratching Child B and Child A told her mother that she had been placed in a time-out. Ms. Matz said she told Child A's Mother that she did not use time-out with children under three years of age and denied placing Child A in a time- out. Child A's Mother asked to see a copy of the home's discipline policy. Ms. Matz said she sent it to her by text within minutes of the request and Child A's Mother did not have any concerns about it. I asked Ms. Matz if she distributed copies of the discipline policy to her parents when they enrolled their children in care, and she stated that she usually does but she did not have any extra hard copies in her file now so it was possible that she forgot to give it to a couple families that enrolled in rj September 2021, because they were the last ones to start attending but she thought she did. I asked Ms. Matz to forward a copy of her discipline policy to me along with a copy of her current child information cards and child-in-care statements for the children enrolled in care. On February 28, 2022, I received a copy of Ms. Matz's child-in-care statements and her written discipline policy. I reviewed the child-in-care statements for all enrolled children and all of the parents had initialed the box stating that they had received the discipline policy that the child care home will be using for their child. On March 1, 2022, I spoke to Child A's Mother, Child B, C, & D's Mother, Child E's Mother, Child F's Mother, Child G's Mother, Child H's Mother, and Ms. Ertman about the allegation. Child A's Mother stated that she was given a copy of the home's discipline policy when Child A started attending. She could not find it and they had not discussed it, so she requested another copy of the discipline policy on February 22, 2022, and Ms. Matz sent it to her within ten minutes of the request. Child B, C, & D's Mother, and Child E's Mother all said they were given a copy of the discipline policy when they enrolled their children in care. Child F's Mother said she was given a copy and remembered she also had to sign a document to state that she understood it. Child G's Mother said she was given a copy of the discipline policy when Child G started to attend the child care home and again when she renewed her paperwork last year. Child H's Mother said she was pretty sure Ms. Matz provided her with a copy of the discipline policy when she enrolled Child H, but she was not sure where it was now, but she has known Ms. Matz her whole life and she is not concerned about her discipline. Child H's Mother said Ms. Matz is always very detailed about what she does anytime she has to discipline Child H. Ms. Ertman said that Ms. Matz handles all of the enrollment paperwork, but she remembers that she was given a copy of the discipline policy when her children were in care. She has seen a copy of the written discipline policy and is familiar with the discipline used in the child care home.
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: recordkeeping. Open / not marked corrected.
R 400.1907 · R 400.1907 Child's records. (1) Prior to a child's initial attendance, a licensee shall obtain the following documents: (b) A child in care statement or receipt using a form provided by the department and signed by the parent certifying all of the following: (i) Receipt of a written disciplinary policy. 10
On February 23, 2022, Ms. Matz stated that she usually distributes copies of the discipline policy to her parents when they enroll their children in care. On February 28, 2022, I reviewed the child-in-care statements for all enrolled children and all of the parents had initialed the box stating that they had received the discipline policy that the child care home will be using for their child. On March 1, 2022, I spoke to Child A's Mother, Child B, C, & D's Mother, Child E's Mother, Child F's Mother, Child G's Mother, Child H's Mother, and Ms. Ertman. They all said they had received copies of the discipline policy when they enrolled their children in care. Child A's Mother said she had asked for another copy of the discipline policy on February 22, 2022, and Ms. Matz provided her with a copy right away. Child F's Mother remembered signing the document to acknowledge that she had received a copy of the discipline policy. Child G's Mother said she was given a copy of the discipline policy when she enrolled her child and when she updated her paper work last year.
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: recordkeeping. Open / not marked corrected.