NC GS 110-90 · Violation

Name of Operation: THE CHILDREN'S LEARNING TREE TOP Facility ID: 07000172 Consultant: MICHELLE O'KELLEY Operation Type: Family CC Home Case Number: Visit Date: 8/13/2025 Number Present: 5 Completed Date: 8/13/2025 Age: From 0 To 7 Total Minutes: 121 Time In: 11:09 AM Time Out: 01:10 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Family CC Home Type Of Visit: Routine Unannounced Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for a routine unannounced visit. Your program currently operates with a four-star license, issued 7/25/17, earning 7 points in the education component, 2 points in the program standards component and 1 quality point for serving no more than 2 children under one year of age. Your program was also monitored for compliance with implementing an approved curriculum as required for all four- and five-star licensed facilities where four-year-old children are enrolled. The last annual compliance visit was conducted 3/12/25. The family childcare home’s compliance history was reviewed with the operator. The program’s compliance history was ninety-seven percent as of 8/8/25. The NC Secretary of State website was reviewed on 8/8/25 and this facility is not currently owned or operated by a corporation. Please contact me prior to any changes regarding ownership of this facility. Five (5) children were present. Two infants were engaged in tummy time. One young toddler was resting in a linen covered pack-n-play. A preschool aged child was engaged in free play building with blocks. A school aged child was engaged in free play. Toys and materials are stored for easy access by the children. Child sized tables and chairs are also available for the children. The outdoor space includes a variety of portable toys and material. Proper handwashing was observed. Lunch was observed and consisted of chicken nuggets, sweet peas, mashed potatoes, whole grain bread, and milk. The following violation was documented: Violation Number Comment Rule 1948 Sleeping infants, ages 12 months and younger were not visually checked every 15 minutes. Sleep charts were not available for review for the week of August 11, 2025 for both infants in care. Two (2) individual sleep charts available for review for two (2) infants were not dated. .1724(a)(7) Child Care programs are expected to achieve and maintain compliance at all times and are required by NC GS 110-90(4) (d) to achieve and maintain an eighteen-month compliance history score of at least seventy-five percent. Any violation(s) documented may impact the compliance history score. The violation(s) documented must be corrected immediately. On or before 8/27/25, I must receive a written, dated, and signed compliance letter that describes accurately and in detail how and when the violations were corrected. Please be aware any information submitted by you is legal documentation. If it is determined the information provided in the letter is not true, this may be considered falsification of information. If sufficient information is not received by the due date, a follow-up visit will be conducted. Mail or email the information to: Michelle O’Kelley, Child Care Consultant PO Box 56 Jamesville, NC 27846 Michelle.OKelley@dhhs.nc.gov If you email the compliance letter, it must be sent from the email address registered with the DCDEE (this serves as your signature) and the following information must be included: name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. An example is: Jane Doe, Administrator AAA Child Care ID # 12345678 Technical Assistance: Safe Sleep: Documenting the supervision that is provided for sleeping infants is one way to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). The use of sleep charts is identified in your center’s ITS-SIDS policy. Sleep charts were not available for review for the week of August 11, 2025 for both infants in care. Two (2) sleep charts available for review for two (2) infants were not dated. You stated that you had not completed them for this week. Sleep charts are part of the center’s program records and must be kept on file and available for review. Additional Comments: For the latest information on child care rules and regulations, please visit the Division of Child Development and Early Education's website at https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/ NCID: Did you know that if you do not login on any DCDEE platforms (e.g., Moodle, WORKS, CBC) for a period of 12 months, your account will be archived? An archived account cannot be reinstated. You will need to create a new one and then email all platforms (e.g., Moodle, WORKS, CBC) to merge accounts. As part of ongoing efforts to protect state systems and data, the N.C. Department of Information Technology will be changing the minimum length of NCID passwords from eight to 14 characters. When you change your current password after Feb. 23, however, you will be required to create a new one that must: • Be a minimum of 14 characters. • Consist of at least one numeric character, at least one uppercase letter, at least one lowercase letter, and at least one special character such as #, &, * etc. • Passwords shall not contain number or character substitutes to create dictionary words (e.g., d33psl33p for deepsleep). North Carolina Rated License Assessment Project - NCRLAP’s mission is to promote the quality of child care by consistently and reliably assessing environments for the North Carolina Star Rated License. They collaborate with professionals in the early childhood education field to foster the development and learning of young children. Their website, ncrlap.org, offers resources, trainings, videos, worksheets, and help to get ready for the new ITERS-3, ECERS-3, and FCCRS-3 assessment tools that will be used in the new QRIS system. NCRLAP.org The Beaufort-Hyde Partnership for Children is also able to provide you with resources and information, training opportunities, and technical assistance on child care issues. Their phone number is (252) 975-4647 or check out their website at www.bhckids.org. At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you. Contact me at Michelle O’Kelley, Child Care Consultant, (252) 508-3955, Michelle.OKelley@dhhs.nc.gov or Jennifer Linhardt, Licensing Supervisor, (252) 373-4199, Jennifer.Linhardt@dhhs.nc.gov if you have questions. If the operator fails to correct any documented violations within the established time period, the Division of Child Development and Early Education may deny, suspend, terminate, or revoke any permit to operate (10A NCAC 09 .2000). All information in this report has been reviewed with me today.I understand that it is my responsibility to maintaincompliance with applicable NC Child Care Requirements at all times

Open Not marked corrected in the state record

Category: supervision. Open / not marked corrected.

NC GS 110-90 · Violation

Name of Operation: THE CHILDREN'S LEARNING TREE TOP Facility ID: 07000172 Consultant: MICHELLE O'KELLEY Operation Type: Family CC Home Case Number: Visit Date: 3/12/2025 Number Present: 3 Completed Date: 3/12/2025 Age: From 1 To 4 Total Minutes: 169 Time In: 08:41 AM Time Out: 11:30 AM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Family CC Home Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for an annual compliance visit. Your program currently operates with a four-star license, issued 7/25/17, earning 7 points in the education component, 2 points in the program standards component and 1 quality point for serving no more than 2 children under one year of age. Your program was also monitored for compliance with implementing an approved curriculum as required for all four- and five-star licensed facilities where four-year-old children are enrolled. The last annual compliance visit was conducted 3/26/24. Your contact information on the Division of Child Development & Early Education (DCDEE) website was reviewed during today’s visit and all information is current. It is important to frequently check your email to remain informed about any new changes that have or may occur. The family childcare home’s compliance history was reviewed with the operator. The program’s compliance history was ninety-five percent as of 3/7/25. The NC Secretary of State website was reviewed on 3/7/25 and this facility is not currently owned or operated by a corporation. Please contact me prior to any changes regarding ownership of this facility. Two (2) caregivers and three (3) children were present. Children were in the designated play area engaged in group time. Children transitioned to outdoor free play. Educational posters were on display. Toys and materials are stored for easy access by the children. Child sized tables and chairs are also available for the children. The outdoor space includes a variety of portable toys and material. I observed diapering and handwashing. The following violation(s) were documented: Violation Number Comment Rule 714 Monthly check for hazards on the outdoor play area was not completed using a form supplied by the Division. The last available playground inspection form is dated 11/20/24. 10A NCAC .1721(e)(5)(A-F) Child Care programs are expected to achieve and maintain compliance at all times and are required by NC GS 110-90(4) (d) to achieve and maintain an eighteen-month compliance history score of at least seventy-five percent. Any violation(s) documented may impact the compliance history score. The violation(s) documented must be corrected immediately. On or before 3/26/25, I must receive a written, dated, and signed compliance letter that describes accurately and in detail how and when the violations were corrected. Please be aware any information submitted by you is legal documentation. If it is determined the information provided in the letter is not true, this may be considered falsification of information. If sufficient information is not received by the due date, a follow-up visit will be conducted. Mail or email the information to: Michelle O’Kelley, Child Care Consultant PO Box 56 Jamesville, NC 27846 Michelle.OKelley@dhhs.nc.gov If you email the compliance letter, it must be sent from the email address registered with the DCDEE (this serves as your signature) and the following information must be included: name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. An example is: Jane Doe, Administrator AAA Child Care ID # 12345678 Technical Assistance: Playground Inspections: Checks of the outdoor play areas are required to be documented at least monthly on the playground safety checklist. Although you should be checking the area daily prior to use, documentation must be on file to verify a monthly check has been completed to maintain a safe outdoor environment for staff and children. The last available playground inspection form is dated 11/20/24. You stated you and your staff monitor them daily, your staff member was supposed to be completing the inspection form. Pre-plan of when to complete the monthly playground inspections. You placed blank copies on your board near other monthly inspection forms as a reminder to complete each month. Additional Comments: We discussed Clean Classrooms for Carolina Kids and you have completed Lead in Water, Lead-Based Paint, and Asbestos testing. No further action is needed at this time. Hold harmless has been extended until the new QRIS is implemented (SB 425). This means that you do not need to schedule a rated license assessment unless you voluntarily request one. The new QRIS has been approved by the Child Care Commission. The Division is working on implementation and trainings for the new system. You can find more information about the QRIS Modernization at DCDEE website under what’s new. https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Licensing/Star-Rated-License/QRIS-Modernization North Carolina Rated License Assessment Project - NCRLAP’s mission is to promote the quality of child care by consistently and reliably assessing environments for the North Carolina Star Rated License. They collaborate with professionals in the early childhood education field to foster the development and learning of young children. Their website, ncrlap.org, offers resources, trainings, videos, worksheets, and help to get ready for the new ITERS-3, ECERS-3, and FCCRS-3 assessment tools that will be used in the new QRIS system. Raise NC- Stay current with communication and email blasts from DCDEE. Be sure to check your email at least weekly. If you are not currently receiving the email, please visit the DCDEE home page. Add your contact information and click subscribe to be added to the mailing list. The Beaufort-Hyde Partnership for Children is also able to provide you with resources, information, training opportunities, and technical assistance on child care issues. Their phone number is (252) 975-4647 or check out their website at www.bhckids.org. At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you. Contact me at Michelle O’Kelley, Child Care Consultant, (252) 508-3955, Michelle.OKelley@dhhs.nc.gov or Jennifer Linhardt, Licensing Supervisor, (252) 373-4199, Jennifer.Linhardt@dhhs.nc.gov if you have questions. If the operator fails to correct any documented violations within the established time period, the Division of Child Development and Early Education may deny, suspend, terminate, or revoke any permit to operate (10A NCAC 09 .2000). All information in this report has been reviewed with me today.I understand that it is my responsibility to maintaincompliance with applicable NC Child Care Requirements at all times

Open Not marked corrected in the state record

Category: supervision. Open / not marked corrected.

G.S. 110-90 · Violation

Name of Operation: THE CHILDREN'S LEARNING TREE TOP Facility ID: 07000172 Consultant: BRITTANY JONES Operation Type: Family CC Home Case Number: Visit Date: 10/3/2024 Number Present: 2 Completed Date: 10/3/2024 Age: From 0 To 4 Total Minutes: 120 Time In: 11:15 AM Time Out: 01:15 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Family CC Home Type Of Visit: Routine Unannounced Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for a routine unannounced visit. Michelle O’Kelley, Child Care Consultant, accompanied me during the visit. The provider assisted me with the visit. Your program currently operates with a four-star license, issued 7/25/17, earning 7 points in the education component, 2 points in the program standards component and 1 quality point for serving no more than 2 children under one year of age. The last annual compliance visit was conducted 3/26/24. The family childcare home’s compliance history was reviewed with the operator. The program’s compliance history was ninety-eight percent as of 10/2/24. The NC Secretary of State website was reviewed on 10/2/24 and this facility is not currently owned or operated by a corporation. Please contact me prior to any changes regarding ownership of this facility. Two (2) caregivers and two (2) children were present. An infant was resting on their back on linen covered mats in a pack-n-play. A child was in the designated play area pointing out letters on the wall. Educational posters were on display. Toys and materials are stored for easy access by the children. Child sized tables and chairs are also available for the children. The outdoor space includes a variety of portable toys and material. The following violation(s) were documented: Violation Number Comment Rule 508 Operator did not successfully complete a first aid course as referenced in Rule.1702(b)(2) First aid training was not renewed on or before the expiration of the certification. Staff First Aid expired 3/2024, current certificate is dated 4/5/24. .1703(a)(2) 511 Operator did not successfully complete a CPR course as referenced in Rule.1702(b)(2) CPR training was not renewed on or before the expiration of the certification. Staff CPR expired 3/2024, current certificate is dated 4/5/24. .1703(a)(3) Technical Assistance: CPR/First Aid - Knowing what to do in an emergency medical situation can mean the difference between life or death. Being trained in CPR and first aid can be invaluable when someone is in serious medical distress. Therefore, it is so important that all staff working directly with children have current CPR and First Aid Certification. Staff have 90 days from the day of hire to complete the required training and need to be recertified before the expiration date. Staff First Aid and CPR expired 3/2024. You had documentation on file stating the course started on 3/28/2024 and completed on 4/5/2024 and is current. Additional Comments: As stated in G.S. 110-90.2 & .2703(r) child care operators are to notify the Division of any new child care providers working who were hired or moved into the child care facility within five business days. The process of notifying the Division has changed and is now captured in ABCMS. This change has been in effect since February 2024. Effective immediately, you will need to obtain a Business NCID and complete Provider Portal training in Moodle at https://www.dcdee.moodle.nc.gov/course/view.php?id=119. No action is needed on your part if you have completed the reference training and are currently using the ABCMS Provider Portal to update information regarding new hires or residents. Once the training has been completed and access has been given, you must verify your facility roster to ensure current staff are noted on the roster. This information should be updated in ABCMS in an ongoing basis as staff members are hired and when their employment is terminated. This satisfies the requirement to notify the Division of new child care providers working who were hired or moved into the child care facility within five business days. The compliance of this rule will be monitored during your next visit. Please note, the hard copy of the Change of Information form will no longer be needed or accepted. Should you need assistance please contact the Criminal Background Check Unit at (919) 814-8401 and someone will assist you. Be knowledgeable of the child care laws and rules, review the with your center staff, and assist your staff with maintaining compliance with the laws and rules. The most recent version of laws and rules regarding child care facilities in North Carolina are available on the DCDEE website, https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/. Natural Learning Initiative: https://naturalearning.org/resources/ Resources are created, often in collaboration with the Natural Learning Initiative’s interdisciplinary partners, to support technical assistance, professional development, and generally to promote the importance of the natural environment in the daily experience of all children. Please use and share. The Beaufort-Hyde Partnership for Children is also able to provide you with resources and information, training opportunities, and technical assistance on child care issues. Their phone number is (252) 975-4647 or check out their website at www.bhckids.org. At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you. Contact me at Brittany Jones, Child Care Consultant, (252) 947-1036, Brittany.j.jones@dhhs.nc.gov or Jennifer Linhardt, Licensing Supervisor, Jennifer.Linhardt@dhhs.nc.gov if you have questions. If the operator fails to correct any documented violations within the established time period, the Division of Child Development and Early Education may deny, suspend, terminate, or revoke any permit to operate (10A NCAC 09 .2000). All information in this report has been reviewed with me today.I understand that it is my responsibility to maintaincompliance with applicable NC Child Care Requirements at all times

Open Not marked corrected in the state record

Category: supervision. Open / not marked corrected.

NC GS 110-90 · Violation

Name of Operation: THE CHILDREN'S LEARNING TREE TOP Facility ID: 07000172 Consultant: LAKISHA SKINNER Operation Type: Family CC Home Case Number: Visit Date: 3/26/2024 Number Present: 3 Completed Date: 3/26/2024 Age: From 3 To 5 Total Minutes: 135 Time In: 01:00 PM Time Out: 03:15 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Family CC Home Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced * The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for an annual compliance visit. The last annual compliance visit was conducted 4/4/23. Michelle O'Kelley, Childcare Consultant, accompanied during the visit. Your program currently operates with a four-star license, issued 7/25/17, earning 7 points in the education component, 2 points in the program standards component and 1 quality point for serving no more than 2 children under one year of age. Your program was also monitored for compliance with implementing an approved curriculum as required for all four- and five-star licensed facilities where four-year-old children are enrolled. Child Care programs are expected to achieve and maintain compliance at all times and are required by NC GS 110-90(4) (d) to achieve and maintain an eighteen-month compliance history score of at least seventy-five percent. The family childcare home’s compliance history was reviewed with the operator. The program’s compliance history was ninety-nine percent as of 3/25/24. Any violation(s) documented may impact the compliance history score. The operator was not present when I arrived; however, the additional caregiver was present with three (3) preschool-age children. The children were resting on linen covered cots in the designated childcare space. The operator arrived within 45 minutes of the visit. The outdoor play space at the front of the family childcare home included a variety of gross motor play materials. After rest time the children completed personal care routines and joined the additional caregiver for story time, while the operator prepared the afternoon snack. Snack included oranges, club crackers and water. The following violation(s) were documented. Violation Number Comment Rule 1306 Operator has not completed ITS-SIDS training every three years from the completion date of the previous ITS-SIDS training. The previous ITS-SIDS training certificate for the operator expired on 12/6/23. The current ITS-SIDS training was completed on 1/9/24. .1703(a)(4) * The violation(s) documented must be corrected immediately. On or before 4/9/24, I must receive a written, dated, and signed compliance letter that describes accurately and in detail, how and when the violations were corrected. Please be aware any information submitted by you is legal documentation. If it is determined the information provided in the letter is not true, this may be considered falsification of information. If sufficient information is not received by the due date, a follow-up visit will be conducted. Mail or email the information to: Lakisha Skinner, Child Care Consultant PO BOX 431 Grimesland, NC 27837 Lakisha.Skinner@dhhs.nc.gov If you email the compliance letter, it must be sent from the email address registered with the DCDEE (this serves as your signature) and the following information must be included: name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. An example is: Jane Doe, Administrator AAA Child Care ID # 12345678 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WITH THE DOCUMENTED VIOLATION (S): Ongoing Training Requirements - Staff training requirements are essential for adults who interact with and teach children. These requirements protect children in child care facilities by ensuring these facilities provide a physically safe and healthy environment where the developmental needs of children are being met and where children are cared for by qualified staff. The ITS-SIDS training for the operator expired on 12/6/23. The training was completed on 1/9/24. You indicated you signed up for the training through the local partnership within the right time frame, but a communication error occurred causing you to miss the training. Research demonstrates knowledge in caring for infants enhances your ability to work with infants appropriately and to the full benefit of the child. Additional Comments: Be knowledgeable of the child care laws and rules, review with your staff, and assist your staff with maintaining compliance with the laws and rules. The most recent version of laws and rules regarding child care facilities in North Carolina are available on the DCDEE website, https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/. The Beaufort-Hyde Partnership for Children is also able to provide you with resources and information, training opportunities, technical assistance on child care issues. Their phone number is (252) 975-4647 or check out their website at www.bhckids.org . Lead in Water, Lead Based Paint & Asbestos - The Child Care Commission adopted childcare rule changes in January 2024. This is a legislatively mandated effort to address lead and asbestos hazards in licensed family child care homes. Participation will allow facilities to meet all rule requirements for identified lead and asbestos hazards, as required by law. Family Childcare Homes Operator must now Test for lead in water used for drinking and cooking, as well as test for lead based paint and asbestos hazards. For information on how to enroll and complete testing please visit https://www.cleanwaterforuskids.org/en/carolina/. I emailed you a copy of the overview for all three testing requirements during today’s visit. You already know the Division offers early childhood professionals a wide range of professional development opportunities through our online learning platform Moodle. To get help with Moodle, email DCDEE_Moodle_Support@dhhs.nc.gov or call (919) 814-6326. At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you. Contact me at (252) 820-5976, Lakisha.Skinner@dhhs.nc.gov or Jennifer Linhardt, Licensing Supervisor, (252) 373-4199, Jennifer.Linhardt@dhhs.nc.gov if you have questions. If the operator fails to correct any documented violations within the established time period, the Division of Child Development and Early Education may deny, suspend, terminate, or revoke any permit to operate (10A NCAC 09 .2000). All information in this report has been reviewed with me today.I understand that it is my responsibility to maintaincompliance with applicable NC Child Care Requirements at all times

Open Not marked corrected in the state record

Category: supervision. Open / not marked corrected.