• 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 12/14/2022, the bureau received an incident report from program director, Shannon Hall. The incident report describes Child A being left unsupervised in the hallway during transition as the class went to an indoor gross motor room. The incident was reported within the required 24 hours. On 12/16/2023, I completed an unannounced onsite inspection from 1:03 PM to 2:48 PM. I spoke with program director and licensee designee, Shannon Hall. Ms. Hall informed me that the incident took place towards the end of the day, during transition when the children leave their classroom to go to an indoor gross motor room called "Romp and Roll" in a different part of the building. Ms. Hall stated that the child care staff members utilize a face to name system to ensure all children are accounted for. 2 Ms. Hall stated that Child A was left unsupervised in the classroom when child care staff member Elizabeth Glegola was gathering the children in a line to leave the classroom when two parents arrived to pick up their children. As Ms. Glegola and the children were leaving the classroom, Child A stepped out of line and stood on the side of the cubbies out of Ms. Glegola's view. Ms. Glegola and the rest of the children proceeded to the romp and roll room. Ms. Hall believes Child A was left unsupervised for about two to three minutes before Child B's Mother found her alone in the classroom. Ms. Glegola reported the incident to her, and she notified the bureau and completed an incident report. When she notified Child A's Mother, she was understandably concerned and was worried about Child A's attachment and if she would have issues moving forward. Child A's Father was understanding and believed it was an accident. Ms. Hall shared that the center has had incidents in the past of unsupervised children and the last incident was in 2018. On 12/16/2022, I viewed the video footage of the incident with Ms. Hall. The video begins at 3:40 p.m. with eight children present along with Ms. Glegola. Ms. Glegola is conducting face to name tags with the children when at 3:42 p.m. a parent arrives and picks up a child. As the children are lining up to leave the classroom, Child A steps out of line and goes to her cubby which is in a corner outside of Ms. Glegola's view. At 3:43 p.m., child care staff member Ivy Pomeoy enters the classroom and proceeds to her classroom through a connected door. Another parent arrives to pick up a child at 3:43 p.m. as Ms. Glegola and the children are leaving the classroom. Child A remained out of view at her cubby. At 3:44 p.m. Child A puts her backpack down and sits at a table near the entrance door of the classroom. Child A is observed sitting at the table occasionally standing up but sitting down again. At 3:45 p.m. Child B's Mother walks into the classroom along with Child B and an older sibling. Child B's Mother is observed talking to Child A and seemingly comforting her. Child B's Mother is observed gesturing towards the door but Child A shakes her head from side to side then puts her head on the table. At 3:52 p.m. child care staff member Ms. Pomeoy walks into the classroom. Child B's Mother is observed talking with Ms. Pomeoy briefly. Ms. Pomeoy and Child A then leave the classroom and reconnect with Ms. Glegola in the romp and roll room. On 12/16/2022, I interviewed child care staff member Elizabeth Glegola. Ms. Glegola had been working at the child care center since August 2022 and works in the preschool classroom with four- to- five-year old children. There are 15 children enrolled and approximately 12 children were present that day. Child care staff member Alyssa Diskin, who works with her in the classroom, was not present the day of the incident. The day of the incident, Ms. Glegola was taking the children to the romp and roll room; she was counting the children as she lined them up at the door using the face to name tags. Ms. Glegola and Ms. Pomeoy's classrooms come together in the romp and roll room at the end the day

Child A (4-year-old, female) was left unsupervised in the classroom during transition.

Disposition: Substantiated