• Violation

  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 child care staff members to children, including children related to a staff member or the licensee, must be as shown in Table 4: TABLE .4 i ------ -- - ------- ------------ - --------- , y f /e d 7id C S Ma.,th+..rnim ChM Matto .• 3YYor ~~ to .YSY t stiz'ir TrOmtsnd ddks, buib ntuU 30 1 to 4 12 aa to }F'.'.tt:)i `. 1 AYE7 8~ e 1 1$ yyyy ♦~qq Vg i t.mtj1 ..f ' jl `iii ( P . < . 3 ve&sx of age until 4 1 to to Not inr!#eable ( . , :a>~:►a. olev.. 4 yt.. iE'~~o f age until 1 to 12 Not appheable d) i scyhoo[ -&„t' { School- erx I to 1s Nit applicable A

  On September 16, 2021, I made an unscheduled inspection to the child care center and spoke to licensee designee, Christi Hill, who denied that the center was ever out of ratio the last week in August. Ms. Hill explained that they have a three-year-old classroom, a four-year old classroom, and a school-age classroom. She said they follow a ratio of one adult to every ten children when they 2 have mixed ages together and then one adult to every eighteen children when the school-age children are separated out into their own room. She said "half the time" the different age groups are together in the mornings and then separate out into their prospective rooms to maintain ratios later in the day. The week of August 23 through August 27, 2021, child care staff member, Jody Daniels-Bryan was out sick so Ms. Hill was back and forth between the center and another facility she manages down the street, Little Bulldogs Learning Center, which houses their infant/toddler program. She said she would not always sign out of the infant/toddler center when she came down to fill in at the preschool/school-age center. She said that normally once she signs in for the day, she does not change it and just floats between the two locations wherever she is needed. Ms. Hill stated the last week in August was busy because school was just resuming so she had children coming and going. It was also child care staff member, Ashley Hogue's last week of employment. She was short-staffed and Ms. Daniels-Bryan was out sick. Ms. Hill thinks she was at the center three our four days that week to cover so they were not out of ratio. One day that week they all ordered food to be delivered for lunch because they did not have anyone to cover breaks that day. Ms. Hill provided me with a copy of her staff time cards and the child sign-in and sign-out sheets for the week of August 23 through August 27, 2021. On September 16, 2021, I spoke to child care staff member, Amber Smith and Program Director, Abby Ray, in person at the center, and spoke to former child care staff member, Ms. Hogue by telephone. Ms. Smith stated that the center was not out of ratio the last week in August. She acknowledged that there was one day when Ms. Daniels-Bryan called in sick and Ms. Hill had to come over from the other center to work so that they were within ratio until Ms. Hogue arrived. Then Ms. Hill left once Ms. Hogue clocked in so she could cover lunch breaks at the other location. Ms. Smith stated that sometimes the preschoolers and school-age children are all together and other times they are separated out into their respective age groups depending on the ratios and staffing. Ms. Smith said the ratio is one adult to ten children in the three-year-old classroom, and one adult to twelve children in the four- year-old classroom. Most days the different age groups are combined into one space during breakfast, when playing outdoors, or before and after school hours. Then they separate into their different classrooms for activities, and they have enough child care staff members to maintain ratios. Ms. Ray stated that she is the program director at the center, but also works in the classroom during the day. She said there was one day that week when they were out of ratio, but she could not remember which day or the reason why they were so short-staffed. She said there were "way too many kids that day." Ms. Hill had to go back and forth between the two locations to provide support. Ms. Ray denies that the center was out of ratio any other time except that one day. Ms. Ray stated that the children in the center are all together for certain parts of the day, but then separated for other activities. She said it all depends on the ratios. They typically follow a ratio of one adult to ten children. 3 Ms. Hogue stated that she is no longer employed at the child care center. She said the last week in August, Ms. Daniels-Bryan called in sick over the weekend and had to stay home all week. Ms. Hill kne

The last week in August, the center did not have enough child care staff members and was out of ratio by as many as 18-20 children.

Disposition: Substantiated