Little Lambs Learn & Play

NC GS 110-90 · Violation

Name of Operation: LITTLE LAMBS LEARN & PLAY Facility ID: 70000345 Consultant: ANNE BUCK Operation Type: Family CC Home Case Number: Visit Date: 8/15/2025 Number Present: 7 Completed Date: 8/15/2025 Age: From 1 To 9 Total Minutes: 255 Time In: 08:45 AM Time Out: 01:00 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Family CC Home Type Of Visit: Routine Unannounced Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s unannounced visit was to monitor compliance with applicable child care requirements for a routine unannounced visit. Last Annual Compliance visit – 3/11/25 18-month compliance history 89% Required Water, Lead Paint, and Asbestos Testing - The Clean Classrooms for Carolina Kids website reflects the following information about your center’s required three-year water testing and one-time lead paint testing, and asbestos testing: Three-year Water Testing – completed Lead Paint Testing – enrollment started Asbestos Testing – enrollment started Maintain any paperwork received by mail or email in your Program Records file. N. Mitchell, Owner/operator, assisted me with today’s visit. The four (4) school age children who live in the home were also present. Your program currently operates with a four-star license, issued 8/11/23 earning 7 points in the education component, 2 points in the program standards component and 1 quality point for: Serves no more than 2 children less than 1 year of age. The new QRIS has now been approved and placed into rule. The Division is working on implementation and trainings for the new system. Look for news and updates in the weekly Raise NC email blasts. You are strongly encouraged to attend the trainings and review the information on the Division website under “What’s New?” and “QRIS Modernization”. You will want to become familiar with the many changes in the new quality rating system. 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 FCCRS-3 assessment tool that will be used in the new QRIS system. Facility Information: We reviewed your facility information and per your statements, the information is current and accurate. Contact me if you need to make any changes to your information, e.g., phone numbers, email address, mailing address, owner information, or Legal Designee. Per your statements and according to the NC Secretary of State's website, this facility is not currently owned or operated by a corporation. Please contact me prior to any changes regarding the ownership of this facility. A walk-through of the facility was completed today, all indoor and outdoor areas were monitored. I observed children in the indoor learning environment. Children throughout the home were participating in group time, free play in activity areas, transitions and personal care routines. Age-appropriate materials were available on low open shelving. The provider was interacting with the children and meeting their needs. Lunch was observed and consisted of SpaghettiOs, grilled cheese sandwich on whole wheat bread, apple sauce, green beans, and milk. The Albemarle Alliance for Children and Families / Child Care Resource & Referral is able to provide you with resources and information, training opportunities, and technical assistance on child care issues and the Environment Rating Scales. Their phone number is (252) 333-1233 or check out their website at www.albemarleafc.org. The following violation(s) were documented: Violation Number Comment Rule 701 All indoor and outdoor areas used by the children were not kept clean, orderly, and free of items which are potentially hazardous to children including removal of items a child can swallow; the removal of loose nails or screws and splinters on inside; and use of outdoor equipment that is too hot to touch. There was a large fire ant hill on the playground near the gate. The shed, on the right, was not locked and contained weed killer and bug spray. There were steps at the trampoline making it accessible to the children. In the bathroom, used by the children, the cabinet under the sink was not locked and contained toothpaste and cosmetics. .1719(a)(1)&(17) 720 Adequate supervision was not provided for children in the Family Child Care Home. While the provider was preparing breakfast for the older children, a child, two (2) years of age, wandered back down the hallway without the provider’s knowledge. Two (2) school age children, who do not live in the home and are not related to the provider, were in care. The school age children stayed in the living room while the provider cared for the preschoolers in another room. The provider did not return to the living room to observe or work with the children but directed their behavior from the approved child care space. .1711(a) 1892 Application was not on file for each enrolled child, including his/her own preschool child(ren) who are not school-age. Two (2) school age children, who do not live in the home and are not related to the provider, were in care and did not have a file available for review. .1721(a)(3) 2042 Swimming pool on the premises was not enclosed by a fence at least four feet high, or the fence was not locked, to prevent access by children. A four (4) foot deep pool was located on the premises outside of the fenced playground space but was not enclosed by a locked fence. .1730(i) Be knowledgeable of the child care laws and rules and environmental health rules; review them with your staff and assist them with understanding and implementing them to maintain compliance and keep children safe and healthy. The most recent versions of child care laws and rules and environmental health rules in North Carolina, the Items Number Listing (can be used as a detailed checklist of required items) and What’s New information are available on the DCDEE website, www.ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov. Check the designated facility email at least weekly to stay current with communication and email blasts from DCDEE. If your email is not the facility email, sign up for email blasts on the What’s New page for general information and communication from DCDEE. 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 8/29/25, 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 considered 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: Anne Buck, Child Care Consultant PO Box 2363 Elizabeth City, NC 27906 Anne.Buck@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: Supervision – Children can be unpredictable and are not aware of the dangers around them, therefore, they must be adequately supervised at all times. Adequate supervision means that, for preschool age children, you must position yourself to maximize your ability to hear and see the children at all times. For school age children, you must position yourself to maximize your ability to hear or see the children at all times. As a teacher, you should move about among both age groups and have interactions with them. You must know where the children are and what they are doing at all times and be ready to respond to their needs. While the provider was preparing breakfast for the older children, a child, two (2) years of age, wandered back down the hallway without the provider’s knowledge. Two (2) school age children, who do not live in the home and are not related to the provider, were in care. The school age children stayed in the living room while the provider cared for the preschoolers in another room. The provider did not return to the living room to observe or work with the children but directed their behavior from the approved child care space. If older children are in care, you must have a plan for caring for multiple ages. This would include meals, outdoor play, offering age-appropriate activities, and quiet time. You must create a plan to accommodate the needs and supervision of all the ages in care as part of your compliance verification letter. Pool Safety – Children love to play in water but are unaware of the dangers of deep water. Pools located on the premises of a family child care must be enclosed by a four (4) foot fence that is separated from the remaining outdoor play area by that fence and locked and inaccessible to children when not in use. A four (4) foot deep pool was located on the premises outside of the fenced playground space but was not enclosed by a locked fence. You stated that the child care children did not use the pool but that you already planned to take it down. If you decide to put the pool up again next summer, it must be enclosed in a locked fence that is at least four (4) foot high. Playground Safety - Regular outdoor inspections are critical to prevent deterioration of equipment and accumulation of hazards in the playground space. The outdoor play area should be inspected daily, before the children arrive, to ensure the space is ready for use by the children. There was a large fire ant hill on the playground near the gate. The shed, on the right, was not locked and contained weed killer and bug spray. There were steps at the trampoline making it accessible to the children. You stated that you would correct these. Storage of Hazardous Materials – Children are not always aware of what is hazardous and what is a toy. Hazardous materials must be kept in locked storage. In the bathroom, used by the children, the cabinet under the sink was not locked and contained toothpaste and cosmetics. An approved locking device was attached to the cabinet but was not locked. Because the people who live in the house are not always careful to ensure these items are put away or locked, you must monitor these spaces each morning before the children arrive to ensure the environment is safe. Reminders: Outdoor Play – Children enjoy being outside and having the freedom to run, play, and be loud. Because the children in your preschool group have been between the ages of infants and one (1) year of age you have mainly used your deck for outdoor play. They are getting older and must be allowed to play in the whole fenced playground space. Children need to have access to age-appropriate gross motor play. This would include throwing balls, pushing cars, balancing, and other activities. You stated that you will start letting them play in the full playground space. Consultation: ABCMS Portal – You have completed the ABCMS portal training. You must add all family members to the roster to verify who is living or working in the home. After you add everyone, you must keep the roster updated as changes occur in your home. Activity Plans – Activity plans help you to implement daily activities for children. They provide information to families on activities taking place during their children’s day. Planning a week of activities helps you to obtain and prepare the materials and equipment needed to successfully carry out the activities on the plan. Involving school-agers in program planning is a part of quality school-age care curriculum. Incorporating the children's ideas promotes a feeling of belonging, as well as stimulating enthusiasm and creativity. In the end the children will develop leadership qualities as well as a sense of cooperation. You stated that the two (2) school age children, who were in care today and not related to you, come on the weekends and some week days. Having a plan of activities in place can not only be educational but can help with behaviors as children are engaged in something that interests them. Additional Information: Raise NC Newsletter – If you are not receiving and reading the Raise NC Newsletter, you are missing out on current relevant information about early childhood issues in North Carolina, information about proposed rules, available trainings and other information that may be of interest to you and your staff. The Raise NC Newsletter is typically sent out weekly to all facility contact email addresses, but if your email is not the facility contact email address, you can go to the DCDEE Website, https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/ and click on the “What’s New” tab. Click on “What’s New” and enter your email address and name under “Sign Up for Updates”. As an early learning professional, you need to stay in the know about issues in North Carolina that affect you and your business. Share with your staff so they can be in the know too! NCID Password Rule to Change - If you have a MYNCID or NCID account, when you change your current password after Feb. 23, you will be required to create a new one that must: • Be a minimum of 14 characters. • It consists 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. Keep Your NCID Active - Did you know that if you do not login on to 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. *Pro Tip: Set your calendar to remind you, your staff and your household members (CLIAR only) every 6 months to log in and out at https://myncid.nc.gov to keep your account activated and it will NOT be archived. *For assistance with NCID, contact ncid.nc.gov or 919.754.6000. Strong, unique passwords, along with practicing mindful cybersecurity practices, are key components to the Division protecting your devices and personal information Information was also shared on the following topics: 1. New Training in Module – Child Development 2. Public Notice: Proposed Rules Amendment to Orientation, H&S Training, Religious-Sponsored 3. Pathway to the Stars – Where Quality and Choice Meet (QRIS Rules Adopted), Survey available At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you. If I may be of further assistance, please contact me by phone at 252-333-2084 or Jennifer Linhardt, Licensing Supervisor, may also be contacted at (252) 373-4199. 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

G.S. 110-90 · Violation

Name of Operation: LITTLE LAMBS LEARN & PLAY Facility ID: 70000345 Consultant: ANNE BUCK Operation Type: Family CC Home Case Number: Visit Date: 3/11/2025 Number Present: 5 Completed Date: 3/11/2025 Age: From 1 To 8 Total Minutes: 135 Time In: 01:45 PM Time Out: 04:00 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Family CC Home Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of my unannounced Annual Compliance Visit today was to monitor this program for compliance with applicable child care requirements. The Owner/operator assisted me with today’s visit. Your program currently operates with a four-star license, issued 8/11/23 earning 7 points in the education component, 2 points in the program standards component and 1 quality point for serving no more than two children under one year of age. 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. 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. The last annual compliance visit was conducted 6/4/24. The center's compliance history was reviewed with the operator. The program’s compliance history was 85% as of 3/10/25. A walk-through of the facility was completed today, all indoor and outdoor areas were monitored. I observed children in the indoor learning environment and found supervision and staff/child ratios to be in compliance. The youngest children were napping in pack-n-plays on linen covered mats. The school age children read and played in the living room while the younger children slept. There is a large back porch set up with age-appropriate materials for the youngest children. A fenced yard is also directly accessible from the kitchen and also had materials for the older children. Corporation Status: Per your statements and according to the NC Secretary of State's website, this facility is not currently owned or operated by a corporation. Please contact me prior to any changes regarding the ownership of this facility. The Albemarle Alliance for Children and Families / Child Care Resource & Referral is able to provide you with resources and information, training opportunities, and technical assistance on child care issues and the Environment Rating Scales. Their phone number is (252) 333-1233 or check out their website at www.albemarleafc.org. The following violation(s) were documented: Violation Number Comment Rule 705 All medicines, including refrigerated and unrefrigerated, were not kept in locked storage. A bottle of children's liquid allergy medication was in unlocked storage in the bedroom near the bathroom the children use. .1719(a)(5) 2025 Operator and/or staff members did not complete a professional development plan within one year of employment. The owner/operator did not complete a plan annually. Documentation on file stated that the last plan was completed on 1/23/25. .1703(i) Be knowledgeable of the child care laws and rules and environmental health rules; review them with your staff and assist them with understanding and implementing them to maintain compliance and keep children safe and healthy. The most recent versions of child care laws and rules and environmental health rules in North Carolina, the Items Number Listing (can be used as a detailed checklist of required items) and What’s New information are available on the DCDEE website, www.ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov. Check the designated facility email at least weekly to stay current with communication and email blasts from DCDEE. If your email is not the facility email, sign up for email blasts on the What’s New page for general information and communication from DCDEE. 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 3/25/25, 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 considered 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: Anne Buck, Child Care Consultant PO Box 2363 Elizabeth City, NC 27906 Anne.Buck@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: Storage of Medications - Items that might be poisonous or hazardous to children must be kept in locked storage to prevent unintentional injuries. In the second bedroom, across from the bathroom, a bottle of children’s liquid allergy medication was in the closet. One of the children who lives in the home took it out of the closet and showed it to me. All medications, except emergency medications, must be kept in locked storage. You took the medication and placed it in your medication lock box. You stated that it belongs to one of your children and you were not aware it was in their room. Professional Development Plans – The Professional Development Plan must be completed or updated at least annually. The Professional Development Plan helps you decide which classes or trainings you need workshops that will help you improve your classroom performance. The Professional Development Plan on file was dated 1/23/24. A current plan was not available for review. Per our discussion, this plan should be part of your daily planning and work processes. It should be used to help guide how you plan lessons and activities that will help your children grow. Additional Information: NCID Password Change – In the Raise NC email blast sent out on 2/21/25, announced changes to the password rules. 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 8 to 14 characters. The change will apply to all providers. NCID passwords must be updated on a regular basis to keep them active. The next time you update your current password; 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). Strong, unique passwords, along with practicing mindful cybersecurity practices, are key components to the Division protecting your devices and personal information ABCMS New Process - 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. Required Water, Lead Paint, and Asbestos Testing - New child care rules require child care facilities to test for lead in drinking water, lead paint, and asbestos. Testing is required by 1/1/2025. Check out the FAQ in the updated Clean Classrooms for Carolina Kids. Currently there is funding to pay for the testing and to mitigate lead paint or asbestos hazards. Depending on the age of your home or building and the information you provide in the enrollment process, testing for lead paint and asbestos may not be required. Water testing will be required every three years. For more information go to https://www.cleanwaterforuskids.org/en/carolina/ or contact your Environmental Health Specialist. Based on the information in the Clean Classrooms for Carolina Kids, you have completed the water testing 6/29/24 and are in process of enrolling in the asbestos and lead based paint testing. This process must be completed immediately for you to meet the May 2025 deadline. At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you. If I may be of further assistance, please contact me by phone at 252-333-2084 or Jennifer Linhardt, Licensing Supervisor, may also be contacted at (252) 373-4199. 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

NC GS 110-90 · Violation

Name of Operation: LITTLE LAMBS LEARN & PLAY Facility ID: 70000345 Consultant: ANNE BUCK Operation Type: Family CC Home Case Number: Visit Date: 3/11/2025 Number Present: 5 Completed Date: 3/11/2025 Age: From 1 To 8 Total Minutes: 135 Time In: 01:45 PM Time Out: 04:00 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Family CC Home Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of my unannounced Annual Compliance Visit today was to monitor this program for compliance with applicable child care requirements. The Owner/operator assisted me with today’s visit. Your program currently operates with a four-star license, issued 8/11/23 earning 7 points in the education component, 2 points in the program standards component and 1 quality point for serving no more than two children under one year of age. 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. 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. The last annual compliance visit was conducted 6/4/24. The center's compliance history was reviewed with the operator. The program’s compliance history was 85% as of 3/10/25. A walk-through of the facility was completed today, all indoor and outdoor areas were monitored. I observed children in the indoor learning environment and found supervision and staff/child ratios to be in compliance. The youngest children were napping in pack-n-plays on linen covered mats. The school age children read and played in the living room while the younger children slept. There is a large back porch set up with age-appropriate materials for the youngest children. A fenced yard is also directly accessible from the kitchen and also had materials for the older children. Corporation Status: Per your statements and according to the NC Secretary of State's website, this facility is not currently owned or operated by a corporation. Please contact me prior to any changes regarding the ownership of this facility. The Albemarle Alliance for Children and Families / Child Care Resource & Referral is able to provide you with resources and information, training opportunities, and technical assistance on child care issues and the Environment Rating Scales. Their phone number is (252) 333-1233 or check out their website at www.albemarleafc.org. The following violation(s) were documented: Violation Number Comment Rule 705 All medicines, including refrigerated and unrefrigerated, were not kept in locked storage. A bottle of children's liquid allergy medication was in unlocked storage in the bedroom near the bathroom the children use. .1719(a)(5) 2025 Operator and/or staff members did not complete a professional development plan within one year of employment. The owner/operator did not complete a plan annually. Documentation on file stated that the last plan was completed on 1/23/25. .1703(i) Be knowledgeable of the child care laws and rules and environmental health rules; review them with your staff and assist them with understanding and implementing them to maintain compliance and keep children safe and healthy. The most recent versions of child care laws and rules and environmental health rules in North Carolina, the Items Number Listing (can be used as a detailed checklist of required items) and What’s New information are available on the DCDEE website, www.ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov. Check the designated facility email at least weekly to stay current with communication and email blasts from DCDEE. If your email is not the facility email, sign up for email blasts on the What’s New page for general information and communication from DCDEE. 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 3/25/25, 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 considered 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: Anne Buck, Child Care Consultant PO Box 2363 Elizabeth City, NC 27906 Anne.Buck@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: Storage of Medications - Items that might be poisonous or hazardous to children must be kept in locked storage to prevent unintentional injuries. In the second bedroom, across from the bathroom, a bottle of children’s liquid allergy medication was in the closet. One of the children who lives in the home took it out of the closet and showed it to me. All medications, except emergency medications, must be kept in locked storage. You took the medication and placed it in your medication lock box. You stated that it belongs to one of your children and you were not aware it was in their room. Professional Development Plans – The Professional Development Plan must be completed or updated at least annually. The Professional Development Plan helps you decide which classes or trainings you need workshops that will help you improve your classroom performance. The Professional Development Plan on file was dated 1/23/24. A current plan was not available for review. Per our discussion, this plan should be part of your daily planning and work processes. It should be used to help guide how you plan lessons and activities that will help your children grow. Additional Information: NCID Password Change – In the Raise NC email blast sent out on 2/21/25, announced changes to the password rules. 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 8 to 14 characters. The change will apply to all providers. NCID passwords must be updated on a regular basis to keep them active. The next time you update your current password; 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). Strong, unique passwords, along with practicing mindful cybersecurity practices, are key components to the Division protecting your devices and personal information ABCMS New Process - 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. Required Water, Lead Paint, and Asbestos Testing - New child care rules require child care facilities to test for lead in drinking water, lead paint, and asbestos. Testing is required by 1/1/2025. Check out the FAQ in the updated Clean Classrooms for Carolina Kids. Currently there is funding to pay for the testing and to mitigate lead paint or asbestos hazards. Depending on the age of your home or building and the information you provide in the enrollment process, testing for lead paint and asbestos may not be required. Water testing will be required every three years. For more information go to https://www.cleanwaterforuskids.org/en/carolina/ or contact your Environmental Health Specialist. Based on the information in the Clean Classrooms for Carolina Kids, you have completed the water testing 6/29/24 and are in process of enrolling in the asbestos and lead based paint testing. This process must be completed immediately for you to meet the May 2025 deadline. At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you. If I may be of further assistance, please contact me by phone at 252-333-2084 or Jennifer Linhardt, Licensing Supervisor, may also be contacted at (252) 373-4199. 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

10A NCAC 09 .1720 · Violation

Name of Operation: LITTLE LAMBS LEARN & PLAY Facility ID: 70000345 Consultant: ANNE BUCK Operation Type: Family CC Home Case Number: Visit Date: 11/21/2024 Number Present: 4 Completed Date: 11/21/2024 Age: From 0 To 2 Total Minutes: 225 Time In: 08:45 AM Time Out: 12:30 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Family CC Home Type Of Visit: Routine Unannounced Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s unannounced visit was to monitor compliance with applicable child care requirements for a routine unannounced visit. The owner/operator assisted me with today’s visit. Your program currently operates with a four-star license, issued 8/11/23 earning 7 points in the education component, 2 points in the program standards component and 1 quality point for: Infant capacity restricted to no more than two children under one year of age. 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. 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, and worksheets, and can help you to get ready for the new FCCRS-3 assessment tools that will be used in the new QRIS system. The facilities’ compliance history was reviewed with the operator. The program’s compliance history was 86% as of 11/18/24. A walk-through of the facility was completed today, all indoor and outdoor areas were monitored. I observed children in the indoor learning environment and found supervision and staff/child ratios to be in compliance. The children were playing in the designated child care space. They then transitioned to the kitchen for breakfast. The children played while the provider prepared the meal. They washed hands in the kitchen and then were seated at a child sized table or in a high chair. Breakfast was observed and consisted of waffles, bananas, and milk. They then returned to the classroom and had free play time. The provider worked on puzzles with the 2 older children. There continues to be a fenced playground space directly behind the home. Diaper changes occurred as required. Infants were held for bottle feeding. The following violation(s) were documented: Violation Number Comment Rule 905 Record of monthly fire drills, giving the date, time of day and length of time to evacuate, and operator's signature, were not available. The last drill documented on the Emergency Drill Log was dated 9/19/24. Documentation of a drill completed in October 2024 was not available for review. .1721 (e )(2) 1401 Prescribed medications were not stored in their original containers in which they are dispensed with the pharmacy label. An inhaler, for AB, did not have a pharmacy labeled box on site. 10A NCAC 09 .1720(c)(1)&(2) 1940 Hazardous cleaning supplies and other items that might be poisonous e.g. toxic plants, were not out of reach or in locked storage when children were in care. In the bathroom, used by the children, there were 2 bottles of shampoo stored in the unlocked cabinet under the sink. There were also tubes of toothpaste which stated “keep out of reach of children” located less then 5 feet above the floor on the counter of the sink in the same bathroom. In the first bedroom, across from the bathroom, there was a travel size tube of toothpaste on the bed. .1719(a)(6) 1948 Sleeping infants, ages 12 months and younger were not visually checked every 15 minutes. Documentation for an infant, enrolled on 9/2/24 was not available for review. .1724(a)(7) Be knowledgeable of the child care laws and rules and environmental health rules; review them with your staff and assist them with understanding and implementing them to maintain compliance and keep children safe and healthy. The most recent versions of child care laws and rules and environmental health rules in North Carolina, the Items Number Listing (can be used as a detailed checklist of required items) and What’s New information are available on the DCDEE website, www.ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov. Check the designated facility email at least weekly to stay current with communication and email blasts from DCDEE. If your email is not the facility email, sign up for email blasts on the What’s New page for general information and communication from DCDEE. 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 12/5/24, 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 considered 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: Anne Buck, Child Care Consultant PO Box 2363 Elizabeth City, NC 27906 Anne.Buck@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: Medications - Administering medication requires skill, knowledge, and careful attention to detail. Remember, before accepting medication from a parent, you must have: 1. The medication in the original pharmacy box with all the required information. Make sure the expiration date on the box matches the date on the medication. 2. A Medical Action Plan completed by a physician attached to the child’s application in their file and in the Ready to Go file. 3. Written permission to administer the medication, with complete instructions for how and when the medication is to be administered and signed by the parent. You would use the long form for chronic conditions for this type of medication. Before receiving any medication from a parent, you must carefully review the medication, the pharmacy box, the medical action plan, and the permission to administer forms to ensure everything is correct and all information matches. Consider creating a checklist to complete each time medication is brought to the facility to help staff verify they have all the required information. Emergency Drills - Practicing emergency drills help providers and children respond to emergency situations in a calm and safe manner. Fire drills must be completed monthly. The last drill documented on the Emergency Drill Log was dated 9/19/24. Per our discussion, now that you have infants, it is important to practice these drills t ensure you can quickly and safely evacuate all the children in care. You must immediately complete a drill to ensure the children know what to do in an emergency. Safe Sleep Checks – Most SIDS deaths in child care occur on the first day of care or within the first week; unaccustomed prone (tummy) sleeping increases the risk of SIDS eighteen times. Sleeping infants must be checked every 15 minutes to ensure they are still breathing and not in distress. Documentation for an infant, enrolled on 9/2/24 was not available for review. You stated that you had not yet started the forms for the child but would start today. Hazardous Materials – To ensure the safety of the children, all spaces the children have access to must be monitored each day to ensure there are no hazardous materials. In the bathroom used by the children, there was shampoo stored in the unlocked cabinet under the sink. There were also tubes of toothpaste which stated “keep out of reach of children” located less then 5 feet above the floor on the counter of the sink in the same bathroom. In the first bedroom, across from the bathroom, there was a travel size tube of toothpaste on the bed. Per our discussion, these items need to be placed out of reach or in locked storage. This could include locking the bedroom and cabinet doors with approved locks. The toothpaste can also be stored 5 feet above the floor on a shelf where it can be easily accessed for brushing teeth. Reminders: Infant Care – It has been some time since you cared for infants and together, we reviewed the newer rules and best practices. You are also encouraged to review the rules for Safe Sleep Practices, Infant Feeding, and Activity Plan requirements. Per our discussion, there is a section for infants on the second page of the activity plan under Family Child Care Providers Documents. You can also use the one, specific to infants, under Center Documents. We also discussed ideas for caring for an infant in your outdoor space while the other children play. We reviewed that infants must be held for feeding. Once they can hold their own bottle and start solid foods, they can be seated in a high chair. You can also use a low feeding chair in your child care space which does not take up as much space as a high chair. This also allows the infant to be eye level with the other children while they eat. Any age-appropriate approved feeding device is fine. Outdoor Play Time – The outdoor learning environment offers a sense of freedom for children. Children are able to play freely with peers, expand their imagination beyond restraints of indoor activities, release energy, and explore with their sense of touch, smell, and motion. You stated that having 2 infants has made it difficult to get the children outside, but you want to use your deck as part of the outdoor play space. It can be difficult to take children outside when caring for infants. Because infant’s sleep and feeding schedules can vary from day to day it can make it difficult to get everyone outside. Per our discussion, using the deck on days when the ground is wet can be a good idea, especially when children who are not yet walking are in care. It is also easier to access when carrying 2 infants. Simply moving some of the smaller age-appropriate materials to the deck would be an easy way to make use of space. Having a chair, for outdoor feedings, and a pack-n-play on the porch can help with this. Natural Learning Initiative has created resources, 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 and growth of all children. You may find some good ideas for your space by using the resources on their website https://naturalearning.org/resources/. Additional Information: ABCMS New Process - 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. Required Water, Lead Paint, and Asbestos Testing - New child care rules require child care facilities to test for lead in drinking water, lead paint, and asbestos. Testing is required by 1/1/2025. Check out the FAQ in the updated Clean Classrooms for Carolina Kids. Currently there is funding to pay for the testing and to mitigate lead paint or asbestos hazards. Depending on the age of your home or building and the information you provide in the enrollment process, testing for lead paint and asbestos may not be required. Water testing will be required every three years. For more information go to https://www.cleanwaterforuskids.org/en/carolina/ or contact your Environmental Health Specialist. Based on information on the Clean Classrooms for Carolina Kids website, you completed your water testing on 6/29/24 and started the enrollment process for the lead based paint and asbestos testing. At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you. If I may be of further assistance, please contact me by phone at 252-333-2084 or Jennifer Linhardt, Licensing Supervisor, may also be contacted at (252) 373-4199. 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

G.S. 110-90 · Violation

Name of Operation: LITTLE LAMBS LEARN & PLAY Facility ID: 70000345 Consultant: ANNE BUCK Operation Type: Family CC Home Case Number: Visit Date: 11/21/2024 Number Present: 4 Completed Date: 11/21/2024 Age: From 0 To 2 Total Minutes: 225 Time In: 08:45 AM Time Out: 12:30 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Family CC Home Type Of Visit: Routine Unannounced Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s unannounced visit was to monitor compliance with applicable child care requirements for a routine unannounced visit. The owner/operator assisted me with today’s visit. Your program currently operates with a four-star license, issued 8/11/23 earning 7 points in the education component, 2 points in the program standards component and 1 quality point for: Infant capacity restricted to no more than two children under one year of age. 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. 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, and worksheets, and can help you to get ready for the new FCCRS-3 assessment tools that will be used in the new QRIS system. The facilities’ compliance history was reviewed with the operator. The program’s compliance history was 86% as of 11/18/24. A walk-through of the facility was completed today, all indoor and outdoor areas were monitored. I observed children in the indoor learning environment and found supervision and staff/child ratios to be in compliance. The children were playing in the designated child care space. They then transitioned to the kitchen for breakfast. The children played while the provider prepared the meal. They washed hands in the kitchen and then were seated at a child sized table or in a high chair. Breakfast was observed and consisted of waffles, bananas, and milk. They then returned to the classroom and had free play time. The provider worked on puzzles with the 2 older children. There continues to be a fenced playground space directly behind the home. Diaper changes occurred as required. Infants were held for bottle feeding. The following violation(s) were documented: Violation Number Comment Rule 905 Record of monthly fire drills, giving the date, time of day and length of time to evacuate, and operator's signature, were not available. The last drill documented on the Emergency Drill Log was dated 9/19/24. Documentation of a drill completed in October 2024 was not available for review. .1721 (e )(2) 1401 Prescribed medications were not stored in their original containers in which they are dispensed with the pharmacy label. An inhaler, for AB, did not have a pharmacy labeled box on site. 10A NCAC 09 .1720(c)(1)&(2) 1940 Hazardous cleaning supplies and other items that might be poisonous e.g. toxic plants, were not out of reach or in locked storage when children were in care. In the bathroom, used by the children, there were 2 bottles of shampoo stored in the unlocked cabinet under the sink. There were also tubes of toothpaste which stated “keep out of reach of children” located less then 5 feet above the floor on the counter of the sink in the same bathroom. In the first bedroom, across from the bathroom, there was a travel size tube of toothpaste on the bed. .1719(a)(6) 1948 Sleeping infants, ages 12 months and younger were not visually checked every 15 minutes. Documentation for an infant, enrolled on 9/2/24 was not available for review. .1724(a)(7) Be knowledgeable of the child care laws and rules and environmental health rules; review them with your staff and assist them with understanding and implementing them to maintain compliance and keep children safe and healthy. The most recent versions of child care laws and rules and environmental health rules in North Carolina, the Items Number Listing (can be used as a detailed checklist of required items) and What’s New information are available on the DCDEE website, www.ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov. Check the designated facility email at least weekly to stay current with communication and email blasts from DCDEE. If your email is not the facility email, sign up for email blasts on the What’s New page for general information and communication from DCDEE. 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 12/5/24, 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 considered 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: Anne Buck, Child Care Consultant PO Box 2363 Elizabeth City, NC 27906 Anne.Buck@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: Medications - Administering medication requires skill, knowledge, and careful attention to detail. Remember, before accepting medication from a parent, you must have: 1. The medication in the original pharmacy box with all the required information. Make sure the expiration date on the box matches the date on the medication. 2. A Medical Action Plan completed by a physician attached to the child’s application in their file and in the Ready to Go file. 3. Written permission to administer the medication, with complete instructions for how and when the medication is to be administered and signed by the parent. You would use the long form for chronic conditions for this type of medication. Before receiving any medication from a parent, you must carefully review the medication, the pharmacy box, the medical action plan, and the permission to administer forms to ensure everything is correct and all information matches. Consider creating a checklist to complete each time medication is brought to the facility to help staff verify they have all the required information. Emergency Drills - Practicing emergency drills help providers and children respond to emergency situations in a calm and safe manner. Fire drills must be completed monthly. The last drill documented on the Emergency Drill Log was dated 9/19/24. Per our discussion, now that you have infants, it is important to practice these drills t ensure you can quickly and safely evacuate all the children in care. You must immediately complete a drill to ensure the children know what to do in an emergency. Safe Sleep Checks – Most SIDS deaths in child care occur on the first day of care or within the first week; unaccustomed prone (tummy) sleeping increases the risk of SIDS eighteen times. Sleeping infants must be checked every 15 minutes to ensure they are still breathing and not in distress. Documentation for an infant, enrolled on 9/2/24 was not available for review. You stated that you had not yet started the forms for the child but would start today. Hazardous Materials – To ensure the safety of the children, all spaces the children have access to must be monitored each day to ensure there are no hazardous materials. In the bathroom used by the children, there was shampoo stored in the unlocked cabinet under the sink. There were also tubes of toothpaste which stated “keep out of reach of children” located less then 5 feet above the floor on the counter of the sink in the same bathroom. In the first bedroom, across from the bathroom, there was a travel size tube of toothpaste on the bed. Per our discussion, these items need to be placed out of reach or in locked storage. This could include locking the bedroom and cabinet doors with approved locks. The toothpaste can also be stored 5 feet above the floor on a shelf where it can be easily accessed for brushing teeth. Reminders: Infant Care – It has been some time since you cared for infants and together, we reviewed the newer rules and best practices. You are also encouraged to review the rules for Safe Sleep Practices, Infant Feeding, and Activity Plan requirements. Per our discussion, there is a section for infants on the second page of the activity plan under Family Child Care Providers Documents. You can also use the one, specific to infants, under Center Documents. We also discussed ideas for caring for an infant in your outdoor space while the other children play. We reviewed that infants must be held for feeding. Once they can hold their own bottle and start solid foods, they can be seated in a high chair. You can also use a low feeding chair in your child care space which does not take up as much space as a high chair. This also allows the infant to be eye level with the other children while they eat. Any age-appropriate approved feeding device is fine. Outdoor Play Time – The outdoor learning environment offers a sense of freedom for children. Children are able to play freely with peers, expand their imagination beyond restraints of indoor activities, release energy, and explore with their sense of touch, smell, and motion. You stated that having 2 infants has made it difficult to get the children outside, but you want to use your deck as part of the outdoor play space. It can be difficult to take children outside when caring for infants. Because infant’s sleep and feeding schedules can vary from day to day it can make it difficult to get everyone outside. Per our discussion, using the deck on days when the ground is wet can be a good idea, especially when children who are not yet walking are in care. It is also easier to access when carrying 2 infants. Simply moving some of the smaller age-appropriate materials to the deck would be an easy way to make use of space. Having a chair, for outdoor feedings, and a pack-n-play on the porch can help with this. Natural Learning Initiative has created resources, 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 and growth of all children. You may find some good ideas for your space by using the resources on their website https://naturalearning.org/resources/. Additional Information: ABCMS New Process - 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. Required Water, Lead Paint, and Asbestos Testing - New child care rules require child care facilities to test for lead in drinking water, lead paint, and asbestos. Testing is required by 1/1/2025. Check out the FAQ in the updated Clean Classrooms for Carolina Kids. Currently there is funding to pay for the testing and to mitigate lead paint or asbestos hazards. Depending on the age of your home or building and the information you provide in the enrollment process, testing for lead paint and asbestos may not be required. Water testing will be required every three years. For more information go to https://www.cleanwaterforuskids.org/en/carolina/ or contact your Environmental Health Specialist. Based on information on the Clean Classrooms for Carolina Kids website, you completed your water testing on 6/29/24 and started the enrollment process for the lead based paint and asbestos testing. At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you. If I may be of further assistance, please contact me by phone at 252-333-2084 or Jennifer Linhardt, Licensing Supervisor, may also be contacted at (252) 373-4199. 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

NC GS 110-90 · Violation

Name of Operation: LITTLE LAMBS LEARN & PLAY Facility ID: 70000345 Consultant: ANNE BUCK Operation Type: Family CC Home Case Number: Visit Date: 11/21/2024 Number Present: 4 Completed Date: 11/21/2024 Age: From 0 To 2 Total Minutes: 225 Time In: 08:45 AM Time Out: 12:30 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Family CC Home Type Of Visit: Routine Unannounced Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s unannounced visit was to monitor compliance with applicable child care requirements for a routine unannounced visit. The owner/operator assisted me with today’s visit. Your program currently operates with a four-star license, issued 8/11/23 earning 7 points in the education component, 2 points in the program standards component and 1 quality point for: Infant capacity restricted to no more than two children under one year of age. 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. 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, and worksheets, and can help you to get ready for the new FCCRS-3 assessment tools that will be used in the new QRIS system. The facilities’ compliance history was reviewed with the operator. The program’s compliance history was 86% as of 11/18/24. A walk-through of the facility was completed today, all indoor and outdoor areas were monitored. I observed children in the indoor learning environment and found supervision and staff/child ratios to be in compliance. The children were playing in the designated child care space. They then transitioned to the kitchen for breakfast. The children played while the provider prepared the meal. They washed hands in the kitchen and then were seated at a child sized table or in a high chair. Breakfast was observed and consisted of waffles, bananas, and milk. They then returned to the classroom and had free play time. The provider worked on puzzles with the 2 older children. There continues to be a fenced playground space directly behind the home. Diaper changes occurred as required. Infants were held for bottle feeding. The following violation(s) were documented: Violation Number Comment Rule 905 Record of monthly fire drills, giving the date, time of day and length of time to evacuate, and operator's signature, were not available. The last drill documented on the Emergency Drill Log was dated 9/19/24. Documentation of a drill completed in October 2024 was not available for review. .1721 (e )(2) 1401 Prescribed medications were not stored in their original containers in which they are dispensed with the pharmacy label. An inhaler, for AB, did not have a pharmacy labeled box on site. 10A NCAC 09 .1720(c)(1)&(2) 1940 Hazardous cleaning supplies and other items that might be poisonous e.g. toxic plants, were not out of reach or in locked storage when children were in care. In the bathroom, used by the children, there were 2 bottles of shampoo stored in the unlocked cabinet under the sink. There were also tubes of toothpaste which stated “keep out of reach of children” located less then 5 feet above the floor on the counter of the sink in the same bathroom. In the first bedroom, across from the bathroom, there was a travel size tube of toothpaste on the bed. .1719(a)(6) 1948 Sleeping infants, ages 12 months and younger were not visually checked every 15 minutes. Documentation for an infant, enrolled on 9/2/24 was not available for review. .1724(a)(7) Be knowledgeable of the child care laws and rules and environmental health rules; review them with your staff and assist them with understanding and implementing them to maintain compliance and keep children safe and healthy. The most recent versions of child care laws and rules and environmental health rules in North Carolina, the Items Number Listing (can be used as a detailed checklist of required items) and What’s New information are available on the DCDEE website, www.ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov. Check the designated facility email at least weekly to stay current with communication and email blasts from DCDEE. If your email is not the facility email, sign up for email blasts on the What’s New page for general information and communication from DCDEE. 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 12/5/24, 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 considered 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: Anne Buck, Child Care Consultant PO Box 2363 Elizabeth City, NC 27906 Anne.Buck@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: Medications - Administering medication requires skill, knowledge, and careful attention to detail. Remember, before accepting medication from a parent, you must have: 1. The medication in the original pharmacy box with all the required information. Make sure the expiration date on the box matches the date on the medication. 2. A Medical Action Plan completed by a physician attached to the child’s application in their file and in the Ready to Go file. 3. Written permission to administer the medication, with complete instructions for how and when the medication is to be administered and signed by the parent. You would use the long form for chronic conditions for this type of medication. Before receiving any medication from a parent, you must carefully review the medication, the pharmacy box, the medical action plan, and the permission to administer forms to ensure everything is correct and all information matches. Consider creating a checklist to complete each time medication is brought to the facility to help staff verify they have all the required information. Emergency Drills - Practicing emergency drills help providers and children respond to emergency situations in a calm and safe manner. Fire drills must be completed monthly. The last drill documented on the Emergency Drill Log was dated 9/19/24. Per our discussion, now that you have infants, it is important to practice these drills t ensure you can quickly and safely evacuate all the children in care. You must immediately complete a drill to ensure the children know what to do in an emergency. Safe Sleep Checks – Most SIDS deaths in child care occur on the first day of care or within the first week; unaccustomed prone (tummy) sleeping increases the risk of SIDS eighteen times. Sleeping infants must be checked every 15 minutes to ensure they are still breathing and not in distress. Documentation for an infant, enrolled on 9/2/24 was not available for review. You stated that you had not yet started the forms for the child but would start today. Hazardous Materials – To ensure the safety of the children, all spaces the children have access to must be monitored each day to ensure there are no hazardous materials. In the bathroom used by the children, there was shampoo stored in the unlocked cabinet under the sink. There were also tubes of toothpaste which stated “keep out of reach of children” located less then 5 feet above the floor on the counter of the sink in the same bathroom. In the first bedroom, across from the bathroom, there was a travel size tube of toothpaste on the bed. Per our discussion, these items need to be placed out of reach or in locked storage. This could include locking the bedroom and cabinet doors with approved locks. The toothpaste can also be stored 5 feet above the floor on a shelf where it can be easily accessed for brushing teeth. Reminders: Infant Care – It has been some time since you cared for infants and together, we reviewed the newer rules and best practices. You are also encouraged to review the rules for Safe Sleep Practices, Infant Feeding, and Activity Plan requirements. Per our discussion, there is a section for infants on the second page of the activity plan under Family Child Care Providers Documents. You can also use the one, specific to infants, under Center Documents. We also discussed ideas for caring for an infant in your outdoor space while the other children play. We reviewed that infants must be held for feeding. Once they can hold their own bottle and start solid foods, they can be seated in a high chair. You can also use a low feeding chair in your child care space which does not take up as much space as a high chair. This also allows the infant to be eye level with the other children while they eat. Any age-appropriate approved feeding device is fine. Outdoor Play Time – The outdoor learning environment offers a sense of freedom for children. Children are able to play freely with peers, expand their imagination beyond restraints of indoor activities, release energy, and explore with their sense of touch, smell, and motion. You stated that having 2 infants has made it difficult to get the children outside, but you want to use your deck as part of the outdoor play space. It can be difficult to take children outside when caring for infants. Because infant’s sleep and feeding schedules can vary from day to day it can make it difficult to get everyone outside. Per our discussion, using the deck on days when the ground is wet can be a good idea, especially when children who are not yet walking are in care. It is also easier to access when carrying 2 infants. Simply moving some of the smaller age-appropriate materials to the deck would be an easy way to make use of space. Having a chair, for outdoor feedings, and a pack-n-play on the porch can help with this. Natural Learning Initiative has created resources, 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 and growth of all children. You may find some good ideas for your space by using the resources on their website https://naturalearning.org/resources/. Additional Information: ABCMS New Process - 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. Required Water, Lead Paint, and Asbestos Testing - New child care rules require child care facilities to test for lead in drinking water, lead paint, and asbestos. Testing is required by 1/1/2025. Check out the FAQ in the updated Clean Classrooms for Carolina Kids. Currently there is funding to pay for the testing and to mitigate lead paint or asbestos hazards. Depending on the age of your home or building and the information you provide in the enrollment process, testing for lead paint and asbestos may not be required. Water testing will be required every three years. For more information go to https://www.cleanwaterforuskids.org/en/carolina/ or contact your Environmental Health Specialist. Based on information on the Clean Classrooms for Carolina Kids website, you completed your water testing on 6/29/24 and started the enrollment process for the lead based paint and asbestos testing. At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you. If I may be of further assistance, please contact me by phone at 252-333-2084 or Jennifer Linhardt, Licensing Supervisor, may also be contacted at (252) 373-4199. 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

10A NCAC 09. 1706 · Violation

Name of Operation: LITTLE LAMBS LEARN & PLAY Facility ID: 70000345 Consultant: ANNE BUCK Operation Type: Family CC Home Case Number: Visit Date: 6/4/2024 Number Present: 5 Completed Date: 6/4/2024 Age: From 1 To 5 Total Minutes: 220 Time In: 08:35 AM Time Out: 12:15 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Family CC Home Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of my unannounced Annual Compliance Visit today was to monitor this program for compliance with applicable child care requirements. The Owner/operator assisted me with today’s visit. Your program currently operates with a four-star license, issued 8/11/23 earning 7 points in the education component, 2 points in the program standards component and 1 quality point for serving no more than two children under one year of age. A temporary time visit was completed on 6/27/23 to complete a change of location. The center's compliance history was reviewed with the operator. The program’s compliance history was 78% as of 6/3/24. A walk-through of the home was completed today, all indoor and outdoor areas were monitored. I observed children in the indoor learning environment and found supervision and staff/child ratios to be in compliance. The children were seated at a child size table in the kitchen in preparation for breakfast when I arrived. Breakfast was observed and consisted of waffles, bananas, and milk. After breakfast, the children washed hands and returned to the child care space for free play time. The children had access to a variety of age-appropriate materials on low open shelves. They later transitioned to circle time and practiced their letters and numbers. Corporation Status: Per your statements and according to the NC Secretary of State's website, this facility is not currently owned or operated by a corporation. Please contact me prior to any changes regarding the ownership of this facility. The Albemarle Alliance for Children and Families / Child Care Resource & Referral is able to provide you with resources and information, training opportunities, and technical assistance on child care issues and the Environment Rating Scales. Their phone number is (252) 333-1233 or check out their website at www.albemarleafc.org. The following violation(s) were documented: Violation Number Comment Rule 601 Nutritious meals and snacks served did not meet Meal Patterns for Children in Child Care Programs. The posted menu stated that on 5/28/24 rice Krispy treats were served for snack, on 5/29/24 oatmeal cookies were served for snack, and on 5/31/24 popcorn was served for snack. 10A NCAC 09. 1706(a) 910 Copy of each child's health assessment, including the operator's own preschool child(ren), was not on file within 30 days of enrollment. A health assessment was not on file for one child enrolled on 5/3/24. GS 110-91(1); 10A NCAC 09.1721(a)(1) 1940 Hazardous cleaning supplies and other items that might be poisonous e.g. toxic plants, were not out of reach or in locked storage when children were in care. The door of the bedroom across from the bathroom used by the children was not locked. On the bed, there were jars of lotion and an aerosol bottle of perfume. .1719(a)(6) 1990 Infant feeding plans did not include the required information, including but not limited to the type and amount of milk, formula and food, and the frequency of feedings, and/or was not available for reference. The plan on file for AC, date of birth 5/11/23, was not signed by the parent/guardian. .1706(i) Be knowledgeable of the child care laws and rules and environmental health rules; review them with your staff and assist them with understanding and implementing them to maintain compliance and keep children safe and healthy. The most recent versions of child care laws and rules (updated 7/1/23) and environmental health rules (updated 7/1/23) in North Carolina, the Items Number Listing (can be used as a detailed checklist of required items) and What’s New information are available on the DCDEE website, www.ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov. Check the designated facility email at least weekly to stay current with communication and email blasts from DCDEE. If your email is not the facility email, sign up for email blasts on the What’s New page for general information and communication from DCDEE. 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 6/18/24, 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 considered 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: Anne Buck, Child Care Consultant PO Box 2363 Elizabeth City, NC 27906 Anne.Buck@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: Nutrition - Nutritious foods should be offered throughout the day to ensure children are getting the nourishment and energy they need to learn, grow and be healthy. Child Care Rule 10A NCAC 09.0901 requires meals and snacks served to children in a child care center to comply with the meal patterns for children in child care. The posted menu stated that on 5/28/24 rice Krispy treats were served for snack, on 5/29/24 oatmeal cookies were served for snack, and on 5/31/24 popcorn was served for snack. Items such as cookies or cake should only be offered during special occasions such a birthday parties. Popcorn does not meet the nutritional requirements for a snack and can be a choking hazard for children under 2 years of age. Consider offering half of a peanut butter sandwich or cheese and crackers as a more nutritional option. Review your meal selection for the month and ensure you provide snacks that meet the nutritional requirements. Consider posting a copy of the Meal Patterns Guide in your kitchen to serve as a reference to you as you are planning your menu. You can print a copy of the Meal Patterns Guide by going to the Division’s website, www.ncchildcare.nc.gov, under Provider and Provider Documents. Per our discussion, for more information about the meal patterns, including very helpful menu checklists and technical assistance webinars, go to the Nutritionnc.com/snp/meal-patterns.htm page of the Division of Public Health. Hazardous Products - There are over two million human poison exposures reported to poison centers every year. Children under six years of age account for over half of those potential poisonings. Any product under pressure, such as aerosol cans, and any product that includes more than one warning must be in locked storage. The door of the bedroom across from the bathroom used by the children was not locked. On the bed, there were jars of lotion and an aerosol bottle of perfume. To bring this into compliance, these items must be placed in locked storage, or a lock must be placed on the bedroom door. You stated that you would find a place to put the items in locked storage. Children’s Health Assessment - Each child shall have a health assessment before being admitted or within 30 days following admission to a child care facility. One child enrolled on 5/3/24, did not have a medical exam on file for review today. You stated that you had contacted the parent, but have not yet received the information. Consider requiring the parent to provide you with the health assessment prior to the first day of care. This ensures you have all the information you need to provide the best care for the child. Infant Feeding Plan – To ensure continuity of care between the provider and home, the parents or healthcare provider must complete an individual written feeding plan for each child under the age of 15 months. The information in the plan helps the provider follow the same schedule with the same types of foods as the parent is providing at home. Children feel more secure when their day follows a steady pattern. The written plan must be signed by the parent and posted in the classroom. The plan on file for AC, date of birth 5/11/23, was not signed by the parent/guardian or posted in the classroom. Reminders: You have had a new child, who is 16 years of age, recently move into your home. Anyone living in the home, who is over 15 years of age, must complete a criminal background check through the ABCMS portal. Once the person moves in, you have 5 days to begin the process. You stated that you will begin the process tomorrow as you already plan to be closed for the day. Additional Information: The Healthy Social Behaviors (HSB) Project supports teachers to promote healthy social-emotional development and reduce the expulsion rate among young children in licensed child care centers across North Carolina. The team is made up of specialists with early childhood education backgrounds who are passionate about empowering teachers to develop learning environments and teaching practices that promote prosocial skills in young children. To speak to a Behavior Support Advisor, contact 1-888-600-1685 option 1. Provider Access to ABCMS - Beginning February 1, child care administrators can access the Automated Background Check Management System (ABCMS) This access will allow providers to: •See the real-time background check status of staff members. •Run a printable report of the staff roster to assist with compliance visits. •See new background check applicants and add them to staff roster. Access to the ABCMS requires the successful completion of a Moodle course consisting of a short video followed by a test. All staff must connect their CBC with your license number and the date this was completed listed on your Staff and Training Worksheet. Required Water, Lead Paint, and Asbestos Testing - New child care rules require child care facilities to test for lead in drinking water, lead paint, and asbestos. Testing is required by 1/1/2025. Check out the FAQ in the updated Clean Classrooms for Carolina Kids. Currently there is funding to pay for the testing and to mitigate lead paint or asbestos hazards. Depending on the age of your home and the information you provide in the enrollment process, testing for lead paint and asbestos may not be required. For more information go to https://www.cleanwaterforuskids.org/en/carolina/ or contact your Environmental Health Specialist. You must email the results to me once these are completed. At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you. If I may be of further assistance, please contact me by phone at 252-333-2084 or Jennifer Linhardt, Licensing Supervisor, may also be contacted at (252) 373-4199. 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

10A NCAC 09.0901 · Violation

Name of Operation: LITTLE LAMBS LEARN & PLAY Facility ID: 70000345 Consultant: ANNE BUCK Operation Type: Family CC Home Case Number: Visit Date: 6/4/2024 Number Present: 5 Completed Date: 6/4/2024 Age: From 1 To 5 Total Minutes: 220 Time In: 08:35 AM Time Out: 12:15 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Family CC Home Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of my unannounced Annual Compliance Visit today was to monitor this program for compliance with applicable child care requirements. The Owner/operator assisted me with today’s visit. Your program currently operates with a four-star license, issued 8/11/23 earning 7 points in the education component, 2 points in the program standards component and 1 quality point for serving no more than two children under one year of age. A temporary time visit was completed on 6/27/23 to complete a change of location. The center's compliance history was reviewed with the operator. The program’s compliance history was 78% as of 6/3/24. A walk-through of the home was completed today, all indoor and outdoor areas were monitored. I observed children in the indoor learning environment and found supervision and staff/child ratios to be in compliance. The children were seated at a child size table in the kitchen in preparation for breakfast when I arrived. Breakfast was observed and consisted of waffles, bananas, and milk. After breakfast, the children washed hands and returned to the child care space for free play time. The children had access to a variety of age-appropriate materials on low open shelves. They later transitioned to circle time and practiced their letters and numbers. Corporation Status: Per your statements and according to the NC Secretary of State's website, this facility is not currently owned or operated by a corporation. Please contact me prior to any changes regarding the ownership of this facility. The Albemarle Alliance for Children and Families / Child Care Resource & Referral is able to provide you with resources and information, training opportunities, and technical assistance on child care issues and the Environment Rating Scales. Their phone number is (252) 333-1233 or check out their website at www.albemarleafc.org. The following violation(s) were documented: Violation Number Comment Rule 601 Nutritious meals and snacks served did not meet Meal Patterns for Children in Child Care Programs. The posted menu stated that on 5/28/24 rice Krispy treats were served for snack, on 5/29/24 oatmeal cookies were served for snack, and on 5/31/24 popcorn was served for snack. 10A NCAC 09. 1706(a) 910 Copy of each child's health assessment, including the operator's own preschool child(ren), was not on file within 30 days of enrollment. A health assessment was not on file for one child enrolled on 5/3/24. GS 110-91(1); 10A NCAC 09.1721(a)(1) 1940 Hazardous cleaning supplies and other items that might be poisonous e.g. toxic plants, were not out of reach or in locked storage when children were in care. The door of the bedroom across from the bathroom used by the children was not locked. On the bed, there were jars of lotion and an aerosol bottle of perfume. .1719(a)(6) 1990 Infant feeding plans did not include the required information, including but not limited to the type and amount of milk, formula and food, and the frequency of feedings, and/or was not available for reference. The plan on file for AC, date of birth 5/11/23, was not signed by the parent/guardian. .1706(i) Be knowledgeable of the child care laws and rules and environmental health rules; review them with your staff and assist them with understanding and implementing them to maintain compliance and keep children safe and healthy. The most recent versions of child care laws and rules (updated 7/1/23) and environmental health rules (updated 7/1/23) in North Carolina, the Items Number Listing (can be used as a detailed checklist of required items) and What’s New information are available on the DCDEE website, www.ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov. Check the designated facility email at least weekly to stay current with communication and email blasts from DCDEE. If your email is not the facility email, sign up for email blasts on the What’s New page for general information and communication from DCDEE. 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 6/18/24, 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 considered 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: Anne Buck, Child Care Consultant PO Box 2363 Elizabeth City, NC 27906 Anne.Buck@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: Nutrition - Nutritious foods should be offered throughout the day to ensure children are getting the nourishment and energy they need to learn, grow and be healthy. Child Care Rule 10A NCAC 09.0901 requires meals and snacks served to children in a child care center to comply with the meal patterns for children in child care. The posted menu stated that on 5/28/24 rice Krispy treats were served for snack, on 5/29/24 oatmeal cookies were served for snack, and on 5/31/24 popcorn was served for snack. Items such as cookies or cake should only be offered during special occasions such a birthday parties. Popcorn does not meet the nutritional requirements for a snack and can be a choking hazard for children under 2 years of age. Consider offering half of a peanut butter sandwich or cheese and crackers as a more nutritional option. Review your meal selection for the month and ensure you provide snacks that meet the nutritional requirements. Consider posting a copy of the Meal Patterns Guide in your kitchen to serve as a reference to you as you are planning your menu. You can print a copy of the Meal Patterns Guide by going to the Division’s website, www.ncchildcare.nc.gov, under Provider and Provider Documents. Per our discussion, for more information about the meal patterns, including very helpful menu checklists and technical assistance webinars, go to the Nutritionnc.com/snp/meal-patterns.htm page of the Division of Public Health. Hazardous Products - There are over two million human poison exposures reported to poison centers every year. Children under six years of age account for over half of those potential poisonings. Any product under pressure, such as aerosol cans, and any product that includes more than one warning must be in locked storage. The door of the bedroom across from the bathroom used by the children was not locked. On the bed, there were jars of lotion and an aerosol bottle of perfume. To bring this into compliance, these items must be placed in locked storage, or a lock must be placed on the bedroom door. You stated that you would find a place to put the items in locked storage. Children’s Health Assessment - Each child shall have a health assessment before being admitted or within 30 days following admission to a child care facility. One child enrolled on 5/3/24, did not have a medical exam on file for review today. You stated that you had contacted the parent, but have not yet received the information. Consider requiring the parent to provide you with the health assessment prior to the first day of care. This ensures you have all the information you need to provide the best care for the child. Infant Feeding Plan – To ensure continuity of care between the provider and home, the parents or healthcare provider must complete an individual written feeding plan for each child under the age of 15 months. The information in the plan helps the provider follow the same schedule with the same types of foods as the parent is providing at home. Children feel more secure when their day follows a steady pattern. The written plan must be signed by the parent and posted in the classroom. The plan on file for AC, date of birth 5/11/23, was not signed by the parent/guardian or posted in the classroom. Reminders: You have had a new child, who is 16 years of age, recently move into your home. Anyone living in the home, who is over 15 years of age, must complete a criminal background check through the ABCMS portal. Once the person moves in, you have 5 days to begin the process. You stated that you will begin the process tomorrow as you already plan to be closed for the day. Additional Information: The Healthy Social Behaviors (HSB) Project supports teachers to promote healthy social-emotional development and reduce the expulsion rate among young children in licensed child care centers across North Carolina. The team is made up of specialists with early childhood education backgrounds who are passionate about empowering teachers to develop learning environments and teaching practices that promote prosocial skills in young children. To speak to a Behavior Support Advisor, contact 1-888-600-1685 option 1. Provider Access to ABCMS - Beginning February 1, child care administrators can access the Automated Background Check Management System (ABCMS) This access will allow providers to: •See the real-time background check status of staff members. •Run a printable report of the staff roster to assist with compliance visits. •See new background check applicants and add them to staff roster. Access to the ABCMS requires the successful completion of a Moodle course consisting of a short video followed by a test. All staff must connect their CBC with your license number and the date this was completed listed on your Staff and Training Worksheet. Required Water, Lead Paint, and Asbestos Testing - New child care rules require child care facilities to test for lead in drinking water, lead paint, and asbestos. Testing is required by 1/1/2025. Check out the FAQ in the updated Clean Classrooms for Carolina Kids. Currently there is funding to pay for the testing and to mitigate lead paint or asbestos hazards. Depending on the age of your home and the information you provide in the enrollment process, testing for lead paint and asbestos may not be required. For more information go to https://www.cleanwaterforuskids.org/en/carolina/ or contact your Environmental Health Specialist. You must email the results to me once these are completed. At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you. If I may be of further assistance, please contact me by phone at 252-333-2084 or Jennifer Linhardt, Licensing Supervisor, may also be contacted at (252) 373-4199. 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

10A NCAC 09.1721 · Violation

Name of Operation: LITTLE LAMBS LEARN & PLAY Facility ID: 70000345 Consultant: ANNE BUCK Operation Type: Family CC Home Case Number: Visit Date: 6/4/2024 Number Present: 5 Completed Date: 6/4/2024 Age: From 1 To 5 Total Minutes: 220 Time In: 08:35 AM Time Out: 12:15 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Family CC Home Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of my unannounced Annual Compliance Visit today was to monitor this program for compliance with applicable child care requirements. The Owner/operator assisted me with today’s visit. Your program currently operates with a four-star license, issued 8/11/23 earning 7 points in the education component, 2 points in the program standards component and 1 quality point for serving no more than two children under one year of age. A temporary time visit was completed on 6/27/23 to complete a change of location. The center's compliance history was reviewed with the operator. The program’s compliance history was 78% as of 6/3/24. A walk-through of the home was completed today, all indoor and outdoor areas were monitored. I observed children in the indoor learning environment and found supervision and staff/child ratios to be in compliance. The children were seated at a child size table in the kitchen in preparation for breakfast when I arrived. Breakfast was observed and consisted of waffles, bananas, and milk. After breakfast, the children washed hands and returned to the child care space for free play time. The children had access to a variety of age-appropriate materials on low open shelves. They later transitioned to circle time and practiced their letters and numbers. Corporation Status: Per your statements and according to the NC Secretary of State's website, this facility is not currently owned or operated by a corporation. Please contact me prior to any changes regarding the ownership of this facility. The Albemarle Alliance for Children and Families / Child Care Resource & Referral is able to provide you with resources and information, training opportunities, and technical assistance on child care issues and the Environment Rating Scales. Their phone number is (252) 333-1233 or check out their website at www.albemarleafc.org. The following violation(s) were documented: Violation Number Comment Rule 601 Nutritious meals and snacks served did not meet Meal Patterns for Children in Child Care Programs. The posted menu stated that on 5/28/24 rice Krispy treats were served for snack, on 5/29/24 oatmeal cookies were served for snack, and on 5/31/24 popcorn was served for snack. 10A NCAC 09. 1706(a) 910 Copy of each child's health assessment, including the operator's own preschool child(ren), was not on file within 30 days of enrollment. A health assessment was not on file for one child enrolled on 5/3/24. GS 110-91(1); 10A NCAC 09.1721(a)(1) 1940 Hazardous cleaning supplies and other items that might be poisonous e.g. toxic plants, were not out of reach or in locked storage when children were in care. The door of the bedroom across from the bathroom used by the children was not locked. On the bed, there were jars of lotion and an aerosol bottle of perfume. .1719(a)(6) 1990 Infant feeding plans did not include the required information, including but not limited to the type and amount of milk, formula and food, and the frequency of feedings, and/or was not available for reference. The plan on file for AC, date of birth 5/11/23, was not signed by the parent/guardian. .1706(i) Be knowledgeable of the child care laws and rules and environmental health rules; review them with your staff and assist them with understanding and implementing them to maintain compliance and keep children safe and healthy. The most recent versions of child care laws and rules (updated 7/1/23) and environmental health rules (updated 7/1/23) in North Carolina, the Items Number Listing (can be used as a detailed checklist of required items) and What’s New information are available on the DCDEE website, www.ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov. Check the designated facility email at least weekly to stay current with communication and email blasts from DCDEE. If your email is not the facility email, sign up for email blasts on the What’s New page for general information and communication from DCDEE. 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 6/18/24, 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 considered 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: Anne Buck, Child Care Consultant PO Box 2363 Elizabeth City, NC 27906 Anne.Buck@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: Nutrition - Nutritious foods should be offered throughout the day to ensure children are getting the nourishment and energy they need to learn, grow and be healthy. Child Care Rule 10A NCAC 09.0901 requires meals and snacks served to children in a child care center to comply with the meal patterns for children in child care. The posted menu stated that on 5/28/24 rice Krispy treats were served for snack, on 5/29/24 oatmeal cookies were served for snack, and on 5/31/24 popcorn was served for snack. Items such as cookies or cake should only be offered during special occasions such a birthday parties. Popcorn does not meet the nutritional requirements for a snack and can be a choking hazard for children under 2 years of age. Consider offering half of a peanut butter sandwich or cheese and crackers as a more nutritional option. Review your meal selection for the month and ensure you provide snacks that meet the nutritional requirements. Consider posting a copy of the Meal Patterns Guide in your kitchen to serve as a reference to you as you are planning your menu. You can print a copy of the Meal Patterns Guide by going to the Division’s website, www.ncchildcare.nc.gov, under Provider and Provider Documents. Per our discussion, for more information about the meal patterns, including very helpful menu checklists and technical assistance webinars, go to the Nutritionnc.com/snp/meal-patterns.htm page of the Division of Public Health. Hazardous Products - There are over two million human poison exposures reported to poison centers every year. Children under six years of age account for over half of those potential poisonings. Any product under pressure, such as aerosol cans, and any product that includes more than one warning must be in locked storage. The door of the bedroom across from the bathroom used by the children was not locked. On the bed, there were jars of lotion and an aerosol bottle of perfume. To bring this into compliance, these items must be placed in locked storage, or a lock must be placed on the bedroom door. You stated that you would find a place to put the items in locked storage. Children’s Health Assessment - Each child shall have a health assessment before being admitted or within 30 days following admission to a child care facility. One child enrolled on 5/3/24, did not have a medical exam on file for review today. You stated that you had contacted the parent, but have not yet received the information. Consider requiring the parent to provide you with the health assessment prior to the first day of care. This ensures you have all the information you need to provide the best care for the child. Infant Feeding Plan – To ensure continuity of care between the provider and home, the parents or healthcare provider must complete an individual written feeding plan for each child under the age of 15 months. The information in the plan helps the provider follow the same schedule with the same types of foods as the parent is providing at home. Children feel more secure when their day follows a steady pattern. The written plan must be signed by the parent and posted in the classroom. The plan on file for AC, date of birth 5/11/23, was not signed by the parent/guardian or posted in the classroom. Reminders: You have had a new child, who is 16 years of age, recently move into your home. Anyone living in the home, who is over 15 years of age, must complete a criminal background check through the ABCMS portal. Once the person moves in, you have 5 days to begin the process. You stated that you will begin the process tomorrow as you already plan to be closed for the day. Additional Information: The Healthy Social Behaviors (HSB) Project supports teachers to promote healthy social-emotional development and reduce the expulsion rate among young children in licensed child care centers across North Carolina. The team is made up of specialists with early childhood education backgrounds who are passionate about empowering teachers to develop learning environments and teaching practices that promote prosocial skills in young children. To speak to a Behavior Support Advisor, contact 1-888-600-1685 option 1. Provider Access to ABCMS - Beginning February 1, child care administrators can access the Automated Background Check Management System (ABCMS) This access will allow providers to: •See the real-time background check status of staff members. •Run a printable report of the staff roster to assist with compliance visits. •See new background check applicants and add them to staff roster. Access to the ABCMS requires the successful completion of a Moodle course consisting of a short video followed by a test. All staff must connect their CBC with your license number and the date this was completed listed on your Staff and Training Worksheet. Required Water, Lead Paint, and Asbestos Testing - New child care rules require child care facilities to test for lead in drinking water, lead paint, and asbestos. Testing is required by 1/1/2025. Check out the FAQ in the updated Clean Classrooms for Carolina Kids. Currently there is funding to pay for the testing and to mitigate lead paint or asbestos hazards. Depending on the age of your home and the information you provide in the enrollment process, testing for lead paint and asbestos may not be required. For more information go to https://www.cleanwaterforuskids.org/en/carolina/ or contact your Environmental Health Specialist. You must email the results to me once these are completed. At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you. If I may be of further assistance, please contact me by phone at 252-333-2084 or Jennifer Linhardt, Licensing Supervisor, may also be contacted at (252) 373-4199. 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

GS 110-91 · Violation

Name of Operation: LITTLE LAMBS LEARN & PLAY Facility ID: 70000345 Consultant: ANNE BUCK Operation Type: Family CC Home Case Number: Visit Date: 6/4/2024 Number Present: 5 Completed Date: 6/4/2024 Age: From 1 To 5 Total Minutes: 220 Time In: 08:35 AM Time Out: 12:15 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Family CC Home Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of my unannounced Annual Compliance Visit today was to monitor this program for compliance with applicable child care requirements. The Owner/operator assisted me with today’s visit. Your program currently operates with a four-star license, issued 8/11/23 earning 7 points in the education component, 2 points in the program standards component and 1 quality point for serving no more than two children under one year of age. A temporary time visit was completed on 6/27/23 to complete a change of location. The center's compliance history was reviewed with the operator. The program’s compliance history was 78% as of 6/3/24. A walk-through of the home was completed today, all indoor and outdoor areas were monitored. I observed children in the indoor learning environment and found supervision and staff/child ratios to be in compliance. The children were seated at a child size table in the kitchen in preparation for breakfast when I arrived. Breakfast was observed and consisted of waffles, bananas, and milk. After breakfast, the children washed hands and returned to the child care space for free play time. The children had access to a variety of age-appropriate materials on low open shelves. They later transitioned to circle time and practiced their letters and numbers. Corporation Status: Per your statements and according to the NC Secretary of State's website, this facility is not currently owned or operated by a corporation. Please contact me prior to any changes regarding the ownership of this facility. The Albemarle Alliance for Children and Families / Child Care Resource & Referral is able to provide you with resources and information, training opportunities, and technical assistance on child care issues and the Environment Rating Scales. Their phone number is (252) 333-1233 or check out their website at www.albemarleafc.org. The following violation(s) were documented: Violation Number Comment Rule 601 Nutritious meals and snacks served did not meet Meal Patterns for Children in Child Care Programs. The posted menu stated that on 5/28/24 rice Krispy treats were served for snack, on 5/29/24 oatmeal cookies were served for snack, and on 5/31/24 popcorn was served for snack. 10A NCAC 09. 1706(a) 910 Copy of each child's health assessment, including the operator's own preschool child(ren), was not on file within 30 days of enrollment. A health assessment was not on file for one child enrolled on 5/3/24. GS 110-91(1); 10A NCAC 09.1721(a)(1) 1940 Hazardous cleaning supplies and other items that might be poisonous e.g. toxic plants, were not out of reach or in locked storage when children were in care. The door of the bedroom across from the bathroom used by the children was not locked. On the bed, there were jars of lotion and an aerosol bottle of perfume. .1719(a)(6) 1990 Infant feeding plans did not include the required information, including but not limited to the type and amount of milk, formula and food, and the frequency of feedings, and/or was not available for reference. The plan on file for AC, date of birth 5/11/23, was not signed by the parent/guardian. .1706(i) Be knowledgeable of the child care laws and rules and environmental health rules; review them with your staff and assist them with understanding and implementing them to maintain compliance and keep children safe and healthy. The most recent versions of child care laws and rules (updated 7/1/23) and environmental health rules (updated 7/1/23) in North Carolina, the Items Number Listing (can be used as a detailed checklist of required items) and What’s New information are available on the DCDEE website, www.ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov. Check the designated facility email at least weekly to stay current with communication and email blasts from DCDEE. If your email is not the facility email, sign up for email blasts on the What’s New page for general information and communication from DCDEE. 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 6/18/24, 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 considered 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: Anne Buck, Child Care Consultant PO Box 2363 Elizabeth City, NC 27906 Anne.Buck@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: Nutrition - Nutritious foods should be offered throughout the day to ensure children are getting the nourishment and energy they need to learn, grow and be healthy. Child Care Rule 10A NCAC 09.0901 requires meals and snacks served to children in a child care center to comply with the meal patterns for children in child care. The posted menu stated that on 5/28/24 rice Krispy treats were served for snack, on 5/29/24 oatmeal cookies were served for snack, and on 5/31/24 popcorn was served for snack. Items such as cookies or cake should only be offered during special occasions such a birthday parties. Popcorn does not meet the nutritional requirements for a snack and can be a choking hazard for children under 2 years of age. Consider offering half of a peanut butter sandwich or cheese and crackers as a more nutritional option. Review your meal selection for the month and ensure you provide snacks that meet the nutritional requirements. Consider posting a copy of the Meal Patterns Guide in your kitchen to serve as a reference to you as you are planning your menu. You can print a copy of the Meal Patterns Guide by going to the Division’s website, www.ncchildcare.nc.gov, under Provider and Provider Documents. Per our discussion, for more information about the meal patterns, including very helpful menu checklists and technical assistance webinars, go to the Nutritionnc.com/snp/meal-patterns.htm page of the Division of Public Health. Hazardous Products - There are over two million human poison exposures reported to poison centers every year. Children under six years of age account for over half of those potential poisonings. Any product under pressure, such as aerosol cans, and any product that includes more than one warning must be in locked storage. The door of the bedroom across from the bathroom used by the children was not locked. On the bed, there were jars of lotion and an aerosol bottle of perfume. To bring this into compliance, these items must be placed in locked storage, or a lock must be placed on the bedroom door. You stated that you would find a place to put the items in locked storage. Children’s Health Assessment - Each child shall have a health assessment before being admitted or within 30 days following admission to a child care facility. One child enrolled on 5/3/24, did not have a medical exam on file for review today. You stated that you had contacted the parent, but have not yet received the information. Consider requiring the parent to provide you with the health assessment prior to the first day of care. This ensures you have all the information you need to provide the best care for the child. Infant Feeding Plan – To ensure continuity of care between the provider and home, the parents or healthcare provider must complete an individual written feeding plan for each child under the age of 15 months. The information in the plan helps the provider follow the same schedule with the same types of foods as the parent is providing at home. Children feel more secure when their day follows a steady pattern. The written plan must be signed by the parent and posted in the classroom. The plan on file for AC, date of birth 5/11/23, was not signed by the parent/guardian or posted in the classroom. Reminders: You have had a new child, who is 16 years of age, recently move into your home. Anyone living in the home, who is over 15 years of age, must complete a criminal background check through the ABCMS portal. Once the person moves in, you have 5 days to begin the process. You stated that you will begin the process tomorrow as you already plan to be closed for the day. Additional Information: The Healthy Social Behaviors (HSB) Project supports teachers to promote healthy social-emotional development and reduce the expulsion rate among young children in licensed child care centers across North Carolina. The team is made up of specialists with early childhood education backgrounds who are passionate about empowering teachers to develop learning environments and teaching practices that promote prosocial skills in young children. To speak to a Behavior Support Advisor, contact 1-888-600-1685 option 1. Provider Access to ABCMS - Beginning February 1, child care administrators can access the Automated Background Check Management System (ABCMS) This access will allow providers to: •See the real-time background check status of staff members. •Run a printable report of the staff roster to assist with compliance visits. •See new background check applicants and add them to staff roster. Access to the ABCMS requires the successful completion of a Moodle course consisting of a short video followed by a test. All staff must connect their CBC with your license number and the date this was completed listed on your Staff and Training Worksheet. Required Water, Lead Paint, and Asbestos Testing - New child care rules require child care facilities to test for lead in drinking water, lead paint, and asbestos. Testing is required by 1/1/2025. Check out the FAQ in the updated Clean Classrooms for Carolina Kids. Currently there is funding to pay for the testing and to mitigate lead paint or asbestos hazards. Depending on the age of your home and the information you provide in the enrollment process, testing for lead paint and asbestos may not be required. For more information go to https://www.cleanwaterforuskids.org/en/carolina/ or contact your Environmental Health Specialist. You must email the results to me once these are completed. At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you. If I may be of further assistance, please contact me by phone at 252-333-2084 or Jennifer Linhardt, Licensing Supervisor, may also be contacted at (252) 373-4199. 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

NC GS 110-90 · Violation

Name of Operation: LITTLE LAMBS LEARN & PLAY Facility ID: 70000345 Consultant: ANNE BUCK Operation Type: Family CC Home Case Number: Visit Date: 6/4/2024 Number Present: 5 Completed Date: 6/4/2024 Age: From 1 To 5 Total Minutes: 220 Time In: 08:35 AM Time Out: 12:15 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Family CC Home Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of my unannounced Annual Compliance Visit today was to monitor this program for compliance with applicable child care requirements. The Owner/operator assisted me with today’s visit. Your program currently operates with a four-star license, issued 8/11/23 earning 7 points in the education component, 2 points in the program standards component and 1 quality point for serving no more than two children under one year of age. A temporary time visit was completed on 6/27/23 to complete a change of location. The center's compliance history was reviewed with the operator. The program’s compliance history was 78% as of 6/3/24. A walk-through of the home was completed today, all indoor and outdoor areas were monitored. I observed children in the indoor learning environment and found supervision and staff/child ratios to be in compliance. The children were seated at a child size table in the kitchen in preparation for breakfast when I arrived. Breakfast was observed and consisted of waffles, bananas, and milk. After breakfast, the children washed hands and returned to the child care space for free play time. The children had access to a variety of age-appropriate materials on low open shelves. They later transitioned to circle time and practiced their letters and numbers. Corporation Status: Per your statements and according to the NC Secretary of State's website, this facility is not currently owned or operated by a corporation. Please contact me prior to any changes regarding the ownership of this facility. The Albemarle Alliance for Children and Families / Child Care Resource & Referral is able to provide you with resources and information, training opportunities, and technical assistance on child care issues and the Environment Rating Scales. Their phone number is (252) 333-1233 or check out their website at www.albemarleafc.org. The following violation(s) were documented: Violation Number Comment Rule 601 Nutritious meals and snacks served did not meet Meal Patterns for Children in Child Care Programs. The posted menu stated that on 5/28/24 rice Krispy treats were served for snack, on 5/29/24 oatmeal cookies were served for snack, and on 5/31/24 popcorn was served for snack. 10A NCAC 09. 1706(a) 910 Copy of each child's health assessment, including the operator's own preschool child(ren), was not on file within 30 days of enrollment. A health assessment was not on file for one child enrolled on 5/3/24. GS 110-91(1); 10A NCAC 09.1721(a)(1) 1940 Hazardous cleaning supplies and other items that might be poisonous e.g. toxic plants, were not out of reach or in locked storage when children were in care. The door of the bedroom across from the bathroom used by the children was not locked. On the bed, there were jars of lotion and an aerosol bottle of perfume. .1719(a)(6) 1990 Infant feeding plans did not include the required information, including but not limited to the type and amount of milk, formula and food, and the frequency of feedings, and/or was not available for reference. The plan on file for AC, date of birth 5/11/23, was not signed by the parent/guardian. .1706(i) Be knowledgeable of the child care laws and rules and environmental health rules; review them with your staff and assist them with understanding and implementing them to maintain compliance and keep children safe and healthy. The most recent versions of child care laws and rules (updated 7/1/23) and environmental health rules (updated 7/1/23) in North Carolina, the Items Number Listing (can be used as a detailed checklist of required items) and What’s New information are available on the DCDEE website, www.ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov. Check the designated facility email at least weekly to stay current with communication and email blasts from DCDEE. If your email is not the facility email, sign up for email blasts on the What’s New page for general information and communication from DCDEE. 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 6/18/24, 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 considered 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: Anne Buck, Child Care Consultant PO Box 2363 Elizabeth City, NC 27906 Anne.Buck@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: Nutrition - Nutritious foods should be offered throughout the day to ensure children are getting the nourishment and energy they need to learn, grow and be healthy. Child Care Rule 10A NCAC 09.0901 requires meals and snacks served to children in a child care center to comply with the meal patterns for children in child care. The posted menu stated that on 5/28/24 rice Krispy treats were served for snack, on 5/29/24 oatmeal cookies were served for snack, and on 5/31/24 popcorn was served for snack. Items such as cookies or cake should only be offered during special occasions such a birthday parties. Popcorn does not meet the nutritional requirements for a snack and can be a choking hazard for children under 2 years of age. Consider offering half of a peanut butter sandwich or cheese and crackers as a more nutritional option. Review your meal selection for the month and ensure you provide snacks that meet the nutritional requirements. Consider posting a copy of the Meal Patterns Guide in your kitchen to serve as a reference to you as you are planning your menu. You can print a copy of the Meal Patterns Guide by going to the Division’s website, www.ncchildcare.nc.gov, under Provider and Provider Documents. Per our discussion, for more information about the meal patterns, including very helpful menu checklists and technical assistance webinars, go to the Nutritionnc.com/snp/meal-patterns.htm page of the Division of Public Health. Hazardous Products - There are over two million human poison exposures reported to poison centers every year. Children under six years of age account for over half of those potential poisonings. Any product under pressure, such as aerosol cans, and any product that includes more than one warning must be in locked storage. The door of the bedroom across from the bathroom used by the children was not locked. On the bed, there were jars of lotion and an aerosol bottle of perfume. To bring this into compliance, these items must be placed in locked storage, or a lock must be placed on the bedroom door. You stated that you would find a place to put the items in locked storage. Children’s Health Assessment - Each child shall have a health assessment before being admitted or within 30 days following admission to a child care facility. One child enrolled on 5/3/24, did not have a medical exam on file for review today. You stated that you had contacted the parent, but have not yet received the information. Consider requiring the parent to provide you with the health assessment prior to the first day of care. This ensures you have all the information you need to provide the best care for the child. Infant Feeding Plan – To ensure continuity of care between the provider and home, the parents or healthcare provider must complete an individual written feeding plan for each child under the age of 15 months. The information in the plan helps the provider follow the same schedule with the same types of foods as the parent is providing at home. Children feel more secure when their day follows a steady pattern. The written plan must be signed by the parent and posted in the classroom. The plan on file for AC, date of birth 5/11/23, was not signed by the parent/guardian or posted in the classroom. Reminders: You have had a new child, who is 16 years of age, recently move into your home. Anyone living in the home, who is over 15 years of age, must complete a criminal background check through the ABCMS portal. Once the person moves in, you have 5 days to begin the process. You stated that you will begin the process tomorrow as you already plan to be closed for the day. Additional Information: The Healthy Social Behaviors (HSB) Project supports teachers to promote healthy social-emotional development and reduce the expulsion rate among young children in licensed child care centers across North Carolina. The team is made up of specialists with early childhood education backgrounds who are passionate about empowering teachers to develop learning environments and teaching practices that promote prosocial skills in young children. To speak to a Behavior Support Advisor, contact 1-888-600-1685 option 1. Provider Access to ABCMS - Beginning February 1, child care administrators can access the Automated Background Check Management System (ABCMS) This access will allow providers to: •See the real-time background check status of staff members. •Run a printable report of the staff roster to assist with compliance visits. •See new background check applicants and add them to staff roster. Access to the ABCMS requires the successful completion of a Moodle course consisting of a short video followed by a test. All staff must connect their CBC with your license number and the date this was completed listed on your Staff and Training Worksheet. Required Water, Lead Paint, and Asbestos Testing - New child care rules require child care facilities to test for lead in drinking water, lead paint, and asbestos. Testing is required by 1/1/2025. Check out the FAQ in the updated Clean Classrooms for Carolina Kids. Currently there is funding to pay for the testing and to mitigate lead paint or asbestos hazards. Depending on the age of your home and the information you provide in the enrollment process, testing for lead paint and asbestos may not be required. For more information go to https://www.cleanwaterforuskids.org/en/carolina/ or contact your Environmental Health Specialist. You must email the results to me once these are completed. At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you. If I may be of further assistance, please contact me by phone at 252-333-2084 or Jennifer Linhardt, Licensing Supervisor, may also be contacted at (252) 373-4199. 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

NC GS 110-90 · Violation

Name of Operation: LITTLE LAMBS LEARN & PLAY Facility ID: 70000345 Consultant: ANNE BUCK Operation Type: Family CC Home Case Number: Visit Date: 1/18/2024 Number Present: 4 Completed Date: 1/18/2024 Age: From 0 To 4 Total Minutes: 230 Time In: 09:10 AM Time Out: 01:00 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Family CC Home Type Of Visit: Routine Unannounced Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s unannounced visit was to monitor compliance with applicable child care requirements for a routine unannounced visit. N. Mitchell, Owner/operator, assisted me with today’s visit. Your program currently operates with a four-star license, issued 8/11/23 earning 7 points in the education component, 2 points in the program standards component and 1 quality point for: Infant capacity restricted to no more than two children under one year of age. On June 27, 2023, the Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE) introduced a cohort model and timeline for resuming the star rated license reassessments. This cohort model includes a preparation year and a reassessment year. Your facility will be in Cohort 3 which means your preparation year will be 7/1/25-6/30/26 and your reassessment year will be 7/1/26-6/30/27. There are opportunities within the preparation year that will help prepare your facility for the reassessment year. Additional information and supports are available on the Division website under Providers, Licensing, Star Rated License, and Resuming Star Rated License. A Temporary Time visit was completed on 6/27/23. The facilities’ compliance history was reviewed with the operator. The program’s compliance history was 85% as of 1/16/24. A walk-through of the facility was completed today, all indoor and outdoor areas were monitored. I observed children in the indoor learning environments and found supervision and staff/child ratios to be in compliance. Children were participating in group time, free play in activity areas, transitions, and personal care routines. Breakfast was observed and consisted of waffles with syrup, bananas, and milk. After breakfast, the children washed their hands and cleaned up the toys in the classroom. The provider reviewed letters, read them a book on penguins, and then the children drew a picture of a penguin. The infant was held for the reading of the book and allowed color with supervision while the older children worked on their pictures. The provider added vocabulary to describe what the children were doing and to provide suggestions when they struggled to complete a task. A new 4 foot high fence has been added to the back yard playground. The children did not go outside today due to a cold weather warning. The following violation(s) were documented: Violation Number Comment Rule 706 Corrosive agents, pesticides, bleaches, detergents, cleansers, polishes, and products under pressure in an aerosol dispenser and any substance that may be hazardous to a child if ingested, inhaled, or handled were not kept in locked storage when children were in care. There was a AA battery located on the provider’s desk in the classroom. There were containers of make-up and Miracle Curle cream located in the cabinet under the sink in the bathroom used by the children. In the kitchen, the doors where cleaning supplies and aerosol cans were stored were locked with a chain and padlock, however, the unlocked cabinet next to these did not have a solid barrier between the cabinets making the cleaning supplies accessible. The provider’s purse was on the floor next to the desk and accessible to the children. A container of hand sanitizer was in the Ready to Go bag which was stored in the unlocked cabinet under the sink in the classroom. .1719 (a)(7) 804 Soiled diapers were not placed in a covered, leak-proof container which was not emptied and cleaned daily. After diapering the infant, the provider placed the soiled diaper in the open plastic trash can used by the children to dispose of their paper towels after hand washing. .1725(a)(6)(D) 1876 The operator did not review the EPR Plan annually or when information in the plan changed to ensure all information is current. The EPR plan on file did not contain the new license number, the new floor plan, the correct location of the pull box, correct location of the attendance sheets, or the new location for children to shelter in place. .1714(e ) 1922 Plastic bags, toys, and toy parts small enough to be swallowed, including but not limited to materials that can be easily torn apart such as foam rubber and styrofoam, were accessible to children under the age of three. There were plastic bags located less than 5 feet above the floor in the bathroom sink cabinet, in the food pantry in the kitchen, in the Ready to Go bag, and the outdoor bag. There were 2 children 2 years of age or younger in care today. .1719(a)(18) Be knowledgeable of the child care laws and rules and environmental health rules; review them with your staff and assist them with understanding and implementing them to maintain compliance and keep children safe and healthy. The most recent versions of child care laws and rules (updated 7/1/23) and environmental health rules (updated 7/1/23) in North Carolina, the Items Number Listing (can be used as a detailed checklist of required items) and What’s New information are available on the DCDEE website, www.ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov. Check the designated facility email at least weekly to stay current with communication and email blasts from DCDEE. If your email is not the facility email, sign up for email blasts on the What’s New page for general information and communication from DCDEE. 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 2/1/24, 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 considered 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: Anne Buck, Child Care Consultant PO Box 2363 Elizabeth City, NC 27906 Anne.Buck@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: Storage of Biocontaminants - Keeping the spaces used by children clean and free of biocontaminants is an important step in keeping children safe and healthy. When a diaper change has been completed, the dirty diaper must be placed in a covered, leak-proof container which is emptied and cleaned daily. After diapering the infant, the provider placed the soiled diaper in the open plastic trash can used by the children to dispose of their paper towels after hand washing. Per our discussion, a trash can with a lid that closes must be placed near where diapers are changed to ensure children do not have access to the dirty diapers. This trash can must be emptied daily. You have a small trash can with hands free opening that would work for this requirement. Plastic Bags - Plastic bags have been recognized for many years as a suffocation hazard. According to Caring for Our Children, 3rd edition, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has received average annual reports of twenty-five deaths per year to children due to suffocation from plastic bags. In child care facilities, plastic bags must be made inaccessible to children less than three years of age. There were plastic bags located less than 5 feet above the floor in the bathroom sink cabinet, in the food pantry in the kitchen, in the Ready to Go bag, and the outdoor bag. There were 2 children 2 years of age or younger in care today. To make plastic bags inaccessible to children less than three years old, store them above five feet from the finished floor. Per our discussion, as you decide where to place items in your new space, make sure that all plastic bags are located 5 feet above the floor or in locked storage. You must go through all your cabinets and drawers to ensure these items are stored safely. Storage of Hazardous Items - Intentional planning of the environment ensures a safe environment has been created which reduces injuries to young children. There was a AA battery located on the provider’s desk in the classroom. There were containers of make-up and Miracle Curle cream located in the cabinet under the sink in the bathroom used by the children. In the kitchen, the doors where cleaning supplies and aerosol cans were stored were locked with a chain and padlock, however, the unlocked cabinet next to these did not have a solid barrier between the cabinets making the cleaning supplies accessible. The provider’s purse was on the floor next to the desk and accessible to the children. A container of hand sanitizer was in the Ready to Go bag which was stored in the unlocked cabinet under the sink in the classroom. We reviewed the requirements for cleaners, hand sanitizers, purses, and the need to go through all cabinets and storage areas to ensure no hazards are accessible to the children. Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) Plan– Your Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) Plan must be reviewed and updated annually or when changes occur to ensure the safety of the children in care. The plan available for review was dated 6/26/23. You have moved into a new home with a different floor plan and a new license number. Per our discussion, even though you are located at the same address, many things in your EPR plan are now different and must be updated. The EPR plan on file did not contain the new license number, the new floor plan, the correct location of the pull box, correct location of the attendance sheets, or the new location for children to shelter in place. You must go through your plan and review all information to ensure it is current and accurate. Additional Technical Assistance: Diaper Changing Procedures: Following proper diaper changing procedures is crucial to preventing the spread of infection and disease. Per our discussion, you have space on the counter next to your classroom sink to add a diaper changing station. If you place the pad on the counter, you must ensure that it will not slip once you place a child on the pad. After use, the pad must be cleaned with soapy water and then sprayed with disinfectant to ensure there is no cross contamination between children. Make sure no children are nearby when you spray the pad. Remember to post a copy of the diaper changing procedures near your classroom sink to help you remember to complete each step: 1. Wash your hands. 2. Gather supplies before placing child on diapering surface. Place supplies near but not on the diaper changing surface. 3. Put on disposable gloves (optional) 4. Remove soiled clothing 5. Remove soiled disposable diaper and gloves, discard in covered trash. 6. Clean your hands with a fresh disposable wipe. 7. Wipe the child’s hands with a fresh disposable wipe. 8. Place a clean diaper under the child. 9. Fasten diaper and dress child. 10. Wash child’s hands 11. Spray entire diapering surface with soapy water solution and wipe clean with a disposable paper towel. 12. Spray entire diapering surface with DISINFECTANT (surface must be glistening wet) and allow to air dry for at least 2 minutes (for chlorine) or as specified on disinfectant label. 13. Wash your hands. Consider reaching out to Albemarle Alliance at 252) 333-1233 to request an additional poster so you will have one available in your classroom and in your bathroom. Screen Time Limitations - If you allow screen time, such as television, videos, DVDs, video games, computer, in your child care program, you are required to limit it to no more than ½ hour per day for any child older than 2 years of age. Screen time that is used routinely, such as during meal preparation or at naptime, should be included in the daily schedule. All screen time must have an educational purpose and be offered as a free choice activity. The time children are using these devices must also be tracked and documented on a Screen Time Log. A copy of this form is available on the Division website under Provider Documents. Children 2 years of age and younger must be offered alternative activities if screen time is offered to older children. These children may not have any screen time. This includes tablets, computers, TV, and phone screens. Usage may be extended for school-age children completing homework assignments. Nutrition - Nutritious foods should be offered throughout the day to ensure children are getting the nourishment and energy they need to learn, grow and be healthy. For children younger than two years of age, breast milk, formula or unflavored whole milk must be served. For children older than two years of age, low-fat or skim unflavored milk may be served. Even if a child does not like milk, the milk must be offered at lunch and breakfast. If this is the only option and the child sees the other children drinking milk, they will often start drinking it as well. Parents may request a special diet for their child. When this happens, documentation of the request must be placed in the child’s file giving specific instructions for how and when the parent wants the child to receive the food. For more information about the meal patterns, including very helpful menu checklists and technical assistance webinars, go to the Nutritionnc.com/snp/meal-patterns.htm page of the Division of Public Health. Additional Information: FCCH Eligible for Free Lead Testing of Tap Water - This is a reminder that testing your drinking and cooking water for lead is currently free through the Clean Water for Carolina Kids program. Family child care homes are required to be free of lead-poisoning hazards, and this testing helps ensure that this requirement is met. If you have not already done so, you are encouraged to complete this test while it is still free. The Healthy Social Behaviors (HSB) Project supports teachers to promote healthy social-emotional development and reduce the expulsion rate among young children in licensed child care centers across North Carolina. The team is made up of specialists with early childhood education backgrounds who are passionate about empowering teachers to develop learning environments and teaching practices that promote prosocial skills in young children. To speak to a Behavior Support Advisor, contact 1-888-600-1685 option 1. At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you. If I may be of further assistance, please contact me by phone at 252-333-2084 or Jennifer Linhardt, Licensing Supervisor, may also be contacted at (252) 373-4199. 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