G.S. 110-91 · Violation

Name of Operation: KIDS' QUALITY TIME CHILDCARE CENTER Facility ID: 41002127 Consultant: SAMANTHA MCLEOD Operation Type: Center Case Number: 0225-208L Visit Date: 2/26/2025 Number Present: 14 Completed Date: 2/26/2025 Age: From 2 To 4 Total Minutes: 225 Time In: 10:00 AM Time Out: 01:45 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Complaint Visit Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced An unannounced visit was conducted at this facility to investigate allegations of noncompliance with the NC Child Care Requirements. This facility currently operates with a Three Star license issued on January 23, 2020. I arrived at the facility to investigate the allegations received in the complaint. Upon my arrival, I was greeted by the Center Administrator, Mrs. M. Heather McFarling. The facility owner, Mrs. Rayshell Vanscoy, arrived shortly after my arrival. I made them aware that I would be conducting classroom observations and would meet with them after my observations. Both Mrs. McFarling and Mrs. Vanscoy assisted me during today’s visit. During today’s visit I walked through the facility and monitored for compliance with staff/child ratio requirements. Adequate supervision of the children was observed during today’s visit. Fourteen (14) children were present during today’s visit. Two classroom spaces were in use during today’s visit. In the space for two-year-old children, eight (8) children were present with two teachers. During today’s visit I observed these children playing with various classroom materials, during transition times, and during mealtime. In the space for four and five year old children, the children were observed during outdoor play, meal time, transition times and rest time. One teacher was present with six children. I conducted interviews with various staff members (teachers) and the administrative staff. During my interviews with the staff, they reported they had not seen any form of inappropriate discipline from other staff members or heard any staff members talk to or treat children in a negative manner. They stated they had received orientation on the facility’s discipline policy. During today’s visit when meeting with the administrative team, I asked Mrs. Vanscoy & Mrs. McFarling if they had any concerns about any staff members currently working at the facility. I also asked if they had seen any form of inappropriate discipline from the staff members. They both stated they did not have any concerns with the current staff. Mrs. McFarling stated they had reviewed the facility’s discipline policy with the staff during orientation and all staff members had signed the policy stating they understood. On February 14, 2025, they had a staff meeting to discuss child care rules related to nurture care, treatment and discipline of the children. All the presently employed staff members were in attendance. Mrs. Vanscoy and Mrs. McFarling have both completed training in January 2025 on the following topics, “Rest time Reluctance and Bite Marks. All currently employed staff members have taken the training, “Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment”. I asked Mrs. Vanscoy and Mrs. McFarling if they had received any recent complaints from any parents regarding inappropriate discipline. Mrs. McFarling stated that a parent had expressed concerns that their child had been hit on top of the head by a staff member. Mrs. McFarling told the parent that she did not believe that it happened. Mrs. Vanscoy stated that she spoke with the parent as well to hear her concerns. The parent made Mrs. Vanscoy aware of a recording she had of the interactions between the staff and children from the classroom. However, Mrs. Vanscoy admitted that she had not heard the recording. During today’s visit I played portions of the recording that was sent to the Intake Department of DCDEE. This recording was from February 18, 2025. On this recording you can hear several interactions between staff members and several children in the classroom for four year old children. While the children are on the playground Ms. T. Summers, teacher for the four/five year children, is heard calling a child a “hood rat” because she took off her shoes and socks. The child is heard asking Ms. Summers to help her put her shoes back on, but the teacher refused to assist her saying to the child, “ you better figure it out yourself, I didn’t take them off”. On the date of this recording the temperature was between 36-40 degrees outside. The child is heard asking for help several times and begins to cry because the teacher refuses to help. The child tells Ms. Summers that she can’t put her shoes on, and Ms. Summers yells at her and tells her to sit down until she can put her shoes on. Ms. Summers is also heard telling this child and another child that “they are on the top of her list and that they are going to sit down when they get inside” and says, “You think this is a game it’s not a game”. The child goes about fifteen minutes outside without assistance with getting her shoes back on. The child transitions inside with the rest of the class and still has not received assistance with putting her shoes on and is still crying. Finally, after 18 minutes Ms. Summers assists the child with getting her shoes on. One minute later Ms. Summers is then heard telling the child “You get on my nerves, go to the potty”. On the same day during rest time Ms. Summers and another staff member, Ms. E. West, are heard having negative interactions with a student who is not resting. --Ms. Summers is heard saying, in a threating tone, “If you don’t lay down, I am going to have something else for you”. --Ms. Summers is also heard mocking the child when he says ow and the proceeds to tell the child to “shut-up”. --When the child tries to kick Ms. West, she is heard telling the child, “If you kick me this will be the last thing you do. I don’t care if I lose my job, I will drag you out of here and give you something to think about”. --Ms. Summers is heard saying “I wish he would hit me; this will be the last day I work here”. “No kids are going to hit me”. After hearing the recording Mrs. Vanscoy and Mrs. McFarling informed me that Mrs. McFarling was not present during naptime and had left for her lunch break. They were unaware of the interactions between the staff members and the children. Limited monitoring of childcare requirements occurred during today's visit. The following violations of childcare requirements were cited. Violation Number Comment Rule 902 Each child was not attended to in a nurturing and appropriate manner, or in keeping with the child's developmental needs. On a recording obtained from the classroom for four and five year old children; while the children are outside, the teacher is heard refusing to assist a child who has taken off their socks and shoes. The child is heard repeatedly asking for assistance with their shoes and the teacher does not assist the child. The teacher is heard telling the child “you better figure it out yourself, I didn’t take them off”. The child begins to cry when the teacher yells at her and tells her to “sit down and put her shoes on”. The child is heard crying off and on for several minutes. The child’s shoes remains off for over fifteen minutes before the teacher assists her with putting her shoes on upon returning into the classroom. G.S. 110-91(10) 1876 A child was yelled at, shamed, humiliated, frightened, threatened or bullied. On a recording obtained from the classroom for four year old children. Teachers are heard yelling at the children, mocking the children and calling them names. The teachers are heard calling a child a “Hood rat”, telling them “they are getting on their nerves”, threating “to drag them out the classroom” and telling them to shut-up”. .1803(a)(9) Child Care facilities must maintain compliance with applicable childcare requirements at all times. In order to maintain compliance with North Carolina childcare laws and rules, the above violations must be corrected immediately. Please send a letter of compliance stating how the above violations were corrected and what you will do in the future to prevent this violation from being cited. Please email me this letter by March 12, 2025. Based on the information gathered during the investigation and interviews from today’s visit, violations regarding discipline, nurture and care was cited. A follow-up visit will be conducted. Based on the nature of the violations that have been cited an administrative action will be recommended for this facility. As I discussed with you today. It is important that each child must be attended to in a nurturing and appropriate manner, and in keeping with the child’s developmental needs. The following recommendations were made to Mrs. Vanscoy and Mrs. McFarling: --I recommend that all staff members take the training class, Rest Time Reluctance. I also recommend that you contact the Regional Behavioral Specialist Mrs. Margot Ufot at GenerationED, our local Resource and Referral Agency at margaret.ufot@gen-ednc.org, to inquire about any upcoming in person trainings she may have available. --We discussed the importance of making sure all staff members are aware and know they are required to inform the administrative staff anytime they hear or witness another staff member attend to a child in an inappropriate manner. --It was also suggested that rest time music levels are lowered significantly in all classrooms and that a member of management is always present and walking around during rest time. --We also discussed the importance of consistently observing the classrooms throughout the day and being more aware of staff and child interactions, especially for new staff members. We also discussed the importance of modeling how staff can handle interactions with children with challenging behaviors. The facility does have newly installed cameras in the classrooms that can be viewed from the owner’s office. But the cameras do not record and there is no sound available. It was recommended as another layer of observation that sound and recording capabilities be added to this system. Additional corrective action will be required for you to complete. If you have any further questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me: Samantha R. McLeod Child Care Consultant (336) 580-5363 (336) 559-3513 (fax) samantha.mcleod@dhhs.nc.gov www.ncchildcare.nc.gov (DCDEE Website) 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