Footsteps Child Care Center, LLC

10A NCAC 09 .0713 · Violation

Name of Operation: FOOTSTEPS CHILD CARE CENTER, LLC Facility ID: 18000431 Consultant: KIMBERLY CRANE Operation Type: Center Case Number: 0426-448L Visit Date: 5/6/2026 Number Present: 39 Completed Date: 5/6/2026 Age: From 0 To 5 Total Minutes: 360 Time In: 09:00 AM Time Out: 03:00 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Complaint Visit Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s unannounced visit was to gather information regarding allegations of violations of child care requirements. You, Tara Bell, Administrator, assisted me with today’s visit. Later in the visit, Don Penland, Owner, joined the visit. I arrived at the facility at approximately 9:00am and rang the doorbell as instructed by a written notice to the side of the door. I was immediately allowed access to the building by a staff member and was then greeted by Ms. Bell in the lobby. After informing Ms. Bell of the purpose for my visit, I followed Ms. Bell to the administrator’s office where I was allowed to work today. At approximately 9:05am, I began a walk-through of the classrooms with Ms. Bell accompanying me. I walked through the facility gathering a count of children and staff present in each classroom. From approximately 9:05am to approximately 9:30am, I observed the following: five children one year of age in Space 1A with one staff member, five children less than one year of age in Space 1B with one staff member, twelve children four to five years of age in Space 2 with one staff member, nine children two years of age in Space 4 with one staff member, and eight children three years of age in Space 5 with one staff member. You stated that Space 3, which was set up as an indoor gross motor room was currently being used for storage and was not accessible for use by staff or children. Later in the visit, the doorbell rang notifying Ms. Bell that a child had arrived late due a planned doctor’s appointment. I joined Ms. Bell as she approached the lobby area. Another staff member had answered the door and allowed the parent and child to enter the building. Ms. Bell greeted the family and retrieved the child’s belongings and doctor note from the parent. After the child told their parent goodbye, I joined Ms. Bell as she walked the child to Space 5 and alerted the teacher that the child had arrived. With this child’s arrive, nine children three years of age were now attending Space 5 with one teacher providing care and supervising the group. I investigated the allegations that minimum staff to child ratios were not maintained at the facility during the week of April 27, 2026 through May 1, 2026. Today, I interviewed two staff members. Later in the visit, Mr. Penland was interviewed as well. Staff members stated they could not recall any times last week, April 27, 2026 through May 1, 2026, or this week, May 4, 2026 through May 6, 2026 that staff-child ratios were not being followed. Staff members were asked if any circumstances had occurred last week that had led to more children attending in a classroom than available number of staff were present to provide supervision and care. Ms. Bell shared details of an occurrence that took place on April 30, 2026. Ms. Bell stated that in Space 1B, five children less than one year of age were enrolled for and attended full-time care and one child less than one year of age was enrolled for full-time care but attended randomly on a part-time basis. Ms. Bell and Mr. Penland stated that in the past, all six children less than one year of age enrolled in Space 1B had not attended on the same day. Therefore, an issue with staff to child ratio had not occurred in the past. However, on April 30, 2026, all six children less than one year of age enrolled in Space 1B attended the center with one teacher available to provide care and supervise children in Space 1B. To maintain staff to child ratio, the oldest child enrolled in Space 1B was moved to Space 1A where four children one year of age were being cared for and supervised by one teacher. Moving the oldest child enrolled in Space 1B to Space 1A resulted in a group of five children ranging in age from less than one year of age to one year of age being cared for and supervised by one teacher. Ms. Bell stated that a child one year of age enrolled in Space 1A arrived late at the center at 9:26am on April 30, 2026. Ms. Bell stated that breakfast being served from 8:30am to 9:30am and the child arriving before 9:30am resulted in the child needing to be served breakfast before entering a classroom. Ms. Bell, who was also preparing and serving meals that day stated she was also the only extra staff member available in the center at that time of day to maintain staff to child ratio in the classrooms. In order to carry out meal preparation responsibilities while maintaining staff to child ratio in Space 1A and Space 1B, Mr. Penland stated he instructed Ms. Bell to place a high chair in the doorway between the kitchen and the lobby area, place the one-year-old child in the high chair, serve the child breakfast, and supervise the child eating breakfast while Ms. Bell began the initial lunch preparations. Ms. Bell stated that after the child ate breakfast and the initial lunch preparations were completed, the one-year-old child was moved to Space 1A where the child attended and was cared for in a group of six children ranging in age from less than one year to one year of age with two staff members now supervising and providing care for the group. Ms. Bell stated that children ranging in age from less than one year of age to one year of age were cared for in Space 1A until one one-year-old child enrolled in and attending in Space 1A left for the day at 3:12pm. With this child’s departure, five children ranging in age from less than one year of age to one year of age were cared for in Space 1A with one teacher needed to maintain staff to child ratio for the group. At 3:12pm, Ms. Bell was free to resume routine administrative duties. Ms. Bell and Mr. Penland stated that April 29, 2026 was the last day of employment for the lead teacher in Space 1A, which left the center temporarily short-staffed. Ms. Bell and Mr. Penland stated that a new lead teacher was projected to start employment in Space 1A on May 11, 2026. Based on staff interviews, sufficient information/evidence was available to confirm the allegations. Therefore, the allegations regarding staff/child ratio were substantiated. I investigated the allegations that unapproved space was used. During staff interviews, Ms. Bell and Mr. Penland recalled the incident that occurred on April 30, 2026 and was described and mentioned earlier in this visit summary when a one-year-old child was served breakfast in a high chair located in the kitchen at the center. The kitchen is not approved for child care use. Based on staff interviews, sufficient information/evidence was available to confirm the allegations. Therefore, the allegations regarding use of unapproved space were substantiated. I investigated the allegations that developmentally appropriate activities were not provided to the children. During staff interviews, Ms. Bell and Mr. Penland stated that the one-year-old child being served breakfast in the high chair placed in the kitchen area on April 30, 2026 was routinely served meals in the high chair in Space 1A. A high chair is an approved feeding apparatus and intended for meal service, therefore, eating meals in a high chair is a developmentally appropriate activity for a one-year-old child. I observed one high chair available in Space 1A today. Based on staff interviews and my observations, insufficient information/evidence was available to confirm the allegations. Therefore, the allegations regarding developmentally appropriate activities were unsubstantiated. During today’s visit, staff/child ratios, supervision, staff interactions and discipline, space capacity, and approved space use were monitored and observed to be maintained. The following violations were observed and cited today: Violation Number Comment Rule 209 Children used space that was not approved. On April 30, 2026 from 9:26am to approximately 10:00am, one one-year-old child was served breakfast while sitting in a high chair that was placed inside the doorway between the kitchen and the lobby area. GS 110-91(1)&(4-5) 1842 Staff members and child care administrators who were counted in meeting the staff/child ratios concurrently performed food preparation or other duties that are not direct child care responsibilities. On April 30, 2026 from 9:26am to approximately 10:00am, the administrator provided care for one one-year-old child while performing initial lunch preparations in the kitchen. .0713(a)(8) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: 1. Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .0713(a)(8), staff members and child care administrators should not perform food preparation or other duties that are not direct child care responsibilities while being counted in meeting the staff/child ratios for a group of children. On April 30, 2026 from 9:26am to approximately 10:00am, the administrator provided care for one one-year-old child while performing initial lunch preparations in the kitchen. To correct this violation, I suggested you develop a plan for maintaining day to day operations and staff-child ratios when a staff-child ratio crisis evolves at the center due to staffing. I encouraged you to include solutions that do not include the administrator being required to perform more than two of the following responsibilities at the same time: prepare meals, serve meals, care for children, carry out day to day operations, and carry out administrative duties. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I suggested you reach out to your child care consultant when you have a crisis arise at the center and you are not sure if your solution fulfills compliance with all the child care requirements. 2. Per General Statute 110-91(1) and (4-5), children should only be cared for in spaces approved/licensed for child care use. On April 30, 2026 from 9:26am to approximately 10:00am, one one-year-old child was served breakfast while sitting in a high chair that was placed inside the doorway between the kitchen and the lobby area. To correct this violation, I suggested you develop a plan for maintaining day to day operations and staff-child ratios when a staff-child ratio crisis evolves at the center due to staffing. I encouraged you to include solutions that do not include the administrator being required to perform more than two of the following responsibilities at the same time: prepare meals, serve meals, care for children, carry out day to day operations, and carry out administrative duties. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I suggested you reach out to your child care consultant when you have a crisis arise at the center and you are not sure if your solution fulfills compliance with all the child care requirements. CONSULTATION: 1. As discussed today, due to the nature of the allegations substantiated and the violations cited today, a follow-up visit will be made to this facility within the next two weeks. 2. As discussed today, due to the nature of the allegations substantiated today, an administrative action may be issued by the Division of Child Development and Early Education. As I explained today, an administrative action is not meant to be punitive but rather is a means to provide additional technical assistance and consultation to the facility. 3. While not part of the allegation, staff members stated that during the first hour of the operating day one staff member opens the center at 7:00am and remains in the lobby area of the center to allow parents entry to the center and to care for children ranging from one year of age to five years of age in the lobby area until a second teacher arrives at 7:20. Staff members stated that at 7:20am, a second teacher arrives and takes one-year-old children to Space 1A were children less than one year of age and one year of age are cared for until 7:45am. The first teacher remains in the lobby area answering the door and supervising children ranging in age from two years to five years until 7:45am. At 7:45am, the administrator arrives and the first teacher moves the children ages two to five years of age from the lobby area to Space 5. Staff members also stated that in order for parents to be allowed entry to the building during the last fifteen minutes of the operating day from 5:30pm to 5:45pm, the lobby area is used daily by one teacher to care for the remaining one-year-old children from Space 1A. As discussed today, the lobby is not approved as space for child care use but can be licensed if approved by the building inspector, fire inspector, and sanitation inspector. If you wish to add the lobby to your list of approved child care spaces, please send me have a new building, fire, and sanitation inspection completed and send me the approved inspection reports from the three inspectors. Once you receive approval from building, fire, and sanitation, I will be glad to schedule a visit to come out to inspect and measure the lobby area for the intention of approving the space for licensed child care use. 4. As discussed today, please reach out to me for consultation when you have questions or concerns regarding maintaining child care requirements or if you are in a crisis and would like to talk through your plan to resolve the crisis. 5. As discussed today, to self-report an incident regarding a possible violation of child care requirements, please contact our intake department by phone at (800) 859-0829 (In-State only) or (919) 814-6300 and ask to speak to someone in the Intake Unit (calls can be made anonymously), or fax Information to the Intake Unit at (919) 715-1013, or email our Webmaster at webmasterdcd@dhhs.nc.gov. A link to this email can also be found under the “Home” drop down arrow, where you can select “contact”, and you will then find the webmaster email address which is located in the orange shaded box, or mail Information to: DCDEE 2201 Mail Service Center, Raleigh NC 27699-2200. 6. As discussed today, for the purpose of safety, no children should be allowed access to the kitchen area. The kitchen door should remain locked at all times unless an adult is actively present in the kitchen. 7. As discussed today, the office area, kitchen, and lobby area are not approved for child care use and should not be areas of the building where care for children is being provided. COMPLIANCE PLAN: All violations cited and not corrected today must be corrected immediately. Please submit a written, signed, and dated statement to me at the email/address below detailing the steps taken to correct each violation. 1) Your compliance letter must include the following: 1. The name of your center 2. The center’s ID number 3. The date you write the letter 4. Address each violation stating how you corrected the violation and are now in compliance. 5. Your signature 2) Supporting documentation including the following: 1. Please send supporting documentation such as training certificates, CBC letters, acknowledgement statements, and photographs for me to use to verify compliance. 2. Please DO NOT send staff or child medical documents or documentation for verification as this is a violation of HIPPA protocol. If needed I will verify these documents at the next monitoring visit. I should receive your compliance letter no later than May 20, 2026. Failure to correct the violations and send the written statement by the due date listed above may result in an unannounced follow-up visit being conducted or an administrative action may be recommended. Based on Child Care Rule 10A NCAC 09 Section .2200, the Division of Child Development and Early Education may take administrative action against the license and/or impose civil penalties based on the failure of the operator to correct any documented violations within the established time period. Child care programs are required to maintain compliance with all applicable child care rules and regulations at all times. North Carolina General Statute 110-90(4)(d) requires all child care facilities to maintain a compliance history of at least seventy-five percent (75%) for the past eighteen (18) months or during the length of time the facility has operated, whichever is less. Failure to do so may result in the issuance of a provisional license or other administrative action against the facility's license. Any violations cited during a visit may affect your score. Your letter may be mailed to me at: Kimberly Crane Post Office Box 6217 Hickory, NC 28603 For your convenience, your compliance letter may be sent by email to: kimberly.crane@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 in the body of the email: name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you today. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me by phone at (828) 493-6390 or by email at kimberly.crane@dhhs.nc.gov or my supervisor, Erin Pickard, by email at erin.pickard@dhhs.nc.gov. We appreciate all you do to serve the children and families in your community. Thank you for your time today 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: FOOTSTEPS CHILD CARE CENTER, LLC Facility ID: 18000431 Consultant: KIMBERLY CRANE Operation Type: Center Case Number: 0426-448L Visit Date: 5/6/2026 Number Present: 39 Completed Date: 5/6/2026 Age: From 0 To 5 Total Minutes: 360 Time In: 09:00 AM Time Out: 03:00 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Complaint Visit Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s unannounced visit was to gather information regarding allegations of violations of child care requirements. You, Tara Bell, Administrator, assisted me with today’s visit. Later in the visit, Don Penland, Owner, joined the visit. I arrived at the facility at approximately 9:00am and rang the doorbell as instructed by a written notice to the side of the door. I was immediately allowed access to the building by a staff member and was then greeted by Ms. Bell in the lobby. After informing Ms. Bell of the purpose for my visit, I followed Ms. Bell to the administrator’s office where I was allowed to work today. At approximately 9:05am, I began a walk-through of the classrooms with Ms. Bell accompanying me. I walked through the facility gathering a count of children and staff present in each classroom. From approximately 9:05am to approximately 9:30am, I observed the following: five children one year of age in Space 1A with one staff member, five children less than one year of age in Space 1B with one staff member, twelve children four to five years of age in Space 2 with one staff member, nine children two years of age in Space 4 with one staff member, and eight children three years of age in Space 5 with one staff member. You stated that Space 3, which was set up as an indoor gross motor room was currently being used for storage and was not accessible for use by staff or children. Later in the visit, the doorbell rang notifying Ms. Bell that a child had arrived late due a planned doctor’s appointment. I joined Ms. Bell as she approached the lobby area. Another staff member had answered the door and allowed the parent and child to enter the building. Ms. Bell greeted the family and retrieved the child’s belongings and doctor note from the parent. After the child told their parent goodbye, I joined Ms. Bell as she walked the child to Space 5 and alerted the teacher that the child had arrived. With this child’s arrive, nine children three years of age were now attending Space 5 with one teacher providing care and supervising the group. I investigated the allegations that minimum staff to child ratios were not maintained at the facility during the week of April 27, 2026 through May 1, 2026. Today, I interviewed two staff members. Later in the visit, Mr. Penland was interviewed as well. Staff members stated they could not recall any times last week, April 27, 2026 through May 1, 2026, or this week, May 4, 2026 through May 6, 2026 that staff-child ratios were not being followed. Staff members were asked if any circumstances had occurred last week that had led to more children attending in a classroom than available number of staff were present to provide supervision and care. Ms. Bell shared details of an occurrence that took place on April 30, 2026. Ms. Bell stated that in Space 1B, five children less than one year of age were enrolled for and attended full-time care and one child less than one year of age was enrolled for full-time care but attended randomly on a part-time basis. Ms. Bell and Mr. Penland stated that in the past, all six children less than one year of age enrolled in Space 1B had not attended on the same day. Therefore, an issue with staff to child ratio had not occurred in the past. However, on April 30, 2026, all six children less than one year of age enrolled in Space 1B attended the center with one teacher available to provide care and supervise children in Space 1B. To maintain staff to child ratio, the oldest child enrolled in Space 1B was moved to Space 1A where four children one year of age were being cared for and supervised by one teacher. Moving the oldest child enrolled in Space 1B to Space 1A resulted in a group of five children ranging in age from less than one year of age to one year of age being cared for and supervised by one teacher. Ms. Bell stated that a child one year of age enrolled in Space 1A arrived late at the center at 9:26am on April 30, 2026. Ms. Bell stated that breakfast being served from 8:30am to 9:30am and the child arriving before 9:30am resulted in the child needing to be served breakfast before entering a classroom. Ms. Bell, who was also preparing and serving meals that day stated she was also the only extra staff member available in the center at that time of day to maintain staff to child ratio in the classrooms. In order to carry out meal preparation responsibilities while maintaining staff to child ratio in Space 1A and Space 1B, Mr. Penland stated he instructed Ms. Bell to place a high chair in the doorway between the kitchen and the lobby area, place the one-year-old child in the high chair, serve the child breakfast, and supervise the child eating breakfast while Ms. Bell began the initial lunch preparations. Ms. Bell stated that after the child ate breakfast and the initial lunch preparations were completed, the one-year-old child was moved to Space 1A where the child attended and was cared for in a group of six children ranging in age from less than one year to one year of age with two staff members now supervising and providing care for the group. Ms. Bell stated that children ranging in age from less than one year of age to one year of age were cared for in Space 1A until one one-year-old child enrolled in and attending in Space 1A left for the day at 3:12pm. With this child’s departure, five children ranging in age from less than one year of age to one year of age were cared for in Space 1A with one teacher needed to maintain staff to child ratio for the group. At 3:12pm, Ms. Bell was free to resume routine administrative duties. Ms. Bell and Mr. Penland stated that April 29, 2026 was the last day of employment for the lead teacher in Space 1A, which left the center temporarily short-staffed. Ms. Bell and Mr. Penland stated that a new lead teacher was projected to start employment in Space 1A on May 11, 2026. Based on staff interviews, sufficient information/evidence was available to confirm the allegations. Therefore, the allegations regarding staff/child ratio were substantiated. I investigated the allegations that unapproved space was used. During staff interviews, Ms. Bell and Mr. Penland recalled the incident that occurred on April 30, 2026 and was described and mentioned earlier in this visit summary when a one-year-old child was served breakfast in a high chair located in the kitchen at the center. The kitchen is not approved for child care use. Based on staff interviews, sufficient information/evidence was available to confirm the allegations. Therefore, the allegations regarding use of unapproved space were substantiated. I investigated the allegations that developmentally appropriate activities were not provided to the children. During staff interviews, Ms. Bell and Mr. Penland stated that the one-year-old child being served breakfast in the high chair placed in the kitchen area on April 30, 2026 was routinely served meals in the high chair in Space 1A. A high chair is an approved feeding apparatus and intended for meal service, therefore, eating meals in a high chair is a developmentally appropriate activity for a one-year-old child. I observed one high chair available in Space 1A today. Based on staff interviews and my observations, insufficient information/evidence was available to confirm the allegations. Therefore, the allegations regarding developmentally appropriate activities were unsubstantiated. During today’s visit, staff/child ratios, supervision, staff interactions and discipline, space capacity, and approved space use were monitored and observed to be maintained. The following violations were observed and cited today: Violation Number Comment Rule 209 Children used space that was not approved. On April 30, 2026 from 9:26am to approximately 10:00am, one one-year-old child was served breakfast while sitting in a high chair that was placed inside the doorway between the kitchen and the lobby area. GS 110-91(1)&(4-5) 1842 Staff members and child care administrators who were counted in meeting the staff/child ratios concurrently performed food preparation or other duties that are not direct child care responsibilities. On April 30, 2026 from 9:26am to approximately 10:00am, the administrator provided care for one one-year-old child while performing initial lunch preparations in the kitchen. .0713(a)(8) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: 1. Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .0713(a)(8), staff members and child care administrators should not perform food preparation or other duties that are not direct child care responsibilities while being counted in meeting the staff/child ratios for a group of children. On April 30, 2026 from 9:26am to approximately 10:00am, the administrator provided care for one one-year-old child while performing initial lunch preparations in the kitchen. To correct this violation, I suggested you develop a plan for maintaining day to day operations and staff-child ratios when a staff-child ratio crisis evolves at the center due to staffing. I encouraged you to include solutions that do not include the administrator being required to perform more than two of the following responsibilities at the same time: prepare meals, serve meals, care for children, carry out day to day operations, and carry out administrative duties. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I suggested you reach out to your child care consultant when you have a crisis arise at the center and you are not sure if your solution fulfills compliance with all the child care requirements. 2. Per General Statute 110-91(1) and (4-5), children should only be cared for in spaces approved/licensed for child care use. On April 30, 2026 from 9:26am to approximately 10:00am, one one-year-old child was served breakfast while sitting in a high chair that was placed inside the doorway between the kitchen and the lobby area. To correct this violation, I suggested you develop a plan for maintaining day to day operations and staff-child ratios when a staff-child ratio crisis evolves at the center due to staffing. I encouraged you to include solutions that do not include the administrator being required to perform more than two of the following responsibilities at the same time: prepare meals, serve meals, care for children, carry out day to day operations, and carry out administrative duties. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I suggested you reach out to your child care consultant when you have a crisis arise at the center and you are not sure if your solution fulfills compliance with all the child care requirements. CONSULTATION: 1. As discussed today, due to the nature of the allegations substantiated and the violations cited today, a follow-up visit will be made to this facility within the next two weeks. 2. As discussed today, due to the nature of the allegations substantiated today, an administrative action may be issued by the Division of Child Development and Early Education. As I explained today, an administrative action is not meant to be punitive but rather is a means to provide additional technical assistance and consultation to the facility. 3. While not part of the allegation, staff members stated that during the first hour of the operating day one staff member opens the center at 7:00am and remains in the lobby area of the center to allow parents entry to the center and to care for children ranging from one year of age to five years of age in the lobby area until a second teacher arrives at 7:20. Staff members stated that at 7:20am, a second teacher arrives and takes one-year-old children to Space 1A were children less than one year of age and one year of age are cared for until 7:45am. The first teacher remains in the lobby area answering the door and supervising children ranging in age from two years to five years until 7:45am. At 7:45am, the administrator arrives and the first teacher moves the children ages two to five years of age from the lobby area to Space 5. Staff members also stated that in order for parents to be allowed entry to the building during the last fifteen minutes of the operating day from 5:30pm to 5:45pm, the lobby area is used daily by one teacher to care for the remaining one-year-old children from Space 1A. As discussed today, the lobby is not approved as space for child care use but can be licensed if approved by the building inspector, fire inspector, and sanitation inspector. If you wish to add the lobby to your list of approved child care spaces, please send me have a new building, fire, and sanitation inspection completed and send me the approved inspection reports from the three inspectors. Once you receive approval from building, fire, and sanitation, I will be glad to schedule a visit to come out to inspect and measure the lobby area for the intention of approving the space for licensed child care use. 4. As discussed today, please reach out to me for consultation when you have questions or concerns regarding maintaining child care requirements or if you are in a crisis and would like to talk through your plan to resolve the crisis. 5. As discussed today, to self-report an incident regarding a possible violation of child care requirements, please contact our intake department by phone at (800) 859-0829 (In-State only) or (919) 814-6300 and ask to speak to someone in the Intake Unit (calls can be made anonymously), or fax Information to the Intake Unit at (919) 715-1013, or email our Webmaster at webmasterdcd@dhhs.nc.gov. A link to this email can also be found under the “Home” drop down arrow, where you can select “contact”, and you will then find the webmaster email address which is located in the orange shaded box, or mail Information to: DCDEE 2201 Mail Service Center, Raleigh NC 27699-2200. 6. As discussed today, for the purpose of safety, no children should be allowed access to the kitchen area. The kitchen door should remain locked at all times unless an adult is actively present in the kitchen. 7. As discussed today, the office area, kitchen, and lobby area are not approved for child care use and should not be areas of the building where care for children is being provided. COMPLIANCE PLAN: All violations cited and not corrected today must be corrected immediately. Please submit a written, signed, and dated statement to me at the email/address below detailing the steps taken to correct each violation. 1) Your compliance letter must include the following: 1. The name of your center 2. The center’s ID number 3. The date you write the letter 4. Address each violation stating how you corrected the violation and are now in compliance. 5. Your signature 2) Supporting documentation including the following: 1. Please send supporting documentation such as training certificates, CBC letters, acknowledgement statements, and photographs for me to use to verify compliance. 2. Please DO NOT send staff or child medical documents or documentation for verification as this is a violation of HIPPA protocol. If needed I will verify these documents at the next monitoring visit. I should receive your compliance letter no later than May 20, 2026. Failure to correct the violations and send the written statement by the due date listed above may result in an unannounced follow-up visit being conducted or an administrative action may be recommended. Based on Child Care Rule 10A NCAC 09 Section .2200, the Division of Child Development and Early Education may take administrative action against the license and/or impose civil penalties based on the failure of the operator to correct any documented violations within the established time period. Child care programs are required to maintain compliance with all applicable child care rules and regulations at all times. North Carolina General Statute 110-90(4)(d) requires all child care facilities to maintain a compliance history of at least seventy-five percent (75%) for the past eighteen (18) months or during the length of time the facility has operated, whichever is less. Failure to do so may result in the issuance of a provisional license or other administrative action against the facility's license. Any violations cited during a visit may affect your score. Your letter may be mailed to me at: Kimberly Crane Post Office Box 6217 Hickory, NC 28603 For your convenience, your compliance letter may be sent by email to: kimberly.crane@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 in the body of the email: name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you today. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me by phone at (828) 493-6390 or by email at kimberly.crane@dhhs.nc.gov or my supervisor, Erin Pickard, by email at erin.pickard@dhhs.nc.gov. We appreciate all you do to serve the children and families in your community. Thank you for your time today 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 .0803 · Violation

Name of Operation: FOOTSTEPS CHILD CARE CENTER, LLC Facility ID: 18000431 Consultant: KIMBERLY CRANE Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 6/11/2025 Number Present: 34 Completed Date: 6/11/2025 Age: From 0 To 5 Total Minutes: 398 Time In: 09:10 AM Time Out: 12:00 PM Time In: 12:57 PM Time Out: 04:45 PM List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for an annual compliance visit. Ashley Waugh, Program Assistant, and Tara Bell, Administrator, assisted me with today’s visit. I conducted your last annual compliance visit on July 11, 2024. I reviewed with you today the facility information found in our system. You stated there have been no changes to your phone number, email address, mailing address, or web address. You stated you no longer have fax number. I removed this information from the database today. I reviewed the facility’s permit including the restrictions, capacity, and age range and observed these being maintained today. Footsteps Child Care Center, LLC that owns your facility was reviewed and listed as current-active on the North Carolina Secretary of State website on June 10, 2025. Your center's compliance history was 90% as of June 10, 2025 and was reviewed with you today. Your program currently operates with a four-star license, issued on August 12, 2018, earning seven points in education standards, two points in program standards, and one quality point for 75% of lead teachers and teachers having at least ten years early childhood work experience. You stated that you have no children currently enrolled on second shift. Your most recent fire inspection was dated May 8, 2025 and received in my office by email on May 8, 2025. Your most recent sanitation inspection was dated March 28, 2025 with a superior classification and six demerits. I verified that the lead water testing required to be completed every three years was completed. Your most recent lead water test results were dated June 25, 2024 indicated that your facilities drinking water source was within the required limits. I verified that you completed the enrollment process for the lead-based paint testing and are exempt from that testing requirement based on an attestation statement you submitted. I verified that you completed the enrollment process for asbestos testing and your facility is exempt from that testing requirement based on tax documentation that you submitted. You stated and I verified that your facility uses Creative Curriculum as the approved curriculum for a four-star facility serving children who are four and five years of age. I visited each licensed indoor and outdoor space with you today. Infant age children were playing on the floor, being bottle fed, and being held and comforted. Children one year of age were playing in the gross motor room. Children two years of age were participating in a whole group language lesson. Children three through five years of age were playing in activity areas, cleaning up toys, playing outdoors, transitioning from indoors to outdoors, and transitioning from outdoors to indoors. All children were arriving, eating lunch, napping, and departing. A current menu was posted in the kitchen and the lobby, documented appropriate nutritious snacks and meals, showed a variety of foods, and complied with Meal Patterns for Children in Child Care Programs. Meals were prepared in the kitchen and served in the classrooms. Today’s lunch included ham slices on wheat tortillas, sliced carrots, mixed fruit, and unflavored milk. Cold food and milk were stored in two residential refrigerators in the kitchen at a temperatures of twenty- three degrees Fahrenheit and thirty-two degrees Fahrenheit. Infant bottles and infant food were stored in a full-size residential refrigerator at forty-three degrees Fahrenheit in Space 1B. I monitored hazardous product storage, medication storage, medication administration, general safety, and discipline practices. I monitored program records, child record files, staff record files. Your written operational, administrative, and personnel policies and your parent participation plan were reviewed during an annual compliance visit on July 11, 2024. You stated that your written operational policies had changed. Today, I reviewed your Family Handbook dated April 25, 2025 and observed all the required components addressed. I monitored health and safety requirements. I monitored supervision of children, staff-child ratios and group sizes, approved space use, space capacities, and permit restrictions. I completed the “Annual Compliance Monitoring Checklist for Child Care Centers” during today’s visit. The following violations were observed and cited during today's visit: Violation Number Comment Rule 1048 All staff did not successfully complete certification in First Aid appropriate to the age of children in care. Verification of staff completion of First Aid training from an approved training organization was not in the staff file. The first aid training certification for one staff member with a date of employment of 02/18/2013 expired on 06/06/2025. .1102(c) 1049 All staff did not successfully complete certification in CPR training appropriate to the age of the children in care. Verification of staff completion of the CPR course from an approved training organization was not in the staff file. The CPR training certification for one staff member with a date of employment of 02/18/2013 expired on 06/06/2025. .1102(d) 1882 Medication authorization, giving the caregiver standing authorization did not meet the specifications in rule. In Space 1A, the permission to administer form for one diaper ointment was missing a description for how to apply the medication. In Space 1B, the permission to administer form for one diaper ointment was missing the amount of medication to be applied. .0803(6)(a-i); .0803(7)(a-g); .0803(8)(a-d) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: 1. Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .0803 (7), a parent may give standing authorization for up to 12 months to apply over the counter, topical ointments, topical teething ointment or gel, insect repellents, lotions, creams, fluoridated toothpaste, and powders, such as sunscreen, diapering creams, baby lotion, and baby powder, to a child, when needed. The authorization should be in writing and should contain: (a) the child's name; (b) the name of the authorized ointments, repellents, lotions, creams, fluoridated toothpaste, and powders; (c) when and the amount to administer the ointments, repellents, lotions, creams, fluoridated toothpaste, and powders; (d) how to apply the ointments, repellents, lotions, creams, fluoridated toothpaste, and powders shall be applied; (e) the signature of the parent; (f) the date the authorization was signed by the parent; and (g) the length of time the authorization is valid, if less than 12 months. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I suggested you have the parents complete the permission to administer form in front of staff and review the permission to administer forms immediately and then routinely to ensure ongoing compliance. I also suggest that you review this child care requirement with your staff and emphasize the importance of reviewing the permission to administer form carefully before approving and accepting. 2. Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .1102(c)(d), each employee should complete First Aid and CPR training within ninety days of employment and prior to the expiration date and documentation should be maintained in their staff record file as verification that the employee has completed First Aid and CPR training and maintains a current and valid First Aid and CPR certificate. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I suggest you enroll staff members in a First Aid and CPR training course at least three months prior to the certification expiring. CONSULTATION: 1. The NC Summary of Child Care Law brochure and poster were both updated in February 2025 and are available on the DCDEE website at https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Provider-Documents-and-Forms. The February 2025 version of the NC Summary of Child Care Law poster was posted in a prominent location in the facility. Please include and use the February 2025 version of the NC Summary of Child Care Law brochure in your enrollment packet. 2. As stated in G.S. 110-90.2 & .2703(r), child care operators have five business days to notify the Division of any new child care providers working who were hired or moved into the child care facility. The process of notifying the Division has changed and is now captured in ABCMS. This change has been in effect since February 2024. The compliance of this rule will be monitored during your next visit. No action is needed on your part if you have already completed the ABCMS Provider Portal training and are currently using the ABCMS Provider Portal to update information regarding new hires or FCCH residents. Be sure this information is updated in ABCMS on an ongoing basis as staff members are hired and terminated and as FCCH residents move in or reach sixteen years of age. If you are not already using the ABCMS Provider Portal to update information regarding new hires or FCCH residents, you will need both an Individual NCID and a Business NCID. You will need an email address for your Individual NCID and a different email address for your Business NCID account. Once you have created your Business NCID, complete the ABCMS Provider Portal training in Moodle at https://www.dcdee.moodle.nc.gov/course/view.php?id=119. Once the training has been completed and access has been given to you, you must verify your facility roster to ensure current staff or current FCCH residents 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 and as FCCH residents change or reach sixteen years of age. These actions satisfy the requirement to notify the Division within five business days of new child care providers working who were hired or moved into the child care facility. 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. 3. The new QRIS Modernization Plan known as “Pathways to the Stars” is being added to law which included moving to the use of the updated Environmental Rating Scale (ERS-3 versions) for FCCERS, effective February 1, 2025. DCDEE. The NC Child Care Commission approved the proposed rules regarding the QRIS Modernization Plan on April 22, 2025 and will continue the rulemaking process to add the rule language to child care requirements. Hold Harmless provisions continue. Star rated license reassessments were postponed until the QRIS rulemaking process has been completed. Star rated license assessments are still required for new child care programs. A pathway for child care programs currently accredited through the approved accrediting bodies may now move to a three- or five-star license if they are not already at this star level. Providers need to submit a request to their licensing consultant and provide a copy of their accreditation award/certificate for processing: Accreditation Licensure Request Form. Please be reminded that any ERS assessment completed on or after February 1, 2025 will be assessed using the ERS-3 versions. 4. Stay updated with changes and new rule updates by visiting the DCDEE website at https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/. 5. Here are some important links on the DCEEE website that may be helpful: Child Care Rules and Laws: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Services/Licensing/Getting-a-License Training and Professional Development: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Training-and-Professional-Development Required Health and Safety Training: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Training-and-Professional-Development/Health-and-Safety-Trainings Healthy Social Behaviors: https://www.childcarerrnc.org/special-projects/healthy-social-behaviors/. Healthy Social Behaviors Helpline: Call at 1-704-376-6697 or toll free at 1-888-600-1685 Option 1 or email at sbrawley@childcareresourcesinc.org or jbyrd@childcareresources.org. Care for Children Receiving Subsidy: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Providing-Child-Care/Subsidized-Child-Care/Care-for-Children-Receiving-Subsidy QRIS Modernization Plan resources: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Licensing/Star-Rated-License/QRIS-Modernization DCDEE Updates, Current Projects, and information applicable to Child Care in NC: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Whats-New COMPLIANCE PLAN: No compliance documentation is needed for those violations corrected during today’s visit. In the visit summary, I documented the corrective actions taken today to correct those violations. All violations cited and not corrected today must be corrected immediately. Please submit a written, signed, and dated statement to me at the email/address below detailing the steps taken to correct each violation. 1) Your compliance letter must include the following: 1. The name of your center 2. The center’s ID number 3. The date you write the letter 4. Address each violation stating how you corrected the violation and are now in compliance. 5. Your signature 2) Supporting documentation including the following: Please send supporting documentation such as training certificates, CBC letters, acknowledgement statements, and photographs for me to use to verify compliance. Please DO NOT send staff or child medical documents or documentation for verification as this is a violation of HIPPA protocol. If needed I will verify these documents at the next monitoring visit. I must receive your compliance letter no later than June 25, 2025. Please be aware any information submitted by you is legal documentation. If you state in your compliance letter that corrections have been made when they have not, it will be considered falsification of information. Failure to correct the violations and send the written statement by the due date listed above may result in an unannounced follow-up visit being conducted or an administrative action may be recommended. Based on Child Care Rule 10A NCAC 09 Section .2200, the Division of Child Development and Early Education may take administrative action against the license and/or impose civil penalties based on the failure of the operator to correct any documented violations within the established time period. Child care programs are required to maintain compliance with all applicable child care rules and regulations at all times. North Carolina General Statute 110-90(4)(d) requires all child care facilities to maintain a compliance history of at least seventy-five percent (75%) for the past eighteen (18) months or during the length of time the facility has operated, whichever is less. Failure to do so may result in the issuance of a provisional license or other administrative action against the facility's license. Any violations cited during a visit may affect your score. Your letter may be mailed to me at: Kimberly Crane Post Office Box 6217 Hickory, NC 28603 For your convenience, your compliance letter may be sent by email to: kimberly.crane@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 in the body of the email: name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. An example is: Jane Doe, Administrator AAA Child Care ID # 12345678 At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you today. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me by phone at (828) 493-6390 or by email at kimberly.crane@dhhs.nc.gov or my supervisor, Erin Pickard, by email at erin.pickard@dhhs.nc.gov. We appreciate all you and your staff do to serve the children and families in your community. Thank you for your time today. 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 .1102 · Violation

Name of Operation: FOOTSTEPS CHILD CARE CENTER, LLC Facility ID: 18000431 Consultant: KIMBERLY CRANE Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 6/11/2025 Number Present: 34 Completed Date: 6/11/2025 Age: From 0 To 5 Total Minutes: 398 Time In: 09:10 AM Time Out: 12:00 PM Time In: 12:57 PM Time Out: 04:45 PM List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for an annual compliance visit. Ashley Waugh, Program Assistant, and Tara Bell, Administrator, assisted me with today’s visit. I conducted your last annual compliance visit on July 11, 2024. I reviewed with you today the facility information found in our system. You stated there have been no changes to your phone number, email address, mailing address, or web address. You stated you no longer have fax number. I removed this information from the database today. I reviewed the facility’s permit including the restrictions, capacity, and age range and observed these being maintained today. Footsteps Child Care Center, LLC that owns your facility was reviewed and listed as current-active on the North Carolina Secretary of State website on June 10, 2025. Your center's compliance history was 90% as of June 10, 2025 and was reviewed with you today. Your program currently operates with a four-star license, issued on August 12, 2018, earning seven points in education standards, two points in program standards, and one quality point for 75% of lead teachers and teachers having at least ten years early childhood work experience. You stated that you have no children currently enrolled on second shift. Your most recent fire inspection was dated May 8, 2025 and received in my office by email on May 8, 2025. Your most recent sanitation inspection was dated March 28, 2025 with a superior classification and six demerits. I verified that the lead water testing required to be completed every three years was completed. Your most recent lead water test results were dated June 25, 2024 indicated that your facilities drinking water source was within the required limits. I verified that you completed the enrollment process for the lead-based paint testing and are exempt from that testing requirement based on an attestation statement you submitted. I verified that you completed the enrollment process for asbestos testing and your facility is exempt from that testing requirement based on tax documentation that you submitted. You stated and I verified that your facility uses Creative Curriculum as the approved curriculum for a four-star facility serving children who are four and five years of age. I visited each licensed indoor and outdoor space with you today. Infant age children were playing on the floor, being bottle fed, and being held and comforted. Children one year of age were playing in the gross motor room. Children two years of age were participating in a whole group language lesson. Children three through five years of age were playing in activity areas, cleaning up toys, playing outdoors, transitioning from indoors to outdoors, and transitioning from outdoors to indoors. All children were arriving, eating lunch, napping, and departing. A current menu was posted in the kitchen and the lobby, documented appropriate nutritious snacks and meals, showed a variety of foods, and complied with Meal Patterns for Children in Child Care Programs. Meals were prepared in the kitchen and served in the classrooms. Today’s lunch included ham slices on wheat tortillas, sliced carrots, mixed fruit, and unflavored milk. Cold food and milk were stored in two residential refrigerators in the kitchen at a temperatures of twenty- three degrees Fahrenheit and thirty-two degrees Fahrenheit. Infant bottles and infant food were stored in a full-size residential refrigerator at forty-three degrees Fahrenheit in Space 1B. I monitored hazardous product storage, medication storage, medication administration, general safety, and discipline practices. I monitored program records, child record files, staff record files. Your written operational, administrative, and personnel policies and your parent participation plan were reviewed during an annual compliance visit on July 11, 2024. You stated that your written operational policies had changed. Today, I reviewed your Family Handbook dated April 25, 2025 and observed all the required components addressed. I monitored health and safety requirements. I monitored supervision of children, staff-child ratios and group sizes, approved space use, space capacities, and permit restrictions. I completed the “Annual Compliance Monitoring Checklist for Child Care Centers” during today’s visit. The following violations were observed and cited during today's visit: Violation Number Comment Rule 1048 All staff did not successfully complete certification in First Aid appropriate to the age of children in care. Verification of staff completion of First Aid training from an approved training organization was not in the staff file. The first aid training certification for one staff member with a date of employment of 02/18/2013 expired on 06/06/2025. .1102(c) 1049 All staff did not successfully complete certification in CPR training appropriate to the age of the children in care. Verification of staff completion of the CPR course from an approved training organization was not in the staff file. The CPR training certification for one staff member with a date of employment of 02/18/2013 expired on 06/06/2025. .1102(d) 1882 Medication authorization, giving the caregiver standing authorization did not meet the specifications in rule. In Space 1A, the permission to administer form for one diaper ointment was missing a description for how to apply the medication. In Space 1B, the permission to administer form for one diaper ointment was missing the amount of medication to be applied. .0803(6)(a-i); .0803(7)(a-g); .0803(8)(a-d) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: 1. Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .0803 (7), a parent may give standing authorization for up to 12 months to apply over the counter, topical ointments, topical teething ointment or gel, insect repellents, lotions, creams, fluoridated toothpaste, and powders, such as sunscreen, diapering creams, baby lotion, and baby powder, to a child, when needed. The authorization should be in writing and should contain: (a) the child's name; (b) the name of the authorized ointments, repellents, lotions, creams, fluoridated toothpaste, and powders; (c) when and the amount to administer the ointments, repellents, lotions, creams, fluoridated toothpaste, and powders; (d) how to apply the ointments, repellents, lotions, creams, fluoridated toothpaste, and powders shall be applied; (e) the signature of the parent; (f) the date the authorization was signed by the parent; and (g) the length of time the authorization is valid, if less than 12 months. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I suggested you have the parents complete the permission to administer form in front of staff and review the permission to administer forms immediately and then routinely to ensure ongoing compliance. I also suggest that you review this child care requirement with your staff and emphasize the importance of reviewing the permission to administer form carefully before approving and accepting. 2. Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .1102(c)(d), each employee should complete First Aid and CPR training within ninety days of employment and prior to the expiration date and documentation should be maintained in their staff record file as verification that the employee has completed First Aid and CPR training and maintains a current and valid First Aid and CPR certificate. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I suggest you enroll staff members in a First Aid and CPR training course at least three months prior to the certification expiring. CONSULTATION: 1. The NC Summary of Child Care Law brochure and poster were both updated in February 2025 and are available on the DCDEE website at https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Provider-Documents-and-Forms. The February 2025 version of the NC Summary of Child Care Law poster was posted in a prominent location in the facility. Please include and use the February 2025 version of the NC Summary of Child Care Law brochure in your enrollment packet. 2. As stated in G.S. 110-90.2 & .2703(r), child care operators have five business days to notify the Division of any new child care providers working who were hired or moved into the child care facility. The process of notifying the Division has changed and is now captured in ABCMS. This change has been in effect since February 2024. The compliance of this rule will be monitored during your next visit. No action is needed on your part if you have already completed the ABCMS Provider Portal training and are currently using the ABCMS Provider Portal to update information regarding new hires or FCCH residents. Be sure this information is updated in ABCMS on an ongoing basis as staff members are hired and terminated and as FCCH residents move in or reach sixteen years of age. If you are not already using the ABCMS Provider Portal to update information regarding new hires or FCCH residents, you will need both an Individual NCID and a Business NCID. You will need an email address for your Individual NCID and a different email address for your Business NCID account. Once you have created your Business NCID, complete the ABCMS Provider Portal training in Moodle at https://www.dcdee.moodle.nc.gov/course/view.php?id=119. Once the training has been completed and access has been given to you, you must verify your facility roster to ensure current staff or current FCCH residents 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 and as FCCH residents change or reach sixteen years of age. These actions satisfy the requirement to notify the Division within five business days of new child care providers working who were hired or moved into the child care facility. 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. 3. The new QRIS Modernization Plan known as “Pathways to the Stars” is being added to law which included moving to the use of the updated Environmental Rating Scale (ERS-3 versions) for FCCERS, effective February 1, 2025. DCDEE. The NC Child Care Commission approved the proposed rules regarding the QRIS Modernization Plan on April 22, 2025 and will continue the rulemaking process to add the rule language to child care requirements. Hold Harmless provisions continue. Star rated license reassessments were postponed until the QRIS rulemaking process has been completed. Star rated license assessments are still required for new child care programs. A pathway for child care programs currently accredited through the approved accrediting bodies may now move to a three- or five-star license if they are not already at this star level. Providers need to submit a request to their licensing consultant and provide a copy of their accreditation award/certificate for processing: Accreditation Licensure Request Form. Please be reminded that any ERS assessment completed on or after February 1, 2025 will be assessed using the ERS-3 versions. 4. Stay updated with changes and new rule updates by visiting the DCDEE website at https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/. 5. Here are some important links on the DCEEE website that may be helpful: Child Care Rules and Laws: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Services/Licensing/Getting-a-License Training and Professional Development: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Training-and-Professional-Development Required Health and Safety Training: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Training-and-Professional-Development/Health-and-Safety-Trainings Healthy Social Behaviors: https://www.childcarerrnc.org/special-projects/healthy-social-behaviors/. Healthy Social Behaviors Helpline: Call at 1-704-376-6697 or toll free at 1-888-600-1685 Option 1 or email at sbrawley@childcareresourcesinc.org or jbyrd@childcareresources.org. Care for Children Receiving Subsidy: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Providing-Child-Care/Subsidized-Child-Care/Care-for-Children-Receiving-Subsidy QRIS Modernization Plan resources: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Licensing/Star-Rated-License/QRIS-Modernization DCDEE Updates, Current Projects, and information applicable to Child Care in NC: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Whats-New COMPLIANCE PLAN: No compliance documentation is needed for those violations corrected during today’s visit. In the visit summary, I documented the corrective actions taken today to correct those violations. All violations cited and not corrected today must be corrected immediately. Please submit a written, signed, and dated statement to me at the email/address below detailing the steps taken to correct each violation. 1) Your compliance letter must include the following: 1. The name of your center 2. The center’s ID number 3. The date you write the letter 4. Address each violation stating how you corrected the violation and are now in compliance. 5. Your signature 2) Supporting documentation including the following: Please send supporting documentation such as training certificates, CBC letters, acknowledgement statements, and photographs for me to use to verify compliance. Please DO NOT send staff or child medical documents or documentation for verification as this is a violation of HIPPA protocol. If needed I will verify these documents at the next monitoring visit. I must receive your compliance letter no later than June 25, 2025. Please be aware any information submitted by you is legal documentation. If you state in your compliance letter that corrections have been made when they have not, it will be considered falsification of information. Failure to correct the violations and send the written statement by the due date listed above may result in an unannounced follow-up visit being conducted or an administrative action may be recommended. Based on Child Care Rule 10A NCAC 09 Section .2200, the Division of Child Development and Early Education may take administrative action against the license and/or impose civil penalties based on the failure of the operator to correct any documented violations within the established time period. Child care programs are required to maintain compliance with all applicable child care rules and regulations at all times. North Carolina General Statute 110-90(4)(d) requires all child care facilities to maintain a compliance history of at least seventy-five percent (75%) for the past eighteen (18) months or during the length of time the facility has operated, whichever is less. Failure to do so may result in the issuance of a provisional license or other administrative action against the facility's license. Any violations cited during a visit may affect your score. Your letter may be mailed to me at: Kimberly Crane Post Office Box 6217 Hickory, NC 28603 For your convenience, your compliance letter may be sent by email to: kimberly.crane@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 in the body of the email: name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. An example is: Jane Doe, Administrator AAA Child Care ID # 12345678 At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you today. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me by phone at (828) 493-6390 or by email at kimberly.crane@dhhs.nc.gov or my supervisor, Erin Pickard, by email at erin.pickard@dhhs.nc.gov. We appreciate all you and your staff do to serve the children and families in your community. Thank you for your time today. 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: FOOTSTEPS CHILD CARE CENTER, LLC Facility ID: 18000431 Consultant: KIMBERLY CRANE Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 6/11/2025 Number Present: 34 Completed Date: 6/11/2025 Age: From 0 To 5 Total Minutes: 398 Time In: 09:10 AM Time Out: 12:00 PM Time In: 12:57 PM Time Out: 04:45 PM List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for an annual compliance visit. Ashley Waugh, Program Assistant, and Tara Bell, Administrator, assisted me with today’s visit. I conducted your last annual compliance visit on July 11, 2024. I reviewed with you today the facility information found in our system. You stated there have been no changes to your phone number, email address, mailing address, or web address. You stated you no longer have fax number. I removed this information from the database today. I reviewed the facility’s permit including the restrictions, capacity, and age range and observed these being maintained today. Footsteps Child Care Center, LLC that owns your facility was reviewed and listed as current-active on the North Carolina Secretary of State website on June 10, 2025. Your center's compliance history was 90% as of June 10, 2025 and was reviewed with you today. Your program currently operates with a four-star license, issued on August 12, 2018, earning seven points in education standards, two points in program standards, and one quality point for 75% of lead teachers and teachers having at least ten years early childhood work experience. You stated that you have no children currently enrolled on second shift. Your most recent fire inspection was dated May 8, 2025 and received in my office by email on May 8, 2025. Your most recent sanitation inspection was dated March 28, 2025 with a superior classification and six demerits. I verified that the lead water testing required to be completed every three years was completed. Your most recent lead water test results were dated June 25, 2024 indicated that your facilities drinking water source was within the required limits. I verified that you completed the enrollment process for the lead-based paint testing and are exempt from that testing requirement based on an attestation statement you submitted. I verified that you completed the enrollment process for asbestos testing and your facility is exempt from that testing requirement based on tax documentation that you submitted. You stated and I verified that your facility uses Creative Curriculum as the approved curriculum for a four-star facility serving children who are four and five years of age. I visited each licensed indoor and outdoor space with you today. Infant age children were playing on the floor, being bottle fed, and being held and comforted. Children one year of age were playing in the gross motor room. Children two years of age were participating in a whole group language lesson. Children three through five years of age were playing in activity areas, cleaning up toys, playing outdoors, transitioning from indoors to outdoors, and transitioning from outdoors to indoors. All children were arriving, eating lunch, napping, and departing. A current menu was posted in the kitchen and the lobby, documented appropriate nutritious snacks and meals, showed a variety of foods, and complied with Meal Patterns for Children in Child Care Programs. Meals were prepared in the kitchen and served in the classrooms. Today’s lunch included ham slices on wheat tortillas, sliced carrots, mixed fruit, and unflavored milk. Cold food and milk were stored in two residential refrigerators in the kitchen at a temperatures of twenty- three degrees Fahrenheit and thirty-two degrees Fahrenheit. Infant bottles and infant food were stored in a full-size residential refrigerator at forty-three degrees Fahrenheit in Space 1B. I monitored hazardous product storage, medication storage, medication administration, general safety, and discipline practices. I monitored program records, child record files, staff record files. Your written operational, administrative, and personnel policies and your parent participation plan were reviewed during an annual compliance visit on July 11, 2024. You stated that your written operational policies had changed. Today, I reviewed your Family Handbook dated April 25, 2025 and observed all the required components addressed. I monitored health and safety requirements. I monitored supervision of children, staff-child ratios and group sizes, approved space use, space capacities, and permit restrictions. I completed the “Annual Compliance Monitoring Checklist for Child Care Centers” during today’s visit. The following violations were observed and cited during today's visit: Violation Number Comment Rule 1048 All staff did not successfully complete certification in First Aid appropriate to the age of children in care. Verification of staff completion of First Aid training from an approved training organization was not in the staff file. The first aid training certification for one staff member with a date of employment of 02/18/2013 expired on 06/06/2025. .1102(c) 1049 All staff did not successfully complete certification in CPR training appropriate to the age of the children in care. Verification of staff completion of the CPR course from an approved training organization was not in the staff file. The CPR training certification for one staff member with a date of employment of 02/18/2013 expired on 06/06/2025. .1102(d) 1882 Medication authorization, giving the caregiver standing authorization did not meet the specifications in rule. In Space 1A, the permission to administer form for one diaper ointment was missing a description for how to apply the medication. In Space 1B, the permission to administer form for one diaper ointment was missing the amount of medication to be applied. .0803(6)(a-i); .0803(7)(a-g); .0803(8)(a-d) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: 1. Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .0803 (7), a parent may give standing authorization for up to 12 months to apply over the counter, topical ointments, topical teething ointment or gel, insect repellents, lotions, creams, fluoridated toothpaste, and powders, such as sunscreen, diapering creams, baby lotion, and baby powder, to a child, when needed. The authorization should be in writing and should contain: (a) the child's name; (b) the name of the authorized ointments, repellents, lotions, creams, fluoridated toothpaste, and powders; (c) when and the amount to administer the ointments, repellents, lotions, creams, fluoridated toothpaste, and powders; (d) how to apply the ointments, repellents, lotions, creams, fluoridated toothpaste, and powders shall be applied; (e) the signature of the parent; (f) the date the authorization was signed by the parent; and (g) the length of time the authorization is valid, if less than 12 months. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I suggested you have the parents complete the permission to administer form in front of staff and review the permission to administer forms immediately and then routinely to ensure ongoing compliance. I also suggest that you review this child care requirement with your staff and emphasize the importance of reviewing the permission to administer form carefully before approving and accepting. 2. Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .1102(c)(d), each employee should complete First Aid and CPR training within ninety days of employment and prior to the expiration date and documentation should be maintained in their staff record file as verification that the employee has completed First Aid and CPR training and maintains a current and valid First Aid and CPR certificate. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I suggest you enroll staff members in a First Aid and CPR training course at least three months prior to the certification expiring. CONSULTATION: 1. The NC Summary of Child Care Law brochure and poster were both updated in February 2025 and are available on the DCDEE website at https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Provider-Documents-and-Forms. The February 2025 version of the NC Summary of Child Care Law poster was posted in a prominent location in the facility. Please include and use the February 2025 version of the NC Summary of Child Care Law brochure in your enrollment packet. 2. As stated in G.S. 110-90.2 & .2703(r), child care operators have five business days to notify the Division of any new child care providers working who were hired or moved into the child care facility. The process of notifying the Division has changed and is now captured in ABCMS. This change has been in effect since February 2024. The compliance of this rule will be monitored during your next visit. No action is needed on your part if you have already completed the ABCMS Provider Portal training and are currently using the ABCMS Provider Portal to update information regarding new hires or FCCH residents. Be sure this information is updated in ABCMS on an ongoing basis as staff members are hired and terminated and as FCCH residents move in or reach sixteen years of age. If you are not already using the ABCMS Provider Portal to update information regarding new hires or FCCH residents, you will need both an Individual NCID and a Business NCID. You will need an email address for your Individual NCID and a different email address for your Business NCID account. Once you have created your Business NCID, complete the ABCMS Provider Portal training in Moodle at https://www.dcdee.moodle.nc.gov/course/view.php?id=119. Once the training has been completed and access has been given to you, you must verify your facility roster to ensure current staff or current FCCH residents 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 and as FCCH residents change or reach sixteen years of age. These actions satisfy the requirement to notify the Division within five business days of new child care providers working who were hired or moved into the child care facility. 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. 3. The new QRIS Modernization Plan known as “Pathways to the Stars” is being added to law which included moving to the use of the updated Environmental Rating Scale (ERS-3 versions) for FCCERS, effective February 1, 2025. DCDEE. The NC Child Care Commission approved the proposed rules regarding the QRIS Modernization Plan on April 22, 2025 and will continue the rulemaking process to add the rule language to child care requirements. Hold Harmless provisions continue. Star rated license reassessments were postponed until the QRIS rulemaking process has been completed. Star rated license assessments are still required for new child care programs. A pathway for child care programs currently accredited through the approved accrediting bodies may now move to a three- or five-star license if they are not already at this star level. Providers need to submit a request to their licensing consultant and provide a copy of their accreditation award/certificate for processing: Accreditation Licensure Request Form. Please be reminded that any ERS assessment completed on or after February 1, 2025 will be assessed using the ERS-3 versions. 4. Stay updated with changes and new rule updates by visiting the DCDEE website at https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/. 5. Here are some important links on the DCEEE website that may be helpful: Child Care Rules and Laws: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Services/Licensing/Getting-a-License Training and Professional Development: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Training-and-Professional-Development Required Health and Safety Training: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Training-and-Professional-Development/Health-and-Safety-Trainings Healthy Social Behaviors: https://www.childcarerrnc.org/special-projects/healthy-social-behaviors/. Healthy Social Behaviors Helpline: Call at 1-704-376-6697 or toll free at 1-888-600-1685 Option 1 or email at sbrawley@childcareresourcesinc.org or jbyrd@childcareresources.org. Care for Children Receiving Subsidy: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Providing-Child-Care/Subsidized-Child-Care/Care-for-Children-Receiving-Subsidy QRIS Modernization Plan resources: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Licensing/Star-Rated-License/QRIS-Modernization DCDEE Updates, Current Projects, and information applicable to Child Care in NC: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Whats-New COMPLIANCE PLAN: No compliance documentation is needed for those violations corrected during today’s visit. In the visit summary, I documented the corrective actions taken today to correct those violations. All violations cited and not corrected today must be corrected immediately. Please submit a written, signed, and dated statement to me at the email/address below detailing the steps taken to correct each violation. 1) Your compliance letter must include the following: 1. The name of your center 2. The center’s ID number 3. The date you write the letter 4. Address each violation stating how you corrected the violation and are now in compliance. 5. Your signature 2) Supporting documentation including the following: Please send supporting documentation such as training certificates, CBC letters, acknowledgement statements, and photographs for me to use to verify compliance. Please DO NOT send staff or child medical documents or documentation for verification as this is a violation of HIPPA protocol. If needed I will verify these documents at the next monitoring visit. I must receive your compliance letter no later than June 25, 2025. Please be aware any information submitted by you is legal documentation. If you state in your compliance letter that corrections have been made when they have not, it will be considered falsification of information. Failure to correct the violations and send the written statement by the due date listed above may result in an unannounced follow-up visit being conducted or an administrative action may be recommended. Based on Child Care Rule 10A NCAC 09 Section .2200, the Division of Child Development and Early Education may take administrative action against the license and/or impose civil penalties based on the failure of the operator to correct any documented violations within the established time period. Child care programs are required to maintain compliance with all applicable child care rules and regulations at all times. North Carolina General Statute 110-90(4)(d) requires all child care facilities to maintain a compliance history of at least seventy-five percent (75%) for the past eighteen (18) months or during the length of time the facility has operated, whichever is less. Failure to do so may result in the issuance of a provisional license or other administrative action against the facility's license. Any violations cited during a visit may affect your score. Your letter may be mailed to me at: Kimberly Crane Post Office Box 6217 Hickory, NC 28603 For your convenience, your compliance letter may be sent by email to: kimberly.crane@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 in the body of the email: name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. An example is: Jane Doe, Administrator AAA Child Care ID # 12345678 At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you today. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me by phone at (828) 493-6390 or by email at kimberly.crane@dhhs.nc.gov or my supervisor, Erin Pickard, by email at erin.pickard@dhhs.nc.gov. We appreciate all you and your staff do to serve the children and families in your community. Thank you for your time today. 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 .0304 · Violation

Name of Operation: FOOTSTEPS CHILD CARE CENTER, LLC Facility ID: 18000431 Consultant: KIMBERLY CRANE Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 7/11/2024 Number Present: 26 Completed Date: 7/11/2024 Age: From 0 To 5 Total Minutes: 405 Time In: 09:15 AM Time Out: 11:55 AM Time In: 12:55 PM Time Out: 05:00 PM List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for an annual compliance visit. You, Ashley Waugh, Administrative Assistant and Interim Director, assisted me with today’s visit. I conducted your last annual compliance visit on July 28, 2023. I reviewed with you today the facility information found in our system. You stated there have been no changes to the facility phone number, email address, web address, mailing address, or corporate contact for the facility. You stated the facility no longer had a fax number. I will remove the fax number from the public record database. I reviewed the facility’s permit with you today. You stated there has been no change with the company, Footsteps Child Care Center LLC, that owns your facility. I reviewed the restrictions on your license, capacity, and age range on your permit and observed these being maintained. Footsteps Child Care Center, LLC, the company that owns your facility, was reviewed and listed as current-active on the NC Secretary of State website on July 8, 2024. Your program’s compliance history was 86% as of July 10, 2024 and was reviewed with you today. Your program currently operates with a four-star license, issued on August 12, 2018, earning seven points in education standards, two points in program standards, and one quality point for 75% of lead teachers and teachers having at least ten years early childhood work experience. Your last sanitation inspection was dated April 17, 2024 with a Superior classification and five demerits. I verified that on May 7, 2024, you completed the lead water testing required to be completed every three years. Today, I verified that test results indicate that your lead water tests are within acceptable limits. I verified that you registered your facility for the lead-based paint and asbestos testing and were found to be exempt from these test requirements based on documentation you provided. Your last fire inspection was dated May 10, 2024 and was received in my office on June 5, 2024. I visited each licensed indoor and outdoor space with you today. I observed students playing in activity areas and outdoors, transitioning from indoors to outdoors and outdoors to indoors, and eating lunch. You stated and I observed Space 1B was temporarily closed due to enrollment and Space 3 was temporarily being used to store new materials and equipment. You stated that your facility uses Creative Curriculum as the approved curriculum for a 4-Star facility serving children who are four and five years of age. However, a copy of the Creative Curriculum resource book was not in the facility and you stated staff had not been using the curriculum to plan activities. A current menu was posted, documented appropriate nutritious snacks and meals, showed a variety of foods, and complied with Meal Patterns for Children in Child Care Programs. Lunch was prepared in the kitchen and served in the classrooms. Today’s lunch included a sandwich of ham slices on wheat bread, potatoes, cantaloupe, and unflavored milk. Cold food, milk, infant bottles and infant food were stored in residential refrigerators in the kitchen at a temperature of 28 and 37 degrees Fahrenheit. I monitored hazardous product storage, medication storage, medication administration, general safety, and discipline practices. I monitored program records, child record files, staff record files. Your written operational, administrative, and personnel policies and your parent participation plan were reviewed during a routine unannounced visit on March 26, 2024. You stated your written operational policies and parent participation plan were updated July 1, 2024 and printed in your Family Handbook. I observed signed statements from the parents of children already enrolled in the facility acknowledging that they had received the updated handbook. I observed print copies of the updated handbook which you stated were available to any enrolled family and was given to new families when they enrolled. You stated your written administrative and personnel policies had not been updated. I reviewed your updated Family Handbook today and observed all required components documented in the policies and procedures. I monitored health and safety requirements. I monitored supervision of children, staff-child ratios and group sizes, approved space use, space capacities, and permit restrictions. I completed the “Annual Compliance Monitoring Checklist for Child Care Centers” during today’s visit. The following violations were observed and cited during today's visit: Violation Number Comment Rule 106 Operator has not scheduled and obtained a fire inspection within 12 months of the previous inspection. Operator did not submit the original approved report to DCDEE within one week of the inspection visit on a form provided by the Division. The updated fire inspection report dated 05/10/2024 was received on 06/05/2024. 10A NCAC 09 .0304(a) 114 A summary of the NC Child Care Law was not given to a parent of every child enrolled in the center. The Summary of the NC Child Care Law brochure given to parents and posted in the facility was dated January 2021 instead of the most recent version dated September 2023. GS 110-102 428 A current activity plan was not posted for each group of children for reference. In Space 2, the activity plan was posted and dated 07/01/2024. GS 110-91(12); .0508(a) 1041 Prior to employment a Criminal Background Check was not completed. One employee with a date of employment of 06/14/2024 began training on 05/29/2024 prior to receiving the qualifying criminal background check letter dated 06/14/2024. G.S. 110-90.2(b) 1794 A Four- or Five- Star program serving four year old children was not implementing an approved curriculum. A copy of the approved curriculum could not be located in the facility and for some time, the staff had not been using the approved curriculum to prepare the activity plans. .2802(d) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: 1. Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .0304(a), the original copy of the most recently approved fire inspection report should be sent to me by email within one week of completion. Prior to today’s visit, I received your new fire inspection report dated 05/10/2024 on 06/05/2024 after I sent you an email on May 31, 2024 requesting an updated fire inspection report thereby correcting the violation. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement in the future, I suggest you forward the email containing the fire inspection report when you receive it from the fire inspector. 2. The most current Summary of North Carolina Child Care Law was published in September 2023. The current version should be posted in a prominent place in the facility and included in the enrollment packet to be given to parents prior to the child’s first day of attendance. During today’s visit, I observed an older version of the Summary of North Carolina Child Care Law dated January 2021 posted in the lobby and in child record files dated 2024. Today, I observed you post the September 2023 version in the lobby and print the September 2023 version to add to new enrollment packets, thereby correcting this violation. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement in the future, I suggest you print the updated version, post it in your lobby, and add it to your new enrollment packets. I also suggest you check the DCDEE website for updated versions whenever you receive notification of child care or sanitation rule updates. 3. Employee’s may not complete any training prior to your receiving a CBC qualification letter. Completing training shows an intent to hire and an employee cannot be hired prior to verifying the employee’s qualification as a child care provider. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I suggest you begin your training process on the employee’s first day of employment. 4. Activity plans should be current. During today’s visit, I observed the activity plan dated 07/01/2024 posted in Space 2. Today, I observed an updated activity plan dated 07/08/2024 and 07/15/2024 created and posted in Space 2, thereby correcting this violation. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement in the future, I suggest you require activity plans be turned in to you for review prior to Fridays and then require staff to post the new activity plan at the end of the operating day on Friday evenings. I further suggest that you monitor each classroom on Monday morning to ensure a current activity plan has been posted in each classroom. 5. Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .2802(d), a Four- or Five- Star program serving four- and five-year old children should use an approved curriculum. During today’s visit, you were unable to locate a copy of Creative Curriculum, 4th Edition in the facility. You stated staff had not been using the creative curriculum resource for some time. Today, you contacted your facility owner who immediately ordered a replacement copy of Creative Curriculum, 4th Edition . To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I suggest you review this requirement with your staff and make a copy of your chosen approved curriculum available to staff for use as they prepare their activity plans weekly. CONSULTATION: 1. When receiving new child enrollment applications be sure to review the application packet in the presence of the parents prior to the child’s first day of attendance so any incomplete information on the application or the enrollment forms can be completed prior to the child being left in your care. 2. Please continue to visit DCDEE’s website at https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/ to get the latest information for child care settings and child care updates including the most up to date documents and forms. 3. Visit NC Child Care Health and Safety Resource Center at http://healthychildcare.unc.edu to find the following resources: technical assistance, coaching support, resources, handwashing and diapering posters, monthly newsletters, and a list of approved in-service trainings including, but not limited to, ITS-SIDS training and Emergency Preparedness and Response in Child Care training. COMPLIANCE PLAN: No compliance documentation is needed for those violations corrected during today’s visit. In the visit summary, I documented the corrective actions taken today to correct those violations. All violations cited and not corrected today must be corrected immediately. Please submit a written, signed, and dated statement to me at the email/address below detailing the steps taken to correct each violation. 1) Your compliance letter must include the following: 1. The name of your center 2. The center’s ID number 3. The date you write the letter 4. Address each violation stating how you corrected the violation and are now in compliance. 5. Address your plan to ensure that you will not have that violation again. 6. Your signature 2) Supporting documentation including the following: Please send supporting documentation such as training certificates, CBC letters, acknowledgement statements, and photographs for me to use to verify compliance. Please DO NOT send staff or child medical documents or documentation for verification as this is a violation of HIPPA protocol. If needed I will verify these documents at the next monitoring visit. I must receive your compliance letter no later than July 25, 2024. Please be aware any information submitted by you is legal documentation. If you state in your compliance letter that corrections have been made when they have not, it will be considered falsification of information. If you cannot meet the requirements by this date you shall contact me with a timeline of the corrections. In some cases, this timeline may be extended. Failure to correct the violations and send the written statement by the due date listed above may result in an unannounced follow-up visit being conducted or an administrative action may be recommended. Based on Child Care Rule 10A NCAC 09 Section .2200, the Division of Child Development and Early Education may take administrative action against the license and/or impose civil penalties based on the failure of the operator to correct any documented violations within the established time period. Child care programs are required to maintain compliance with all applicable child care rules and regulations at all times. North Carolina General Statute 110-90(4)(d) requires all child care facilities to maintain a compliance history of at least seventy-five percent (75%) for the past eighteen (18) months or during the length of time the facility has operated, whichever is less. Failure to do so may result in the issuance of a provisional license or other administrative action against the facility's license. Any violations cited during a visit may affect your score. Your letter may be mailed to me at: Kimberly Crane Post Office Box 6217 Hickory, NC 28603 For your convenience, your compliance letter may be sent by email to: kimberly.crane@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 in the body of the email: name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. An example is: Jane Doe, Administrator AAA Child Care ID # 12345678 At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you today. We appreciate all you and your staff do to serve the children and families in your community. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me by phone at (828) 493-6390 or by email at kimberly.crane@dhhs.nc.gov or my supervisor, Erin Pickard, by email at erin.pickard@dhhs.nc.gov. Thank you for your time today. 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 .2802 · Violation

Name of Operation: FOOTSTEPS CHILD CARE CENTER, LLC Facility ID: 18000431 Consultant: KIMBERLY CRANE Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 7/11/2024 Number Present: 26 Completed Date: 7/11/2024 Age: From 0 To 5 Total Minutes: 405 Time In: 09:15 AM Time Out: 11:55 AM Time In: 12:55 PM Time Out: 05:00 PM List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for an annual compliance visit. You, Ashley Waugh, Administrative Assistant and Interim Director, assisted me with today’s visit. I conducted your last annual compliance visit on July 28, 2023. I reviewed with you today the facility information found in our system. You stated there have been no changes to the facility phone number, email address, web address, mailing address, or corporate contact for the facility. You stated the facility no longer had a fax number. I will remove the fax number from the public record database. I reviewed the facility’s permit with you today. You stated there has been no change with the company, Footsteps Child Care Center LLC, that owns your facility. I reviewed the restrictions on your license, capacity, and age range on your permit and observed these being maintained. Footsteps Child Care Center, LLC, the company that owns your facility, was reviewed and listed as current-active on the NC Secretary of State website on July 8, 2024. Your program’s compliance history was 86% as of July 10, 2024 and was reviewed with you today. Your program currently operates with a four-star license, issued on August 12, 2018, earning seven points in education standards, two points in program standards, and one quality point for 75% of lead teachers and teachers having at least ten years early childhood work experience. Your last sanitation inspection was dated April 17, 2024 with a Superior classification and five demerits. I verified that on May 7, 2024, you completed the lead water testing required to be completed every three years. Today, I verified that test results indicate that your lead water tests are within acceptable limits. I verified that you registered your facility for the lead-based paint and asbestos testing and were found to be exempt from these test requirements based on documentation you provided. Your last fire inspection was dated May 10, 2024 and was received in my office on June 5, 2024. I visited each licensed indoor and outdoor space with you today. I observed students playing in activity areas and outdoors, transitioning from indoors to outdoors and outdoors to indoors, and eating lunch. You stated and I observed Space 1B was temporarily closed due to enrollment and Space 3 was temporarily being used to store new materials and equipment. You stated that your facility uses Creative Curriculum as the approved curriculum for a 4-Star facility serving children who are four and five years of age. However, a copy of the Creative Curriculum resource book was not in the facility and you stated staff had not been using the curriculum to plan activities. A current menu was posted, documented appropriate nutritious snacks and meals, showed a variety of foods, and complied with Meal Patterns for Children in Child Care Programs. Lunch was prepared in the kitchen and served in the classrooms. Today’s lunch included a sandwich of ham slices on wheat bread, potatoes, cantaloupe, and unflavored milk. Cold food, milk, infant bottles and infant food were stored in residential refrigerators in the kitchen at a temperature of 28 and 37 degrees Fahrenheit. I monitored hazardous product storage, medication storage, medication administration, general safety, and discipline practices. I monitored program records, child record files, staff record files. Your written operational, administrative, and personnel policies and your parent participation plan were reviewed during a routine unannounced visit on March 26, 2024. You stated your written operational policies and parent participation plan were updated July 1, 2024 and printed in your Family Handbook. I observed signed statements from the parents of children already enrolled in the facility acknowledging that they had received the updated handbook. I observed print copies of the updated handbook which you stated were available to any enrolled family and was given to new families when they enrolled. You stated your written administrative and personnel policies had not been updated. I reviewed your updated Family Handbook today and observed all required components documented in the policies and procedures. I monitored health and safety requirements. I monitored supervision of children, staff-child ratios and group sizes, approved space use, space capacities, and permit restrictions. I completed the “Annual Compliance Monitoring Checklist for Child Care Centers” during today’s visit. The following violations were observed and cited during today's visit: Violation Number Comment Rule 106 Operator has not scheduled and obtained a fire inspection within 12 months of the previous inspection. Operator did not submit the original approved report to DCDEE within one week of the inspection visit on a form provided by the Division. The updated fire inspection report dated 05/10/2024 was received on 06/05/2024. 10A NCAC 09 .0304(a) 114 A summary of the NC Child Care Law was not given to a parent of every child enrolled in the center. The Summary of the NC Child Care Law brochure given to parents and posted in the facility was dated January 2021 instead of the most recent version dated September 2023. GS 110-102 428 A current activity plan was not posted for each group of children for reference. In Space 2, the activity plan was posted and dated 07/01/2024. GS 110-91(12); .0508(a) 1041 Prior to employment a Criminal Background Check was not completed. One employee with a date of employment of 06/14/2024 began training on 05/29/2024 prior to receiving the qualifying criminal background check letter dated 06/14/2024. G.S. 110-90.2(b) 1794 A Four- or Five- Star program serving four year old children was not implementing an approved curriculum. A copy of the approved curriculum could not be located in the facility and for some time, the staff had not been using the approved curriculum to prepare the activity plans. .2802(d) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: 1. Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .0304(a), the original copy of the most recently approved fire inspection report should be sent to me by email within one week of completion. Prior to today’s visit, I received your new fire inspection report dated 05/10/2024 on 06/05/2024 after I sent you an email on May 31, 2024 requesting an updated fire inspection report thereby correcting the violation. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement in the future, I suggest you forward the email containing the fire inspection report when you receive it from the fire inspector. 2. The most current Summary of North Carolina Child Care Law was published in September 2023. The current version should be posted in a prominent place in the facility and included in the enrollment packet to be given to parents prior to the child’s first day of attendance. During today’s visit, I observed an older version of the Summary of North Carolina Child Care Law dated January 2021 posted in the lobby and in child record files dated 2024. Today, I observed you post the September 2023 version in the lobby and print the September 2023 version to add to new enrollment packets, thereby correcting this violation. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement in the future, I suggest you print the updated version, post it in your lobby, and add it to your new enrollment packets. I also suggest you check the DCDEE website for updated versions whenever you receive notification of child care or sanitation rule updates. 3. Employee’s may not complete any training prior to your receiving a CBC qualification letter. Completing training shows an intent to hire and an employee cannot be hired prior to verifying the employee’s qualification as a child care provider. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I suggest you begin your training process on the employee’s first day of employment. 4. Activity plans should be current. During today’s visit, I observed the activity plan dated 07/01/2024 posted in Space 2. Today, I observed an updated activity plan dated 07/08/2024 and 07/15/2024 created and posted in Space 2, thereby correcting this violation. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement in the future, I suggest you require activity plans be turned in to you for review prior to Fridays and then require staff to post the new activity plan at the end of the operating day on Friday evenings. I further suggest that you monitor each classroom on Monday morning to ensure a current activity plan has been posted in each classroom. 5. Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .2802(d), a Four- or Five- Star program serving four- and five-year old children should use an approved curriculum. During today’s visit, you were unable to locate a copy of Creative Curriculum, 4th Edition in the facility. You stated staff had not been using the creative curriculum resource for some time. Today, you contacted your facility owner who immediately ordered a replacement copy of Creative Curriculum, 4th Edition . To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I suggest you review this requirement with your staff and make a copy of your chosen approved curriculum available to staff for use as they prepare their activity plans weekly. CONSULTATION: 1. When receiving new child enrollment applications be sure to review the application packet in the presence of the parents prior to the child’s first day of attendance so any incomplete information on the application or the enrollment forms can be completed prior to the child being left in your care. 2. Please continue to visit DCDEE’s website at https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/ to get the latest information for child care settings and child care updates including the most up to date documents and forms. 3. Visit NC Child Care Health and Safety Resource Center at http://healthychildcare.unc.edu to find the following resources: technical assistance, coaching support, resources, handwashing and diapering posters, monthly newsletters, and a list of approved in-service trainings including, but not limited to, ITS-SIDS training and Emergency Preparedness and Response in Child Care training. COMPLIANCE PLAN: No compliance documentation is needed for those violations corrected during today’s visit. In the visit summary, I documented the corrective actions taken today to correct those violations. All violations cited and not corrected today must be corrected immediately. Please submit a written, signed, and dated statement to me at the email/address below detailing the steps taken to correct each violation. 1) Your compliance letter must include the following: 1. The name of your center 2. The center’s ID number 3. The date you write the letter 4. Address each violation stating how you corrected the violation and are now in compliance. 5. Address your plan to ensure that you will not have that violation again. 6. Your signature 2) Supporting documentation including the following: Please send supporting documentation such as training certificates, CBC letters, acknowledgement statements, and photographs for me to use to verify compliance. Please DO NOT send staff or child medical documents or documentation for verification as this is a violation of HIPPA protocol. If needed I will verify these documents at the next monitoring visit. I must receive your compliance letter no later than July 25, 2024. Please be aware any information submitted by you is legal documentation. If you state in your compliance letter that corrections have been made when they have not, it will be considered falsification of information. If you cannot meet the requirements by this date you shall contact me with a timeline of the corrections. In some cases, this timeline may be extended. Failure to correct the violations and send the written statement by the due date listed above may result in an unannounced follow-up visit being conducted or an administrative action may be recommended. Based on Child Care Rule 10A NCAC 09 Section .2200, the Division of Child Development and Early Education may take administrative action against the license and/or impose civil penalties based on the failure of the operator to correct any documented violations within the established time period. Child care programs are required to maintain compliance with all applicable child care rules and regulations at all times. North Carolina General Statute 110-90(4)(d) requires all child care facilities to maintain a compliance history of at least seventy-five percent (75%) for the past eighteen (18) months or during the length of time the facility has operated, whichever is less. Failure to do so may result in the issuance of a provisional license or other administrative action against the facility's license. Any violations cited during a visit may affect your score. Your letter may be mailed to me at: Kimberly Crane Post Office Box 6217 Hickory, NC 28603 For your convenience, your compliance letter may be sent by email to: kimberly.crane@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 in the body of the email: name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. An example is: Jane Doe, Administrator AAA Child Care ID # 12345678 At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you today. We appreciate all you and your staff do to serve the children and families in your community. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me by phone at (828) 493-6390 or by email at kimberly.crane@dhhs.nc.gov or my supervisor, Erin Pickard, by email at erin.pickard@dhhs.nc.gov. Thank you for your time today. 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: FOOTSTEPS CHILD CARE CENTER, LLC Facility ID: 18000431 Consultant: KIMBERLY CRANE Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 7/11/2024 Number Present: 26 Completed Date: 7/11/2024 Age: From 0 To 5 Total Minutes: 405 Time In: 09:15 AM Time Out: 11:55 AM Time In: 12:55 PM Time Out: 05:00 PM List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for an annual compliance visit. You, Ashley Waugh, Administrative Assistant and Interim Director, assisted me with today’s visit. I conducted your last annual compliance visit on July 28, 2023. I reviewed with you today the facility information found in our system. You stated there have been no changes to the facility phone number, email address, web address, mailing address, or corporate contact for the facility. You stated the facility no longer had a fax number. I will remove the fax number from the public record database. I reviewed the facility’s permit with you today. You stated there has been no change with the company, Footsteps Child Care Center LLC, that owns your facility. I reviewed the restrictions on your license, capacity, and age range on your permit and observed these being maintained. Footsteps Child Care Center, LLC, the company that owns your facility, was reviewed and listed as current-active on the NC Secretary of State website on July 8, 2024. Your program’s compliance history was 86% as of July 10, 2024 and was reviewed with you today. Your program currently operates with a four-star license, issued on August 12, 2018, earning seven points in education standards, two points in program standards, and one quality point for 75% of lead teachers and teachers having at least ten years early childhood work experience. Your last sanitation inspection was dated April 17, 2024 with a Superior classification and five demerits. I verified that on May 7, 2024, you completed the lead water testing required to be completed every three years. Today, I verified that test results indicate that your lead water tests are within acceptable limits. I verified that you registered your facility for the lead-based paint and asbestos testing and were found to be exempt from these test requirements based on documentation you provided. Your last fire inspection was dated May 10, 2024 and was received in my office on June 5, 2024. I visited each licensed indoor and outdoor space with you today. I observed students playing in activity areas and outdoors, transitioning from indoors to outdoors and outdoors to indoors, and eating lunch. You stated and I observed Space 1B was temporarily closed due to enrollment and Space 3 was temporarily being used to store new materials and equipment. You stated that your facility uses Creative Curriculum as the approved curriculum for a 4-Star facility serving children who are four and five years of age. However, a copy of the Creative Curriculum resource book was not in the facility and you stated staff had not been using the curriculum to plan activities. A current menu was posted, documented appropriate nutritious snacks and meals, showed a variety of foods, and complied with Meal Patterns for Children in Child Care Programs. Lunch was prepared in the kitchen and served in the classrooms. Today’s lunch included a sandwich of ham slices on wheat bread, potatoes, cantaloupe, and unflavored milk. Cold food, milk, infant bottles and infant food were stored in residential refrigerators in the kitchen at a temperature of 28 and 37 degrees Fahrenheit. I monitored hazardous product storage, medication storage, medication administration, general safety, and discipline practices. I monitored program records, child record files, staff record files. Your written operational, administrative, and personnel policies and your parent participation plan were reviewed during a routine unannounced visit on March 26, 2024. You stated your written operational policies and parent participation plan were updated July 1, 2024 and printed in your Family Handbook. I observed signed statements from the parents of children already enrolled in the facility acknowledging that they had received the updated handbook. I observed print copies of the updated handbook which you stated were available to any enrolled family and was given to new families when they enrolled. You stated your written administrative and personnel policies had not been updated. I reviewed your updated Family Handbook today and observed all required components documented in the policies and procedures. I monitored health and safety requirements. I monitored supervision of children, staff-child ratios and group sizes, approved space use, space capacities, and permit restrictions. I completed the “Annual Compliance Monitoring Checklist for Child Care Centers” during today’s visit. The following violations were observed and cited during today's visit: Violation Number Comment Rule 106 Operator has not scheduled and obtained a fire inspection within 12 months of the previous inspection. Operator did not submit the original approved report to DCDEE within one week of the inspection visit on a form provided by the Division. The updated fire inspection report dated 05/10/2024 was received on 06/05/2024. 10A NCAC 09 .0304(a) 114 A summary of the NC Child Care Law was not given to a parent of every child enrolled in the center. The Summary of the NC Child Care Law brochure given to parents and posted in the facility was dated January 2021 instead of the most recent version dated September 2023. GS 110-102 428 A current activity plan was not posted for each group of children for reference. In Space 2, the activity plan was posted and dated 07/01/2024. GS 110-91(12); .0508(a) 1041 Prior to employment a Criminal Background Check was not completed. One employee with a date of employment of 06/14/2024 began training on 05/29/2024 prior to receiving the qualifying criminal background check letter dated 06/14/2024. G.S. 110-90.2(b) 1794 A Four- or Five- Star program serving four year old children was not implementing an approved curriculum. A copy of the approved curriculum could not be located in the facility and for some time, the staff had not been using the approved curriculum to prepare the activity plans. .2802(d) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: 1. Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .0304(a), the original copy of the most recently approved fire inspection report should be sent to me by email within one week of completion. Prior to today’s visit, I received your new fire inspection report dated 05/10/2024 on 06/05/2024 after I sent you an email on May 31, 2024 requesting an updated fire inspection report thereby correcting the violation. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement in the future, I suggest you forward the email containing the fire inspection report when you receive it from the fire inspector. 2. The most current Summary of North Carolina Child Care Law was published in September 2023. The current version should be posted in a prominent place in the facility and included in the enrollment packet to be given to parents prior to the child’s first day of attendance. During today’s visit, I observed an older version of the Summary of North Carolina Child Care Law dated January 2021 posted in the lobby and in child record files dated 2024. Today, I observed you post the September 2023 version in the lobby and print the September 2023 version to add to new enrollment packets, thereby correcting this violation. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement in the future, I suggest you print the updated version, post it in your lobby, and add it to your new enrollment packets. I also suggest you check the DCDEE website for updated versions whenever you receive notification of child care or sanitation rule updates. 3. Employee’s may not complete any training prior to your receiving a CBC qualification letter. Completing training shows an intent to hire and an employee cannot be hired prior to verifying the employee’s qualification as a child care provider. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I suggest you begin your training process on the employee’s first day of employment. 4. Activity plans should be current. During today’s visit, I observed the activity plan dated 07/01/2024 posted in Space 2. Today, I observed an updated activity plan dated 07/08/2024 and 07/15/2024 created and posted in Space 2, thereby correcting this violation. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement in the future, I suggest you require activity plans be turned in to you for review prior to Fridays and then require staff to post the new activity plan at the end of the operating day on Friday evenings. I further suggest that you monitor each classroom on Monday morning to ensure a current activity plan has been posted in each classroom. 5. Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .2802(d), a Four- or Five- Star program serving four- and five-year old children should use an approved curriculum. During today’s visit, you were unable to locate a copy of Creative Curriculum, 4th Edition in the facility. You stated staff had not been using the creative curriculum resource for some time. Today, you contacted your facility owner who immediately ordered a replacement copy of Creative Curriculum, 4th Edition . To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I suggest you review this requirement with your staff and make a copy of your chosen approved curriculum available to staff for use as they prepare their activity plans weekly. CONSULTATION: 1. When receiving new child enrollment applications be sure to review the application packet in the presence of the parents prior to the child’s first day of attendance so any incomplete information on the application or the enrollment forms can be completed prior to the child being left in your care. 2. Please continue to visit DCDEE’s website at https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/ to get the latest information for child care settings and child care updates including the most up to date documents and forms. 3. Visit NC Child Care Health and Safety Resource Center at http://healthychildcare.unc.edu to find the following resources: technical assistance, coaching support, resources, handwashing and diapering posters, monthly newsletters, and a list of approved in-service trainings including, but not limited to, ITS-SIDS training and Emergency Preparedness and Response in Child Care training. COMPLIANCE PLAN: No compliance documentation is needed for those violations corrected during today’s visit. In the visit summary, I documented the corrective actions taken today to correct those violations. All violations cited and not corrected today must be corrected immediately. Please submit a written, signed, and dated statement to me at the email/address below detailing the steps taken to correct each violation. 1) Your compliance letter must include the following: 1. The name of your center 2. The center’s ID number 3. The date you write the letter 4. Address each violation stating how you corrected the violation and are now in compliance. 5. Address your plan to ensure that you will not have that violation again. 6. Your signature 2) Supporting documentation including the following: Please send supporting documentation such as training certificates, CBC letters, acknowledgement statements, and photographs for me to use to verify compliance. Please DO NOT send staff or child medical documents or documentation for verification as this is a violation of HIPPA protocol. If needed I will verify these documents at the next monitoring visit. I must receive your compliance letter no later than July 25, 2024. Please be aware any information submitted by you is legal documentation. If you state in your compliance letter that corrections have been made when they have not, it will be considered falsification of information. If you cannot meet the requirements by this date you shall contact me with a timeline of the corrections. In some cases, this timeline may be extended. Failure to correct the violations and send the written statement by the due date listed above may result in an unannounced follow-up visit being conducted or an administrative action may be recommended. Based on Child Care Rule 10A NCAC 09 Section .2200, the Division of Child Development and Early Education may take administrative action against the license and/or impose civil penalties based on the failure of the operator to correct any documented violations within the established time period. Child care programs are required to maintain compliance with all applicable child care rules and regulations at all times. North Carolina General Statute 110-90(4)(d) requires all child care facilities to maintain a compliance history of at least seventy-five percent (75%) for the past eighteen (18) months or during the length of time the facility has operated, whichever is less. Failure to do so may result in the issuance of a provisional license or other administrative action against the facility's license. Any violations cited during a visit may affect your score. Your letter may be mailed to me at: Kimberly Crane Post Office Box 6217 Hickory, NC 28603 For your convenience, your compliance letter may be sent by email to: kimberly.crane@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 in the body of the email: name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. An example is: Jane Doe, Administrator AAA Child Care ID # 12345678 At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you today. We appreciate all you and your staff do to serve the children and families in your community. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me by phone at (828) 493-6390 or by email at kimberly.crane@dhhs.nc.gov or my supervisor, Erin Pickard, by email at erin.pickard@dhhs.nc.gov. Thank you for your time today. 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 110-102 · Violation

Name of Operation: FOOTSTEPS CHILD CARE CENTER, LLC Facility ID: 18000431 Consultant: KIMBERLY CRANE Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 7/11/2024 Number Present: 26 Completed Date: 7/11/2024 Age: From 0 To 5 Total Minutes: 405 Time In: 09:15 AM Time Out: 11:55 AM Time In: 12:55 PM Time Out: 05:00 PM List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for an annual compliance visit. You, Ashley Waugh, Administrative Assistant and Interim Director, assisted me with today’s visit. I conducted your last annual compliance visit on July 28, 2023. I reviewed with you today the facility information found in our system. You stated there have been no changes to the facility phone number, email address, web address, mailing address, or corporate contact for the facility. You stated the facility no longer had a fax number. I will remove the fax number from the public record database. I reviewed the facility’s permit with you today. You stated there has been no change with the company, Footsteps Child Care Center LLC, that owns your facility. I reviewed the restrictions on your license, capacity, and age range on your permit and observed these being maintained. Footsteps Child Care Center, LLC, the company that owns your facility, was reviewed and listed as current-active on the NC Secretary of State website on July 8, 2024. Your program’s compliance history was 86% as of July 10, 2024 and was reviewed with you today. Your program currently operates with a four-star license, issued on August 12, 2018, earning seven points in education standards, two points in program standards, and one quality point for 75% of lead teachers and teachers having at least ten years early childhood work experience. Your last sanitation inspection was dated April 17, 2024 with a Superior classification and five demerits. I verified that on May 7, 2024, you completed the lead water testing required to be completed every three years. Today, I verified that test results indicate that your lead water tests are within acceptable limits. I verified that you registered your facility for the lead-based paint and asbestos testing and were found to be exempt from these test requirements based on documentation you provided. Your last fire inspection was dated May 10, 2024 and was received in my office on June 5, 2024. I visited each licensed indoor and outdoor space with you today. I observed students playing in activity areas and outdoors, transitioning from indoors to outdoors and outdoors to indoors, and eating lunch. You stated and I observed Space 1B was temporarily closed due to enrollment and Space 3 was temporarily being used to store new materials and equipment. You stated that your facility uses Creative Curriculum as the approved curriculum for a 4-Star facility serving children who are four and five years of age. However, a copy of the Creative Curriculum resource book was not in the facility and you stated staff had not been using the curriculum to plan activities. A current menu was posted, documented appropriate nutritious snacks and meals, showed a variety of foods, and complied with Meal Patterns for Children in Child Care Programs. Lunch was prepared in the kitchen and served in the classrooms. Today’s lunch included a sandwich of ham slices on wheat bread, potatoes, cantaloupe, and unflavored milk. Cold food, milk, infant bottles and infant food were stored in residential refrigerators in the kitchen at a temperature of 28 and 37 degrees Fahrenheit. I monitored hazardous product storage, medication storage, medication administration, general safety, and discipline practices. I monitored program records, child record files, staff record files. Your written operational, administrative, and personnel policies and your parent participation plan were reviewed during a routine unannounced visit on March 26, 2024. You stated your written operational policies and parent participation plan were updated July 1, 2024 and printed in your Family Handbook. I observed signed statements from the parents of children already enrolled in the facility acknowledging that they had received the updated handbook. I observed print copies of the updated handbook which you stated were available to any enrolled family and was given to new families when they enrolled. You stated your written administrative and personnel policies had not been updated. I reviewed your updated Family Handbook today and observed all required components documented in the policies and procedures. I monitored health and safety requirements. I monitored supervision of children, staff-child ratios and group sizes, approved space use, space capacities, and permit restrictions. I completed the “Annual Compliance Monitoring Checklist for Child Care Centers” during today’s visit. The following violations were observed and cited during today's visit: Violation Number Comment Rule 106 Operator has not scheduled and obtained a fire inspection within 12 months of the previous inspection. Operator did not submit the original approved report to DCDEE within one week of the inspection visit on a form provided by the Division. The updated fire inspection report dated 05/10/2024 was received on 06/05/2024. 10A NCAC 09 .0304(a) 114 A summary of the NC Child Care Law was not given to a parent of every child enrolled in the center. The Summary of the NC Child Care Law brochure given to parents and posted in the facility was dated January 2021 instead of the most recent version dated September 2023. GS 110-102 428 A current activity plan was not posted for each group of children for reference. In Space 2, the activity plan was posted and dated 07/01/2024. GS 110-91(12); .0508(a) 1041 Prior to employment a Criminal Background Check was not completed. One employee with a date of employment of 06/14/2024 began training on 05/29/2024 prior to receiving the qualifying criminal background check letter dated 06/14/2024. G.S. 110-90.2(b) 1794 A Four- or Five- Star program serving four year old children was not implementing an approved curriculum. A copy of the approved curriculum could not be located in the facility and for some time, the staff had not been using the approved curriculum to prepare the activity plans. .2802(d) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: 1. Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .0304(a), the original copy of the most recently approved fire inspection report should be sent to me by email within one week of completion. Prior to today’s visit, I received your new fire inspection report dated 05/10/2024 on 06/05/2024 after I sent you an email on May 31, 2024 requesting an updated fire inspection report thereby correcting the violation. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement in the future, I suggest you forward the email containing the fire inspection report when you receive it from the fire inspector. 2. The most current Summary of North Carolina Child Care Law was published in September 2023. The current version should be posted in a prominent place in the facility and included in the enrollment packet to be given to parents prior to the child’s first day of attendance. During today’s visit, I observed an older version of the Summary of North Carolina Child Care Law dated January 2021 posted in the lobby and in child record files dated 2024. Today, I observed you post the September 2023 version in the lobby and print the September 2023 version to add to new enrollment packets, thereby correcting this violation. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement in the future, I suggest you print the updated version, post it in your lobby, and add it to your new enrollment packets. I also suggest you check the DCDEE website for updated versions whenever you receive notification of child care or sanitation rule updates. 3. Employee’s may not complete any training prior to your receiving a CBC qualification letter. Completing training shows an intent to hire and an employee cannot be hired prior to verifying the employee’s qualification as a child care provider. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I suggest you begin your training process on the employee’s first day of employment. 4. Activity plans should be current. During today’s visit, I observed the activity plan dated 07/01/2024 posted in Space 2. Today, I observed an updated activity plan dated 07/08/2024 and 07/15/2024 created and posted in Space 2, thereby correcting this violation. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement in the future, I suggest you require activity plans be turned in to you for review prior to Fridays and then require staff to post the new activity plan at the end of the operating day on Friday evenings. I further suggest that you monitor each classroom on Monday morning to ensure a current activity plan has been posted in each classroom. 5. Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .2802(d), a Four- or Five- Star program serving four- and five-year old children should use an approved curriculum. During today’s visit, you were unable to locate a copy of Creative Curriculum, 4th Edition in the facility. You stated staff had not been using the creative curriculum resource for some time. Today, you contacted your facility owner who immediately ordered a replacement copy of Creative Curriculum, 4th Edition . To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I suggest you review this requirement with your staff and make a copy of your chosen approved curriculum available to staff for use as they prepare their activity plans weekly. CONSULTATION: 1. When receiving new child enrollment applications be sure to review the application packet in the presence of the parents prior to the child’s first day of attendance so any incomplete information on the application or the enrollment forms can be completed prior to the child being left in your care. 2. Please continue to visit DCDEE’s website at https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/ to get the latest information for child care settings and child care updates including the most up to date documents and forms. 3. Visit NC Child Care Health and Safety Resource Center at http://healthychildcare.unc.edu to find the following resources: technical assistance, coaching support, resources, handwashing and diapering posters, monthly newsletters, and a list of approved in-service trainings including, but not limited to, ITS-SIDS training and Emergency Preparedness and Response in Child Care training. COMPLIANCE PLAN: No compliance documentation is needed for those violations corrected during today’s visit. In the visit summary, I documented the corrective actions taken today to correct those violations. All violations cited and not corrected today must be corrected immediately. Please submit a written, signed, and dated statement to me at the email/address below detailing the steps taken to correct each violation. 1) Your compliance letter must include the following: 1. The name of your center 2. The center’s ID number 3. The date you write the letter 4. Address each violation stating how you corrected the violation and are now in compliance. 5. Address your plan to ensure that you will not have that violation again. 6. Your signature 2) Supporting documentation including the following: Please send supporting documentation such as training certificates, CBC letters, acknowledgement statements, and photographs for me to use to verify compliance. Please DO NOT send staff or child medical documents or documentation for verification as this is a violation of HIPPA protocol. If needed I will verify these documents at the next monitoring visit. I must receive your compliance letter no later than July 25, 2024. Please be aware any information submitted by you is legal documentation. If you state in your compliance letter that corrections have been made when they have not, it will be considered falsification of information. If you cannot meet the requirements by this date you shall contact me with a timeline of the corrections. In some cases, this timeline may be extended. Failure to correct the violations and send the written statement by the due date listed above may result in an unannounced follow-up visit being conducted or an administrative action may be recommended. Based on Child Care Rule 10A NCAC 09 Section .2200, the Division of Child Development and Early Education may take administrative action against the license and/or impose civil penalties based on the failure of the operator to correct any documented violations within the established time period. Child care programs are required to maintain compliance with all applicable child care rules and regulations at all times. North Carolina General Statute 110-90(4)(d) requires all child care facilities to maintain a compliance history of at least seventy-five percent (75%) for the past eighteen (18) months or during the length of time the facility has operated, whichever is less. Failure to do so may result in the issuance of a provisional license or other administrative action against the facility's license. Any violations cited during a visit may affect your score. Your letter may be mailed to me at: Kimberly Crane Post Office Box 6217 Hickory, NC 28603 For your convenience, your compliance letter may be sent by email to: kimberly.crane@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 in the body of the email: name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. An example is: Jane Doe, Administrator AAA Child Care ID # 12345678 At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you today. We appreciate all you and your staff do to serve the children and families in your community. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me by phone at (828) 493-6390 or by email at kimberly.crane@dhhs.nc.gov or my supervisor, Erin Pickard, by email at erin.pickard@dhhs.nc.gov. Thank you for your time today. 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: FOOTSTEPS CHILD CARE CENTER, LLC Facility ID: 18000431 Consultant: KIMBERLY CRANE Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 7/11/2024 Number Present: 26 Completed Date: 7/11/2024 Age: From 0 To 5 Total Minutes: 405 Time In: 09:15 AM Time Out: 11:55 AM Time In: 12:55 PM Time Out: 05:00 PM List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for an annual compliance visit. You, Ashley Waugh, Administrative Assistant and Interim Director, assisted me with today’s visit. I conducted your last annual compliance visit on July 28, 2023. I reviewed with you today the facility information found in our system. You stated there have been no changes to the facility phone number, email address, web address, mailing address, or corporate contact for the facility. You stated the facility no longer had a fax number. I will remove the fax number from the public record database. I reviewed the facility’s permit with you today. You stated there has been no change with the company, Footsteps Child Care Center LLC, that owns your facility. I reviewed the restrictions on your license, capacity, and age range on your permit and observed these being maintained. Footsteps Child Care Center, LLC, the company that owns your facility, was reviewed and listed as current-active on the NC Secretary of State website on July 8, 2024. Your program’s compliance history was 86% as of July 10, 2024 and was reviewed with you today. Your program currently operates with a four-star license, issued on August 12, 2018, earning seven points in education standards, two points in program standards, and one quality point for 75% of lead teachers and teachers having at least ten years early childhood work experience. Your last sanitation inspection was dated April 17, 2024 with a Superior classification and five demerits. I verified that on May 7, 2024, you completed the lead water testing required to be completed every three years. Today, I verified that test results indicate that your lead water tests are within acceptable limits. I verified that you registered your facility for the lead-based paint and asbestos testing and were found to be exempt from these test requirements based on documentation you provided. Your last fire inspection was dated May 10, 2024 and was received in my office on June 5, 2024. I visited each licensed indoor and outdoor space with you today. I observed students playing in activity areas and outdoors, transitioning from indoors to outdoors and outdoors to indoors, and eating lunch. You stated and I observed Space 1B was temporarily closed due to enrollment and Space 3 was temporarily being used to store new materials and equipment. You stated that your facility uses Creative Curriculum as the approved curriculum for a 4-Star facility serving children who are four and five years of age. However, a copy of the Creative Curriculum resource book was not in the facility and you stated staff had not been using the curriculum to plan activities. A current menu was posted, documented appropriate nutritious snacks and meals, showed a variety of foods, and complied with Meal Patterns for Children in Child Care Programs. Lunch was prepared in the kitchen and served in the classrooms. Today’s lunch included a sandwich of ham slices on wheat bread, potatoes, cantaloupe, and unflavored milk. Cold food, milk, infant bottles and infant food were stored in residential refrigerators in the kitchen at a temperature of 28 and 37 degrees Fahrenheit. I monitored hazardous product storage, medication storage, medication administration, general safety, and discipline practices. I monitored program records, child record files, staff record files. Your written operational, administrative, and personnel policies and your parent participation plan were reviewed during a routine unannounced visit on March 26, 2024. You stated your written operational policies and parent participation plan were updated July 1, 2024 and printed in your Family Handbook. I observed signed statements from the parents of children already enrolled in the facility acknowledging that they had received the updated handbook. I observed print copies of the updated handbook which you stated were available to any enrolled family and was given to new families when they enrolled. You stated your written administrative and personnel policies had not been updated. I reviewed your updated Family Handbook today and observed all required components documented in the policies and procedures. I monitored health and safety requirements. I monitored supervision of children, staff-child ratios and group sizes, approved space use, space capacities, and permit restrictions. I completed the “Annual Compliance Monitoring Checklist for Child Care Centers” during today’s visit. The following violations were observed and cited during today's visit: Violation Number Comment Rule 106 Operator has not scheduled and obtained a fire inspection within 12 months of the previous inspection. Operator did not submit the original approved report to DCDEE within one week of the inspection visit on a form provided by the Division. The updated fire inspection report dated 05/10/2024 was received on 06/05/2024. 10A NCAC 09 .0304(a) 114 A summary of the NC Child Care Law was not given to a parent of every child enrolled in the center. The Summary of the NC Child Care Law brochure given to parents and posted in the facility was dated January 2021 instead of the most recent version dated September 2023. GS 110-102 428 A current activity plan was not posted for each group of children for reference. In Space 2, the activity plan was posted and dated 07/01/2024. GS 110-91(12); .0508(a) 1041 Prior to employment a Criminal Background Check was not completed. One employee with a date of employment of 06/14/2024 began training on 05/29/2024 prior to receiving the qualifying criminal background check letter dated 06/14/2024. G.S. 110-90.2(b) 1794 A Four- or Five- Star program serving four year old children was not implementing an approved curriculum. A copy of the approved curriculum could not be located in the facility and for some time, the staff had not been using the approved curriculum to prepare the activity plans. .2802(d) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: 1. Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .0304(a), the original copy of the most recently approved fire inspection report should be sent to me by email within one week of completion. Prior to today’s visit, I received your new fire inspection report dated 05/10/2024 on 06/05/2024 after I sent you an email on May 31, 2024 requesting an updated fire inspection report thereby correcting the violation. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement in the future, I suggest you forward the email containing the fire inspection report when you receive it from the fire inspector. 2. The most current Summary of North Carolina Child Care Law was published in September 2023. The current version should be posted in a prominent place in the facility and included in the enrollment packet to be given to parents prior to the child’s first day of attendance. During today’s visit, I observed an older version of the Summary of North Carolina Child Care Law dated January 2021 posted in the lobby and in child record files dated 2024. Today, I observed you post the September 2023 version in the lobby and print the September 2023 version to add to new enrollment packets, thereby correcting this violation. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement in the future, I suggest you print the updated version, post it in your lobby, and add it to your new enrollment packets. I also suggest you check the DCDEE website for updated versions whenever you receive notification of child care or sanitation rule updates. 3. Employee’s may not complete any training prior to your receiving a CBC qualification letter. Completing training shows an intent to hire and an employee cannot be hired prior to verifying the employee’s qualification as a child care provider. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I suggest you begin your training process on the employee’s first day of employment. 4. Activity plans should be current. During today’s visit, I observed the activity plan dated 07/01/2024 posted in Space 2. Today, I observed an updated activity plan dated 07/08/2024 and 07/15/2024 created and posted in Space 2, thereby correcting this violation. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement in the future, I suggest you require activity plans be turned in to you for review prior to Fridays and then require staff to post the new activity plan at the end of the operating day on Friday evenings. I further suggest that you monitor each classroom on Monday morning to ensure a current activity plan has been posted in each classroom. 5. Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .2802(d), a Four- or Five- Star program serving four- and five-year old children should use an approved curriculum. During today’s visit, you were unable to locate a copy of Creative Curriculum, 4th Edition in the facility. You stated staff had not been using the creative curriculum resource for some time. Today, you contacted your facility owner who immediately ordered a replacement copy of Creative Curriculum, 4th Edition . To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I suggest you review this requirement with your staff and make a copy of your chosen approved curriculum available to staff for use as they prepare their activity plans weekly. CONSULTATION: 1. When receiving new child enrollment applications be sure to review the application packet in the presence of the parents prior to the child’s first day of attendance so any incomplete information on the application or the enrollment forms can be completed prior to the child being left in your care. 2. Please continue to visit DCDEE’s website at https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/ to get the latest information for child care settings and child care updates including the most up to date documents and forms. 3. Visit NC Child Care Health and Safety Resource Center at http://healthychildcare.unc.edu to find the following resources: technical assistance, coaching support, resources, handwashing and diapering posters, monthly newsletters, and a list of approved in-service trainings including, but not limited to, ITS-SIDS training and Emergency Preparedness and Response in Child Care training. COMPLIANCE PLAN: No compliance documentation is needed for those violations corrected during today’s visit. In the visit summary, I documented the corrective actions taken today to correct those violations. All violations cited and not corrected today must be corrected immediately. Please submit a written, signed, and dated statement to me at the email/address below detailing the steps taken to correct each violation. 1) Your compliance letter must include the following: 1. The name of your center 2. The center’s ID number 3. The date you write the letter 4. Address each violation stating how you corrected the violation and are now in compliance. 5. Address your plan to ensure that you will not have that violation again. 6. Your signature 2) Supporting documentation including the following: Please send supporting documentation such as training certificates, CBC letters, acknowledgement statements, and photographs for me to use to verify compliance. Please DO NOT send staff or child medical documents or documentation for verification as this is a violation of HIPPA protocol. If needed I will verify these documents at the next monitoring visit. I must receive your compliance letter no later than July 25, 2024. Please be aware any information submitted by you is legal documentation. If you state in your compliance letter that corrections have been made when they have not, it will be considered falsification of information. If you cannot meet the requirements by this date you shall contact me with a timeline of the corrections. In some cases, this timeline may be extended. Failure to correct the violations and send the written statement by the due date listed above may result in an unannounced follow-up visit being conducted or an administrative action may be recommended. Based on Child Care Rule 10A NCAC 09 Section .2200, the Division of Child Development and Early Education may take administrative action against the license and/or impose civil penalties based on the failure of the operator to correct any documented violations within the established time period. Child care programs are required to maintain compliance with all applicable child care rules and regulations at all times. North Carolina General Statute 110-90(4)(d) requires all child care facilities to maintain a compliance history of at least seventy-five percent (75%) for the past eighteen (18) months or during the length of time the facility has operated, whichever is less. Failure to do so may result in the issuance of a provisional license or other administrative action against the facility's license. Any violations cited during a visit may affect your score. Your letter may be mailed to me at: Kimberly Crane Post Office Box 6217 Hickory, NC 28603 For your convenience, your compliance letter may be sent by email to: kimberly.crane@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 in the body of the email: name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. An example is: Jane Doe, Administrator AAA Child Care ID # 12345678 At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you today. We appreciate all you and your staff do to serve the children and families in your community. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me by phone at (828) 493-6390 or by email at kimberly.crane@dhhs.nc.gov or my supervisor, Erin Pickard, by email at erin.pickard@dhhs.nc.gov. Thank you for your time today. 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 .0606 · Violation

Name of Operation: FOOTSTEPS CHILD CARE CENTER, LLC Facility ID: 18000431 Consultant: KIMBERLY CRANE Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 3/26/2024 Number Present: 38 Completed Date: 3/26/2024 Age: From 0 To 5 Total Minutes: 260 Time In: 09:10 AM Time Out: 01:30 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Routine Unannounced Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for a routine unannounced visit. You, Lisa Smith, Administrator, assisted me with today’s visit. I conducted your last annual compliance visit on July 28, 2023. I reviewed with you today the facility information found in our system. You stated there have been no changes to your phone number, email address, mailing address, or corporate contact for the facility. You stated there has been no change with the corporation, Footsteps Child Care Center, LLC, that owns your facility. Your facility, owned by Footsteps Child Care Center, LLC, was reviewed and listed as current- active on the NC Secretary of State website on March 25, 2024. Your center's compliance history was 86% as of March 25, 2024 and was reviewed with you today. Your program currently operates with a four-star license, issued on August 12, 2018, earning seven points in education standards, two points in program standards, and one quality point for 75% of lead teachers and teachers having at least ten years early childhood work experience. Your most recent fire inspection was dated February 9, 2023 and received in my office by email on July 28, 2023. A violation was cited during the annual compliance visit on July 28, 2023. Your most recent sanitation inspection was dated September 29, 2023 with a Superior classification and four demerits. You and I completed a walk-through of the facility today. I monitored all licensed indoor and outdoor areas. I observed children throughout the facility participating in free play in activity areas, transitions, and personal care routines. I observed infants and toddlers engaged in floor play. A current menu was posted, documented appropriate nutritious snacks and meals, showed a variety of foods, and complied with Meal Patterns for Children in Child Care Programs. Meals were prepared in the kitchen and served in the classrooms. Cold food and milk were stored in a residential refrigerator in the kitchen at a temperature of 24 degrees Fahrenheit. Infant bottles and food were stored at a temperature of 38 degrees Fahrenheit in a full-size refrigerator located in Space 1A. I monitored hazardous product storage, medication storage, medication administration, general safety, and discipline. I monitored program records including emergency medical care plan, safe arrival and departure procedures, incident log, outdoor safety inspections, fire drills, emergency drills, and your Emergency Preparedness Response (EPR) Plan. I reviewed staff record files for six returning staff members to verify current and valid Criminal Background Check qualification letters, valid CPR and First Aid training, valid ITS-SIDS training and completion of the Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment training. I reviewed staff record files for three new staff members hired since the last annual compliance visit on August 8, 2023. I monitored health and safety requirements. I reviewed your written operational, administrative, and personnel policies and your parent participation plan at a routine unannounced visit on February 9, 2023. I monitored supervision, staff-child ratios, group sizes, approved space use, space capacities, and permit restrictions. The following violations were observed and cited during today’s visit: Violation Number Comment Rule 841 Medications including prescription and non-prescription items were not stored in a locked cabinet or other locked container. In Space 1B and 4, prescription medications for chronic illnesses were stored in a locked closet or locked box rather than easily accessible to staff in unlocked storage and inaccessible to children above five feet. 15A NCAC 18A .2820(d) 847 Parent's medication authorization did not include required information. In Space 1B, two medications for chronic illnesses did not have a medication permission to administer form accompanying the medication and one medication permission to administer form for a prescription topical ointment was missing the dates to administer the medication. 10A NCAC 09 .0803(4)(6-9) 892 The center's safe sleep policy was not posted in a prominent place in the infant room where parents and caregivers were able to view daily. In Space 1A designated for infant care, the center safe sleep policy was not posted in the classroom. .0606(b) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: 1. Emergency medications for chronic illnesses such as inhalers for asthma and epi-pens for allergies should be stored above five feet in an unlocked cabinet or location that’s easy for the staff member to get to quickly and not in locked storage. During today’s visit, you and staff moved emergency medications from locked storage to unlocked storage and placed the emergency medications above five feet making them inaccessible to the children but easily reached by staff. To maintain compliance with this sanitation requirement, I suggest you review this sanitation rule with your staff. 2. All medications including prescription and non-prescription medications for chronic illnesses should be accompanied with a medication permission to administer form. Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .0803(7), on the medication permission to administer form, the parent must include valid dates for the medication to be administered, the amount of medication to be administered, and the manner in which the medication is to be administered. Also, when a parent submits a medical action plan with the child enrollment application and medications are listed, a medication permission to administer form should be completed for the medication listed on the medical action plan. I suggest you and your staff review the medication permission form when it is received from the parent to be sure all the required information has been provided by the parent. If any information is missing, I advise you and your staff to have the parents provide the information immediately before leaving the medication with you. 3. Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .0606(b), the center’s safe sleep policy should be posted in a prominent place in the infant room where staff and parents can see it easily. During today’s visit, you posted the center’s safe sleep in the infant room per my request. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I suggest you monitor each classroom routinely to be sure all required postings are posted correctly. CONSULTATION: 1. Please continue to visit DCDEE’s website at https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/ to get the latest information for child care settings and child care updates including the most up to date documents and forms. 2. Visit NC Child Care Health and Safety Resource Center at http://healthychildcare.unc.edu to find the following resources: technical assistance, coaching support, resources, handwashing and diapering posters, monthly newsletters, and a list of approved in-service trainings including, but not limited to, ITS-SIDS training and Emergency Preparedness and Response in Child Care training. 3. The Change of Information form for CBC is listed in law. When a new staff member starts working at a facility and gives the administrator a CBC qualification letter that was previously completed while working at another facility, but is still current, the administrator should send a Change of Information form for that new staff member to the CBC unit or connect the employee through the ABCMS portal. The Change of Information form can be found on DCDEE’s website under Provider Documents and Forms. The ABCMS training for administrators found on DCDEE Moodle has to be completed before you’ll be able to gain the required access codes to connect employees to your facility through the ABCMS portal. 4. The hold harmless legislation was extended and signed into law on June 12th, 2023. This legislation allows facilities to remain at their current star level without a reassessment until June 30, 2024 and when reassessed it reduces the education evaluation requirements for lead teachers from 75% to 50% until June of 2026. To prepare for the reassessment process, DCDEE has developed a cohort system. There are three cohorts, and each include a preparation year and a reassessment year. While the first reassessment year will not begin until July 1, 2024, the preparation year for cohort one begins July 1, 2023. Your facility is in Cohort 1. Throughout the next few months, I recommend you consider completing the following tasks and activities that will help prepare you for your reassessment year, which will be sometime between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025. • Have all staff update WORKS accounts to reflect all currently completed coursework (DCDEE-WORKS) • Determine whether you wish to have Environment Rating Scale (ERS) Assessments [ITERS-R, ECERS-R, and/or SACERS-U] conducted • Request technical assistance with your child care consultant and local partners • Participate in local CCR&R and NCPC quality related training/workshops (CCRR Information) • Reach out to your local Community College to discuss educational opportunities • Review NCRLAP website ERS resources (www.NCRLAP.org). To help review ERS requirements and think carefully about the current characteristics and practices in your program and classrooms, check out the Thinking More worksheets. A worksheet is available for each subscale of each rating scale. • Consider requesting an ERS assessment (free of charge) during the preparation year. Remember the scores can be used in a variety of ways o ERS assessments can be requested during the preparation year and scores can be used as guidance to enhance program quality o If desired, assessment scores can be used during the preparation year if the operator wants to move forward with a rated license reassessment o Assessment scores can be saved to use during the reassessment year o Facilities can request another ERS assessment (free of charge) in your reassessment year for any ERS assessment scoring less than a 5.0 If you have questions, please contact me. I look forward to helping you through this rated license reassessment process COMPLIANCE PLAN: No compliance documentation is needed for those violations corrected during today’s visit. In the visit summary, I documented the corrective actions taken today to correct those violations. All violations cited and not corrected today must be corrected immediately. Please submit a written, signed, and dated statement to me at the email/address below detailing the steps taken to correct each violation. 1) Your compliance letter must include the following: 1. The name of your center 2. The center’s ID number 3. The date you write the letter 4. Address each violation stating how you corrected the violation and are now in compliance. 5. Address your plan to ensure that you will not have that violation again. 6. Your signature 2) Supporting documentation including the following: Please send supporting documentation such as training certificates, CBC letters, acknowledgement statements, and photographs for me to use to verify compliance. Please DO NOT send staff or child medical documents or documentation for verification as this is a violation of HIPPA protocol. If needed I will verify these documents at the next monitoring visit. I must receive your compliance letter no later than April 9, 2024. Please be aware any information submitted by you is legal documentation. If you state in your compliance letter that corrections have been made when they have not, it will be considered falsification of information. If you cannot meet the requirements by this date you shall contact me with a timeline of the corrections. In some cases, this timeline may be extended. Failure to correct the violations and send the written statement by the due date listed above may result in an unannounced follow-up visit being conducted or an administrative action may be recommended. Based on Child Care Rule 10A NCAC 09 Section .2200, the Division of Child Development and Early Education may take administrative action against the license and/or impose civil penalties based on the failure of the operator to correct any documented violations within the established time period. Child care programs are required to maintain compliance with all applicable child care rules and regulations at all times. North Carolina General Statute 110-90(4)(d) requires all child care facilities to maintain a compliance history of at least seventy-five percent (75%) for the past eighteen (18) months or during the length of time the facility has operated, whichever is less. Failure to do so may result in the issuance of a provisional license or other administrative action against the facility's license. Any violations cited during a visit may affect your score. Your letter may be mailed to me at: Kimberly Crane Post Office Box 6217 Hickory, NC 28603 For your convenience, your compliance letter may be sent by email to: kimberly.crane@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 in the body of the email: name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. An example is: Jane Doe, Administrator AAA Child Care ID # 12345678 At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you today. We appreciate all you and your staff do to serve the children and families in your community. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me by phone at (828) 493-6390 or by email at kimberly.crane@dhhs.nc.gov or my supervisor, Erin Pickard, by email at erin.pickard@dhhs.nc.gov. Thank you for your time today. 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 .0803 · Violation

Name of Operation: FOOTSTEPS CHILD CARE CENTER, LLC Facility ID: 18000431 Consultant: KIMBERLY CRANE Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 3/26/2024 Number Present: 38 Completed Date: 3/26/2024 Age: From 0 To 5 Total Minutes: 260 Time In: 09:10 AM Time Out: 01:30 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Routine Unannounced Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for a routine unannounced visit. You, Lisa Smith, Administrator, assisted me with today’s visit. I conducted your last annual compliance visit on July 28, 2023. I reviewed with you today the facility information found in our system. You stated there have been no changes to your phone number, email address, mailing address, or corporate contact for the facility. You stated there has been no change with the corporation, Footsteps Child Care Center, LLC, that owns your facility. Your facility, owned by Footsteps Child Care Center, LLC, was reviewed and listed as current- active on the NC Secretary of State website on March 25, 2024. Your center's compliance history was 86% as of March 25, 2024 and was reviewed with you today. Your program currently operates with a four-star license, issued on August 12, 2018, earning seven points in education standards, two points in program standards, and one quality point for 75% of lead teachers and teachers having at least ten years early childhood work experience. Your most recent fire inspection was dated February 9, 2023 and received in my office by email on July 28, 2023. A violation was cited during the annual compliance visit on July 28, 2023. Your most recent sanitation inspection was dated September 29, 2023 with a Superior classification and four demerits. You and I completed a walk-through of the facility today. I monitored all licensed indoor and outdoor areas. I observed children throughout the facility participating in free play in activity areas, transitions, and personal care routines. I observed infants and toddlers engaged in floor play. A current menu was posted, documented appropriate nutritious snacks and meals, showed a variety of foods, and complied with Meal Patterns for Children in Child Care Programs. Meals were prepared in the kitchen and served in the classrooms. Cold food and milk were stored in a residential refrigerator in the kitchen at a temperature of 24 degrees Fahrenheit. Infant bottles and food were stored at a temperature of 38 degrees Fahrenheit in a full-size refrigerator located in Space 1A. I monitored hazardous product storage, medication storage, medication administration, general safety, and discipline. I monitored program records including emergency medical care plan, safe arrival and departure procedures, incident log, outdoor safety inspections, fire drills, emergency drills, and your Emergency Preparedness Response (EPR) Plan. I reviewed staff record files for six returning staff members to verify current and valid Criminal Background Check qualification letters, valid CPR and First Aid training, valid ITS-SIDS training and completion of the Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment training. I reviewed staff record files for three new staff members hired since the last annual compliance visit on August 8, 2023. I monitored health and safety requirements. I reviewed your written operational, administrative, and personnel policies and your parent participation plan at a routine unannounced visit on February 9, 2023. I monitored supervision, staff-child ratios, group sizes, approved space use, space capacities, and permit restrictions. The following violations were observed and cited during today’s visit: Violation Number Comment Rule 841 Medications including prescription and non-prescription items were not stored in a locked cabinet or other locked container. In Space 1B and 4, prescription medications for chronic illnesses were stored in a locked closet or locked box rather than easily accessible to staff in unlocked storage and inaccessible to children above five feet. 15A NCAC 18A .2820(d) 847 Parent's medication authorization did not include required information. In Space 1B, two medications for chronic illnesses did not have a medication permission to administer form accompanying the medication and one medication permission to administer form for a prescription topical ointment was missing the dates to administer the medication. 10A NCAC 09 .0803(4)(6-9) 892 The center's safe sleep policy was not posted in a prominent place in the infant room where parents and caregivers were able to view daily. In Space 1A designated for infant care, the center safe sleep policy was not posted in the classroom. .0606(b) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: 1. Emergency medications for chronic illnesses such as inhalers for asthma and epi-pens for allergies should be stored above five feet in an unlocked cabinet or location that’s easy for the staff member to get to quickly and not in locked storage. During today’s visit, you and staff moved emergency medications from locked storage to unlocked storage and placed the emergency medications above five feet making them inaccessible to the children but easily reached by staff. To maintain compliance with this sanitation requirement, I suggest you review this sanitation rule with your staff. 2. All medications including prescription and non-prescription medications for chronic illnesses should be accompanied with a medication permission to administer form. Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .0803(7), on the medication permission to administer form, the parent must include valid dates for the medication to be administered, the amount of medication to be administered, and the manner in which the medication is to be administered. Also, when a parent submits a medical action plan with the child enrollment application and medications are listed, a medication permission to administer form should be completed for the medication listed on the medical action plan. I suggest you and your staff review the medication permission form when it is received from the parent to be sure all the required information has been provided by the parent. If any information is missing, I advise you and your staff to have the parents provide the information immediately before leaving the medication with you. 3. Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .0606(b), the center’s safe sleep policy should be posted in a prominent place in the infant room where staff and parents can see it easily. During today’s visit, you posted the center’s safe sleep in the infant room per my request. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I suggest you monitor each classroom routinely to be sure all required postings are posted correctly. CONSULTATION: 1. Please continue to visit DCDEE’s website at https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/ to get the latest information for child care settings and child care updates including the most up to date documents and forms. 2. Visit NC Child Care Health and Safety Resource Center at http://healthychildcare.unc.edu to find the following resources: technical assistance, coaching support, resources, handwashing and diapering posters, monthly newsletters, and a list of approved in-service trainings including, but not limited to, ITS-SIDS training and Emergency Preparedness and Response in Child Care training. 3. The Change of Information form for CBC is listed in law. When a new staff member starts working at a facility and gives the administrator a CBC qualification letter that was previously completed while working at another facility, but is still current, the administrator should send a Change of Information form for that new staff member to the CBC unit or connect the employee through the ABCMS portal. The Change of Information form can be found on DCDEE’s website under Provider Documents and Forms. The ABCMS training for administrators found on DCDEE Moodle has to be completed before you’ll be able to gain the required access codes to connect employees to your facility through the ABCMS portal. 4. The hold harmless legislation was extended and signed into law on June 12th, 2023. This legislation allows facilities to remain at their current star level without a reassessment until June 30, 2024 and when reassessed it reduces the education evaluation requirements for lead teachers from 75% to 50% until June of 2026. To prepare for the reassessment process, DCDEE has developed a cohort system. There are three cohorts, and each include a preparation year and a reassessment year. While the first reassessment year will not begin until July 1, 2024, the preparation year for cohort one begins July 1, 2023. Your facility is in Cohort 1. Throughout the next few months, I recommend you consider completing the following tasks and activities that will help prepare you for your reassessment year, which will be sometime between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025. • Have all staff update WORKS accounts to reflect all currently completed coursework (DCDEE-WORKS) • Determine whether you wish to have Environment Rating Scale (ERS) Assessments [ITERS-R, ECERS-R, and/or SACERS-U] conducted • Request technical assistance with your child care consultant and local partners • Participate in local CCR&R and NCPC quality related training/workshops (CCRR Information) • Reach out to your local Community College to discuss educational opportunities • Review NCRLAP website ERS resources (www.NCRLAP.org). To help review ERS requirements and think carefully about the current characteristics and practices in your program and classrooms, check out the Thinking More worksheets. A worksheet is available for each subscale of each rating scale. • Consider requesting an ERS assessment (free of charge) during the preparation year. Remember the scores can be used in a variety of ways o ERS assessments can be requested during the preparation year and scores can be used as guidance to enhance program quality o If desired, assessment scores can be used during the preparation year if the operator wants to move forward with a rated license reassessment o Assessment scores can be saved to use during the reassessment year o Facilities can request another ERS assessment (free of charge) in your reassessment year for any ERS assessment scoring less than a 5.0 If you have questions, please contact me. I look forward to helping you through this rated license reassessment process COMPLIANCE PLAN: No compliance documentation is needed for those violations corrected during today’s visit. In the visit summary, I documented the corrective actions taken today to correct those violations. All violations cited and not corrected today must be corrected immediately. Please submit a written, signed, and dated statement to me at the email/address below detailing the steps taken to correct each violation. 1) Your compliance letter must include the following: 1. The name of your center 2. The center’s ID number 3. The date you write the letter 4. Address each violation stating how you corrected the violation and are now in compliance. 5. Address your plan to ensure that you will not have that violation again. 6. Your signature 2) Supporting documentation including the following: Please send supporting documentation such as training certificates, CBC letters, acknowledgement statements, and photographs for me to use to verify compliance. Please DO NOT send staff or child medical documents or documentation for verification as this is a violation of HIPPA protocol. If needed I will verify these documents at the next monitoring visit. I must receive your compliance letter no later than April 9, 2024. Please be aware any information submitted by you is legal documentation. If you state in your compliance letter that corrections have been made when they have not, it will be considered falsification of information. If you cannot meet the requirements by this date you shall contact me with a timeline of the corrections. In some cases, this timeline may be extended. Failure to correct the violations and send the written statement by the due date listed above may result in an unannounced follow-up visit being conducted or an administrative action may be recommended. Based on Child Care Rule 10A NCAC 09 Section .2200, the Division of Child Development and Early Education may take administrative action against the license and/or impose civil penalties based on the failure of the operator to correct any documented violations within the established time period. Child care programs are required to maintain compliance with all applicable child care rules and regulations at all times. North Carolina General Statute 110-90(4)(d) requires all child care facilities to maintain a compliance history of at least seventy-five percent (75%) for the past eighteen (18) months or during the length of time the facility has operated, whichever is less. Failure to do so may result in the issuance of a provisional license or other administrative action against the facility's license. Any violations cited during a visit may affect your score. Your letter may be mailed to me at: Kimberly Crane Post Office Box 6217 Hickory, NC 28603 For your convenience, your compliance letter may be sent by email to: kimberly.crane@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 in the body of the email: name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. An example is: Jane Doe, Administrator AAA Child Care ID # 12345678 At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you today. We appreciate all you and your staff do to serve the children and families in your community. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me by phone at (828) 493-6390 or by email at kimberly.crane@dhhs.nc.gov or my supervisor, Erin Pickard, by email at erin.pickard@dhhs.nc.gov. Thank you for your time today. 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 .0902 · Violation

Name of Operation: FOOTSTEPS CHILD CARE CENTER, LLC Facility ID: 18000431 Consultant: KIMBERLY CRANE Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 7/28/2023 Number Present: 25 Completed Date: 7/28/2023 Age: From 0 To 6 Total Minutes: 368 Time In: 09:12 AM Time Out: 01:00 PM Time In: 01:55 PM Time Out: 04:15 PM List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for an annual compliance visit. You, Lisa Smith, Director, and Donald Penland, Owner, assisted me with today’s visit. Your program currently operates with a four-star license, issued on August 12, 2018, earning 7 points in staff education, 2 points in program standards, and 1 quality point for 75% of lead teachers and teachers have at least 10 years early childhood work experience. I conducted your last annual compliance visit on August 2, 2022. Your program’s compliance history was 89% of July 26, 2023 and was reviewed with you today. Your last sanitation inspection was dated March 1, 2023 with a Superior classification and 8 demerits. Your last fire inspection was dated May 17, 2023 and was received during today’s visit. You visited each indoor and outdoor space with me today. In Space 1A, I observed children cleaning up activity areas, transitioning to outdoor play, and participating in outdoor play. In Space 1B, I observed children playing on the floor, interacting with the teacher, being comforted by the teacher, and napping. In Space 2, I observed children playing outside, transitioning to indoor play, washing hands, and participating in a whole group teacher directed activity. In Space 4, I observed children playing in activity areas, interacting with the teacher, and having diapers changed. I observed Space 3 set up for active indoor gross motor activity and a posted space use schedule. I observed Space 5 currently used for storage of unused materials and equipment. I reviewed program records, children’s records, and staff records today. I completed the “Annual Compliance Monitoring Checklist for Child Care Centers” during today’s visit. The following violation(s) were observed and cited today: Violation Number Comment Rule 106 Operator has not scheduled and obtained a fire inspection within 12 months of the previous inspection. Operator did not submit the original approved report to DCDEE within one week of the inspection visit on a form provided by the Division. The most recent fire inspection report dated 05/17/2023 was received during today's visit rather than within 1 week of the inspection visit as required. The director provided me with a copy of the most recent fire inspection report during today's visit thereby correcting this violation. 10A NCAC 09 .0304(a) 475 Sand and water play activities were not available weekly to each group. In Spaces 2 and 4 where children three years of age and older were enrolled and in attendance, sand and water play activities were not made available at least weekly. .0510(c)(3) 540 An individual written feeding plan was not provided by child's parent or health care provider or was not followed and posted. (omit posting for centers located in a residence) 1 out 5 children enrolled in the classroom serving infant children did not have an individual written feeding plan posted in the classroom. The director made a copy of the child's individual written feeding plan which was on file in the office and posted the infant feeding plan in the classroom above the child's crib which corrected this violation. 10A NCAC 09 .0902(a) 844 Prescribed medicine was not in original labeled container or accompanied by signed and dated written instructions from prescribing physician or health care professional. In Space 4, one prescription medication was not in the original labeled container with the pharmaceutical label attached. .0803(2)(a) 847 Parent's medication authorization did not include required information. In Space 1A, one permission to administer form for an over the counter medication was missing the product name for the medication, the amount of medication to apply, and when to apply the medication. In Space 4, one permission to administer for an over the counter medication was missing the amount of medication to apply and a description of how to appy the medication. 10A NCAC 09 .0803(4)(6-9) 851 When medication was administered, documentation was not completed or maintained for 6 months and/or the documentation did not include the required information. In Space 4, permission to administer one prescription medication was recorded on the over the counter permission to administer form and each administration of the prescription medication was not recorded on the medication administration record. .0803(13)(a-e); .2318(3) 1032 Child care providers and uncompensated providers who are not substitute providers or volunteers, including the director did not have a medical report on file prior to employment that was signed by a health care professional and/ or the medical report was older than 12 months. One staff member with a date of employment of 09/12/2022 had an incomplete staff medical report/assessment on file with 1 out of 4 questions left unanswered by the health care professional. One staff member with a date employment of 02/27/2023 had an incomplete staff medical report/assessment on file. The staff/medical report was not completed on the form provided by DCDEE and therefore did not provide the required information. 10A NCAC 09 .0701(a) 1052 Staff required to receive on-going training had not completed the required number of hours according to their education and experience. One staff member with a date of employment of 01/11/2021 completed 4 out of the 5 required hours of on-going training by 01/11/2023. This violation was corrected prior to today's visit when the staff member completed an additional 2.50 hours of on-going training on 02/20/2023. .1103(a) 1329 Application for enrollment did not include all required information. 4 out of 10 child applications for enrollment randomly selected for review today were missing information in the "Health Care Concerns and Needs" section. .0801(a)(1-7) Compliance Plan: All violations cited should be corrected immediately. Please submit a written, signed, and dated statement to me at the email/address below detailing the steps taken to correct each violation. Your compliance letter must include the following: 1. The name of your center 2. The center’s ID number 3. The date you write the letter 4. Address each violation stating how you corrected the violation and are now in compliance. 5. Address your plan to ensure that you will not have that violation again. 6. Your signature I advise you to be prepared to provide supporting documentation in the form of photos, documents, certificates, etc. should I request them in order to clarify or verify compliance. I must receive your compliance letter no later than August 10, 2023. Please be aware any information submitted by you is legal documentation. If you state in your compliance letter that corrections have been made when they have not, it will be considered falsification of information. If you cannot meet the requirements by this date you shall contact me with a timeline of the corrections. In some cases, this timeline may be extended. Failure to correct the violations and send the written statement by the due date listed above may result in an unannounced follow-up visit being conducted or an administrative action may be recommended. Based on Child Care Rule 10A NCAC 09 Section .2200, the Division of Child Development and Early Education may take administrative action against the license and/or impose civil penalties based on the failure of the operator to correct any documented violations within the established time period. Child care programs are required to maintain compliance with all applicable child care rules and regulations at all times. North Carolina General Statute 110-90(4)(d) requires all child care facilities to maintain a compliance history of at least seventy-five percent (75%) for the past eighteen (18) months or during the length of time the facility has operated, whichever is less. Failure to do so may result in the issuance of a provisional license or other administrative action against the facility's license. Any violations cited during a visit may affect your score. Your letter may be mailed to me at: Kimberly Crane Post Office Box 6217 Hickory, NC 28603 For your convenience, your compliance letter may be sent by email to: kimberly.crane@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 in the body of the email: name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. An example is: Jane Doe, Administrator AAA Child Care ID # 12345678 During today’s visit, I provided the following technical assistance: 1) Per 10A NCAC 09 .0510(c)(3), sand and water play should be made available to children three years and older at least weekly. I suggested you provide sand and water play to children on a weekly basis either outdoor or indoor. You stated you had removed the outdoor sand play equipment and purchased new equipment which I observed today but you had not purchased sand and therefore had not placed the new equipment on the playground(s). I suggested you provide containers with sand or water to be used in the classroom on table tops when outdoor sand and water is not available. 2) Per 10A NCAC 09 .0304(a), the original copy of the most recent approved fire inspection report should be sent to me by email within one (1) week of completion. I suggested you make it a habit to forward fire and sanitation inspection reports to me the day you receive them from the inspector. 3) I suggest you review the child enrollment application with the parent(s) when the application is accepted to ensure all information is provided before the parent leaves the enrollment meeting. 4) Per 10A NCAC 09 .0803(6)(i), the medication permission to administer form should include the name of the over the counter or prescription medication, the valid dates of the permission to administer the medication, the amount of the medication to be applied, when to apply the medication, where to apply the medication, and how to apply the medication. I suggested you review the permission to administer forms thoroughly when accepting the forms from parents and request parents to provide any missing information. 5) Prescription medications should be brought to the center in the original container with the pharmaceutical label attached. 6) When a prescription medication is received, be sure to use the Medication Administration Permission and Record to secure permission to administer and to record each application or dosage. 7) On-going training hours should be completed within the employee's second year of employment and each year thereafter. 8) Each infant enrolled in the center should have an individual feeding schedule or plan documented on the most recent form provided by DCDEE. Each infant feeding plan should be posted in the classroom for infant care by hanging the feeding plan on a wall or bulletin board inside the classroom where it can be easily viewed by the staff. 9) Be sure to clean the toilet basins especially close to the floor. At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you today. Please continue to visit DCDEE’s website at https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/ to get the latest information for child care settings and child care updates including the most up to date documents and forms. We appreciate all you and your staff do to serve the children and families in your community. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me by phone at (828) 493-6390 or by email at kimberly.crane@dhhs.nc.gov or my supervisor, Kris Updike, by email at kris.updike@dhhs.nc.gov. Thank you for your time today. 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 .0304 · Violation

Name of Operation: FOOTSTEPS CHILD CARE CENTER, LLC Facility ID: 18000431 Consultant: KIMBERLY CRANE Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 7/28/2023 Number Present: 25 Completed Date: 7/28/2023 Age: From 0 To 6 Total Minutes: 368 Time In: 09:12 AM Time Out: 01:00 PM Time In: 01:55 PM Time Out: 04:15 PM List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for an annual compliance visit. You, Lisa Smith, Director, and Donald Penland, Owner, assisted me with today’s visit. Your program currently operates with a four-star license, issued on August 12, 2018, earning 7 points in staff education, 2 points in program standards, and 1 quality point for 75% of lead teachers and teachers have at least 10 years early childhood work experience. I conducted your last annual compliance visit on August 2, 2022. Your program’s compliance history was 89% of July 26, 2023 and was reviewed with you today. Your last sanitation inspection was dated March 1, 2023 with a Superior classification and 8 demerits. Your last fire inspection was dated May 17, 2023 and was received during today’s visit. You visited each indoor and outdoor space with me today. In Space 1A, I observed children cleaning up activity areas, transitioning to outdoor play, and participating in outdoor play. In Space 1B, I observed children playing on the floor, interacting with the teacher, being comforted by the teacher, and napping. In Space 2, I observed children playing outside, transitioning to indoor play, washing hands, and participating in a whole group teacher directed activity. In Space 4, I observed children playing in activity areas, interacting with the teacher, and having diapers changed. I observed Space 3 set up for active indoor gross motor activity and a posted space use schedule. I observed Space 5 currently used for storage of unused materials and equipment. I reviewed program records, children’s records, and staff records today. I completed the “Annual Compliance Monitoring Checklist for Child Care Centers” during today’s visit. The following violation(s) were observed and cited today: Violation Number Comment Rule 106 Operator has not scheduled and obtained a fire inspection within 12 months of the previous inspection. Operator did not submit the original approved report to DCDEE within one week of the inspection visit on a form provided by the Division. The most recent fire inspection report dated 05/17/2023 was received during today's visit rather than within 1 week of the inspection visit as required. The director provided me with a copy of the most recent fire inspection report during today's visit thereby correcting this violation. 10A NCAC 09 .0304(a) 475 Sand and water play activities were not available weekly to each group. In Spaces 2 and 4 where children three years of age and older were enrolled and in attendance, sand and water play activities were not made available at least weekly. .0510(c)(3) 540 An individual written feeding plan was not provided by child's parent or health care provider or was not followed and posted. (omit posting for centers located in a residence) 1 out 5 children enrolled in the classroom serving infant children did not have an individual written feeding plan posted in the classroom. The director made a copy of the child's individual written feeding plan which was on file in the office and posted the infant feeding plan in the classroom above the child's crib which corrected this violation. 10A NCAC 09 .0902(a) 844 Prescribed medicine was not in original labeled container or accompanied by signed and dated written instructions from prescribing physician or health care professional. In Space 4, one prescription medication was not in the original labeled container with the pharmaceutical label attached. .0803(2)(a) 847 Parent's medication authorization did not include required information. In Space 1A, one permission to administer form for an over the counter medication was missing the product name for the medication, the amount of medication to apply, and when to apply the medication. In Space 4, one permission to administer for an over the counter medication was missing the amount of medication to apply and a description of how to appy the medication. 10A NCAC 09 .0803(4)(6-9) 851 When medication was administered, documentation was not completed or maintained for 6 months and/or the documentation did not include the required information. In Space 4, permission to administer one prescription medication was recorded on the over the counter permission to administer form and each administration of the prescription medication was not recorded on the medication administration record. .0803(13)(a-e); .2318(3) 1032 Child care providers and uncompensated providers who are not substitute providers or volunteers, including the director did not have a medical report on file prior to employment that was signed by a health care professional and/ or the medical report was older than 12 months. One staff member with a date of employment of 09/12/2022 had an incomplete staff medical report/assessment on file with 1 out of 4 questions left unanswered by the health care professional. One staff member with a date employment of 02/27/2023 had an incomplete staff medical report/assessment on file. The staff/medical report was not completed on the form provided by DCDEE and therefore did not provide the required information. 10A NCAC 09 .0701(a) 1052 Staff required to receive on-going training had not completed the required number of hours according to their education and experience. One staff member with a date of employment of 01/11/2021 completed 4 out of the 5 required hours of on-going training by 01/11/2023. This violation was corrected prior to today's visit when the staff member completed an additional 2.50 hours of on-going training on 02/20/2023. .1103(a) 1329 Application for enrollment did not include all required information. 4 out of 10 child applications for enrollment randomly selected for review today were missing information in the "Health Care Concerns and Needs" section. .0801(a)(1-7) Compliance Plan: All violations cited should be corrected immediately. Please submit a written, signed, and dated statement to me at the email/address below detailing the steps taken to correct each violation. Your compliance letter must include the following: 1. The name of your center 2. The center’s ID number 3. The date you write the letter 4. Address each violation stating how you corrected the violation and are now in compliance. 5. Address your plan to ensure that you will not have that violation again. 6. Your signature I advise you to be prepared to provide supporting documentation in the form of photos, documents, certificates, etc. should I request them in order to clarify or verify compliance. I must receive your compliance letter no later than August 10, 2023. Please be aware any information submitted by you is legal documentation. If you state in your compliance letter that corrections have been made when they have not, it will be considered falsification of information. If you cannot meet the requirements by this date you shall contact me with a timeline of the corrections. In some cases, this timeline may be extended. Failure to correct the violations and send the written statement by the due date listed above may result in an unannounced follow-up visit being conducted or an administrative action may be recommended. Based on Child Care Rule 10A NCAC 09 Section .2200, the Division of Child Development and Early Education may take administrative action against the license and/or impose civil penalties based on the failure of the operator to correct any documented violations within the established time period. Child care programs are required to maintain compliance with all applicable child care rules and regulations at all times. North Carolina General Statute 110-90(4)(d) requires all child care facilities to maintain a compliance history of at least seventy-five percent (75%) for the past eighteen (18) months or during the length of time the facility has operated, whichever is less. Failure to do so may result in the issuance of a provisional license or other administrative action against the facility's license. Any violations cited during a visit may affect your score. Your letter may be mailed to me at: Kimberly Crane Post Office Box 6217 Hickory, NC 28603 For your convenience, your compliance letter may be sent by email to: kimberly.crane@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 in the body of the email: name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. An example is: Jane Doe, Administrator AAA Child Care ID # 12345678 During today’s visit, I provided the following technical assistance: 1) Per 10A NCAC 09 .0510(c)(3), sand and water play should be made available to children three years and older at least weekly. I suggested you provide sand and water play to children on a weekly basis either outdoor or indoor. You stated you had removed the outdoor sand play equipment and purchased new equipment which I observed today but you had not purchased sand and therefore had not placed the new equipment on the playground(s). I suggested you provide containers with sand or water to be used in the classroom on table tops when outdoor sand and water is not available. 2) Per 10A NCAC 09 .0304(a), the original copy of the most recent approved fire inspection report should be sent to me by email within one (1) week of completion. I suggested you make it a habit to forward fire and sanitation inspection reports to me the day you receive them from the inspector. 3) I suggest you review the child enrollment application with the parent(s) when the application is accepted to ensure all information is provided before the parent leaves the enrollment meeting. 4) Per 10A NCAC 09 .0803(6)(i), the medication permission to administer form should include the name of the over the counter or prescription medication, the valid dates of the permission to administer the medication, the amount of the medication to be applied, when to apply the medication, where to apply the medication, and how to apply the medication. I suggested you review the permission to administer forms thoroughly when accepting the forms from parents and request parents to provide any missing information. 5) Prescription medications should be brought to the center in the original container with the pharmaceutical label attached. 6) When a prescription medication is received, be sure to use the Medication Administration Permission and Record to secure permission to administer and to record each application or dosage. 7) On-going training hours should be completed within the employee's second year of employment and each year thereafter. 8) Each infant enrolled in the center should have an individual feeding schedule or plan documented on the most recent form provided by DCDEE. Each infant feeding plan should be posted in the classroom for infant care by hanging the feeding plan on a wall or bulletin board inside the classroom where it can be easily viewed by the staff. 9) Be sure to clean the toilet basins especially close to the floor. At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you today. Please continue to visit DCDEE’s website at https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/ to get the latest information for child care settings and child care updates including the most up to date documents and forms. We appreciate all you and your staff do to serve the children and families in your community. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me by phone at (828) 493-6390 or by email at kimberly.crane@dhhs.nc.gov or my supervisor, Kris Updike, by email at kris.updike@dhhs.nc.gov. Thank you for your time today. 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 .0510 · Violation

Name of Operation: FOOTSTEPS CHILD CARE CENTER, LLC Facility ID: 18000431 Consultant: KIMBERLY CRANE Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 7/28/2023 Number Present: 25 Completed Date: 7/28/2023 Age: From 0 To 6 Total Minutes: 368 Time In: 09:12 AM Time Out: 01:00 PM Time In: 01:55 PM Time Out: 04:15 PM List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for an annual compliance visit. You, Lisa Smith, Director, and Donald Penland, Owner, assisted me with today’s visit. Your program currently operates with a four-star license, issued on August 12, 2018, earning 7 points in staff education, 2 points in program standards, and 1 quality point for 75% of lead teachers and teachers have at least 10 years early childhood work experience. I conducted your last annual compliance visit on August 2, 2022. Your program’s compliance history was 89% of July 26, 2023 and was reviewed with you today. Your last sanitation inspection was dated March 1, 2023 with a Superior classification and 8 demerits. Your last fire inspection was dated May 17, 2023 and was received during today’s visit. You visited each indoor and outdoor space with me today. In Space 1A, I observed children cleaning up activity areas, transitioning to outdoor play, and participating in outdoor play. In Space 1B, I observed children playing on the floor, interacting with the teacher, being comforted by the teacher, and napping. In Space 2, I observed children playing outside, transitioning to indoor play, washing hands, and participating in a whole group teacher directed activity. In Space 4, I observed children playing in activity areas, interacting with the teacher, and having diapers changed. I observed Space 3 set up for active indoor gross motor activity and a posted space use schedule. I observed Space 5 currently used for storage of unused materials and equipment. I reviewed program records, children’s records, and staff records today. I completed the “Annual Compliance Monitoring Checklist for Child Care Centers” during today’s visit. The following violation(s) were observed and cited today: Violation Number Comment Rule 106 Operator has not scheduled and obtained a fire inspection within 12 months of the previous inspection. Operator did not submit the original approved report to DCDEE within one week of the inspection visit on a form provided by the Division. The most recent fire inspection report dated 05/17/2023 was received during today's visit rather than within 1 week of the inspection visit as required. The director provided me with a copy of the most recent fire inspection report during today's visit thereby correcting this violation. 10A NCAC 09 .0304(a) 475 Sand and water play activities were not available weekly to each group. In Spaces 2 and 4 where children three years of age and older were enrolled and in attendance, sand and water play activities were not made available at least weekly. .0510(c)(3) 540 An individual written feeding plan was not provided by child's parent or health care provider or was not followed and posted. (omit posting for centers located in a residence) 1 out 5 children enrolled in the classroom serving infant children did not have an individual written feeding plan posted in the classroom. The director made a copy of the child's individual written feeding plan which was on file in the office and posted the infant feeding plan in the classroom above the child's crib which corrected this violation. 10A NCAC 09 .0902(a) 844 Prescribed medicine was not in original labeled container or accompanied by signed and dated written instructions from prescribing physician or health care professional. In Space 4, one prescription medication was not in the original labeled container with the pharmaceutical label attached. .0803(2)(a) 847 Parent's medication authorization did not include required information. In Space 1A, one permission to administer form for an over the counter medication was missing the product name for the medication, the amount of medication to apply, and when to apply the medication. In Space 4, one permission to administer for an over the counter medication was missing the amount of medication to apply and a description of how to appy the medication. 10A NCAC 09 .0803(4)(6-9) 851 When medication was administered, documentation was not completed or maintained for 6 months and/or the documentation did not include the required information. In Space 4, permission to administer one prescription medication was recorded on the over the counter permission to administer form and each administration of the prescription medication was not recorded on the medication administration record. .0803(13)(a-e); .2318(3) 1032 Child care providers and uncompensated providers who are not substitute providers or volunteers, including the director did not have a medical report on file prior to employment that was signed by a health care professional and/ or the medical report was older than 12 months. One staff member with a date of employment of 09/12/2022 had an incomplete staff medical report/assessment on file with 1 out of 4 questions left unanswered by the health care professional. One staff member with a date employment of 02/27/2023 had an incomplete staff medical report/assessment on file. The staff/medical report was not completed on the form provided by DCDEE and therefore did not provide the required information. 10A NCAC 09 .0701(a) 1052 Staff required to receive on-going training had not completed the required number of hours according to their education and experience. One staff member with a date of employment of 01/11/2021 completed 4 out of the 5 required hours of on-going training by 01/11/2023. This violation was corrected prior to today's visit when the staff member completed an additional 2.50 hours of on-going training on 02/20/2023. .1103(a) 1329 Application for enrollment did not include all required information. 4 out of 10 child applications for enrollment randomly selected for review today were missing information in the "Health Care Concerns and Needs" section. .0801(a)(1-7) Compliance Plan: All violations cited should be corrected immediately. Please submit a written, signed, and dated statement to me at the email/address below detailing the steps taken to correct each violation. Your compliance letter must include the following: 1. The name of your center 2. The center’s ID number 3. The date you write the letter 4. Address each violation stating how you corrected the violation and are now in compliance. 5. Address your plan to ensure that you will not have that violation again. 6. Your signature I advise you to be prepared to provide supporting documentation in the form of photos, documents, certificates, etc. should I request them in order to clarify or verify compliance. I must receive your compliance letter no later than August 10, 2023. Please be aware any information submitted by you is legal documentation. If you state in your compliance letter that corrections have been made when they have not, it will be considered falsification of information. If you cannot meet the requirements by this date you shall contact me with a timeline of the corrections. In some cases, this timeline may be extended. Failure to correct the violations and send the written statement by the due date listed above may result in an unannounced follow-up visit being conducted or an administrative action may be recommended. Based on Child Care Rule 10A NCAC 09 Section .2200, the Division of Child Development and Early Education may take administrative action against the license and/or impose civil penalties based on the failure of the operator to correct any documented violations within the established time period. Child care programs are required to maintain compliance with all applicable child care rules and regulations at all times. North Carolina General Statute 110-90(4)(d) requires all child care facilities to maintain a compliance history of at least seventy-five percent (75%) for the past eighteen (18) months or during the length of time the facility has operated, whichever is less. Failure to do so may result in the issuance of a provisional license or other administrative action against the facility's license. Any violations cited during a visit may affect your score. Your letter may be mailed to me at: Kimberly Crane Post Office Box 6217 Hickory, NC 28603 For your convenience, your compliance letter may be sent by email to: kimberly.crane@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 in the body of the email: name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. An example is: Jane Doe, Administrator AAA Child Care ID # 12345678 During today’s visit, I provided the following technical assistance: 1) Per 10A NCAC 09 .0510(c)(3), sand and water play should be made available to children three years and older at least weekly. I suggested you provide sand and water play to children on a weekly basis either outdoor or indoor. You stated you had removed the outdoor sand play equipment and purchased new equipment which I observed today but you had not purchased sand and therefore had not placed the new equipment on the playground(s). I suggested you provide containers with sand or water to be used in the classroom on table tops when outdoor sand and water is not available. 2) Per 10A NCAC 09 .0304(a), the original copy of the most recent approved fire inspection report should be sent to me by email within one (1) week of completion. I suggested you make it a habit to forward fire and sanitation inspection reports to me the day you receive them from the inspector. 3) I suggest you review the child enrollment application with the parent(s) when the application is accepted to ensure all information is provided before the parent leaves the enrollment meeting. 4) Per 10A NCAC 09 .0803(6)(i), the medication permission to administer form should include the name of the over the counter or prescription medication, the valid dates of the permission to administer the medication, the amount of the medication to be applied, when to apply the medication, where to apply the medication, and how to apply the medication. I suggested you review the permission to administer forms thoroughly when accepting the forms from parents and request parents to provide any missing information. 5) Prescription medications should be brought to the center in the original container with the pharmaceutical label attached. 6) When a prescription medication is received, be sure to use the Medication Administration Permission and Record to secure permission to administer and to record each application or dosage. 7) On-going training hours should be completed within the employee's second year of employment and each year thereafter. 8) Each infant enrolled in the center should have an individual feeding schedule or plan documented on the most recent form provided by DCDEE. Each infant feeding plan should be posted in the classroom for infant care by hanging the feeding plan on a wall or bulletin board inside the classroom where it can be easily viewed by the staff. 9) Be sure to clean the toilet basins especially close to the floor. At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you today. Please continue to visit DCDEE’s website at https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/ to get the latest information for child care settings and child care updates including the most up to date documents and forms. We appreciate all you and your staff do to serve the children and families in your community. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me by phone at (828) 493-6390 or by email at kimberly.crane@dhhs.nc.gov or my supervisor, Kris Updike, by email at kris.updike@dhhs.nc.gov. Thank you for your time today. 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 .0701 · Violation

Name of Operation: FOOTSTEPS CHILD CARE CENTER, LLC Facility ID: 18000431 Consultant: KIMBERLY CRANE Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 7/28/2023 Number Present: 25 Completed Date: 7/28/2023 Age: From 0 To 6 Total Minutes: 368 Time In: 09:12 AM Time Out: 01:00 PM Time In: 01:55 PM Time Out: 04:15 PM List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for an annual compliance visit. You, Lisa Smith, Director, and Donald Penland, Owner, assisted me with today’s visit. Your program currently operates with a four-star license, issued on August 12, 2018, earning 7 points in staff education, 2 points in program standards, and 1 quality point for 75% of lead teachers and teachers have at least 10 years early childhood work experience. I conducted your last annual compliance visit on August 2, 2022. Your program’s compliance history was 89% of July 26, 2023 and was reviewed with you today. Your last sanitation inspection was dated March 1, 2023 with a Superior classification and 8 demerits. Your last fire inspection was dated May 17, 2023 and was received during today’s visit. You visited each indoor and outdoor space with me today. In Space 1A, I observed children cleaning up activity areas, transitioning to outdoor play, and participating in outdoor play. In Space 1B, I observed children playing on the floor, interacting with the teacher, being comforted by the teacher, and napping. In Space 2, I observed children playing outside, transitioning to indoor play, washing hands, and participating in a whole group teacher directed activity. In Space 4, I observed children playing in activity areas, interacting with the teacher, and having diapers changed. I observed Space 3 set up for active indoor gross motor activity and a posted space use schedule. I observed Space 5 currently used for storage of unused materials and equipment. I reviewed program records, children’s records, and staff records today. I completed the “Annual Compliance Monitoring Checklist for Child Care Centers” during today’s visit. The following violation(s) were observed and cited today: Violation Number Comment Rule 106 Operator has not scheduled and obtained a fire inspection within 12 months of the previous inspection. Operator did not submit the original approved report to DCDEE within one week of the inspection visit on a form provided by the Division. The most recent fire inspection report dated 05/17/2023 was received during today's visit rather than within 1 week of the inspection visit as required. The director provided me with a copy of the most recent fire inspection report during today's visit thereby correcting this violation. 10A NCAC 09 .0304(a) 475 Sand and water play activities were not available weekly to each group. In Spaces 2 and 4 where children three years of age and older were enrolled and in attendance, sand and water play activities were not made available at least weekly. .0510(c)(3) 540 An individual written feeding plan was not provided by child's parent or health care provider or was not followed and posted. (omit posting for centers located in a residence) 1 out 5 children enrolled in the classroom serving infant children did not have an individual written feeding plan posted in the classroom. The director made a copy of the child's individual written feeding plan which was on file in the office and posted the infant feeding plan in the classroom above the child's crib which corrected this violation. 10A NCAC 09 .0902(a) 844 Prescribed medicine was not in original labeled container or accompanied by signed and dated written instructions from prescribing physician or health care professional. In Space 4, one prescription medication was not in the original labeled container with the pharmaceutical label attached. .0803(2)(a) 847 Parent's medication authorization did not include required information. In Space 1A, one permission to administer form for an over the counter medication was missing the product name for the medication, the amount of medication to apply, and when to apply the medication. In Space 4, one permission to administer for an over the counter medication was missing the amount of medication to apply and a description of how to appy the medication. 10A NCAC 09 .0803(4)(6-9) 851 When medication was administered, documentation was not completed or maintained for 6 months and/or the documentation did not include the required information. In Space 4, permission to administer one prescription medication was recorded on the over the counter permission to administer form and each administration of the prescription medication was not recorded on the medication administration record. .0803(13)(a-e); .2318(3) 1032 Child care providers and uncompensated providers who are not substitute providers or volunteers, including the director did not have a medical report on file prior to employment that was signed by a health care professional and/ or the medical report was older than 12 months. One staff member with a date of employment of 09/12/2022 had an incomplete staff medical report/assessment on file with 1 out of 4 questions left unanswered by the health care professional. One staff member with a date employment of 02/27/2023 had an incomplete staff medical report/assessment on file. The staff/medical report was not completed on the form provided by DCDEE and therefore did not provide the required information. 10A NCAC 09 .0701(a) 1052 Staff required to receive on-going training had not completed the required number of hours according to their education and experience. One staff member with a date of employment of 01/11/2021 completed 4 out of the 5 required hours of on-going training by 01/11/2023. This violation was corrected prior to today's visit when the staff member completed an additional 2.50 hours of on-going training on 02/20/2023. .1103(a) 1329 Application for enrollment did not include all required information. 4 out of 10 child applications for enrollment randomly selected for review today were missing information in the "Health Care Concerns and Needs" section. .0801(a)(1-7) Compliance Plan: All violations cited should be corrected immediately. Please submit a written, signed, and dated statement to me at the email/address below detailing the steps taken to correct each violation. Your compliance letter must include the following: 1. The name of your center 2. The center’s ID number 3. The date you write the letter 4. Address each violation stating how you corrected the violation and are now in compliance. 5. Address your plan to ensure that you will not have that violation again. 6. Your signature I advise you to be prepared to provide supporting documentation in the form of photos, documents, certificates, etc. should I request them in order to clarify or verify compliance. I must receive your compliance letter no later than August 10, 2023. Please be aware any information submitted by you is legal documentation. If you state in your compliance letter that corrections have been made when they have not, it will be considered falsification of information. If you cannot meet the requirements by this date you shall contact me with a timeline of the corrections. In some cases, this timeline may be extended. Failure to correct the violations and send the written statement by the due date listed above may result in an unannounced follow-up visit being conducted or an administrative action may be recommended. Based on Child Care Rule 10A NCAC 09 Section .2200, the Division of Child Development and Early Education may take administrative action against the license and/or impose civil penalties based on the failure of the operator to correct any documented violations within the established time period. Child care programs are required to maintain compliance with all applicable child care rules and regulations at all times. North Carolina General Statute 110-90(4)(d) requires all child care facilities to maintain a compliance history of at least seventy-five percent (75%) for the past eighteen (18) months or during the length of time the facility has operated, whichever is less. Failure to do so may result in the issuance of a provisional license or other administrative action against the facility's license. Any violations cited during a visit may affect your score. Your letter may be mailed to me at: Kimberly Crane Post Office Box 6217 Hickory, NC 28603 For your convenience, your compliance letter may be sent by email to: kimberly.crane@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 in the body of the email: name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. An example is: Jane Doe, Administrator AAA Child Care ID # 12345678 During today’s visit, I provided the following technical assistance: 1) Per 10A NCAC 09 .0510(c)(3), sand and water play should be made available to children three years and older at least weekly. I suggested you provide sand and water play to children on a weekly basis either outdoor or indoor. You stated you had removed the outdoor sand play equipment and purchased new equipment which I observed today but you had not purchased sand and therefore had not placed the new equipment on the playground(s). I suggested you provide containers with sand or water to be used in the classroom on table tops when outdoor sand and water is not available. 2) Per 10A NCAC 09 .0304(a), the original copy of the most recent approved fire inspection report should be sent to me by email within one (1) week of completion. I suggested you make it a habit to forward fire and sanitation inspection reports to me the day you receive them from the inspector. 3) I suggest you review the child enrollment application with the parent(s) when the application is accepted to ensure all information is provided before the parent leaves the enrollment meeting. 4) Per 10A NCAC 09 .0803(6)(i), the medication permission to administer form should include the name of the over the counter or prescription medication, the valid dates of the permission to administer the medication, the amount of the medication to be applied, when to apply the medication, where to apply the medication, and how to apply the medication. I suggested you review the permission to administer forms thoroughly when accepting the forms from parents and request parents to provide any missing information. 5) Prescription medications should be brought to the center in the original container with the pharmaceutical label attached. 6) When a prescription medication is received, be sure to use the Medication Administration Permission and Record to secure permission to administer and to record each application or dosage. 7) On-going training hours should be completed within the employee's second year of employment and each year thereafter. 8) Each infant enrolled in the center should have an individual feeding schedule or plan documented on the most recent form provided by DCDEE. Each infant feeding plan should be posted in the classroom for infant care by hanging the feeding plan on a wall or bulletin board inside the classroom where it can be easily viewed by the staff. 9) Be sure to clean the toilet basins especially close to the floor. At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you today. Please continue to visit DCDEE’s website at https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/ to get the latest information for child care settings and child care updates including the most up to date documents and forms. We appreciate all you and your staff do to serve the children and families in your community. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me by phone at (828) 493-6390 or by email at kimberly.crane@dhhs.nc.gov or my supervisor, Kris Updike, by email at kris.updike@dhhs.nc.gov. Thank you for your time today. 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 .0803 · Violation

Name of Operation: FOOTSTEPS CHILD CARE CENTER, LLC Facility ID: 18000431 Consultant: KIMBERLY CRANE Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 7/28/2023 Number Present: 25 Completed Date: 7/28/2023 Age: From 0 To 6 Total Minutes: 368 Time In: 09:12 AM Time Out: 01:00 PM Time In: 01:55 PM Time Out: 04:15 PM List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for an annual compliance visit. You, Lisa Smith, Director, and Donald Penland, Owner, assisted me with today’s visit. Your program currently operates with a four-star license, issued on August 12, 2018, earning 7 points in staff education, 2 points in program standards, and 1 quality point for 75% of lead teachers and teachers have at least 10 years early childhood work experience. I conducted your last annual compliance visit on August 2, 2022. Your program’s compliance history was 89% of July 26, 2023 and was reviewed with you today. Your last sanitation inspection was dated March 1, 2023 with a Superior classification and 8 demerits. Your last fire inspection was dated May 17, 2023 and was received during today’s visit. You visited each indoor and outdoor space with me today. In Space 1A, I observed children cleaning up activity areas, transitioning to outdoor play, and participating in outdoor play. In Space 1B, I observed children playing on the floor, interacting with the teacher, being comforted by the teacher, and napping. In Space 2, I observed children playing outside, transitioning to indoor play, washing hands, and participating in a whole group teacher directed activity. In Space 4, I observed children playing in activity areas, interacting with the teacher, and having diapers changed. I observed Space 3 set up for active indoor gross motor activity and a posted space use schedule. I observed Space 5 currently used for storage of unused materials and equipment. I reviewed program records, children’s records, and staff records today. I completed the “Annual Compliance Monitoring Checklist for Child Care Centers” during today’s visit. The following violation(s) were observed and cited today: Violation Number Comment Rule 106 Operator has not scheduled and obtained a fire inspection within 12 months of the previous inspection. Operator did not submit the original approved report to DCDEE within one week of the inspection visit on a form provided by the Division. The most recent fire inspection report dated 05/17/2023 was received during today's visit rather than within 1 week of the inspection visit as required. The director provided me with a copy of the most recent fire inspection report during today's visit thereby correcting this violation. 10A NCAC 09 .0304(a) 475 Sand and water play activities were not available weekly to each group. In Spaces 2 and 4 where children three years of age and older were enrolled and in attendance, sand and water play activities were not made available at least weekly. .0510(c)(3) 540 An individual written feeding plan was not provided by child's parent or health care provider or was not followed and posted. (omit posting for centers located in a residence) 1 out 5 children enrolled in the classroom serving infant children did not have an individual written feeding plan posted in the classroom. The director made a copy of the child's individual written feeding plan which was on file in the office and posted the infant feeding plan in the classroom above the child's crib which corrected this violation. 10A NCAC 09 .0902(a) 844 Prescribed medicine was not in original labeled container or accompanied by signed and dated written instructions from prescribing physician or health care professional. In Space 4, one prescription medication was not in the original labeled container with the pharmaceutical label attached. .0803(2)(a) 847 Parent's medication authorization did not include required information. In Space 1A, one permission to administer form for an over the counter medication was missing the product name for the medication, the amount of medication to apply, and when to apply the medication. In Space 4, one permission to administer for an over the counter medication was missing the amount of medication to apply and a description of how to appy the medication. 10A NCAC 09 .0803(4)(6-9) 851 When medication was administered, documentation was not completed or maintained for 6 months and/or the documentation did not include the required information. In Space 4, permission to administer one prescription medication was recorded on the over the counter permission to administer form and each administration of the prescription medication was not recorded on the medication administration record. .0803(13)(a-e); .2318(3) 1032 Child care providers and uncompensated providers who are not substitute providers or volunteers, including the director did not have a medical report on file prior to employment that was signed by a health care professional and/ or the medical report was older than 12 months. One staff member with a date of employment of 09/12/2022 had an incomplete staff medical report/assessment on file with 1 out of 4 questions left unanswered by the health care professional. One staff member with a date employment of 02/27/2023 had an incomplete staff medical report/assessment on file. The staff/medical report was not completed on the form provided by DCDEE and therefore did not provide the required information. 10A NCAC 09 .0701(a) 1052 Staff required to receive on-going training had not completed the required number of hours according to their education and experience. One staff member with a date of employment of 01/11/2021 completed 4 out of the 5 required hours of on-going training by 01/11/2023. This violation was corrected prior to today's visit when the staff member completed an additional 2.50 hours of on-going training on 02/20/2023. .1103(a) 1329 Application for enrollment did not include all required information. 4 out of 10 child applications for enrollment randomly selected for review today were missing information in the "Health Care Concerns and Needs" section. .0801(a)(1-7) Compliance Plan: All violations cited should be corrected immediately. Please submit a written, signed, and dated statement to me at the email/address below detailing the steps taken to correct each violation. Your compliance letter must include the following: 1. The name of your center 2. The center’s ID number 3. The date you write the letter 4. Address each violation stating how you corrected the violation and are now in compliance. 5. Address your plan to ensure that you will not have that violation again. 6. Your signature I advise you to be prepared to provide supporting documentation in the form of photos, documents, certificates, etc. should I request them in order to clarify or verify compliance. I must receive your compliance letter no later than August 10, 2023. Please be aware any information submitted by you is legal documentation. If you state in your compliance letter that corrections have been made when they have not, it will be considered falsification of information. If you cannot meet the requirements by this date you shall contact me with a timeline of the corrections. In some cases, this timeline may be extended. Failure to correct the violations and send the written statement by the due date listed above may result in an unannounced follow-up visit being conducted or an administrative action may be recommended. Based on Child Care Rule 10A NCAC 09 Section .2200, the Division of Child Development and Early Education may take administrative action against the license and/or impose civil penalties based on the failure of the operator to correct any documented violations within the established time period. Child care programs are required to maintain compliance with all applicable child care rules and regulations at all times. North Carolina General Statute 110-90(4)(d) requires all child care facilities to maintain a compliance history of at least seventy-five percent (75%) for the past eighteen (18) months or during the length of time the facility has operated, whichever is less. Failure to do so may result in the issuance of a provisional license or other administrative action against the facility's license. Any violations cited during a visit may affect your score. Your letter may be mailed to me at: Kimberly Crane Post Office Box 6217 Hickory, NC 28603 For your convenience, your compliance letter may be sent by email to: kimberly.crane@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 in the body of the email: name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. An example is: Jane Doe, Administrator AAA Child Care ID # 12345678 During today’s visit, I provided the following technical assistance: 1) Per 10A NCAC 09 .0510(c)(3), sand and water play should be made available to children three years and older at least weekly. I suggested you provide sand and water play to children on a weekly basis either outdoor or indoor. You stated you had removed the outdoor sand play equipment and purchased new equipment which I observed today but you had not purchased sand and therefore had not placed the new equipment on the playground(s). I suggested you provide containers with sand or water to be used in the classroom on table tops when outdoor sand and water is not available. 2) Per 10A NCAC 09 .0304(a), the original copy of the most recent approved fire inspection report should be sent to me by email within one (1) week of completion. I suggested you make it a habit to forward fire and sanitation inspection reports to me the day you receive them from the inspector. 3) I suggest you review the child enrollment application with the parent(s) when the application is accepted to ensure all information is provided before the parent leaves the enrollment meeting. 4) Per 10A NCAC 09 .0803(6)(i), the medication permission to administer form should include the name of the over the counter or prescription medication, the valid dates of the permission to administer the medication, the amount of the medication to be applied, when to apply the medication, where to apply the medication, and how to apply the medication. I suggested you review the permission to administer forms thoroughly when accepting the forms from parents and request parents to provide any missing information. 5) Prescription medications should be brought to the center in the original container with the pharmaceutical label attached. 6) When a prescription medication is received, be sure to use the Medication Administration Permission and Record to secure permission to administer and to record each application or dosage. 7) On-going training hours should be completed within the employee's second year of employment and each year thereafter. 8) Each infant enrolled in the center should have an individual feeding schedule or plan documented on the most recent form provided by DCDEE. Each infant feeding plan should be posted in the classroom for infant care by hanging the feeding plan on a wall or bulletin board inside the classroom where it can be easily viewed by the staff. 9) Be sure to clean the toilet basins especially close to the floor. At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you today. Please continue to visit DCDEE’s website at https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/ to get the latest information for child care settings and child care updates including the most up to date documents and forms. We appreciate all you and your staff do to serve the children and families in your community. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me by phone at (828) 493-6390 or by email at kimberly.crane@dhhs.nc.gov or my supervisor, Kris Updike, by email at kris.updike@dhhs.nc.gov. Thank you for your time today. 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