GS 110-91 · Violation

Name of Operation: QEI OF DURHAM CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER Facility ID: 32001597 Consultant: TONI FULLER Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 5/20/2024 Number Present: 1 Completed Date: 5/20/2024 Age: From 3 To 3 Total Minutes: 240 Time In: 10:00 AM Time Out: 02:00 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced Upon arrival the lead teacher greeted me. The director was present during a portion of the visit. The purpose of today’s unannounced visit was to monitor applicable child care requirements during your Annual Compliance visit. Child Care consultant, Mandy Annunziata, accompanied me on today’s visit. The last Annual Compliance visit was conducted on 6/1/23. This center operates with a three-star license, which was issued on 1/25/19. According to the NC Secretary of State website, the corporation status of Q.E.I. of Durham is “current-active”. COMPLIANCE HISTORY: The compliance history for this center for the previous eighteen-month timeframe is 89%. All indoor licensed space and the outdoor environment were monitored today. OBSERVATIONS: Only one child was present during today’s visit. I observed the child playing in child care space. Required information was posted on the parent information board to include activity plans, menus, and staff/child ratio chart. The director stated that none of the children enrolled were taking medication or had a food allergy. TRANSPORTATION: The director stated that the center was not offering transportation services. INCIDENT REPORTS: The director stated that no incidents had occurred during the past year to record in the incident log. CHILDREN’S RECORDS: Ten children’s files were reviewed today. STAFF FILES: Upon arrival I was given the staff/training worksheet for today’s visit. The worksheet was reviewed, and yearly in-service training hours were tallied. INSPECTIONS: The last documented fire inspection was conducted on 10/26/23. The last documented fire drill was conducted on 4/24/24. The last documented lockdown drill was conducted 3/26/24. The last documented sanitation inspection was conducted on 1/8/24. The last documented playground inspection was completed on 4/24/24. The following violations were cited today: Violation Number Comment Rule 716 All stationary equipment, more than 18 inches high, was not installed over protective surfacing. There was no measurable surfacing under the stationary equipment on the playground. .0605(j) 1301 Center did not maintain a record of daily attendance. The attendance record had not been completed for 5/16/24 or 5/17/24. GS 110-91(9) All violations must be corrected immediately. Please send me a signed Corrective Action letter by 6/3/24, stating how each violation cited today has been corrected. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED TODAY ON THE FOLLOWING TOPICS: OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENT: This center has struggled with consistently maintaining NC Child Care licensing requirements, regarding surfacing in fall zones for outdoor play equipment. The director signed a Quality Improvement Plan for the outdoor environment issues on 5/14/22. The plan included a recommendation that the center participate in the Healthy Start program for playground enhancement assistance. I later learned that this program was only applicable for centers with four or five stars. I shared this information with the director and suggested that the director request the church’s assistance with playground issues. The center was cited for a surfacing violation in 2022, 2023, and again during today’s visit. After discussing this situation with the director, it was determined that the director needed to have surfacing spread in the fall zones around the stationary equipment more often to maintain the requirements. I explained to the director that stationary equipment was not a playground requirement. I stated that the center could use all portable equipment, as long as the equipment was age appropriate for different levels and skills of gross motor play. I further stated that there needed to be an ample amount of equipment for all children to be able to play at the same time. The director will consider both options, striving to eliminate the citing of a surfacing violation in the future. I stated that the NC Division of Child Development and Early Education could issue an Administrative Action against this program, based on a pattern of non-compliance with NC Child Care licensing requirements. MONTHLY FIRE DRILLS: I stated that the director should follow the protecol of the fire monistoring system for conducting fire drills, instead of beating a drum. The director stated that she would follow the protecol for upcoming fire drills. RATED LICENSE: The Rated License reassessment process has resumed. This center is in Cohort I for reassessment. The preparation year for the assessment began 7/1/23. The assessment year will begin 7/1/24. Technical Assistance on the Rated License reassessment process was included in the 12/7/23 visit summary to include education, training resources, and the Environment Rating Scales. During today’s visit the director indicated that she was planning to be ready for the Rated License reassessment in September 2024 to include the Environment Rating Scales. EDUCATION: I stated that all staff were not registered in the WORKS database. The director stated that one teacher had currently assumed the position of cook, until she completed Education 119. The director stated that the staff person planned to complete Education 119 during the second session of summer school. The director stated that she was still working with WORKFORCE on her re-evaluation based on her degree. Upon request by the director, I reviewed the education requirements for each staff to achieve five points in education. PROGRAMMING: The director stated that the center planned to have the Environment Rating Scales conducted as part of the assessment process. I explained that the SACERS-U would be conducted, along with the ITERS-R and/or ECERS-R. Currently the preschoolers at this center operate as one group of children. I explained that the assessment tool (ITERS-R or ECERS-R) would be determined on the day of assessment, according to the ages of the children present on the day of the assessment. I further stated that both ITERS-R and ECERS-R would both be conducted if the children were operating in two divided ages groups. AGENCY UPDATES: Child Care facilities are required to test their drinking and cooking water for lead every three years. For information you should contact Clean Water for Carolina Kids www.cleanwaterforcarolinakids.org. The director stated that she had not received the results of the water sampling she submitted last week. Also, child care facilities are now required to test for lead and asbestos hazards in their buildings. The Clean Classrooms for Carolina Kids program is designed to identify and eliminate exposure to lead and asbestos hazards in building infrastructure, while providing child care facilities with the support needed to meet all rule requirements. The program is free, and the first step is to watch the pre-enrollment webinar, which are available at www.cleanwaterforUSkids.org/carolina. The director stated that she had watched the video, but she had not submitted the paperwork for the testing. Additional information can be found in the Raise NC newsletter emailed to you on December 7, 2023. CONTACT INFORMATION: Please contact me if I can be of any assistance to you. I can be reached at 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