Little Lambs Childcare

10A NCAC 09 .1703 · Violation

Name of Operation: LITTLE LAMBS CHILDCARE Facility ID: 18000297 Consultant: KIMBERLY CRANE Operation Type: Family CC Home Case Number: Visit Date: 4/15/2026 Number Present: 5 Completed Date: 4/15/2026 Age: From 1 To 4 Total Minutes: 420 Time In: 09:15 AM Time Out: 04:15 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Family CC Home Type Of Visit: Annual Comp w/Rated Lic Assess 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 with rated license visit. You, Mary Jones, Owner/Operator, assisted me with today’s visit. I conducted your last annual compliance visit on May 21, 2025. 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, or mailing address. Your program currently operates with a five-star license, issued on November 19, 2019, earning six points in staff education, seven points in program standards, and one quality point for serving no more than three infants under one year of age. In addition to the five children ranging in age from one to five years I observed attending on first shift during today’s visit, you stated you have eleven additional children enrolled on first shift that range from one year of age to school-age and who were not in attendance during today’s visit. You also stated that you currently have no children enrolled on second shift and no children enrolled on third shift. You stated you currently have no infant-age children enrolled on first, second, or third shift. The lead water test results dated April 18, 2024 were within acceptable levels. As of March 19, 2024, your family child care home (FCCH) has no lead-based paint hazards based on a signed attestation statement which you submitted. Your FCCH is exempt from asbestos test requirements. I visited indoor and outdoor spaces today. Upon arrival, children were playing in activity areas and numeral writing at a child-sized table. Later in the visit, Mr. Damon joined the group to assist when Ms. Mary needed to assist me with the visit. Ms. Mary changed diapers and the older children used the bathroom, while Mr. Damon took the children outdoors for free play. Ms. Mary joined the group outdoors. Upon re-entering the child care space, Ms. Mary and all the children washed their hands and got the area ready for nap by placing cots on the floor. The children ate lunch at a child-sized table and a high chair in the dining area. After lunch, Ms. Mary assisted the children with washing their hands and laying on their cots. The children rested according to their individual needs. One three-year-old child departed, and one four-year-old child arrived during rest time. Materials, equipment, and furnishings in the child care room were in good repair. Manipulative materials and materials for dramatic/pretend play, block building, creative arts, and reading/language were located in the child care room. The entrance/exit door to the child care area opened to a fenced playground where a playhouse, sand table, basketball goal, picnic table, movable climbing structure, stationary climbing structure, and riding toys were located. A current menu documenting appropriate nutritious snacks and meals, showing a variety of foods, and complying with Meal Patterns for Children in Child Care Programs was posted in the kitchen. Meals were prepared in the kitchen and served in the dining area. Food was stored in cabinets in the kitchen and dining area, in a residential upright freezer, and a residential refrigerator in the kitchen at a temperature of thirty-nine 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. I reviewed your written operational, administrative, and personnel policies and your parent participation plan at the last annual compliance visit on May 22, 2025. You stated you had updated your written policies and added your parent participation plan to your Parent Handbook in January 2026. You stated you would send me a copy of your handbook by email for me to monitor. I monitored health and safety requirements. I monitored supervision of children, capacity, approved space use, and permit restrictions. I completed the “Annual Compliance Monitoring Checklist for Family Child Care Homes” during today’s visit. RATED LICENSE DOCUMENTATION AND DISCUSSION: During a phone call on November 4, 2025, we discussed the three Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS): Pathways to the Stars options effective in child care rule on July 1, 2025. During a routine unannounced visit on November 13, 2025, you expressed an interest in choosing the “Classroom and Instructional Quality Assessment for FCCH” option for your upcoming rated license. Today, you stated you would use the “Classroom and Instructional Quality Assessment for FCCH” option for your upcoming rated license and presented to me a completed application packet. RECEIVED, REVIEWED, VERIFIED COMPONENTS for “Classroom and Instructional Quality (Pathway 2): 1. Application for Assessment for a Rated License for FCCH Today, you submitted your “Application for Assessment for a Rated License for FCCH” document and I verified that the application was completed correctly. 2. Enrollment Restrictions in addition to Capacity Today, I verified that you have no more than four children under the age of twenty-four months of the children who are birth to five years of age when meeting NCGS 110-91(7)(b)(1) enrolled and you stated you were committed to maintaining this enrollment restriction on an ongoing basis until otherwise stated. 3. Operator’s Education Standard Today, I verified that you have completed an AAS in ECE/CD and have at least eighteen months of early childhood work experience which earns you five star education standards. 4. Family and Community Engagement Standards Family Child Care Homes Today, you submitted the “Family and Community Engagement Standards Family Child Care Homes” document. I verified that you have implemented the three foundational practices. To meet the five star requirements, in addition to the foundation practices required to meet the family and community engagement standards (CC RULE .3220) at the two-star level, you chose to implement four communication options, three engagement and leadership options and three educational opportunity options. Today, I verified that you have implemented these ten additional practices. 5. Family Child Care Home (FCCH) Operator Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Plan and Professional Development (PD) Plan Today, you submitted the “FCCH CQI/PD” document for the operator and additional caregiver. Today, I verified that these CQI/PD Plans were in place and initiated. 6. Approved Curriculum of choice Today, I verified that you have purchased and have begun using “Creative Curriculum for Family Child Care, 2nd Edition” as your approved curriculum of choice. 7. Approved Formative Assessment of choice Today, I verified that you have purchased and begun implementing “COR Advantage” as your approved formative assessment of choice. 8. Plan to share assessments with families Today, I verified that you plan to hold parent-teacher conferences twice annually in July and December. You stated that as you begin implementing the formative assessment, you will meet with parents informally on a monthly basis. Then as the formative assessment fully implemented, you plan to meet with parents informally every three months and then you’ll fully implement the plan to meet with families in July and December. 9. Training related to your chosen curriculum Today, I verified you completed training related to “Creative Curriculum for Family Child Care, 2nd Edition” on March 4, 2026. I asked you to keep this training certificate in your staff file to be verified during on-going monitoring of your rated license. 10. Training certificate to verify training related to your chosen formative assessment has been completed Today, I verified you completed training related to “COR-Advantage” on March 4, 2026. I asked you to keep this training certificate in your staff file to be verified during on-going monitoring of your rated license. 11. Coaching/training option for you as the operator Today, I verified that you as the operator have chosen to complete five additional hours of ongoing training annually as your coaching/training option. During today’s visit, you documented this plan on your CQI/PD Plan. 12. Compliance History Score of 75% or higher Today, I verified that prior to today’s visit, this facility had a compliance history score of 97%. STAR RATED LICENSE DETERMINATION Based on my informal assessment of the rated license components for the “Classroom and Instructional Quality (Pathway 2)” option, this facility will earn a five star license pending correction of any violations cited during today’s visit and review and approval from my supervisor. The new star rated license will be processed and issued as soon as possible. Please keep your current license/permit posted until you receive the new license/permit in the mail from the Raleigh office. The following violations were observed and cited during today’s visit: Violation Number Comment Rule 1704 Summary of the NC Child Care Law was not given to each child's parent, guardian, or full-time custodian before the child was enrolled in the home and/or signed statement was not on file. The child record files for two children with dates of enrollment of 10/22/2025 and 01/26/2026 did not contain a signed statement from the parent acknowledging that the summary of law had been received. GS 110-102 2023 Operator and/or staff who work with children, did not complete health and safety training as part of on-going training so that every five years, all the topic areas were covered. The operator should have completed H&S training topics by 09/30/2025 but did not complete the H&S training requirement until 10/06/2025. The additional caregiver should have completed the H&S training topics by 09/30/2026 but did not complete the H&S training requirement until 02/09/2026. .1703(d)(2) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: 1. Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .1703(d)(2), operators and additional caregivers should revisit each Health & Safety (H&S) Training topic every five years. The due date of the five-year H&S training five-year renewal is calculated five years from the date on each H&S training certificate. Today, the operator should have completed H&S training topics by 09/30/2025 but did not complete the H&S training requirement until 10/06/2025. The additional caregiver should have completed the H&S training topics by 09/30/2026 but did not complete the H&S training requirement until 02/09/2026. Since the trainings were completed prior to today’s visit, this violation will be recorded as corrected during today’s visit. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I suggest you create a tracking tool that allows you to track the training due date for each employee or require all your employees to complete the H&S training topics within the same timeframe so that it’s easier for you to maintain. 2. Per North Carolina General Statute 110-102, the Summary of the NC Child Care Law should be given to each child’s parent, guardian, or full-time custodian before the child was enrolled in the home and a signed statement acknowledging receipt of the summary of law should be kept on file. Today, the child record files for two children with dates of enrollment of 10/22/2025 and 01/26/2026 did not contain a signed statement from the parent acknowledging that the summary of law had been received. To correct this violation, I suggest you give the parent of these two children the summary of child care law brochure and have them sign the acknowledgement statement. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I suggest you use the “Children’s File Checklist FCCH” document found on the Division’s website as a tracking tool to assist you with setting up new child files and collecting the required documentation and signatures prior to enrollment. CONSULTATION: 1. Per NC General Statute 110-102, the current version of Summary of North Carolina Child Care Law 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. The most current Summary of North Carolina Child Care Law was published in November 2025. Today, I observed the date of the posted Summary of North Carolina Child Care Law was February 2025. Please print the updated version, post it in your parent board, and add it to your new enrollment packets. 2. We encourage you to continue to visit the QRIS Modernization page on the DCDEE website at this link: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Licensing/Star-Rated-License/QRIS-Modernization to learn more now. 3. Stay updated with changes and new rule updates by visiting the DCDEE website at https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/. 4. Here are some important links on the DCEEE website that may be helpful: Child Care Rules and Laws: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Services/Child-Care-Rules-Law-and-Public-Information Training and Professional Development: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Training-and-Professional-Development QRIS Modernization Plan resources: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Licensing/Star-Rated-License/QRIS-Modernization 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 DCDEE Updates, Current Projects, and information applicable to Child Care in NC: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Whats-New 5. Here is the link to the training calendar from the Children’s Resource Center: https://childrensresourcecenter.org/training-calendar/. 6. If you would like an electronic link to any of the links shared above, please send me an email requesting the links that you wish to receive, and I will be glad to send the hyperlinks to you by email. 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: Please send supporting documentation such as training certificates, CBC letters, acknowledgement statements, and photographs for me to use to verify compliance. I should receive your compliance letter no later than April 29, 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. An administrative action may be issued based on child care requirements outlined in Child Care Rule .2200 ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS AND CIVIL PENALTIES. 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 end of today’s visit, a visit summary packet was prepared, reviewed with you, signed, 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 110-102 · Violation

Name of Operation: LITTLE LAMBS CHILDCARE Facility ID: 18000297 Consultant: KIMBERLY CRANE Operation Type: Family CC Home Case Number: Visit Date: 4/15/2026 Number Present: 5 Completed Date: 4/15/2026 Age: From 1 To 4 Total Minutes: 420 Time In: 09:15 AM Time Out: 04:15 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Family CC Home Type Of Visit: Annual Comp w/Rated Lic Assess 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 with rated license visit. You, Mary Jones, Owner/Operator, assisted me with today’s visit. I conducted your last annual compliance visit on May 21, 2025. 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, or mailing address. Your program currently operates with a five-star license, issued on November 19, 2019, earning six points in staff education, seven points in program standards, and one quality point for serving no more than three infants under one year of age. In addition to the five children ranging in age from one to five years I observed attending on first shift during today’s visit, you stated you have eleven additional children enrolled on first shift that range from one year of age to school-age and who were not in attendance during today’s visit. You also stated that you currently have no children enrolled on second shift and no children enrolled on third shift. You stated you currently have no infant-age children enrolled on first, second, or third shift. The lead water test results dated April 18, 2024 were within acceptable levels. As of March 19, 2024, your family child care home (FCCH) has no lead-based paint hazards based on a signed attestation statement which you submitted. Your FCCH is exempt from asbestos test requirements. I visited indoor and outdoor spaces today. Upon arrival, children were playing in activity areas and numeral writing at a child-sized table. Later in the visit, Mr. Damon joined the group to assist when Ms. Mary needed to assist me with the visit. Ms. Mary changed diapers and the older children used the bathroom, while Mr. Damon took the children outdoors for free play. Ms. Mary joined the group outdoors. Upon re-entering the child care space, Ms. Mary and all the children washed their hands and got the area ready for nap by placing cots on the floor. The children ate lunch at a child-sized table and a high chair in the dining area. After lunch, Ms. Mary assisted the children with washing their hands and laying on their cots. The children rested according to their individual needs. One three-year-old child departed, and one four-year-old child arrived during rest time. Materials, equipment, and furnishings in the child care room were in good repair. Manipulative materials and materials for dramatic/pretend play, block building, creative arts, and reading/language were located in the child care room. The entrance/exit door to the child care area opened to a fenced playground where a playhouse, sand table, basketball goal, picnic table, movable climbing structure, stationary climbing structure, and riding toys were located. A current menu documenting appropriate nutritious snacks and meals, showing a variety of foods, and complying with Meal Patterns for Children in Child Care Programs was posted in the kitchen. Meals were prepared in the kitchen and served in the dining area. Food was stored in cabinets in the kitchen and dining area, in a residential upright freezer, and a residential refrigerator in the kitchen at a temperature of thirty-nine 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. I reviewed your written operational, administrative, and personnel policies and your parent participation plan at the last annual compliance visit on May 22, 2025. You stated you had updated your written policies and added your parent participation plan to your Parent Handbook in January 2026. You stated you would send me a copy of your handbook by email for me to monitor. I monitored health and safety requirements. I monitored supervision of children, capacity, approved space use, and permit restrictions. I completed the “Annual Compliance Monitoring Checklist for Family Child Care Homes” during today’s visit. RATED LICENSE DOCUMENTATION AND DISCUSSION: During a phone call on November 4, 2025, we discussed the three Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS): Pathways to the Stars options effective in child care rule on July 1, 2025. During a routine unannounced visit on November 13, 2025, you expressed an interest in choosing the “Classroom and Instructional Quality Assessment for FCCH” option for your upcoming rated license. Today, you stated you would use the “Classroom and Instructional Quality Assessment for FCCH” option for your upcoming rated license and presented to me a completed application packet. RECEIVED, REVIEWED, VERIFIED COMPONENTS for “Classroom and Instructional Quality (Pathway 2): 1. Application for Assessment for a Rated License for FCCH Today, you submitted your “Application for Assessment for a Rated License for FCCH” document and I verified that the application was completed correctly. 2. Enrollment Restrictions in addition to Capacity Today, I verified that you have no more than four children under the age of twenty-four months of the children who are birth to five years of age when meeting NCGS 110-91(7)(b)(1) enrolled and you stated you were committed to maintaining this enrollment restriction on an ongoing basis until otherwise stated. 3. Operator’s Education Standard Today, I verified that you have completed an AAS in ECE/CD and have at least eighteen months of early childhood work experience which earns you five star education standards. 4. Family and Community Engagement Standards Family Child Care Homes Today, you submitted the “Family and Community Engagement Standards Family Child Care Homes” document. I verified that you have implemented the three foundational practices. To meet the five star requirements, in addition to the foundation practices required to meet the family and community engagement standards (CC RULE .3220) at the two-star level, you chose to implement four communication options, three engagement and leadership options and three educational opportunity options. Today, I verified that you have implemented these ten additional practices. 5. Family Child Care Home (FCCH) Operator Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Plan and Professional Development (PD) Plan Today, you submitted the “FCCH CQI/PD” document for the operator and additional caregiver. Today, I verified that these CQI/PD Plans were in place and initiated. 6. Approved Curriculum of choice Today, I verified that you have purchased and have begun using “Creative Curriculum for Family Child Care, 2nd Edition” as your approved curriculum of choice. 7. Approved Formative Assessment of choice Today, I verified that you have purchased and begun implementing “COR Advantage” as your approved formative assessment of choice. 8. Plan to share assessments with families Today, I verified that you plan to hold parent-teacher conferences twice annually in July and December. You stated that as you begin implementing the formative assessment, you will meet with parents informally on a monthly basis. Then as the formative assessment fully implemented, you plan to meet with parents informally every three months and then you’ll fully implement the plan to meet with families in July and December. 9. Training related to your chosen curriculum Today, I verified you completed training related to “Creative Curriculum for Family Child Care, 2nd Edition” on March 4, 2026. I asked you to keep this training certificate in your staff file to be verified during on-going monitoring of your rated license. 10. Training certificate to verify training related to your chosen formative assessment has been completed Today, I verified you completed training related to “COR-Advantage” on March 4, 2026. I asked you to keep this training certificate in your staff file to be verified during on-going monitoring of your rated license. 11. Coaching/training option for you as the operator Today, I verified that you as the operator have chosen to complete five additional hours of ongoing training annually as your coaching/training option. During today’s visit, you documented this plan on your CQI/PD Plan. 12. Compliance History Score of 75% or higher Today, I verified that prior to today’s visit, this facility had a compliance history score of 97%. STAR RATED LICENSE DETERMINATION Based on my informal assessment of the rated license components for the “Classroom and Instructional Quality (Pathway 2)” option, this facility will earn a five star license pending correction of any violations cited during today’s visit and review and approval from my supervisor. The new star rated license will be processed and issued as soon as possible. Please keep your current license/permit posted until you receive the new license/permit in the mail from the Raleigh office. The following violations were observed and cited during today’s visit: Violation Number Comment Rule 1704 Summary of the NC Child Care Law was not given to each child's parent, guardian, or full-time custodian before the child was enrolled in the home and/or signed statement was not on file. The child record files for two children with dates of enrollment of 10/22/2025 and 01/26/2026 did not contain a signed statement from the parent acknowledging that the summary of law had been received. GS 110-102 2023 Operator and/or staff who work with children, did not complete health and safety training as part of on-going training so that every five years, all the topic areas were covered. The operator should have completed H&S training topics by 09/30/2025 but did not complete the H&S training requirement until 10/06/2025. The additional caregiver should have completed the H&S training topics by 09/30/2026 but did not complete the H&S training requirement until 02/09/2026. .1703(d)(2) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: 1. Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .1703(d)(2), operators and additional caregivers should revisit each Health & Safety (H&S) Training topic every five years. The due date of the five-year H&S training five-year renewal is calculated five years from the date on each H&S training certificate. Today, the operator should have completed H&S training topics by 09/30/2025 but did not complete the H&S training requirement until 10/06/2025. The additional caregiver should have completed the H&S training topics by 09/30/2026 but did not complete the H&S training requirement until 02/09/2026. Since the trainings were completed prior to today’s visit, this violation will be recorded as corrected during today’s visit. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I suggest you create a tracking tool that allows you to track the training due date for each employee or require all your employees to complete the H&S training topics within the same timeframe so that it’s easier for you to maintain. 2. Per North Carolina General Statute 110-102, the Summary of the NC Child Care Law should be given to each child’s parent, guardian, or full-time custodian before the child was enrolled in the home and a signed statement acknowledging receipt of the summary of law should be kept on file. Today, the child record files for two children with dates of enrollment of 10/22/2025 and 01/26/2026 did not contain a signed statement from the parent acknowledging that the summary of law had been received. To correct this violation, I suggest you give the parent of these two children the summary of child care law brochure and have them sign the acknowledgement statement. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I suggest you use the “Children’s File Checklist FCCH” document found on the Division’s website as a tracking tool to assist you with setting up new child files and collecting the required documentation and signatures prior to enrollment. CONSULTATION: 1. Per NC General Statute 110-102, the current version of Summary of North Carolina Child Care Law 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. The most current Summary of North Carolina Child Care Law was published in November 2025. Today, I observed the date of the posted Summary of North Carolina Child Care Law was February 2025. Please print the updated version, post it in your parent board, and add it to your new enrollment packets. 2. We encourage you to continue to visit the QRIS Modernization page on the DCDEE website at this link: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Licensing/Star-Rated-License/QRIS-Modernization to learn more now. 3. Stay updated with changes and new rule updates by visiting the DCDEE website at https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/. 4. Here are some important links on the DCEEE website that may be helpful: Child Care Rules and Laws: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Services/Child-Care-Rules-Law-and-Public-Information Training and Professional Development: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Training-and-Professional-Development QRIS Modernization Plan resources: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Licensing/Star-Rated-License/QRIS-Modernization 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 DCDEE Updates, Current Projects, and information applicable to Child Care in NC: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Whats-New 5. Here is the link to the training calendar from the Children’s Resource Center: https://childrensresourcecenter.org/training-calendar/. 6. If you would like an electronic link to any of the links shared above, please send me an email requesting the links that you wish to receive, and I will be glad to send the hyperlinks to you by email. 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: Please send supporting documentation such as training certificates, CBC letters, acknowledgement statements, and photographs for me to use to verify compliance. I should receive your compliance letter no later than April 29, 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. An administrative action may be issued based on child care requirements outlined in Child Care Rule .2200 ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS AND CIVIL PENALTIES. 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 end of today’s visit, a visit summary packet was prepared, reviewed with you, signed, 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

NCGS 110-91 · Violation

Name of Operation: LITTLE LAMBS CHILDCARE Facility ID: 18000297 Consultant: KIMBERLY CRANE Operation Type: Family CC Home Case Number: Visit Date: 4/15/2026 Number Present: 5 Completed Date: 4/15/2026 Age: From 1 To 4 Total Minutes: 420 Time In: 09:15 AM Time Out: 04:15 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Family CC Home Type Of Visit: Annual Comp w/Rated Lic Assess 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 with rated license visit. You, Mary Jones, Owner/Operator, assisted me with today’s visit. I conducted your last annual compliance visit on May 21, 2025. 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, or mailing address. Your program currently operates with a five-star license, issued on November 19, 2019, earning six points in staff education, seven points in program standards, and one quality point for serving no more than three infants under one year of age. In addition to the five children ranging in age from one to five years I observed attending on first shift during today’s visit, you stated you have eleven additional children enrolled on first shift that range from one year of age to school-age and who were not in attendance during today’s visit. You also stated that you currently have no children enrolled on second shift and no children enrolled on third shift. You stated you currently have no infant-age children enrolled on first, second, or third shift. The lead water test results dated April 18, 2024 were within acceptable levels. As of March 19, 2024, your family child care home (FCCH) has no lead-based paint hazards based on a signed attestation statement which you submitted. Your FCCH is exempt from asbestos test requirements. I visited indoor and outdoor spaces today. Upon arrival, children were playing in activity areas and numeral writing at a child-sized table. Later in the visit, Mr. Damon joined the group to assist when Ms. Mary needed to assist me with the visit. Ms. Mary changed diapers and the older children used the bathroom, while Mr. Damon took the children outdoors for free play. Ms. Mary joined the group outdoors. Upon re-entering the child care space, Ms. Mary and all the children washed their hands and got the area ready for nap by placing cots on the floor. The children ate lunch at a child-sized table and a high chair in the dining area. After lunch, Ms. Mary assisted the children with washing their hands and laying on their cots. The children rested according to their individual needs. One three-year-old child departed, and one four-year-old child arrived during rest time. Materials, equipment, and furnishings in the child care room were in good repair. Manipulative materials and materials for dramatic/pretend play, block building, creative arts, and reading/language were located in the child care room. The entrance/exit door to the child care area opened to a fenced playground where a playhouse, sand table, basketball goal, picnic table, movable climbing structure, stationary climbing structure, and riding toys were located. A current menu documenting appropriate nutritious snacks and meals, showing a variety of foods, and complying with Meal Patterns for Children in Child Care Programs was posted in the kitchen. Meals were prepared in the kitchen and served in the dining area. Food was stored in cabinets in the kitchen and dining area, in a residential upright freezer, and a residential refrigerator in the kitchen at a temperature of thirty-nine 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. I reviewed your written operational, administrative, and personnel policies and your parent participation plan at the last annual compliance visit on May 22, 2025. You stated you had updated your written policies and added your parent participation plan to your Parent Handbook in January 2026. You stated you would send me a copy of your handbook by email for me to monitor. I monitored health and safety requirements. I monitored supervision of children, capacity, approved space use, and permit restrictions. I completed the “Annual Compliance Monitoring Checklist for Family Child Care Homes” during today’s visit. RATED LICENSE DOCUMENTATION AND DISCUSSION: During a phone call on November 4, 2025, we discussed the three Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS): Pathways to the Stars options effective in child care rule on July 1, 2025. During a routine unannounced visit on November 13, 2025, you expressed an interest in choosing the “Classroom and Instructional Quality Assessment for FCCH” option for your upcoming rated license. Today, you stated you would use the “Classroom and Instructional Quality Assessment for FCCH” option for your upcoming rated license and presented to me a completed application packet. RECEIVED, REVIEWED, VERIFIED COMPONENTS for “Classroom and Instructional Quality (Pathway 2): 1. Application for Assessment for a Rated License for FCCH Today, you submitted your “Application for Assessment for a Rated License for FCCH” document and I verified that the application was completed correctly. 2. Enrollment Restrictions in addition to Capacity Today, I verified that you have no more than four children under the age of twenty-four months of the children who are birth to five years of age when meeting NCGS 110-91(7)(b)(1) enrolled and you stated you were committed to maintaining this enrollment restriction on an ongoing basis until otherwise stated. 3. Operator’s Education Standard Today, I verified that you have completed an AAS in ECE/CD and have at least eighteen months of early childhood work experience which earns you five star education standards. 4. Family and Community Engagement Standards Family Child Care Homes Today, you submitted the “Family and Community Engagement Standards Family Child Care Homes” document. I verified that you have implemented the three foundational practices. To meet the five star requirements, in addition to the foundation practices required to meet the family and community engagement standards (CC RULE .3220) at the two-star level, you chose to implement four communication options, three engagement and leadership options and three educational opportunity options. Today, I verified that you have implemented these ten additional practices. 5. Family Child Care Home (FCCH) Operator Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Plan and Professional Development (PD) Plan Today, you submitted the “FCCH CQI/PD” document for the operator and additional caregiver. Today, I verified that these CQI/PD Plans were in place and initiated. 6. Approved Curriculum of choice Today, I verified that you have purchased and have begun using “Creative Curriculum for Family Child Care, 2nd Edition” as your approved curriculum of choice. 7. Approved Formative Assessment of choice Today, I verified that you have purchased and begun implementing “COR Advantage” as your approved formative assessment of choice. 8. Plan to share assessments with families Today, I verified that you plan to hold parent-teacher conferences twice annually in July and December. You stated that as you begin implementing the formative assessment, you will meet with parents informally on a monthly basis. Then as the formative assessment fully implemented, you plan to meet with parents informally every three months and then you’ll fully implement the plan to meet with families in July and December. 9. Training related to your chosen curriculum Today, I verified you completed training related to “Creative Curriculum for Family Child Care, 2nd Edition” on March 4, 2026. I asked you to keep this training certificate in your staff file to be verified during on-going monitoring of your rated license. 10. Training certificate to verify training related to your chosen formative assessment has been completed Today, I verified you completed training related to “COR-Advantage” on March 4, 2026. I asked you to keep this training certificate in your staff file to be verified during on-going monitoring of your rated license. 11. Coaching/training option for you as the operator Today, I verified that you as the operator have chosen to complete five additional hours of ongoing training annually as your coaching/training option. During today’s visit, you documented this plan on your CQI/PD Plan. 12. Compliance History Score of 75% or higher Today, I verified that prior to today’s visit, this facility had a compliance history score of 97%. STAR RATED LICENSE DETERMINATION Based on my informal assessment of the rated license components for the “Classroom and Instructional Quality (Pathway 2)” option, this facility will earn a five star license pending correction of any violations cited during today’s visit and review and approval from my supervisor. The new star rated license will be processed and issued as soon as possible. Please keep your current license/permit posted until you receive the new license/permit in the mail from the Raleigh office. The following violations were observed and cited during today’s visit: Violation Number Comment Rule 1704 Summary of the NC Child Care Law was not given to each child's parent, guardian, or full-time custodian before the child was enrolled in the home and/or signed statement was not on file. The child record files for two children with dates of enrollment of 10/22/2025 and 01/26/2026 did not contain a signed statement from the parent acknowledging that the summary of law had been received. GS 110-102 2023 Operator and/or staff who work with children, did not complete health and safety training as part of on-going training so that every five years, all the topic areas were covered. The operator should have completed H&S training topics by 09/30/2025 but did not complete the H&S training requirement until 10/06/2025. The additional caregiver should have completed the H&S training topics by 09/30/2026 but did not complete the H&S training requirement until 02/09/2026. .1703(d)(2) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: 1. Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .1703(d)(2), operators and additional caregivers should revisit each Health & Safety (H&S) Training topic every five years. The due date of the five-year H&S training five-year renewal is calculated five years from the date on each H&S training certificate. Today, the operator should have completed H&S training topics by 09/30/2025 but did not complete the H&S training requirement until 10/06/2025. The additional caregiver should have completed the H&S training topics by 09/30/2026 but did not complete the H&S training requirement until 02/09/2026. Since the trainings were completed prior to today’s visit, this violation will be recorded as corrected during today’s visit. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I suggest you create a tracking tool that allows you to track the training due date for each employee or require all your employees to complete the H&S training topics within the same timeframe so that it’s easier for you to maintain. 2. Per North Carolina General Statute 110-102, the Summary of the NC Child Care Law should be given to each child’s parent, guardian, or full-time custodian before the child was enrolled in the home and a signed statement acknowledging receipt of the summary of law should be kept on file. Today, the child record files for two children with dates of enrollment of 10/22/2025 and 01/26/2026 did not contain a signed statement from the parent acknowledging that the summary of law had been received. To correct this violation, I suggest you give the parent of these two children the summary of child care law brochure and have them sign the acknowledgement statement. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I suggest you use the “Children’s File Checklist FCCH” document found on the Division’s website as a tracking tool to assist you with setting up new child files and collecting the required documentation and signatures prior to enrollment. CONSULTATION: 1. Per NC General Statute 110-102, the current version of Summary of North Carolina Child Care Law 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. The most current Summary of North Carolina Child Care Law was published in November 2025. Today, I observed the date of the posted Summary of North Carolina Child Care Law was February 2025. Please print the updated version, post it in your parent board, and add it to your new enrollment packets. 2. We encourage you to continue to visit the QRIS Modernization page on the DCDEE website at this link: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Licensing/Star-Rated-License/QRIS-Modernization to learn more now. 3. Stay updated with changes and new rule updates by visiting the DCDEE website at https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/. 4. Here are some important links on the DCEEE website that may be helpful: Child Care Rules and Laws: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Services/Child-Care-Rules-Law-and-Public-Information Training and Professional Development: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Training-and-Professional-Development QRIS Modernization Plan resources: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Licensing/Star-Rated-License/QRIS-Modernization 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 DCDEE Updates, Current Projects, and information applicable to Child Care in NC: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Whats-New 5. Here is the link to the training calendar from the Children’s Resource Center: https://childrensresourcecenter.org/training-calendar/. 6. If you would like an electronic link to any of the links shared above, please send me an email requesting the links that you wish to receive, and I will be glad to send the hyperlinks to you by email. 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: Please send supporting documentation such as training certificates, CBC letters, acknowledgement statements, and photographs for me to use to verify compliance. I should receive your compliance letter no later than April 29, 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. An administrative action may be issued based on child care requirements outlined in Child Care Rule .2200 ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS AND CIVIL PENALTIES. 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 end of today’s visit, a visit summary packet was prepared, reviewed with you, signed, 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 .1703 · Violation

Name of Operation: LITTLE LAMBS CHILDCARE Facility ID: 18000297 Consultant: KIMBERLY CRANE Operation Type: Family CC Home Case Number: Visit Date: 11/13/2025 Number Present: 4 Completed Date: 11/13/2025 Age: From 0 To 4 Total Minutes: 263 Time In: 09:37 AM Time Out: 02:00 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Family CC Home Type Of Visit: Routine Unannounced Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for a routine unannounced visit. You, Mary Jones, Owner/Operator, assisted me with today’s visit. I conducted last annual compliance visit on May 22, 2025. We reviewed the facility input form to ensure that there were no changes to your facility information. You stated there were no changes to the facility information. We reviewed the facility permit restrictions on your family child care home license as well as the capacity, shifts of care, and the age range of the children served at your facility and observed these being maintained today. Your program’s compliance history was 97% as of November 12, 2025 and was reviewed with you today. Your program currently operates with a five-star license, issued on November 19, 2019, earning six points in staff education, seven points in program standards, and one quality point for serving no more than three infants under one year of age. In addition to the four children infant to four-years of age that I observed attending on first shift during today’s visit, you stated you had one school-aged child enrolled on first shift, one preschool-aged child and five school-aged children enrolled on second shift and no children currently enrolled on third shift. I verified that you have completed the initial lead water testing required to be completed by January 2025 and every three years thereafter. Your initial lead water test results were dated April 18, 2024 and indicated that your water is within acceptable ranges. I verified that your family child care home (FCCH) is free of lead-based paint hazards based on a statement attestation statement that you submitted. I verified that your FCCH is exempt from asbestos testing based on documentation that you provided. I visited each indoor space today. The infant-age child was crawling on the floor, exploring and playing with activity area materials, being comforted and held, eating lunch, having diapering changes, and napping. Preschool-age children were participating in routine care activities, playing in the activity areas, participating in a teacher-directed writing lesson, preparing for lunch including handwashing, eating lunch, and napping. Your designated child care space is located in the downstairs area of your home. I monitored hazardous product storage, medication storage and medication administration, general safety, fire safety, and sanitation. I reviewed program records including fire drills, emergency drills, Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) Plan, emergency medical care plan, outdoor safety inspections, incident log, arrival and departure time records, and attendance records. I reviewed staff record files for you, two additional caregivers, and one emergency substitute. I was able to verify valid and current Criminal Background Check qualification letters, completed Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment training, current First Aid and CPR training certification, and current ITS-SIDS certification. I verified on-going training hours due to be completed by June 18, 2025 which was after your last annual compliance visit on May 22, 2025. During today’s visit, you informed me that on November 1, 2025 you had started using a second vehicle to transport children due to your main vehicle having mechanical issues at times. Today, I monitored your charcoal gray 2019 Ford Transit Connect van. The registration was valid from July 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027. The insurance on this vehicle was current through April 25, 2026. I approved this vehicle for transportation during today’s visit. Your husband serves as the van driver and an additional caregiver. Today, I approved the 2019 Ford Transit Connect to be used to provide transportation for enrolled children. I monitored health & safety requirements. I monitored your written operational policies and procedures December 12, 2024. You stated you had made no changes to your written policies. I monitored supervision, licensed capacity, designated space use, and permit restrictions. The following violation was observed and cited during today’s visit: Violation Number Comment Rule 1301 Operator did not complete the required number of on-going training hours as specified in rule. One part-time additional caregiver required to complete five hours of on-going training by 06/17/2025 had completed three hours and thirty minutes. The part-time caregiver needed an additional one hour and thirty minutes of on-going training for the 2024-2025 compliance year. GS 110-91(11); 10A NCAC 09 .1705(b)(5) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: 1. Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .1703(d)(1) and General Statute 110-91(11), the operator and staff working with the children should complete the required number of on-going training hours based on education, experience, and number of hours worked weekly. During today’s visit, I determined one of your additional caregivers was required to complete five hours of on-going training annually by 06/18/2025. You were able to provide on-going training certificates used to verify that the additional caregiver had completed three hours and thirty minutes of the required five hours of on-going training, but you were unable to locate the training certificates for the remaining required one hour and thirty minutes which was a violation. During today's visit, you provided training certificates for one hour of on-going training completed on dated September 26, 2025 and September 27, 2025. These additional two hours of on-going training completed after June 17, 2025 corrected the violation during today's visit. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I advise you and your additional caregivers to print all training certificates as soon as you complete training courses and file the certificates in the staff files immediately, so they are not misplaced or lost in the shuffle. CONSULTATION: 1. During a phone call on November 4, 2025, we discussed the three Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS): Pathways to the Stars options effective in child care rule on July 1, 2025. We discussed licensed capacity, staff education including ensuring all staff have WORKS accounts and how work experience may count, the Family and Community Engagement Foundational Practices, Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Plan, Self-Study and Coaching/Mentoring or Training. During today’s visit, you expressed an interest in choosing the “Classroom and Instructional Quality Assessment for FCCH” option for your upcoming rated license assessment. You stated that, in January 2026, you plan to begin using “Gee Whiz” as your approved curriculum and formative assessment for FCCHs. At this time, I did not see “Gee Whiz” on the approved formative assessment list found on the DCDEE website at: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Services/Licensing/Star-Rated-License/Curriculum. If you would like to request that a formative assessment you are interested in using at your FCCH be reviewed by the NC Child Care Commission for approval, we ask that you follow these steps for the approval process: • Contact the publisher/contact for the formative assessment and request they submit their formative assessment for review. • This information is located on the DCDED website at the following address: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Services/Licensing/Star-Rated-License/Curriculum. The following steps are how you can begin preparing for the Rated License process: If you choose Pathway 1: • Complete the “Application For Assessment for a Rated License for a FCCH” electronically and submit to your child care consultant no later than, April 1, 2026. • Complete the “Requesting Family Child Care Environment Rating Scale Assessment” form electronically and submit to your child care consultant no later than, April 1, 2026. • Confirm all staff have active WORKS accounts. • Complete the QRIS Staff Information and Education Worksheet electronically. • Begin planning for your three-month self-study using the FCCERS-3 books. • Prepare for Environmental Rating Scale (ERS) assessments. o Access resources, trainings, and outreach via ncrlap.org. o Work with CCR&R or Smart Start for support in preparation. • Identify CQI goals and begin planning for implementation. • Develop strategies for Family and Community Engagement. • If four-year-olds are enrolled, select and implement an approved curriculum. If you choose Pathway 2: • Complete the “Application For Assessment for a Rated License for a FCCH” electronically and submit to your child care consultant no later than, June 1, 2026. • Confirm all staff have active WORKS accounts. • Complete the QRIS Staff Information and Education Worksheet electronically. • Identify CQI goals and begin planning for implementation. • Develop strategies for Family and Community Engagement. • Select and implement a curriculum. (4- and 5-star centers must use an approved curriculum and formative assessment tool for all ages.) • Arrange for coaching/mentoring or training options for administrators and lead teachers. If you choose Pathway 3: • Complete the “Application For Assessment for a Rated License for a FCCH” electronically and submit to your child care consultant no later than, June 1, 2026. • Ensure all staff have active WORKS accounts. • If you are accredited through NAFCC, NECPA, AMS, or IMC, you may earn a three star rated license with NO Education standards evaluation. • If you are accredited through NAFCC, NECPA, AMS, or IMC and would like to earn a four or five star rated license, the Education standard evaluation will determine the star rating earned. • If you are accredited through NAEYC, NAC, COGNIA, or your facility is Head Start and/or Early Head Start Education, NO Education standards evaluation is needed. • Documentation of accreditation status and Head Start designation must be submitted to process your star rated license. 2 If you purchase or change vehicles for transporting children, please request for the vehicle to be approved prior to using the new vehicle. A monitoring visit will be scheduled, and I’ll need to approve transportation and/or the new vehicle before you can use the vehicle. 3. We encourage you to visit the QRIS Modernization page on the DCDEE website at this link: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Licensing/Star-Rated-License/QRIS-Modernization to learn more now. 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/Child-Care-Rules-Law-and-Public-Information Training and Professional Development: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Training-and-Professional-Development QRIS Modernization Plan resources: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Licensing/Star-Rated-License/QRIS-Modernization 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 DCDEE Updates, Current Projects, and information applicable to Child Care in NC: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Whats-New 6. Here is the link to the training calendar from the Children’s Resource Center: https://childrensresourcecenter.org/training-calendar/. 7. If you would like an electronic link to any of the links shared above, please send me an email requesting the links that you wish to receive, and I will be glad to send the hyperlinks to you by email. 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: Please send supporting documentation such as training certificates, CBC letters, acknowledgement statements, and photographs for me to use to verify compliance. I should receive your compliance letter no later than November 27, 2025. Please be aware any information submitted by you is legal documentation. 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. An administrative action may be issued based on child care requirements outlined in Child Care Rule .2200 ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS AND CIVIL PENALTIES. 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 end of today’s visit, a visit summary packet was prepared, reviewed with you, signed, 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 .1705 · Violation

Name of Operation: LITTLE LAMBS CHILDCARE Facility ID: 18000297 Consultant: KIMBERLY CRANE Operation Type: Family CC Home Case Number: Visit Date: 11/13/2025 Number Present: 4 Completed Date: 11/13/2025 Age: From 0 To 4 Total Minutes: 263 Time In: 09:37 AM Time Out: 02:00 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Family CC Home Type Of Visit: Routine Unannounced Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for a routine unannounced visit. You, Mary Jones, Owner/Operator, assisted me with today’s visit. I conducted last annual compliance visit on May 22, 2025. We reviewed the facility input form to ensure that there were no changes to your facility information. You stated there were no changes to the facility information. We reviewed the facility permit restrictions on your family child care home license as well as the capacity, shifts of care, and the age range of the children served at your facility and observed these being maintained today. Your program’s compliance history was 97% as of November 12, 2025 and was reviewed with you today. Your program currently operates with a five-star license, issued on November 19, 2019, earning six points in staff education, seven points in program standards, and one quality point for serving no more than three infants under one year of age. In addition to the four children infant to four-years of age that I observed attending on first shift during today’s visit, you stated you had one school-aged child enrolled on first shift, one preschool-aged child and five school-aged children enrolled on second shift and no children currently enrolled on third shift. I verified that you have completed the initial lead water testing required to be completed by January 2025 and every three years thereafter. Your initial lead water test results were dated April 18, 2024 and indicated that your water is within acceptable ranges. I verified that your family child care home (FCCH) is free of lead-based paint hazards based on a statement attestation statement that you submitted. I verified that your FCCH is exempt from asbestos testing based on documentation that you provided. I visited each indoor space today. The infant-age child was crawling on the floor, exploring and playing with activity area materials, being comforted and held, eating lunch, having diapering changes, and napping. Preschool-age children were participating in routine care activities, playing in the activity areas, participating in a teacher-directed writing lesson, preparing for lunch including handwashing, eating lunch, and napping. Your designated child care space is located in the downstairs area of your home. I monitored hazardous product storage, medication storage and medication administration, general safety, fire safety, and sanitation. I reviewed program records including fire drills, emergency drills, Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) Plan, emergency medical care plan, outdoor safety inspections, incident log, arrival and departure time records, and attendance records. I reviewed staff record files for you, two additional caregivers, and one emergency substitute. I was able to verify valid and current Criminal Background Check qualification letters, completed Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment training, current First Aid and CPR training certification, and current ITS-SIDS certification. I verified on-going training hours due to be completed by June 18, 2025 which was after your last annual compliance visit on May 22, 2025. During today’s visit, you informed me that on November 1, 2025 you had started using a second vehicle to transport children due to your main vehicle having mechanical issues at times. Today, I monitored your charcoal gray 2019 Ford Transit Connect van. The registration was valid from July 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027. The insurance on this vehicle was current through April 25, 2026. I approved this vehicle for transportation during today’s visit. Your husband serves as the van driver and an additional caregiver. Today, I approved the 2019 Ford Transit Connect to be used to provide transportation for enrolled children. I monitored health & safety requirements. I monitored your written operational policies and procedures December 12, 2024. You stated you had made no changes to your written policies. I monitored supervision, licensed capacity, designated space use, and permit restrictions. The following violation was observed and cited during today’s visit: Violation Number Comment Rule 1301 Operator did not complete the required number of on-going training hours as specified in rule. One part-time additional caregiver required to complete five hours of on-going training by 06/17/2025 had completed three hours and thirty minutes. The part-time caregiver needed an additional one hour and thirty minutes of on-going training for the 2024-2025 compliance year. GS 110-91(11); 10A NCAC 09 .1705(b)(5) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: 1. Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .1703(d)(1) and General Statute 110-91(11), the operator and staff working with the children should complete the required number of on-going training hours based on education, experience, and number of hours worked weekly. During today’s visit, I determined one of your additional caregivers was required to complete five hours of on-going training annually by 06/18/2025. You were able to provide on-going training certificates used to verify that the additional caregiver had completed three hours and thirty minutes of the required five hours of on-going training, but you were unable to locate the training certificates for the remaining required one hour and thirty minutes which was a violation. During today's visit, you provided training certificates for one hour of on-going training completed on dated September 26, 2025 and September 27, 2025. These additional two hours of on-going training completed after June 17, 2025 corrected the violation during today's visit. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I advise you and your additional caregivers to print all training certificates as soon as you complete training courses and file the certificates in the staff files immediately, so they are not misplaced or lost in the shuffle. CONSULTATION: 1. During a phone call on November 4, 2025, we discussed the three Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS): Pathways to the Stars options effective in child care rule on July 1, 2025. We discussed licensed capacity, staff education including ensuring all staff have WORKS accounts and how work experience may count, the Family and Community Engagement Foundational Practices, Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Plan, Self-Study and Coaching/Mentoring or Training. During today’s visit, you expressed an interest in choosing the “Classroom and Instructional Quality Assessment for FCCH” option for your upcoming rated license assessment. You stated that, in January 2026, you plan to begin using “Gee Whiz” as your approved curriculum and formative assessment for FCCHs. At this time, I did not see “Gee Whiz” on the approved formative assessment list found on the DCDEE website at: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Services/Licensing/Star-Rated-License/Curriculum. If you would like to request that a formative assessment you are interested in using at your FCCH be reviewed by the NC Child Care Commission for approval, we ask that you follow these steps for the approval process: • Contact the publisher/contact for the formative assessment and request they submit their formative assessment for review. • This information is located on the DCDED website at the following address: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Services/Licensing/Star-Rated-License/Curriculum. The following steps are how you can begin preparing for the Rated License process: If you choose Pathway 1: • Complete the “Application For Assessment for a Rated License for a FCCH” electronically and submit to your child care consultant no later than, April 1, 2026. • Complete the “Requesting Family Child Care Environment Rating Scale Assessment” form electronically and submit to your child care consultant no later than, April 1, 2026. • Confirm all staff have active WORKS accounts. • Complete the QRIS Staff Information and Education Worksheet electronically. • Begin planning for your three-month self-study using the FCCERS-3 books. • Prepare for Environmental Rating Scale (ERS) assessments. o Access resources, trainings, and outreach via ncrlap.org. o Work with CCR&R or Smart Start for support in preparation. • Identify CQI goals and begin planning for implementation. • Develop strategies for Family and Community Engagement. • If four-year-olds are enrolled, select and implement an approved curriculum. If you choose Pathway 2: • Complete the “Application For Assessment for a Rated License for a FCCH” electronically and submit to your child care consultant no later than, June 1, 2026. • Confirm all staff have active WORKS accounts. • Complete the QRIS Staff Information and Education Worksheet electronically. • Identify CQI goals and begin planning for implementation. • Develop strategies for Family and Community Engagement. • Select and implement a curriculum. (4- and 5-star centers must use an approved curriculum and formative assessment tool for all ages.) • Arrange for coaching/mentoring or training options for administrators and lead teachers. If you choose Pathway 3: • Complete the “Application For Assessment for a Rated License for a FCCH” electronically and submit to your child care consultant no later than, June 1, 2026. • Ensure all staff have active WORKS accounts. • If you are accredited through NAFCC, NECPA, AMS, or IMC, you may earn a three star rated license with NO Education standards evaluation. • If you are accredited through NAFCC, NECPA, AMS, or IMC and would like to earn a four or five star rated license, the Education standard evaluation will determine the star rating earned. • If you are accredited through NAEYC, NAC, COGNIA, or your facility is Head Start and/or Early Head Start Education, NO Education standards evaluation is needed. • Documentation of accreditation status and Head Start designation must be submitted to process your star rated license. 2 If you purchase or change vehicles for transporting children, please request for the vehicle to be approved prior to using the new vehicle. A monitoring visit will be scheduled, and I’ll need to approve transportation and/or the new vehicle before you can use the vehicle. 3. We encourage you to visit the QRIS Modernization page on the DCDEE website at this link: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Licensing/Star-Rated-License/QRIS-Modernization to learn more now. 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/Child-Care-Rules-Law-and-Public-Information Training and Professional Development: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Training-and-Professional-Development QRIS Modernization Plan resources: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Licensing/Star-Rated-License/QRIS-Modernization 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 DCDEE Updates, Current Projects, and information applicable to Child Care in NC: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Whats-New 6. Here is the link to the training calendar from the Children’s Resource Center: https://childrensresourcecenter.org/training-calendar/. 7. If you would like an electronic link to any of the links shared above, please send me an email requesting the links that you wish to receive, and I will be glad to send the hyperlinks to you by email. 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: Please send supporting documentation such as training certificates, CBC letters, acknowledgement statements, and photographs for me to use to verify compliance. I should receive your compliance letter no later than November 27, 2025. Please be aware any information submitted by you is legal documentation. 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. An administrative action may be issued based on child care requirements outlined in Child Care Rule .2200 ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS AND CIVIL PENALTIES. 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 end of today’s visit, a visit summary packet was prepared, reviewed with you, signed, 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: LITTLE LAMBS CHILDCARE Facility ID: 18000297 Consultant: KIMBERLY CRANE Operation Type: Family CC Home Case Number: Visit Date: 11/13/2025 Number Present: 4 Completed Date: 11/13/2025 Age: From 0 To 4 Total Minutes: 263 Time In: 09:37 AM Time Out: 02:00 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Family CC Home Type Of Visit: Routine Unannounced Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for a routine unannounced visit. You, Mary Jones, Owner/Operator, assisted me with today’s visit. I conducted last annual compliance visit on May 22, 2025. We reviewed the facility input form to ensure that there were no changes to your facility information. You stated there were no changes to the facility information. We reviewed the facility permit restrictions on your family child care home license as well as the capacity, shifts of care, and the age range of the children served at your facility and observed these being maintained today. Your program’s compliance history was 97% as of November 12, 2025 and was reviewed with you today. Your program currently operates with a five-star license, issued on November 19, 2019, earning six points in staff education, seven points in program standards, and one quality point for serving no more than three infants under one year of age. In addition to the four children infant to four-years of age that I observed attending on first shift during today’s visit, you stated you had one school-aged child enrolled on first shift, one preschool-aged child and five school-aged children enrolled on second shift and no children currently enrolled on third shift. I verified that you have completed the initial lead water testing required to be completed by January 2025 and every three years thereafter. Your initial lead water test results were dated April 18, 2024 and indicated that your water is within acceptable ranges. I verified that your family child care home (FCCH) is free of lead-based paint hazards based on a statement attestation statement that you submitted. I verified that your FCCH is exempt from asbestos testing based on documentation that you provided. I visited each indoor space today. The infant-age child was crawling on the floor, exploring and playing with activity area materials, being comforted and held, eating lunch, having diapering changes, and napping. Preschool-age children were participating in routine care activities, playing in the activity areas, participating in a teacher-directed writing lesson, preparing for lunch including handwashing, eating lunch, and napping. Your designated child care space is located in the downstairs area of your home. I monitored hazardous product storage, medication storage and medication administration, general safety, fire safety, and sanitation. I reviewed program records including fire drills, emergency drills, Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) Plan, emergency medical care plan, outdoor safety inspections, incident log, arrival and departure time records, and attendance records. I reviewed staff record files for you, two additional caregivers, and one emergency substitute. I was able to verify valid and current Criminal Background Check qualification letters, completed Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment training, current First Aid and CPR training certification, and current ITS-SIDS certification. I verified on-going training hours due to be completed by June 18, 2025 which was after your last annual compliance visit on May 22, 2025. During today’s visit, you informed me that on November 1, 2025 you had started using a second vehicle to transport children due to your main vehicle having mechanical issues at times. Today, I monitored your charcoal gray 2019 Ford Transit Connect van. The registration was valid from July 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027. The insurance on this vehicle was current through April 25, 2026. I approved this vehicle for transportation during today’s visit. Your husband serves as the van driver and an additional caregiver. Today, I approved the 2019 Ford Transit Connect to be used to provide transportation for enrolled children. I monitored health & safety requirements. I monitored your written operational policies and procedures December 12, 2024. You stated you had made no changes to your written policies. I monitored supervision, licensed capacity, designated space use, and permit restrictions. The following violation was observed and cited during today’s visit: Violation Number Comment Rule 1301 Operator did not complete the required number of on-going training hours as specified in rule. One part-time additional caregiver required to complete five hours of on-going training by 06/17/2025 had completed three hours and thirty minutes. The part-time caregiver needed an additional one hour and thirty minutes of on-going training for the 2024-2025 compliance year. GS 110-91(11); 10A NCAC 09 .1705(b)(5) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: 1. Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .1703(d)(1) and General Statute 110-91(11), the operator and staff working with the children should complete the required number of on-going training hours based on education, experience, and number of hours worked weekly. During today’s visit, I determined one of your additional caregivers was required to complete five hours of on-going training annually by 06/18/2025. You were able to provide on-going training certificates used to verify that the additional caregiver had completed three hours and thirty minutes of the required five hours of on-going training, but you were unable to locate the training certificates for the remaining required one hour and thirty minutes which was a violation. During today's visit, you provided training certificates for one hour of on-going training completed on dated September 26, 2025 and September 27, 2025. These additional two hours of on-going training completed after June 17, 2025 corrected the violation during today's visit. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I advise you and your additional caregivers to print all training certificates as soon as you complete training courses and file the certificates in the staff files immediately, so they are not misplaced or lost in the shuffle. CONSULTATION: 1. During a phone call on November 4, 2025, we discussed the three Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS): Pathways to the Stars options effective in child care rule on July 1, 2025. We discussed licensed capacity, staff education including ensuring all staff have WORKS accounts and how work experience may count, the Family and Community Engagement Foundational Practices, Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Plan, Self-Study and Coaching/Mentoring or Training. During today’s visit, you expressed an interest in choosing the “Classroom and Instructional Quality Assessment for FCCH” option for your upcoming rated license assessment. You stated that, in January 2026, you plan to begin using “Gee Whiz” as your approved curriculum and formative assessment for FCCHs. At this time, I did not see “Gee Whiz” on the approved formative assessment list found on the DCDEE website at: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Services/Licensing/Star-Rated-License/Curriculum. If you would like to request that a formative assessment you are interested in using at your FCCH be reviewed by the NC Child Care Commission for approval, we ask that you follow these steps for the approval process: • Contact the publisher/contact for the formative assessment and request they submit their formative assessment for review. • This information is located on the DCDED website at the following address: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Services/Licensing/Star-Rated-License/Curriculum. The following steps are how you can begin preparing for the Rated License process: If you choose Pathway 1: • Complete the “Application For Assessment for a Rated License for a FCCH” electronically and submit to your child care consultant no later than, April 1, 2026. • Complete the “Requesting Family Child Care Environment Rating Scale Assessment” form electronically and submit to your child care consultant no later than, April 1, 2026. • Confirm all staff have active WORKS accounts. • Complete the QRIS Staff Information and Education Worksheet electronically. • Begin planning for your three-month self-study using the FCCERS-3 books. • Prepare for Environmental Rating Scale (ERS) assessments. o Access resources, trainings, and outreach via ncrlap.org. o Work with CCR&R or Smart Start for support in preparation. • Identify CQI goals and begin planning for implementation. • Develop strategies for Family and Community Engagement. • If four-year-olds are enrolled, select and implement an approved curriculum. If you choose Pathway 2: • Complete the “Application For Assessment for a Rated License for a FCCH” electronically and submit to your child care consultant no later than, June 1, 2026. • Confirm all staff have active WORKS accounts. • Complete the QRIS Staff Information and Education Worksheet electronically. • Identify CQI goals and begin planning for implementation. • Develop strategies for Family and Community Engagement. • Select and implement a curriculum. (4- and 5-star centers must use an approved curriculum and formative assessment tool for all ages.) • Arrange for coaching/mentoring or training options for administrators and lead teachers. If you choose Pathway 3: • Complete the “Application For Assessment for a Rated License for a FCCH” electronically and submit to your child care consultant no later than, June 1, 2026. • Ensure all staff have active WORKS accounts. • If you are accredited through NAFCC, NECPA, AMS, or IMC, you may earn a three star rated license with NO Education standards evaluation. • If you are accredited through NAFCC, NECPA, AMS, or IMC and would like to earn a four or five star rated license, the Education standard evaluation will determine the star rating earned. • If you are accredited through NAEYC, NAC, COGNIA, or your facility is Head Start and/or Early Head Start Education, NO Education standards evaluation is needed. • Documentation of accreditation status and Head Start designation must be submitted to process your star rated license. 2 If you purchase or change vehicles for transporting children, please request for the vehicle to be approved prior to using the new vehicle. A monitoring visit will be scheduled, and I’ll need to approve transportation and/or the new vehicle before you can use the vehicle. 3. We encourage you to visit the QRIS Modernization page on the DCDEE website at this link: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Licensing/Star-Rated-License/QRIS-Modernization to learn more now. 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/Child-Care-Rules-Law-and-Public-Information Training and Professional Development: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Training-and-Professional-Development QRIS Modernization Plan resources: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Licensing/Star-Rated-License/QRIS-Modernization 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 DCDEE Updates, Current Projects, and information applicable to Child Care in NC: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Whats-New 6. Here is the link to the training calendar from the Children’s Resource Center: https://childrensresourcecenter.org/training-calendar/. 7. If you would like an electronic link to any of the links shared above, please send me an email requesting the links that you wish to receive, and I will be glad to send the hyperlinks to you by email. 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: Please send supporting documentation such as training certificates, CBC letters, acknowledgement statements, and photographs for me to use to verify compliance. I should receive your compliance letter no later than November 27, 2025. Please be aware any information submitted by you is legal documentation. 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. An administrative action may be issued based on child care requirements outlined in Child Care Rule .2200 ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS AND CIVIL PENALTIES. 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 end of today’s visit, a visit summary packet was prepared, reviewed with you, signed, 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 .1719 · Violation

Name of Operation: LITTLE LAMBS CHILDCARE Facility ID: 18000297 Consultant: KIMBERLY CRANE Operation Type: Family CC Home Case Number: Visit Date: 5/22/2025 Number Present: 5 Completed Date: 5/22/2025 Age: From 0 To 3 Total Minutes: 330 Time In: 09:15 AM Time Out: 02:45 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Family CC Home Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for an annual compliance visit. You, Mary King, Owner/Operator, assisted me with today’s visit. I conducted your last annual compliance visit on June 18, 2024. Your program’s compliance history was 98% as of May 21, 2025 and was reviewed with you today. Your program currently operates with a five-star license, issued on November 19, 2019, earning six points in staff education, seven points in program standards, and one quality point for serving no more than three infants under one year of age. In addition to the five children ranging in age from five months to three-years I observed attending on first shift during today’s visit, you stated you had seven children enrolled on second shift ranging from three-years to nine-years of age. You stated you currently have no children enrolled on third shift. I verified that you have completed the lead water testing required to be completed by January 1, 2025. Today, I verified that those test results dated April 18, 2024 were within acceptable levels. Today, I verified that your family child care home (FCCH) has no lead-based paint hazards based on a signed attestation statement which you submitted. Today, I verified that you have enrolled your FCCH for asbestos testing and were exempt from those test requirements. I visited indoor and outdoor spaces today. I observed toddler-aged and preschool-aged children playing in activity areas, participating in a fire drill, playing outdoors, playing with playdough, eating lunch and napping. I observed infant-aged children being held for comfort both indoors and outdoors, playing in an activity apparatus, sitting in a bouncy seat, napping, being bottle fed. A current menu documenting appropriate nutritious snacks and meals, showing a variety of foods, and complying with Meal Patterns for Children in Child Care Programs was posted in the child care room. Meals were prepared in the kitchen and served in the dining area of the kitchen. Today’s lunch included pepperoni pizza, corn, pears, and milk. Food was stored in cabinets in the kitchen and in a residential refrigerator in the kitchen at a temperature of twenty-two 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. I monitored your written operational policies and procedures during a routine unannounced visits on December 12, 2024. You stated your written policies had not changed. I monitored health and safety requirements. I monitored supervision of children, capacity, approved space use, and permit restrictions. I completed the “Annual Compliance Monitoring Checklist for Family Child Care Homes” during today’s visit. The following violation was observed, cited, and corrected during today’s visit: Violation Number Comment Rule 708 Indoor stairs with more than two steps were not made inaccessible to children two years of age or younger. Upon arrival and again later in the visit, the door leading to the stairs to the upstairs private living area was left open and the stairs were left accessible to children under two years of age or younger. 10 A NCAC 09 .1719(a)(29) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .1719(a)(29), indoor stairs with more than two steps should be made inaccessible to children two years of age or younger. Upon arrival, I observed the set of stairs leading from your child care area located in the downstairs of your home up to your private living area were accessible to the children while you had a two-year-old child and two non-mobile infant-age children attending. You closed the door to the set of stairs which corrected the violation during today’s visit. Later in the visit, you left the child care area and went upstairs to your private living area to get your proof of auto insurance but left the door open and the stairs no gate across the stairs. Your additional caregiver placed a security gate at the bottom of the stairs to make the stairs inaccessible to the children which corrected the violation again today. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I suggested you keep the door leading to the stairs closed when you have children two years of age or younger attending your family child care home. CONSULTATION: 1. As discussed today, your additional caregivers have until June 18, 2025 to complete their required on-going training hours. I reminded you that the health and safety (H&S) training topics required to be repeated every five years could also count for on-going training hours. I informed you that the child maltreatment training offered through the NC Child Advocacy website (formerly known as NC Prevent Child Abuse) was another piece of free training that could be counted for H&S training and/or on-going training. I informed you that the training courses offered through the North Carolina Rated License Assessment Project website were also free trainings and could also count for on-going training. 2. As discussed today, per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .1729 (d), an individual who provides care during unplanned absences of the operator, such as medical emergencies, shall be eighteen years old and have a valid and current Criminal Background Check (CBC) qualification letter on file. The children of an emergency caregiver will not be counted in the licensed capacity for the first day of the emergency caregiver's service. Best practice is to require the emergency caregiver to be familiar with your Emergency Medical Care Plan, Emergency Preparedness Response Plan, The Prevention of Shaken Baby and Abusive Head Trauma Policy, discipline policy, and safe sleep policy. Best practice is to have the emergency caregiver complete a health questionnaire and an emergency information form and provide negative TB test results. 3. 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. Please post the February 2025 version of the NC Summary of Child Care Law poster 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. 4. 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. 5. 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. 6. Stay updated with changes and new rule updates by visiting the DCDEE website at https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/. 7. 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: Since violation item number 708 was observed, cited, and corrected during today’s visit, no compliance letter documentation is required after today. Documentation of the actions taken to correct violation item number 708 is included in the visit summary under “Technical Assistance”. 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. At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you today. We appreciate all you 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 .1729 · Violation

Name of Operation: LITTLE LAMBS CHILDCARE Facility ID: 18000297 Consultant: KIMBERLY CRANE Operation Type: Family CC Home Case Number: Visit Date: 5/22/2025 Number Present: 5 Completed Date: 5/22/2025 Age: From 0 To 3 Total Minutes: 330 Time In: 09:15 AM Time Out: 02:45 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Family CC Home Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for an annual compliance visit. You, Mary King, Owner/Operator, assisted me with today’s visit. I conducted your last annual compliance visit on June 18, 2024. Your program’s compliance history was 98% as of May 21, 2025 and was reviewed with you today. Your program currently operates with a five-star license, issued on November 19, 2019, earning six points in staff education, seven points in program standards, and one quality point for serving no more than three infants under one year of age. In addition to the five children ranging in age from five months to three-years I observed attending on first shift during today’s visit, you stated you had seven children enrolled on second shift ranging from three-years to nine-years of age. You stated you currently have no children enrolled on third shift. I verified that you have completed the lead water testing required to be completed by January 1, 2025. Today, I verified that those test results dated April 18, 2024 were within acceptable levels. Today, I verified that your family child care home (FCCH) has no lead-based paint hazards based on a signed attestation statement which you submitted. Today, I verified that you have enrolled your FCCH for asbestos testing and were exempt from those test requirements. I visited indoor and outdoor spaces today. I observed toddler-aged and preschool-aged children playing in activity areas, participating in a fire drill, playing outdoors, playing with playdough, eating lunch and napping. I observed infant-aged children being held for comfort both indoors and outdoors, playing in an activity apparatus, sitting in a bouncy seat, napping, being bottle fed. A current menu documenting appropriate nutritious snacks and meals, showing a variety of foods, and complying with Meal Patterns for Children in Child Care Programs was posted in the child care room. Meals were prepared in the kitchen and served in the dining area of the kitchen. Today’s lunch included pepperoni pizza, corn, pears, and milk. Food was stored in cabinets in the kitchen and in a residential refrigerator in the kitchen at a temperature of twenty-two 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. I monitored your written operational policies and procedures during a routine unannounced visits on December 12, 2024. You stated your written policies had not changed. I monitored health and safety requirements. I monitored supervision of children, capacity, approved space use, and permit restrictions. I completed the “Annual Compliance Monitoring Checklist for Family Child Care Homes” during today’s visit. The following violation was observed, cited, and corrected during today’s visit: Violation Number Comment Rule 708 Indoor stairs with more than two steps were not made inaccessible to children two years of age or younger. Upon arrival and again later in the visit, the door leading to the stairs to the upstairs private living area was left open and the stairs were left accessible to children under two years of age or younger. 10 A NCAC 09 .1719(a)(29) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .1719(a)(29), indoor stairs with more than two steps should be made inaccessible to children two years of age or younger. Upon arrival, I observed the set of stairs leading from your child care area located in the downstairs of your home up to your private living area were accessible to the children while you had a two-year-old child and two non-mobile infant-age children attending. You closed the door to the set of stairs which corrected the violation during today’s visit. Later in the visit, you left the child care area and went upstairs to your private living area to get your proof of auto insurance but left the door open and the stairs no gate across the stairs. Your additional caregiver placed a security gate at the bottom of the stairs to make the stairs inaccessible to the children which corrected the violation again today. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I suggested you keep the door leading to the stairs closed when you have children two years of age or younger attending your family child care home. CONSULTATION: 1. As discussed today, your additional caregivers have until June 18, 2025 to complete their required on-going training hours. I reminded you that the health and safety (H&S) training topics required to be repeated every five years could also count for on-going training hours. I informed you that the child maltreatment training offered through the NC Child Advocacy website (formerly known as NC Prevent Child Abuse) was another piece of free training that could be counted for H&S training and/or on-going training. I informed you that the training courses offered through the North Carolina Rated License Assessment Project website were also free trainings and could also count for on-going training. 2. As discussed today, per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .1729 (d), an individual who provides care during unplanned absences of the operator, such as medical emergencies, shall be eighteen years old and have a valid and current Criminal Background Check (CBC) qualification letter on file. The children of an emergency caregiver will not be counted in the licensed capacity for the first day of the emergency caregiver's service. Best practice is to require the emergency caregiver to be familiar with your Emergency Medical Care Plan, Emergency Preparedness Response Plan, The Prevention of Shaken Baby and Abusive Head Trauma Policy, discipline policy, and safe sleep policy. Best practice is to have the emergency caregiver complete a health questionnaire and an emergency information form and provide negative TB test results. 3. 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. Please post the February 2025 version of the NC Summary of Child Care Law poster 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. 4. 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. 5. 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. 6. Stay updated with changes and new rule updates by visiting the DCDEE website at https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/. 7. 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: Since violation item number 708 was observed, cited, and corrected during today’s visit, no compliance letter documentation is required after today. Documentation of the actions taken to correct violation item number 708 is included in the visit summary under “Technical Assistance”. 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. At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you today. We appreciate all you 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: LITTLE LAMBS CHILDCARE Facility ID: 18000297 Consultant: KIMBERLY CRANE Operation Type: Family CC Home Case Number: Visit Date: 5/22/2025 Number Present: 5 Completed Date: 5/22/2025 Age: From 0 To 3 Total Minutes: 330 Time In: 09:15 AM Time Out: 02:45 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Family CC Home Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for an annual compliance visit. You, Mary King, Owner/Operator, assisted me with today’s visit. I conducted your last annual compliance visit on June 18, 2024. Your program’s compliance history was 98% as of May 21, 2025 and was reviewed with you today. Your program currently operates with a five-star license, issued on November 19, 2019, earning six points in staff education, seven points in program standards, and one quality point for serving no more than three infants under one year of age. In addition to the five children ranging in age from five months to three-years I observed attending on first shift during today’s visit, you stated you had seven children enrolled on second shift ranging from three-years to nine-years of age. You stated you currently have no children enrolled on third shift. I verified that you have completed the lead water testing required to be completed by January 1, 2025. Today, I verified that those test results dated April 18, 2024 were within acceptable levels. Today, I verified that your family child care home (FCCH) has no lead-based paint hazards based on a signed attestation statement which you submitted. Today, I verified that you have enrolled your FCCH for asbestos testing and were exempt from those test requirements. I visited indoor and outdoor spaces today. I observed toddler-aged and preschool-aged children playing in activity areas, participating in a fire drill, playing outdoors, playing with playdough, eating lunch and napping. I observed infant-aged children being held for comfort both indoors and outdoors, playing in an activity apparatus, sitting in a bouncy seat, napping, being bottle fed. A current menu documenting appropriate nutritious snacks and meals, showing a variety of foods, and complying with Meal Patterns for Children in Child Care Programs was posted in the child care room. Meals were prepared in the kitchen and served in the dining area of the kitchen. Today’s lunch included pepperoni pizza, corn, pears, and milk. Food was stored in cabinets in the kitchen and in a residential refrigerator in the kitchen at a temperature of twenty-two 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. I monitored your written operational policies and procedures during a routine unannounced visits on December 12, 2024. You stated your written policies had not changed. I monitored health and safety requirements. I monitored supervision of children, capacity, approved space use, and permit restrictions. I completed the “Annual Compliance Monitoring Checklist for Family Child Care Homes” during today’s visit. The following violation was observed, cited, and corrected during today’s visit: Violation Number Comment Rule 708 Indoor stairs with more than two steps were not made inaccessible to children two years of age or younger. Upon arrival and again later in the visit, the door leading to the stairs to the upstairs private living area was left open and the stairs were left accessible to children under two years of age or younger. 10 A NCAC 09 .1719(a)(29) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .1719(a)(29), indoor stairs with more than two steps should be made inaccessible to children two years of age or younger. Upon arrival, I observed the set of stairs leading from your child care area located in the downstairs of your home up to your private living area were accessible to the children while you had a two-year-old child and two non-mobile infant-age children attending. You closed the door to the set of stairs which corrected the violation during today’s visit. Later in the visit, you left the child care area and went upstairs to your private living area to get your proof of auto insurance but left the door open and the stairs no gate across the stairs. Your additional caregiver placed a security gate at the bottom of the stairs to make the stairs inaccessible to the children which corrected the violation again today. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I suggested you keep the door leading to the stairs closed when you have children two years of age or younger attending your family child care home. CONSULTATION: 1. As discussed today, your additional caregivers have until June 18, 2025 to complete their required on-going training hours. I reminded you that the health and safety (H&S) training topics required to be repeated every five years could also count for on-going training hours. I informed you that the child maltreatment training offered through the NC Child Advocacy website (formerly known as NC Prevent Child Abuse) was another piece of free training that could be counted for H&S training and/or on-going training. I informed you that the training courses offered through the North Carolina Rated License Assessment Project website were also free trainings and could also count for on-going training. 2. As discussed today, per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .1729 (d), an individual who provides care during unplanned absences of the operator, such as medical emergencies, shall be eighteen years old and have a valid and current Criminal Background Check (CBC) qualification letter on file. The children of an emergency caregiver will not be counted in the licensed capacity for the first day of the emergency caregiver's service. Best practice is to require the emergency caregiver to be familiar with your Emergency Medical Care Plan, Emergency Preparedness Response Plan, The Prevention of Shaken Baby and Abusive Head Trauma Policy, discipline policy, and safe sleep policy. Best practice is to have the emergency caregiver complete a health questionnaire and an emergency information form and provide negative TB test results. 3. 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. Please post the February 2025 version of the NC Summary of Child Care Law poster 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. 4. 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. 5. 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. 6. Stay updated with changes and new rule updates by visiting the DCDEE website at https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/. 7. 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: Since violation item number 708 was observed, cited, and corrected during today’s visit, no compliance letter documentation is required after today. Documentation of the actions taken to correct violation item number 708 is included in the visit summary under “Technical Assistance”. 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. At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you today. We appreciate all you 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 .1703 · Violation

Name of Operation: LITTLE LAMBS CHILDCARE Facility ID: 18000297 Consultant: KIMBERLY CRANE Operation Type: Family CC Home Case Number: Visit Date: 12/12/2024 Number Present: 2 Completed Date: 12/12/2024 Age: From 2 To 3 Total Minutes: 170 Time In: 09:10 AM Time Out: 12:00 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Family CC Home Type Of Visit: Routine Unannounced Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for a routine unannounced visit. You, Mary Jones, Owner/Operator, assisted me with today’s visit. I conducted last annual compliance visit on June 18, 2024. We reviewed the facility input form to ensure that there were no changes to your facility information. You stated there were no changes to the facility information. We reviewed the facility permit to ensure that there were no changes to your facility’s operation. The facility is owned/operated by Mary D King. As the owner/operator, you are required by Child Care Rule .0102 (19) to reside in the home where the license is issued and according to General Statute 110-91(8) to be the full-time caregiver to the children enrolled at the family child care home. You stated you live in the home and are the person working full-time to care for the children enrolled at your family child care home. I reviewed the restrictions on your family child care home license as well as the capacity, shifts of care, and the age range of the children served at your facility and observed these in compliance today. Your program’s compliance history was 96% as of December 9, 2024 and was reviewed with you today. Your program currently operates with a five-star license, issued on November 19, 2019, earning six points in staff education, seven points in program standards, and one quality point for serving no more than three infants under one year of age. In addition to the two children ranging from two to three years of age that I observed attending on first shift during today’s visit, you stated you had two more preschool-aged children and seven school-aged children enrolled on first shift, six school-aged children enrolled on second shift and no children currently enrolled on third shift. You stated you do not have any infants currently enrolled but plan to enroll two infants in 2025. I verified that you have completed the initial lead water testing required to be completed by January 2025 and every three years thereafter. Your initial lead water test results were dated April 18, 2024 and indicated that your water is within acceptable ranges. I verified that you signed a statement attesting that your facility is free of lead-based paint. I verified that your facility is exempt from asbestos testing. I visited each indoor space today. Children were eating breakfast, participating in routine care activities, playing in the activity areas, painting with paper towel rolls, and listening to Christmas themed books read aloud. Your designated child care space is located in the downstairs area of your home. You have a kitchen located in your child care designated area downstairs. Cold food was stored in a residential refrigerator in your kitchen at a temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit and dry foods were stored in cabinets in the kitchen. I monitored hazardous product storage, medication storage and medication administration, general safety, fire safety, and sanitation. I reviewed program records including fire drills, emergency drills, Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) Plan, emergency medical care plan, outdoor safety inspections, incident log, arrival and departure time records, and attendance records. I reviewed staff record files for you, two additional caregivers, and one emergency substitute. I was able to verify valid and current Criminal Background Check qualification letters, completed Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment training, current First Aid and CPR training certification, and current ITS-SIDS certification. I verified on-going training hours due to be completed by 07/18/2024. I monitored health & safety requirements. I monitored your written operational policies and procedures during routine unannounced visits on January 27, 2023 and March 15, 2024. You stated you had made no changes to your written policies since January 2023. I monitored supervision, licensed capacity, designated space use, and permit restrictions. The following violation was observed and cited during today’s visit: Violation Number Comment Rule 1301 Operator did not complete the required number of on-going training hours as specified in rule. One additional caregiver was required to complete five hours of on-going training by 07/18/2024 but had completed only two hours of on-going training by 07/18/2024. GS 110-91(11); 10A NCAC 09 .1705(b)(5) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .1703(d)(1) and General Statute 110-91(11), the operator and staff working with the children should complete the required number of on-going training hours based on education, experience, and number of hours worked weekly. During today’s visit, I determined one of your additional caregivers was required to complete five hours of on-going training annually by 07/18/2024 but had only completed two hours of on-going training by 07/18/2024. To correct this violation, I advised you to have this additional caregiver complete the additional three hours of on-going training from an approved agency and submit the completed on-going training record and training certificates to me by the compliance due date. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I suggest you develop a tracking tool that will assist you in keeping up with the training requirements for you and your additional caregivers. CONSULTATION: 1. Keep an eye on your inbox for the 2024 annual license fee invoice. Invoices will be emailed to the facility addresses on file by November 30, 2024. Online payments will be due by December 31, 2024. Per North Carolina General Statute § 110-90(1a), licensed child care facilities are assessed an annual license fee. The amount of your annual license fee is based on the licensed capacity printed on your license as of October 1, 2024. It is not based on the number of children enrolled at your facility. Annual license fees do not apply to state- or public school-operated child care facilities, or to religious-sponsored facilities operating under a Notice of Compliance. For questions regarding license fees, check out these Frequently Asked Questions. For help with the annual license fee, contact DCDEE_LF@dhhs.nc.gov. 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. 3. On Friday, July 12, 2024, DCDEE sent a “Raise North Carolina” email blast announcing the signing of Senate Bill 425. The email contained a section entitled, “Quality Rating Improvement System (QRIS) Modernization” which provided updated information regarding the Rated License Reassessment process and approved extended stabilization grant funding. What does all this mean for child care in general? 1. The new QRIS Modifications and additional pathways will be added to law which included moving to the use of the updated Environmental Rating Scale (ERS-3 versions) for ECCERS. ITERS and FCCERS, effective February 1, 2025. DCDEE and the NC Child Care Commission have already begun the rulemaking process to add the rule language to child care requirements. This process with take several months. 2. Hold Harmless provisions have been extended. Star rated license reassessments are postponed until the QRIS rulemaking process has been completed. Providers in any Cohort may voluntarily request a star rated license reassessment if they wish. Star rated license assessments are still required for new child care programs. 3. A pathway for child care programs currently accredited through the approved accrediting bodies may now move to a 3- or 5-star license if they are not already at this star level. Providers will need to submit a request to their licensing consultant and provide a copy of their accreditation award/certificate for processing: Accreditation Licensure Request Form. What does all this mean for facilities in Cohort 1? A facility may voluntarily request to complete the star rated license reassessment at any time but will not be required to complete the star rated license reassessment process this year. What does this mean for the Environmental Rating Scales? Please be reminded that if a facility voluntarily chooses to complete the star rated license reassessment AND chooses to complete one or more Environmental Rating Scale (ERS) assessments, the ERS-revised editions will continue to be used until January 31, 2025. Any ERS assessment completed on February 1, 2025 and after will be assessed using the ERS-3 versions. If you wish to VOLUNTARILY move forward with a rated license reassessment, please reach out to me as soon as possible so plans can be made on both our calendars to ensure ease and success with completing the star rated license reassessment process in a timely manner that benefits us both. Over the next few months, I recommend you complete the following tasks and activities that will help you complete your reassessment process when the time comes: 1. Have all staff update WORKS accounts to reflect all currently completed coursework (DCDEE-WORKS) 2. Determine whether you wish to have ERS Assessment conducted 3. Request technical assistance with your child care consultant and local partners 4. Participate in local CCR&R and NCPC quality related training/workshops (CCRR Information) 5. Reach out to your local Community College to discuss educational opportunities 6. Review NCRLAP website ERS resources (www.NCRLAP.org). 7. Review ERS requirements and think carefully about the current characteristics and practices in your program and classrooms. 4. Stay updated with changes and new rule updates by visiting the DCDEE website at https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/. 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 Care for Children Receiving Subsidy: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Providing-Child-Care/Subsidized-Child-Care/Care-for-Children-Receiving-Subsidy DCDEE Updates, Current Projects, and information applicable to Child Care in NC: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Whats-New 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: Please send supporting documentation such as training certificates, CBC letters, acknowledgement statements, and photographs for me to use to verify compliance. I should receive your compliance letter no later than December 26, 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. An administrative action may be issued based on child care requirements outlined in Child Care Rule .2200 ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS AND CIVIL PENALTIES. 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 end of today’s visit, a visit summary packet was prepared, reviewed with you, signed, and a copy was left with you today. We appreciate all you 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 .1705 · Violation

Name of Operation: LITTLE LAMBS CHILDCARE Facility ID: 18000297 Consultant: KIMBERLY CRANE Operation Type: Family CC Home Case Number: Visit Date: 12/12/2024 Number Present: 2 Completed Date: 12/12/2024 Age: From 2 To 3 Total Minutes: 170 Time In: 09:10 AM Time Out: 12:00 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Family CC Home Type Of Visit: Routine Unannounced Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for a routine unannounced visit. You, Mary Jones, Owner/Operator, assisted me with today’s visit. I conducted last annual compliance visit on June 18, 2024. We reviewed the facility input form to ensure that there were no changes to your facility information. You stated there were no changes to the facility information. We reviewed the facility permit to ensure that there were no changes to your facility’s operation. The facility is owned/operated by Mary D King. As the owner/operator, you are required by Child Care Rule .0102 (19) to reside in the home where the license is issued and according to General Statute 110-91(8) to be the full-time caregiver to the children enrolled at the family child care home. You stated you live in the home and are the person working full-time to care for the children enrolled at your family child care home. I reviewed the restrictions on your family child care home license as well as the capacity, shifts of care, and the age range of the children served at your facility and observed these in compliance today. Your program’s compliance history was 96% as of December 9, 2024 and was reviewed with you today. Your program currently operates with a five-star license, issued on November 19, 2019, earning six points in staff education, seven points in program standards, and one quality point for serving no more than three infants under one year of age. In addition to the two children ranging from two to three years of age that I observed attending on first shift during today’s visit, you stated you had two more preschool-aged children and seven school-aged children enrolled on first shift, six school-aged children enrolled on second shift and no children currently enrolled on third shift. You stated you do not have any infants currently enrolled but plan to enroll two infants in 2025. I verified that you have completed the initial lead water testing required to be completed by January 2025 and every three years thereafter. Your initial lead water test results were dated April 18, 2024 and indicated that your water is within acceptable ranges. I verified that you signed a statement attesting that your facility is free of lead-based paint. I verified that your facility is exempt from asbestos testing. I visited each indoor space today. Children were eating breakfast, participating in routine care activities, playing in the activity areas, painting with paper towel rolls, and listening to Christmas themed books read aloud. Your designated child care space is located in the downstairs area of your home. You have a kitchen located in your child care designated area downstairs. Cold food was stored in a residential refrigerator in your kitchen at a temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit and dry foods were stored in cabinets in the kitchen. I monitored hazardous product storage, medication storage and medication administration, general safety, fire safety, and sanitation. I reviewed program records including fire drills, emergency drills, Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) Plan, emergency medical care plan, outdoor safety inspections, incident log, arrival and departure time records, and attendance records. I reviewed staff record files for you, two additional caregivers, and one emergency substitute. I was able to verify valid and current Criminal Background Check qualification letters, completed Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment training, current First Aid and CPR training certification, and current ITS-SIDS certification. I verified on-going training hours due to be completed by 07/18/2024. I monitored health & safety requirements. I monitored your written operational policies and procedures during routine unannounced visits on January 27, 2023 and March 15, 2024. You stated you had made no changes to your written policies since January 2023. I monitored supervision, licensed capacity, designated space use, and permit restrictions. The following violation was observed and cited during today’s visit: Violation Number Comment Rule 1301 Operator did not complete the required number of on-going training hours as specified in rule. One additional caregiver was required to complete five hours of on-going training by 07/18/2024 but had completed only two hours of on-going training by 07/18/2024. GS 110-91(11); 10A NCAC 09 .1705(b)(5) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .1703(d)(1) and General Statute 110-91(11), the operator and staff working with the children should complete the required number of on-going training hours based on education, experience, and number of hours worked weekly. During today’s visit, I determined one of your additional caregivers was required to complete five hours of on-going training annually by 07/18/2024 but had only completed two hours of on-going training by 07/18/2024. To correct this violation, I advised you to have this additional caregiver complete the additional three hours of on-going training from an approved agency and submit the completed on-going training record and training certificates to me by the compliance due date. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I suggest you develop a tracking tool that will assist you in keeping up with the training requirements for you and your additional caregivers. CONSULTATION: 1. Keep an eye on your inbox for the 2024 annual license fee invoice. Invoices will be emailed to the facility addresses on file by November 30, 2024. Online payments will be due by December 31, 2024. Per North Carolina General Statute § 110-90(1a), licensed child care facilities are assessed an annual license fee. The amount of your annual license fee is based on the licensed capacity printed on your license as of October 1, 2024. It is not based on the number of children enrolled at your facility. Annual license fees do not apply to state- or public school-operated child care facilities, or to religious-sponsored facilities operating under a Notice of Compliance. For questions regarding license fees, check out these Frequently Asked Questions. For help with the annual license fee, contact DCDEE_LF@dhhs.nc.gov. 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. 3. On Friday, July 12, 2024, DCDEE sent a “Raise North Carolina” email blast announcing the signing of Senate Bill 425. The email contained a section entitled, “Quality Rating Improvement System (QRIS) Modernization” which provided updated information regarding the Rated License Reassessment process and approved extended stabilization grant funding. What does all this mean for child care in general? 1. The new QRIS Modifications and additional pathways will be added to law which included moving to the use of the updated Environmental Rating Scale (ERS-3 versions) for ECCERS. ITERS and FCCERS, effective February 1, 2025. DCDEE and the NC Child Care Commission have already begun the rulemaking process to add the rule language to child care requirements. This process with take several months. 2. Hold Harmless provisions have been extended. Star rated license reassessments are postponed until the QRIS rulemaking process has been completed. Providers in any Cohort may voluntarily request a star rated license reassessment if they wish. Star rated license assessments are still required for new child care programs. 3. A pathway for child care programs currently accredited through the approved accrediting bodies may now move to a 3- or 5-star license if they are not already at this star level. Providers will need to submit a request to their licensing consultant and provide a copy of their accreditation award/certificate for processing: Accreditation Licensure Request Form. What does all this mean for facilities in Cohort 1? A facility may voluntarily request to complete the star rated license reassessment at any time but will not be required to complete the star rated license reassessment process this year. What does this mean for the Environmental Rating Scales? Please be reminded that if a facility voluntarily chooses to complete the star rated license reassessment AND chooses to complete one or more Environmental Rating Scale (ERS) assessments, the ERS-revised editions will continue to be used until January 31, 2025. Any ERS assessment completed on February 1, 2025 and after will be assessed using the ERS-3 versions. If you wish to VOLUNTARILY move forward with a rated license reassessment, please reach out to me as soon as possible so plans can be made on both our calendars to ensure ease and success with completing the star rated license reassessment process in a timely manner that benefits us both. Over the next few months, I recommend you complete the following tasks and activities that will help you complete your reassessment process when the time comes: 1. Have all staff update WORKS accounts to reflect all currently completed coursework (DCDEE-WORKS) 2. Determine whether you wish to have ERS Assessment conducted 3. Request technical assistance with your child care consultant and local partners 4. Participate in local CCR&R and NCPC quality related training/workshops (CCRR Information) 5. Reach out to your local Community College to discuss educational opportunities 6. Review NCRLAP website ERS resources (www.NCRLAP.org). 7. Review ERS requirements and think carefully about the current characteristics and practices in your program and classrooms. 4. Stay updated with changes and new rule updates by visiting the DCDEE website at https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/. 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 Care for Children Receiving Subsidy: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Providing-Child-Care/Subsidized-Child-Care/Care-for-Children-Receiving-Subsidy DCDEE Updates, Current Projects, and information applicable to Child Care in NC: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Whats-New 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: Please send supporting documentation such as training certificates, CBC letters, acknowledgement statements, and photographs for me to use to verify compliance. I should receive your compliance letter no later than December 26, 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. An administrative action may be issued based on child care requirements outlined in Child Care Rule .2200 ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS AND CIVIL PENALTIES. 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 end of today’s visit, a visit summary packet was prepared, reviewed with you, signed, and a copy was left with you today. We appreciate all you 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: LITTLE LAMBS CHILDCARE Facility ID: 18000297 Consultant: KIMBERLY CRANE Operation Type: Family CC Home Case Number: Visit Date: 12/12/2024 Number Present: 2 Completed Date: 12/12/2024 Age: From 2 To 3 Total Minutes: 170 Time In: 09:10 AM Time Out: 12:00 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Family CC Home Type Of Visit: Routine Unannounced Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for a routine unannounced visit. You, Mary Jones, Owner/Operator, assisted me with today’s visit. I conducted last annual compliance visit on June 18, 2024. We reviewed the facility input form to ensure that there were no changes to your facility information. You stated there were no changes to the facility information. We reviewed the facility permit to ensure that there were no changes to your facility’s operation. The facility is owned/operated by Mary D King. As the owner/operator, you are required by Child Care Rule .0102 (19) to reside in the home where the license is issued and according to General Statute 110-91(8) to be the full-time caregiver to the children enrolled at the family child care home. You stated you live in the home and are the person working full-time to care for the children enrolled at your family child care home. I reviewed the restrictions on your family child care home license as well as the capacity, shifts of care, and the age range of the children served at your facility and observed these in compliance today. Your program’s compliance history was 96% as of December 9, 2024 and was reviewed with you today. Your program currently operates with a five-star license, issued on November 19, 2019, earning six points in staff education, seven points in program standards, and one quality point for serving no more than three infants under one year of age. In addition to the two children ranging from two to three years of age that I observed attending on first shift during today’s visit, you stated you had two more preschool-aged children and seven school-aged children enrolled on first shift, six school-aged children enrolled on second shift and no children currently enrolled on third shift. You stated you do not have any infants currently enrolled but plan to enroll two infants in 2025. I verified that you have completed the initial lead water testing required to be completed by January 2025 and every three years thereafter. Your initial lead water test results were dated April 18, 2024 and indicated that your water is within acceptable ranges. I verified that you signed a statement attesting that your facility is free of lead-based paint. I verified that your facility is exempt from asbestos testing. I visited each indoor space today. Children were eating breakfast, participating in routine care activities, playing in the activity areas, painting with paper towel rolls, and listening to Christmas themed books read aloud. Your designated child care space is located in the downstairs area of your home. You have a kitchen located in your child care designated area downstairs. Cold food was stored in a residential refrigerator in your kitchen at a temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit and dry foods were stored in cabinets in the kitchen. I monitored hazardous product storage, medication storage and medication administration, general safety, fire safety, and sanitation. I reviewed program records including fire drills, emergency drills, Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) Plan, emergency medical care plan, outdoor safety inspections, incident log, arrival and departure time records, and attendance records. I reviewed staff record files for you, two additional caregivers, and one emergency substitute. I was able to verify valid and current Criminal Background Check qualification letters, completed Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment training, current First Aid and CPR training certification, and current ITS-SIDS certification. I verified on-going training hours due to be completed by 07/18/2024. I monitored health & safety requirements. I monitored your written operational policies and procedures during routine unannounced visits on January 27, 2023 and March 15, 2024. You stated you had made no changes to your written policies since January 2023. I monitored supervision, licensed capacity, designated space use, and permit restrictions. The following violation was observed and cited during today’s visit: Violation Number Comment Rule 1301 Operator did not complete the required number of on-going training hours as specified in rule. One additional caregiver was required to complete five hours of on-going training by 07/18/2024 but had completed only two hours of on-going training by 07/18/2024. GS 110-91(11); 10A NCAC 09 .1705(b)(5) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .1703(d)(1) and General Statute 110-91(11), the operator and staff working with the children should complete the required number of on-going training hours based on education, experience, and number of hours worked weekly. During today’s visit, I determined one of your additional caregivers was required to complete five hours of on-going training annually by 07/18/2024 but had only completed two hours of on-going training by 07/18/2024. To correct this violation, I advised you to have this additional caregiver complete the additional three hours of on-going training from an approved agency and submit the completed on-going training record and training certificates to me by the compliance due date. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I suggest you develop a tracking tool that will assist you in keeping up with the training requirements for you and your additional caregivers. CONSULTATION: 1. Keep an eye on your inbox for the 2024 annual license fee invoice. Invoices will be emailed to the facility addresses on file by November 30, 2024. Online payments will be due by December 31, 2024. Per North Carolina General Statute § 110-90(1a), licensed child care facilities are assessed an annual license fee. The amount of your annual license fee is based on the licensed capacity printed on your license as of October 1, 2024. It is not based on the number of children enrolled at your facility. Annual license fees do not apply to state- or public school-operated child care facilities, or to religious-sponsored facilities operating under a Notice of Compliance. For questions regarding license fees, check out these Frequently Asked Questions. For help with the annual license fee, contact DCDEE_LF@dhhs.nc.gov. 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. 3. On Friday, July 12, 2024, DCDEE sent a “Raise North Carolina” email blast announcing the signing of Senate Bill 425. The email contained a section entitled, “Quality Rating Improvement System (QRIS) Modernization” which provided updated information regarding the Rated License Reassessment process and approved extended stabilization grant funding. What does all this mean for child care in general? 1. The new QRIS Modifications and additional pathways will be added to law which included moving to the use of the updated Environmental Rating Scale (ERS-3 versions) for ECCERS. ITERS and FCCERS, effective February 1, 2025. DCDEE and the NC Child Care Commission have already begun the rulemaking process to add the rule language to child care requirements. This process with take several months. 2. Hold Harmless provisions have been extended. Star rated license reassessments are postponed until the QRIS rulemaking process has been completed. Providers in any Cohort may voluntarily request a star rated license reassessment if they wish. Star rated license assessments are still required for new child care programs. 3. A pathway for child care programs currently accredited through the approved accrediting bodies may now move to a 3- or 5-star license if they are not already at this star level. Providers will need to submit a request to their licensing consultant and provide a copy of their accreditation award/certificate for processing: Accreditation Licensure Request Form. What does all this mean for facilities in Cohort 1? A facility may voluntarily request to complete the star rated license reassessment at any time but will not be required to complete the star rated license reassessment process this year. What does this mean for the Environmental Rating Scales? Please be reminded that if a facility voluntarily chooses to complete the star rated license reassessment AND chooses to complete one or more Environmental Rating Scale (ERS) assessments, the ERS-revised editions will continue to be used until January 31, 2025. Any ERS assessment completed on February 1, 2025 and after will be assessed using the ERS-3 versions. If you wish to VOLUNTARILY move forward with a rated license reassessment, please reach out to me as soon as possible so plans can be made on both our calendars to ensure ease and success with completing the star rated license reassessment process in a timely manner that benefits us both. Over the next few months, I recommend you complete the following tasks and activities that will help you complete your reassessment process when the time comes: 1. Have all staff update WORKS accounts to reflect all currently completed coursework (DCDEE-WORKS) 2. Determine whether you wish to have ERS Assessment conducted 3. Request technical assistance with your child care consultant and local partners 4. Participate in local CCR&R and NCPC quality related training/workshops (CCRR Information) 5. Reach out to your local Community College to discuss educational opportunities 6. Review NCRLAP website ERS resources (www.NCRLAP.org). 7. Review ERS requirements and think carefully about the current characteristics and practices in your program and classrooms. 4. Stay updated with changes and new rule updates by visiting the DCDEE website at https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/. 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 Care for Children Receiving Subsidy: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Providing-Child-Care/Subsidized-Child-Care/Care-for-Children-Receiving-Subsidy DCDEE Updates, Current Projects, and information applicable to Child Care in NC: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Whats-New 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: Please send supporting documentation such as training certificates, CBC letters, acknowledgement statements, and photographs for me to use to verify compliance. I should receive your compliance letter no later than December 26, 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. An administrative action may be issued based on child care requirements outlined in Child Care Rule .2200 ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS AND CIVIL PENALTIES. 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 end of today’s visit, a visit summary packet was prepared, reviewed with you, signed, and a copy was left with you today. We appreciate all you 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 .1719 · Violation

Name of Operation: LITTLE LAMBS CHILDCARE Facility ID: 18000297 Consultant: KIMBERLY CRANE Operation Type: Family CC Home Case Number: Visit Date: 6/18/2024 Number Present: 5 Completed Date: 6/18/2024 Age: From 1 To 5 Total Minutes: 205 Time In: 09:20 AM Time Out: 12:45 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Family CC Home Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for an annual compliance visit. You, Mary King, Owner/Operator, assisted me with today’s visit. I conducted your last annual compliance visit on July 18, 2023. The facility is owned/operated by Mary D King. As the owner/operator, you are required by Child Care Rule .0102 (19) to reside in the home where the license is issued and according to General Statute 110-91(8) to be the full-time caregiver to the children enrolled at the family child care home. You stated you live in the home and are the person working full-time to care for the children enrolled at your family child care home. I reviewed the restrictions on your family child care home license as well as the capacity, shifts of care, and the age range of the children served at your facility and observed these to be maintained during today’s visit. Your program’s compliance history was 97% as of June 17, 2024 and was reviewed with you today. Your program currently operates with a five-star license, issued on November 18, 2019, earning six points in staff education, seven points program standards, and one quality point for serving no more than three infants under one year of age. I verified that you have completed the lead water testing required to be completed every three years. The test results dated April 18, 2024 indicated that your facility’s drinking water source was within the required limits. You registered for the lead paint testing and signed a statement attesting that your facility was a lead-based paint free facility. You registered for the asbestos testing and no action was necessary. I visited indoor and outdoor spaces today. I observed children playing in activity areas and participating in teacher-directed activities with playdough and puzzles at the tables. A current menu documenting appropriate nutritious snacks and meals, showing a variety of foods, and complying with Meal Patterns for Children in Child Care Programs was posted in the child care room. Today’s lunch included corndogs, potatoes, carrots, mixed fruit, and milk. Meals were prepared and served in the kitchen area. Food was stored in cabinets in the kitchen and dining area and in a residential refrigerator in the kitchen at a temperature of 30 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. I monitored health and safety requirements. I monitored supervision of children, capacity, approved space use, and permit restrictions. I completed the “Annual Compliance Monitoring Checklist for Family Child Care Homes” during today’s visit. The following violation(s) were observed and cited during today’s visit. Violation Number Comment Rule 911 Copy of each child's immunization record, including the operator's own preschool child(ren), was not on file. A copy of the immunization record was not on file for one child with a date of enrollment of 08/21/2023. GS 110-91(1); .1721(a)(2) 1409 Operator did not provide a physically safe and healthy indoor and outdoor environment that meets the developmental needs of the children in care. One treehouse climber on the outdoor play area had one bolt missing for the step attachment, one bolt missing on the front of the left tower, and one bolt missing on the back of the left tower. One web climber on the outdoor play area had a bolt cover missing on the side closest to the fence. 10A NCAC 09 .1719 (a) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: 1. Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .1719(a), the Family Child Care Home (FCCH) operator should provide a physically safe and healthy outdoor environment that meets the developmental needs of the children in care. During today’s visit, I observed one piece of outdoor equipment that had bolts missing and one piece of outdoor equipment that had a bolt cover missing which allowed a bolt to be exposed. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I advised you to replace the missing bolts and bolt cover and make the two pieces of equipment inaccessible to the children until the repairs can be made. 2. Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .1721(a)(2), a copy of each child's immunization record should be on file within the first 30 days of enrollment. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I advised you to establish a tracking system that would provide a reminder for you to request the immunization record for newly enrolled children weekly during the child’s first month of enrollment until they are received from the parent. 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 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. Your facility is in Cohort 2. Your preparation year will begin July 1, 2024. Your reassessment year will begin July 1, 2025. Throughout the upcoming 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, 2025 and June 30, 2026: •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 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. *ERS assessments can be requested during the preparation year and scores can be used as guidance to enhance program quality. *If desired, assessment scores can be used during the preparation year if the operator wants to move forward with a rated license reassessment. *Assessment scores can be saved to use during the reassessment year. *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 should receive your compliance letter no later than July 3, 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. An administrative action may be issued based on child care requirements outlined in Child Care Rule .2200 ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS AND CIVIL PENALTIES. 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 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 .1721 · Violation

Name of Operation: LITTLE LAMBS CHILDCARE Facility ID: 18000297 Consultant: KIMBERLY CRANE Operation Type: Family CC Home Case Number: Visit Date: 6/18/2024 Number Present: 5 Completed Date: 6/18/2024 Age: From 1 To 5 Total Minutes: 205 Time In: 09:20 AM Time Out: 12:45 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Family CC Home Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for an annual compliance visit. You, Mary King, Owner/Operator, assisted me with today’s visit. I conducted your last annual compliance visit on July 18, 2023. The facility is owned/operated by Mary D King. As the owner/operator, you are required by Child Care Rule .0102 (19) to reside in the home where the license is issued and according to General Statute 110-91(8) to be the full-time caregiver to the children enrolled at the family child care home. You stated you live in the home and are the person working full-time to care for the children enrolled at your family child care home. I reviewed the restrictions on your family child care home license as well as the capacity, shifts of care, and the age range of the children served at your facility and observed these to be maintained during today’s visit. Your program’s compliance history was 97% as of June 17, 2024 and was reviewed with you today. Your program currently operates with a five-star license, issued on November 18, 2019, earning six points in staff education, seven points program standards, and one quality point for serving no more than three infants under one year of age. I verified that you have completed the lead water testing required to be completed every three years. The test results dated April 18, 2024 indicated that your facility’s drinking water source was within the required limits. You registered for the lead paint testing and signed a statement attesting that your facility was a lead-based paint free facility. You registered for the asbestos testing and no action was necessary. I visited indoor and outdoor spaces today. I observed children playing in activity areas and participating in teacher-directed activities with playdough and puzzles at the tables. A current menu documenting appropriate nutritious snacks and meals, showing a variety of foods, and complying with Meal Patterns for Children in Child Care Programs was posted in the child care room. Today’s lunch included corndogs, potatoes, carrots, mixed fruit, and milk. Meals were prepared and served in the kitchen area. Food was stored in cabinets in the kitchen and dining area and in a residential refrigerator in the kitchen at a temperature of 30 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. I monitored health and safety requirements. I monitored supervision of children, capacity, approved space use, and permit restrictions. I completed the “Annual Compliance Monitoring Checklist for Family Child Care Homes” during today’s visit. The following violation(s) were observed and cited during today’s visit. Violation Number Comment Rule 911 Copy of each child's immunization record, including the operator's own preschool child(ren), was not on file. A copy of the immunization record was not on file for one child with a date of enrollment of 08/21/2023. GS 110-91(1); .1721(a)(2) 1409 Operator did not provide a physically safe and healthy indoor and outdoor environment that meets the developmental needs of the children in care. One treehouse climber on the outdoor play area had one bolt missing for the step attachment, one bolt missing on the front of the left tower, and one bolt missing on the back of the left tower. One web climber on the outdoor play area had a bolt cover missing on the side closest to the fence. 10A NCAC 09 .1719 (a) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: 1. Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .1719(a), the Family Child Care Home (FCCH) operator should provide a physically safe and healthy outdoor environment that meets the developmental needs of the children in care. During today’s visit, I observed one piece of outdoor equipment that had bolts missing and one piece of outdoor equipment that had a bolt cover missing which allowed a bolt to be exposed. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I advised you to replace the missing bolts and bolt cover and make the two pieces of equipment inaccessible to the children until the repairs can be made. 2. Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .1721(a)(2), a copy of each child's immunization record should be on file within the first 30 days of enrollment. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I advised you to establish a tracking system that would provide a reminder for you to request the immunization record for newly enrolled children weekly during the child’s first month of enrollment until they are received from the parent. 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 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. Your facility is in Cohort 2. Your preparation year will begin July 1, 2024. Your reassessment year will begin July 1, 2025. Throughout the upcoming 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, 2025 and June 30, 2026: •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 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. *ERS assessments can be requested during the preparation year and scores can be used as guidance to enhance program quality. *If desired, assessment scores can be used during the preparation year if the operator wants to move forward with a rated license reassessment. *Assessment scores can be saved to use during the reassessment year. *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 should receive your compliance letter no later than July 3, 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. An administrative action may be issued based on child care requirements outlined in Child Care Rule .2200 ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS AND CIVIL PENALTIES. 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 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: LITTLE LAMBS CHILDCARE Facility ID: 18000297 Consultant: KIMBERLY CRANE Operation Type: Family CC Home Case Number: Visit Date: 6/18/2024 Number Present: 5 Completed Date: 6/18/2024 Age: From 1 To 5 Total Minutes: 205 Time In: 09:20 AM Time Out: 12:45 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Family CC Home Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for an annual compliance visit. You, Mary King, Owner/Operator, assisted me with today’s visit. I conducted your last annual compliance visit on July 18, 2023. The facility is owned/operated by Mary D King. As the owner/operator, you are required by Child Care Rule .0102 (19) to reside in the home where the license is issued and according to General Statute 110-91(8) to be the full-time caregiver to the children enrolled at the family child care home. You stated you live in the home and are the person working full-time to care for the children enrolled at your family child care home. I reviewed the restrictions on your family child care home license as well as the capacity, shifts of care, and the age range of the children served at your facility and observed these to be maintained during today’s visit. Your program’s compliance history was 97% as of June 17, 2024 and was reviewed with you today. Your program currently operates with a five-star license, issued on November 18, 2019, earning six points in staff education, seven points program standards, and one quality point for serving no more than three infants under one year of age. I verified that you have completed the lead water testing required to be completed every three years. The test results dated April 18, 2024 indicated that your facility’s drinking water source was within the required limits. You registered for the lead paint testing and signed a statement attesting that your facility was a lead-based paint free facility. You registered for the asbestos testing and no action was necessary. I visited indoor and outdoor spaces today. I observed children playing in activity areas and participating in teacher-directed activities with playdough and puzzles at the tables. A current menu documenting appropriate nutritious snacks and meals, showing a variety of foods, and complying with Meal Patterns for Children in Child Care Programs was posted in the child care room. Today’s lunch included corndogs, potatoes, carrots, mixed fruit, and milk. Meals were prepared and served in the kitchen area. Food was stored in cabinets in the kitchen and dining area and in a residential refrigerator in the kitchen at a temperature of 30 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. I monitored health and safety requirements. I monitored supervision of children, capacity, approved space use, and permit restrictions. I completed the “Annual Compliance Monitoring Checklist for Family Child Care Homes” during today’s visit. The following violation(s) were observed and cited during today’s visit. Violation Number Comment Rule 911 Copy of each child's immunization record, including the operator's own preschool child(ren), was not on file. A copy of the immunization record was not on file for one child with a date of enrollment of 08/21/2023. GS 110-91(1); .1721(a)(2) 1409 Operator did not provide a physically safe and healthy indoor and outdoor environment that meets the developmental needs of the children in care. One treehouse climber on the outdoor play area had one bolt missing for the step attachment, one bolt missing on the front of the left tower, and one bolt missing on the back of the left tower. One web climber on the outdoor play area had a bolt cover missing on the side closest to the fence. 10A NCAC 09 .1719 (a) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: 1. Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .1719(a), the Family Child Care Home (FCCH) operator should provide a physically safe and healthy outdoor environment that meets the developmental needs of the children in care. During today’s visit, I observed one piece of outdoor equipment that had bolts missing and one piece of outdoor equipment that had a bolt cover missing which allowed a bolt to be exposed. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I advised you to replace the missing bolts and bolt cover and make the two pieces of equipment inaccessible to the children until the repairs can be made. 2. Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .1721(a)(2), a copy of each child's immunization record should be on file within the first 30 days of enrollment. To maintain compliance with this child care requirement, I advised you to establish a tracking system that would provide a reminder for you to request the immunization record for newly enrolled children weekly during the child’s first month of enrollment until they are received from the parent. 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 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. Your facility is in Cohort 2. Your preparation year will begin July 1, 2024. Your reassessment year will begin July 1, 2025. Throughout the upcoming 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, 2025 and June 30, 2026: •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 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. *ERS assessments can be requested during the preparation year and scores can be used as guidance to enhance program quality. *If desired, assessment scores can be used during the preparation year if the operator wants to move forward with a rated license reassessment. *Assessment scores can be saved to use during the reassessment year. *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 should receive your compliance letter no later than July 3, 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. An administrative action may be issued based on child care requirements outlined in Child Care Rule .2200 ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS AND CIVIL PENALTIES. 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 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 .1705 · Violation

Name of Operation: LITTLE LAMBS CHILDCARE Facility ID: 18000297 Consultant: KIMBERLY CRANE Operation Type: Family CC Home Case Number: Visit Date: 7/19/2023 Number Present: 8 Completed Date: 7/19/2023 Age: From 0 To 8 Total Minutes: 260 Time In: 09:10 AM Time Out: 01:30 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Family CC Home Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for an annual compliance visit. You, Mary King, Owner/Operator, assisted me with today’s visit. Your program currently operates with a five-star license, issued on November 18, 2019, earning six (6) points in the education component, seven (7) points in the program standards component and one (1) quality point for having obtained an Infant/Toddler Certificate. I conducted your last annual compliance visit on July 28, 2022. Your program’s compliance history was 97% as of July 18, 2023 and was reviewed with you today. I visited indoor and outdoor spaces today. I observed children playing in activity areas, engaged in a whole-group teacher-directed pre-writing activities for toddlers and preschoolers and basic math fact reviews for school-age children, outdoor play, handwashing, eating lunch, nap preparations, and napping. I observed the infant engaged in floor play, outdoor play, eating lunch, interacting with the older children, and napping. I observed children adequately supervised during today’s visit. I observed licensed capacity of 8 children maintained during today’s visit. I observed approved space used during today's visit. I observed permit restrictions including “Daytime and Overnight”, “Children in care on ground level only”, “Serves no more than 3 children less than one year of age” and “Age extended to 13 years” maintained during today’s visit. I reviewed program records, children records, and staff records today. You stated you share a vehicle used for transportation with the owner/operator of Little Lambs Childcare #2 and that vehicle is kept at that Family Child Care Home residence. I informed you that vehicle and transportation documentation was monitored routinely during the monitoring visits made to Little Lambs Childcare #2. I reminded you a copy of the transportation permission forms and the off-premises activities permission forms for each child should also be kept at and are monitored at your facility as well. I completed the “Annual Compliance Monitoring Checklist for Family Child Care Homes” during today’s visit. The following violations were observed and cited today: Violation Number Comment Rule 714 Monthly check for hazards on the outdoor play area was not completed using a form supplied by the Division. "Outdoor Inspection Checklist for Family Child Care Homes” documents were missing for January 2023, February 2023, and March 2023. 10A NCAC .1721(e)(5)(A-F) 929 Developmentally appropriate activities for the ages of children in care, were not provided as planned on the written schedule and activity plan. The activity plan did not include developmentally appropriate activities for children 0 to 24 months of age. G.S.110-91(12) & .1718(a)(6) 1301 Operator did not complete the required number of on-going training hours as specified in rule. The owner/operater had completed 9 out of the 10 required on-going training hours. GS 110-91(11); 10A NCAC 09 .1705(b)(5) 1720 Operator did not give written notice of the written plan of care amendment to parents of all children enrolled, at least 30 days before the change was implemented. Each parent did not sign a statement acknowledging the receipt and explanation of the amendment. The operator did not retain the acknowledgment in the child's record for as long as the child was enrolled in the home and a copy was not maintained on file for review by Division representatives. The Written Plan of Care on file for 7 out of 8 children enrolled was not the most recent plan of care and the plan currently being followed. .1712(f) 1804 Safe sleep policy and poster about safe sleep practices was not posted in a prominent place in the infant sleeping room or area where parents and caregivers are able to view daily. The Safe Sleep Policy was not posted in the child care area where the infant slept and the parents and caregivers were able to view the policy daily. .1724(b) 1828 The Family Child Care Home operator did not discuss the operational policies with parents on or before the child's first day of attendance. A signed and dated parent acknowledgement statement of having received written operational policies was not on file for 2 out of 8 children enrolled. 10A NCAC 09. 1715(b) 1875 The EPR Plan did not include the location of the Ready to Go File and/or required information. The Ready to Go file was not up to date with information for 2 out of 8 children enrolled not included in the current file and multiple children who were no longer enrolled included in the current file. .1714(d)(10) Compliance Plan: All violations cited must be corrected immediately. Please submit written, signed, and dated compliance documentation to me at the email/address below detailing the steps taken to correct each violation. Your compliance documentation must include the following: 1) A compliance letter including the following: 1. The name of your facility 2. The ID number of your facility 3. The date you write the letter 4. A corrective action statement for each violation stating how you corrected the violation and are now in compliance. 5. A compliance plan statement for each violation stating how you 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. Your letter may be mailed to me at: Kimberly Crane Post Office Box 6217 Hickory, NC 28603 For your convenience, your letter may be sent by email to: kimberly.crane@dhhs.nc.gov I must receive your compliance letter no later than August 2, 2023. Please Note: If you state in your 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. Compliance History: You 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 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. During today’s visit, I provided the following technical assistance: 1) The outdoor safety inspections should be completed monthly and recorded on the “Outdoor Inspection Checklist for Family Child Care Homes” form provided on the DCDEE website under the “Provider Documents and Forms” tab. 2) Your facility’s Safe Sleep Policy should be posted in the child care area where infants receive care. 3) Training certificates to be counted towards the on-going training requirement for a compliance year should be no more than 12 months old from the date of the last annual compliance visit. 4) When you make revisions to your Written Plan of Care, you should notify each family enrolled in your facility by completing an updated Written Plan of Care document for each child and securing the parent’s signature and date. 5) When a new family enrolls in your facility and you give the family a copy of your operational policies, you should secure a signed and dated acknowledgement statement documenting that the family received the operational policies in writing. 6) Your Ready to Go file should include the most current Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan, contact information for individuals to pick-up children, each child's Application for Child Care, medication authorizations and instructions as applicable, any action plans for children with special health care needs as applicable, a list of any known food allergies of children and additional caregiver, additional caregiver contact information, Incident Report forms, an area map, and emergency telephone numbers. Your Ready to Go file should be maintained annually and when changes to information occur such as child withdrawals from your enrollment, new child enrollments, additional caregiver and substitute caregiver changes, and child information updates. 7) Your written and posted activity plans should include developmentally appropriate activities for the children in your care that are 0 to 24 months of age. I observed your activity plans included developmentally appropriate activities for children older than 24 months of age including school-age children. 8) Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .1712(a-f), the written plan of care is meant to notify parents of routine tasks the FCCH operator intends to complete while children are in care. Examples of routine tasks specified in the child care rule include running errands, meeting personal and family demands, attending classes, and attending medical appointments. Routine tasks should be limited to no more than 2 hours per week. 9) The written plan of care is not meant to be used to document off-premises activities that occur on a regular basis. An Off-Premises Activity Permission form should be used for these types of activities. 10) Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09. 1723(15)(a), before a child participates in an off-premises outing, the parent should give written permission for the child to participate in that activity. 11) Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09. 1723(15)(b), parents may provide a written statement giving standing permission for up to 12 months for their child to participate in an off-premises activity that occurs on a regular basis. Examples include but are not limited to a weekly visit to the local library on Wednesdays from 10am to 11am, a daily visit to the local park from 10am to 12pm, a weekly visit to the public splash pad on Fridays from 3pm to 4pm, etc. 12) Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09. 1723(5), written permission to transport should include when and where the child is to be transported, and the name of the transportation provider. I suggest you use the Transportation Permission form available on the DCDEE website. 13) Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09. 1723(5), parents may give standing permission for up to 12 months for their child to be transported to and from the home. This standing permission is to allow you to pick the child up at the child’s home or school and transport the child to your FCCH. 14) Blanket authorization to transport children to off-premises activities is not allowed by child care rule. 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 are doing 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 .1712 · Violation

Name of Operation: LITTLE LAMBS CHILDCARE Facility ID: 18000297 Consultant: KIMBERLY CRANE Operation Type: Family CC Home Case Number: Visit Date: 7/19/2023 Number Present: 8 Completed Date: 7/19/2023 Age: From 0 To 8 Total Minutes: 260 Time In: 09:10 AM Time Out: 01:30 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Family CC Home Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for an annual compliance visit. You, Mary King, Owner/Operator, assisted me with today’s visit. Your program currently operates with a five-star license, issued on November 18, 2019, earning six (6) points in the education component, seven (7) points in the program standards component and one (1) quality point for having obtained an Infant/Toddler Certificate. I conducted your last annual compliance visit on July 28, 2022. Your program’s compliance history was 97% as of July 18, 2023 and was reviewed with you today. I visited indoor and outdoor spaces today. I observed children playing in activity areas, engaged in a whole-group teacher-directed pre-writing activities for toddlers and preschoolers and basic math fact reviews for school-age children, outdoor play, handwashing, eating lunch, nap preparations, and napping. I observed the infant engaged in floor play, outdoor play, eating lunch, interacting with the older children, and napping. I observed children adequately supervised during today’s visit. I observed licensed capacity of 8 children maintained during today’s visit. I observed approved space used during today's visit. I observed permit restrictions including “Daytime and Overnight”, “Children in care on ground level only”, “Serves no more than 3 children less than one year of age” and “Age extended to 13 years” maintained during today’s visit. I reviewed program records, children records, and staff records today. You stated you share a vehicle used for transportation with the owner/operator of Little Lambs Childcare #2 and that vehicle is kept at that Family Child Care Home residence. I informed you that vehicle and transportation documentation was monitored routinely during the monitoring visits made to Little Lambs Childcare #2. I reminded you a copy of the transportation permission forms and the off-premises activities permission forms for each child should also be kept at and are monitored at your facility as well. I completed the “Annual Compliance Monitoring Checklist for Family Child Care Homes” during today’s visit. The following violations were observed and cited today: Violation Number Comment Rule 714 Monthly check for hazards on the outdoor play area was not completed using a form supplied by the Division. "Outdoor Inspection Checklist for Family Child Care Homes” documents were missing for January 2023, February 2023, and March 2023. 10A NCAC .1721(e)(5)(A-F) 929 Developmentally appropriate activities for the ages of children in care, were not provided as planned on the written schedule and activity plan. The activity plan did not include developmentally appropriate activities for children 0 to 24 months of age. G.S.110-91(12) & .1718(a)(6) 1301 Operator did not complete the required number of on-going training hours as specified in rule. The owner/operater had completed 9 out of the 10 required on-going training hours. GS 110-91(11); 10A NCAC 09 .1705(b)(5) 1720 Operator did not give written notice of the written plan of care amendment to parents of all children enrolled, at least 30 days before the change was implemented. Each parent did not sign a statement acknowledging the receipt and explanation of the amendment. The operator did not retain the acknowledgment in the child's record for as long as the child was enrolled in the home and a copy was not maintained on file for review by Division representatives. The Written Plan of Care on file for 7 out of 8 children enrolled was not the most recent plan of care and the plan currently being followed. .1712(f) 1804 Safe sleep policy and poster about safe sleep practices was not posted in a prominent place in the infant sleeping room or area where parents and caregivers are able to view daily. The Safe Sleep Policy was not posted in the child care area where the infant slept and the parents and caregivers were able to view the policy daily. .1724(b) 1828 The Family Child Care Home operator did not discuss the operational policies with parents on or before the child's first day of attendance. A signed and dated parent acknowledgement statement of having received written operational policies was not on file for 2 out of 8 children enrolled. 10A NCAC 09. 1715(b) 1875 The EPR Plan did not include the location of the Ready to Go File and/or required information. The Ready to Go file was not up to date with information for 2 out of 8 children enrolled not included in the current file and multiple children who were no longer enrolled included in the current file. .1714(d)(10) Compliance Plan: All violations cited must be corrected immediately. Please submit written, signed, and dated compliance documentation to me at the email/address below detailing the steps taken to correct each violation. Your compliance documentation must include the following: 1) A compliance letter including the following: 1. The name of your facility 2. The ID number of your facility 3. The date you write the letter 4. A corrective action statement for each violation stating how you corrected the violation and are now in compliance. 5. A compliance plan statement for each violation stating how you 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. Your letter may be mailed to me at: Kimberly Crane Post Office Box 6217 Hickory, NC 28603 For your convenience, your letter may be sent by email to: kimberly.crane@dhhs.nc.gov I must receive your compliance letter no later than August 2, 2023. Please Note: If you state in your 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. Compliance History: You 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 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. During today’s visit, I provided the following technical assistance: 1) The outdoor safety inspections should be completed monthly and recorded on the “Outdoor Inspection Checklist for Family Child Care Homes” form provided on the DCDEE website under the “Provider Documents and Forms” tab. 2) Your facility’s Safe Sleep Policy should be posted in the child care area where infants receive care. 3) Training certificates to be counted towards the on-going training requirement for a compliance year should be no more than 12 months old from the date of the last annual compliance visit. 4) When you make revisions to your Written Plan of Care, you should notify each family enrolled in your facility by completing an updated Written Plan of Care document for each child and securing the parent’s signature and date. 5) When a new family enrolls in your facility and you give the family a copy of your operational policies, you should secure a signed and dated acknowledgement statement documenting that the family received the operational policies in writing. 6) Your Ready to Go file should include the most current Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan, contact information for individuals to pick-up children, each child's Application for Child Care, medication authorizations and instructions as applicable, any action plans for children with special health care needs as applicable, a list of any known food allergies of children and additional caregiver, additional caregiver contact information, Incident Report forms, an area map, and emergency telephone numbers. Your Ready to Go file should be maintained annually and when changes to information occur such as child withdrawals from your enrollment, new child enrollments, additional caregiver and substitute caregiver changes, and child information updates. 7) Your written and posted activity plans should include developmentally appropriate activities for the children in your care that are 0 to 24 months of age. I observed your activity plans included developmentally appropriate activities for children older than 24 months of age including school-age children. 8) Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .1712(a-f), the written plan of care is meant to notify parents of routine tasks the FCCH operator intends to complete while children are in care. Examples of routine tasks specified in the child care rule include running errands, meeting personal and family demands, attending classes, and attending medical appointments. Routine tasks should be limited to no more than 2 hours per week. 9) The written plan of care is not meant to be used to document off-premises activities that occur on a regular basis. An Off-Premises Activity Permission form should be used for these types of activities. 10) Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09. 1723(15)(a), before a child participates in an off-premises outing, the parent should give written permission for the child to participate in that activity. 11) Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09. 1723(15)(b), parents may provide a written statement giving standing permission for up to 12 months for their child to participate in an off-premises activity that occurs on a regular basis. Examples include but are not limited to a weekly visit to the local library on Wednesdays from 10am to 11am, a daily visit to the local park from 10am to 12pm, a weekly visit to the public splash pad on Fridays from 3pm to 4pm, etc. 12) Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09. 1723(5), written permission to transport should include when and where the child is to be transported, and the name of the transportation provider. I suggest you use the Transportation Permission form available on the DCDEE website. 13) Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09. 1723(5), parents may give standing permission for up to 12 months for their child to be transported to and from the home. This standing permission is to allow you to pick the child up at the child’s home or school and transport the child to your FCCH. 14) Blanket authorization to transport children to off-premises activities is not allowed by child care rule. 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 are doing 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. 1715 · Violation

Name of Operation: LITTLE LAMBS CHILDCARE Facility ID: 18000297 Consultant: KIMBERLY CRANE Operation Type: Family CC Home Case Number: Visit Date: 7/19/2023 Number Present: 8 Completed Date: 7/19/2023 Age: From 0 To 8 Total Minutes: 260 Time In: 09:10 AM Time Out: 01:30 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Family CC Home Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for an annual compliance visit. You, Mary King, Owner/Operator, assisted me with today’s visit. Your program currently operates with a five-star license, issued on November 18, 2019, earning six (6) points in the education component, seven (7) points in the program standards component and one (1) quality point for having obtained an Infant/Toddler Certificate. I conducted your last annual compliance visit on July 28, 2022. Your program’s compliance history was 97% as of July 18, 2023 and was reviewed with you today. I visited indoor and outdoor spaces today. I observed children playing in activity areas, engaged in a whole-group teacher-directed pre-writing activities for toddlers and preschoolers and basic math fact reviews for school-age children, outdoor play, handwashing, eating lunch, nap preparations, and napping. I observed the infant engaged in floor play, outdoor play, eating lunch, interacting with the older children, and napping. I observed children adequately supervised during today’s visit. I observed licensed capacity of 8 children maintained during today’s visit. I observed approved space used during today's visit. I observed permit restrictions including “Daytime and Overnight”, “Children in care on ground level only”, “Serves no more than 3 children less than one year of age” and “Age extended to 13 years” maintained during today’s visit. I reviewed program records, children records, and staff records today. You stated you share a vehicle used for transportation with the owner/operator of Little Lambs Childcare #2 and that vehicle is kept at that Family Child Care Home residence. I informed you that vehicle and transportation documentation was monitored routinely during the monitoring visits made to Little Lambs Childcare #2. I reminded you a copy of the transportation permission forms and the off-premises activities permission forms for each child should also be kept at and are monitored at your facility as well. I completed the “Annual Compliance Monitoring Checklist for Family Child Care Homes” during today’s visit. The following violations were observed and cited today: Violation Number Comment Rule 714 Monthly check for hazards on the outdoor play area was not completed using a form supplied by the Division. "Outdoor Inspection Checklist for Family Child Care Homes” documents were missing for January 2023, February 2023, and March 2023. 10A NCAC .1721(e)(5)(A-F) 929 Developmentally appropriate activities for the ages of children in care, were not provided as planned on the written schedule and activity plan. The activity plan did not include developmentally appropriate activities for children 0 to 24 months of age. G.S.110-91(12) & .1718(a)(6) 1301 Operator did not complete the required number of on-going training hours as specified in rule. The owner/operater had completed 9 out of the 10 required on-going training hours. GS 110-91(11); 10A NCAC 09 .1705(b)(5) 1720 Operator did not give written notice of the written plan of care amendment to parents of all children enrolled, at least 30 days before the change was implemented. Each parent did not sign a statement acknowledging the receipt and explanation of the amendment. The operator did not retain the acknowledgment in the child's record for as long as the child was enrolled in the home and a copy was not maintained on file for review by Division representatives. The Written Plan of Care on file for 7 out of 8 children enrolled was not the most recent plan of care and the plan currently being followed. .1712(f) 1804 Safe sleep policy and poster about safe sleep practices was not posted in a prominent place in the infant sleeping room or area where parents and caregivers are able to view daily. The Safe Sleep Policy was not posted in the child care area where the infant slept and the parents and caregivers were able to view the policy daily. .1724(b) 1828 The Family Child Care Home operator did not discuss the operational policies with parents on or before the child's first day of attendance. A signed and dated parent acknowledgement statement of having received written operational policies was not on file for 2 out of 8 children enrolled. 10A NCAC 09. 1715(b) 1875 The EPR Plan did not include the location of the Ready to Go File and/or required information. The Ready to Go file was not up to date with information for 2 out of 8 children enrolled not included in the current file and multiple children who were no longer enrolled included in the current file. .1714(d)(10) Compliance Plan: All violations cited must be corrected immediately. Please submit written, signed, and dated compliance documentation to me at the email/address below detailing the steps taken to correct each violation. Your compliance documentation must include the following: 1) A compliance letter including the following: 1. The name of your facility 2. The ID number of your facility 3. The date you write the letter 4. A corrective action statement for each violation stating how you corrected the violation and are now in compliance. 5. A compliance plan statement for each violation stating how you 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. Your letter may be mailed to me at: Kimberly Crane Post Office Box 6217 Hickory, NC 28603 For your convenience, your letter may be sent by email to: kimberly.crane@dhhs.nc.gov I must receive your compliance letter no later than August 2, 2023. Please Note: If you state in your 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. Compliance History: You 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 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. During today’s visit, I provided the following technical assistance: 1) The outdoor safety inspections should be completed monthly and recorded on the “Outdoor Inspection Checklist for Family Child Care Homes” form provided on the DCDEE website under the “Provider Documents and Forms” tab. 2) Your facility’s Safe Sleep Policy should be posted in the child care area where infants receive care. 3) Training certificates to be counted towards the on-going training requirement for a compliance year should be no more than 12 months old from the date of the last annual compliance visit. 4) When you make revisions to your Written Plan of Care, you should notify each family enrolled in your facility by completing an updated Written Plan of Care document for each child and securing the parent’s signature and date. 5) When a new family enrolls in your facility and you give the family a copy of your operational policies, you should secure a signed and dated acknowledgement statement documenting that the family received the operational policies in writing. 6) Your Ready to Go file should include the most current Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan, contact information for individuals to pick-up children, each child's Application for Child Care, medication authorizations and instructions as applicable, any action plans for children with special health care needs as applicable, a list of any known food allergies of children and additional caregiver, additional caregiver contact information, Incident Report forms, an area map, and emergency telephone numbers. Your Ready to Go file should be maintained annually and when changes to information occur such as child withdrawals from your enrollment, new child enrollments, additional caregiver and substitute caregiver changes, and child information updates. 7) Your written and posted activity plans should include developmentally appropriate activities for the children in your care that are 0 to 24 months of age. I observed your activity plans included developmentally appropriate activities for children older than 24 months of age including school-age children. 8) Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .1712(a-f), the written plan of care is meant to notify parents of routine tasks the FCCH operator intends to complete while children are in care. Examples of routine tasks specified in the child care rule include running errands, meeting personal and family demands, attending classes, and attending medical appointments. Routine tasks should be limited to no more than 2 hours per week. 9) The written plan of care is not meant to be used to document off-premises activities that occur on a regular basis. An Off-Premises Activity Permission form should be used for these types of activities. 10) Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09. 1723(15)(a), before a child participates in an off-premises outing, the parent should give written permission for the child to participate in that activity. 11) Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09. 1723(15)(b), parents may provide a written statement giving standing permission for up to 12 months for their child to participate in an off-premises activity that occurs on a regular basis. Examples include but are not limited to a weekly visit to the local library on Wednesdays from 10am to 11am, a daily visit to the local park from 10am to 12pm, a weekly visit to the public splash pad on Fridays from 3pm to 4pm, etc. 12) Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09. 1723(5), written permission to transport should include when and where the child is to be transported, and the name of the transportation provider. I suggest you use the Transportation Permission form available on the DCDEE website. 13) Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09. 1723(5), parents may give standing permission for up to 12 months for their child to be transported to and from the home. This standing permission is to allow you to pick the child up at the child’s home or school and transport the child to your FCCH. 14) Blanket authorization to transport children to off-premises activities is not allowed by child care rule. 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 are doing 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. 1723 · Violation

Name of Operation: LITTLE LAMBS CHILDCARE Facility ID: 18000297 Consultant: KIMBERLY CRANE Operation Type: Family CC Home Case Number: Visit Date: 7/19/2023 Number Present: 8 Completed Date: 7/19/2023 Age: From 0 To 8 Total Minutes: 260 Time In: 09:10 AM Time Out: 01:30 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Family CC Home Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for an annual compliance visit. You, Mary King, Owner/Operator, assisted me with today’s visit. Your program currently operates with a five-star license, issued on November 18, 2019, earning six (6) points in the education component, seven (7) points in the program standards component and one (1) quality point for having obtained an Infant/Toddler Certificate. I conducted your last annual compliance visit on July 28, 2022. Your program’s compliance history was 97% as of July 18, 2023 and was reviewed with you today. I visited indoor and outdoor spaces today. I observed children playing in activity areas, engaged in a whole-group teacher-directed pre-writing activities for toddlers and preschoolers and basic math fact reviews for school-age children, outdoor play, handwashing, eating lunch, nap preparations, and napping. I observed the infant engaged in floor play, outdoor play, eating lunch, interacting with the older children, and napping. I observed children adequately supervised during today’s visit. I observed licensed capacity of 8 children maintained during today’s visit. I observed approved space used during today's visit. I observed permit restrictions including “Daytime and Overnight”, “Children in care on ground level only”, “Serves no more than 3 children less than one year of age” and “Age extended to 13 years” maintained during today’s visit. I reviewed program records, children records, and staff records today. You stated you share a vehicle used for transportation with the owner/operator of Little Lambs Childcare #2 and that vehicle is kept at that Family Child Care Home residence. I informed you that vehicle and transportation documentation was monitored routinely during the monitoring visits made to Little Lambs Childcare #2. I reminded you a copy of the transportation permission forms and the off-premises activities permission forms for each child should also be kept at and are monitored at your facility as well. I completed the “Annual Compliance Monitoring Checklist for Family Child Care Homes” during today’s visit. The following violations were observed and cited today: Violation Number Comment Rule 714 Monthly check for hazards on the outdoor play area was not completed using a form supplied by the Division. "Outdoor Inspection Checklist for Family Child Care Homes” documents were missing for January 2023, February 2023, and March 2023. 10A NCAC .1721(e)(5)(A-F) 929 Developmentally appropriate activities for the ages of children in care, were not provided as planned on the written schedule and activity plan. The activity plan did not include developmentally appropriate activities for children 0 to 24 months of age. G.S.110-91(12) & .1718(a)(6) 1301 Operator did not complete the required number of on-going training hours as specified in rule. The owner/operater had completed 9 out of the 10 required on-going training hours. GS 110-91(11); 10A NCAC 09 .1705(b)(5) 1720 Operator did not give written notice of the written plan of care amendment to parents of all children enrolled, at least 30 days before the change was implemented. Each parent did not sign a statement acknowledging the receipt and explanation of the amendment. The operator did not retain the acknowledgment in the child's record for as long as the child was enrolled in the home and a copy was not maintained on file for review by Division representatives. The Written Plan of Care on file for 7 out of 8 children enrolled was not the most recent plan of care and the plan currently being followed. .1712(f) 1804 Safe sleep policy and poster about safe sleep practices was not posted in a prominent place in the infant sleeping room or area where parents and caregivers are able to view daily. The Safe Sleep Policy was not posted in the child care area where the infant slept and the parents and caregivers were able to view the policy daily. .1724(b) 1828 The Family Child Care Home operator did not discuss the operational policies with parents on or before the child's first day of attendance. A signed and dated parent acknowledgement statement of having received written operational policies was not on file for 2 out of 8 children enrolled. 10A NCAC 09. 1715(b) 1875 The EPR Plan did not include the location of the Ready to Go File and/or required information. The Ready to Go file was not up to date with information for 2 out of 8 children enrolled not included in the current file and multiple children who were no longer enrolled included in the current file. .1714(d)(10) Compliance Plan: All violations cited must be corrected immediately. Please submit written, signed, and dated compliance documentation to me at the email/address below detailing the steps taken to correct each violation. Your compliance documentation must include the following: 1) A compliance letter including the following: 1. The name of your facility 2. The ID number of your facility 3. The date you write the letter 4. A corrective action statement for each violation stating how you corrected the violation and are now in compliance. 5. A compliance plan statement for each violation stating how you 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. Your letter may be mailed to me at: Kimberly Crane Post Office Box 6217 Hickory, NC 28603 For your convenience, your letter may be sent by email to: kimberly.crane@dhhs.nc.gov I must receive your compliance letter no later than August 2, 2023. Please Note: If you state in your 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. Compliance History: You 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 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. During today’s visit, I provided the following technical assistance: 1) The outdoor safety inspections should be completed monthly and recorded on the “Outdoor Inspection Checklist for Family Child Care Homes” form provided on the DCDEE website under the “Provider Documents and Forms” tab. 2) Your facility’s Safe Sleep Policy should be posted in the child care area where infants receive care. 3) Training certificates to be counted towards the on-going training requirement for a compliance year should be no more than 12 months old from the date of the last annual compliance visit. 4) When you make revisions to your Written Plan of Care, you should notify each family enrolled in your facility by completing an updated Written Plan of Care document for each child and securing the parent’s signature and date. 5) When a new family enrolls in your facility and you give the family a copy of your operational policies, you should secure a signed and dated acknowledgement statement documenting that the family received the operational policies in writing. 6) Your Ready to Go file should include the most current Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan, contact information for individuals to pick-up children, each child's Application for Child Care, medication authorizations and instructions as applicable, any action plans for children with special health care needs as applicable, a list of any known food allergies of children and additional caregiver, additional caregiver contact information, Incident Report forms, an area map, and emergency telephone numbers. Your Ready to Go file should be maintained annually and when changes to information occur such as child withdrawals from your enrollment, new child enrollments, additional caregiver and substitute caregiver changes, and child information updates. 7) Your written and posted activity plans should include developmentally appropriate activities for the children in your care that are 0 to 24 months of age. I observed your activity plans included developmentally appropriate activities for children older than 24 months of age including school-age children. 8) Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .1712(a-f), the written plan of care is meant to notify parents of routine tasks the FCCH operator intends to complete while children are in care. Examples of routine tasks specified in the child care rule include running errands, meeting personal and family demands, attending classes, and attending medical appointments. Routine tasks should be limited to no more than 2 hours per week. 9) The written plan of care is not meant to be used to document off-premises activities that occur on a regular basis. An Off-Premises Activity Permission form should be used for these types of activities. 10) Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09. 1723(15)(a), before a child participates in an off-premises outing, the parent should give written permission for the child to participate in that activity. 11) Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09. 1723(15)(b), parents may provide a written statement giving standing permission for up to 12 months for their child to participate in an off-premises activity that occurs on a regular basis. Examples include but are not limited to a weekly visit to the local library on Wednesdays from 10am to 11am, a daily visit to the local park from 10am to 12pm, a weekly visit to the public splash pad on Fridays from 3pm to 4pm, etc. 12) Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09. 1723(5), written permission to transport should include when and where the child is to be transported, and the name of the transportation provider. I suggest you use the Transportation Permission form available on the DCDEE website. 13) Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09. 1723(5), parents may give standing permission for up to 12 months for their child to be transported to and from the home. This standing permission is to allow you to pick the child up at the child’s home or school and transport the child to your FCCH. 14) Blanket authorization to transport children to off-premises activities is not allowed by child care rule. 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 are doing 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

G.S.110-91 · Violation

Name of Operation: LITTLE LAMBS CHILDCARE Facility ID: 18000297 Consultant: KIMBERLY CRANE Operation Type: Family CC Home Case Number: Visit Date: 7/19/2023 Number Present: 8 Completed Date: 7/19/2023 Age: From 0 To 8 Total Minutes: 260 Time In: 09:10 AM Time Out: 01:30 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Family CC Home Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for an annual compliance visit. You, Mary King, Owner/Operator, assisted me with today’s visit. Your program currently operates with a five-star license, issued on November 18, 2019, earning six (6) points in the education component, seven (7) points in the program standards component and one (1) quality point for having obtained an Infant/Toddler Certificate. I conducted your last annual compliance visit on July 28, 2022. Your program’s compliance history was 97% as of July 18, 2023 and was reviewed with you today. I visited indoor and outdoor spaces today. I observed children playing in activity areas, engaged in a whole-group teacher-directed pre-writing activities for toddlers and preschoolers and basic math fact reviews for school-age children, outdoor play, handwashing, eating lunch, nap preparations, and napping. I observed the infant engaged in floor play, outdoor play, eating lunch, interacting with the older children, and napping. I observed children adequately supervised during today’s visit. I observed licensed capacity of 8 children maintained during today’s visit. I observed approved space used during today's visit. I observed permit restrictions including “Daytime and Overnight”, “Children in care on ground level only”, “Serves no more than 3 children less than one year of age” and “Age extended to 13 years” maintained during today’s visit. I reviewed program records, children records, and staff records today. You stated you share a vehicle used for transportation with the owner/operator of Little Lambs Childcare #2 and that vehicle is kept at that Family Child Care Home residence. I informed you that vehicle and transportation documentation was monitored routinely during the monitoring visits made to Little Lambs Childcare #2. I reminded you a copy of the transportation permission forms and the off-premises activities permission forms for each child should also be kept at and are monitored at your facility as well. I completed the “Annual Compliance Monitoring Checklist for Family Child Care Homes” during today’s visit. The following violations were observed and cited today: Violation Number Comment Rule 714 Monthly check for hazards on the outdoor play area was not completed using a form supplied by the Division. "Outdoor Inspection Checklist for Family Child Care Homes” documents were missing for January 2023, February 2023, and March 2023. 10A NCAC .1721(e)(5)(A-F) 929 Developmentally appropriate activities for the ages of children in care, were not provided as planned on the written schedule and activity plan. The activity plan did not include developmentally appropriate activities for children 0 to 24 months of age. G.S.110-91(12) & .1718(a)(6) 1301 Operator did not complete the required number of on-going training hours as specified in rule. The owner/operater had completed 9 out of the 10 required on-going training hours. GS 110-91(11); 10A NCAC 09 .1705(b)(5) 1720 Operator did not give written notice of the written plan of care amendment to parents of all children enrolled, at least 30 days before the change was implemented. Each parent did not sign a statement acknowledging the receipt and explanation of the amendment. The operator did not retain the acknowledgment in the child's record for as long as the child was enrolled in the home and a copy was not maintained on file for review by Division representatives. The Written Plan of Care on file for 7 out of 8 children enrolled was not the most recent plan of care and the plan currently being followed. .1712(f) 1804 Safe sleep policy and poster about safe sleep practices was not posted in a prominent place in the infant sleeping room or area where parents and caregivers are able to view daily. The Safe Sleep Policy was not posted in the child care area where the infant slept and the parents and caregivers were able to view the policy daily. .1724(b) 1828 The Family Child Care Home operator did not discuss the operational policies with parents on or before the child's first day of attendance. A signed and dated parent acknowledgement statement of having received written operational policies was not on file for 2 out of 8 children enrolled. 10A NCAC 09. 1715(b) 1875 The EPR Plan did not include the location of the Ready to Go File and/or required information. The Ready to Go file was not up to date with information for 2 out of 8 children enrolled not included in the current file and multiple children who were no longer enrolled included in the current file. .1714(d)(10) Compliance Plan: All violations cited must be corrected immediately. Please submit written, signed, and dated compliance documentation to me at the email/address below detailing the steps taken to correct each violation. Your compliance documentation must include the following: 1) A compliance letter including the following: 1. The name of your facility 2. The ID number of your facility 3. The date you write the letter 4. A corrective action statement for each violation stating how you corrected the violation and are now in compliance. 5. A compliance plan statement for each violation stating how you 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. Your letter may be mailed to me at: Kimberly Crane Post Office Box 6217 Hickory, NC 28603 For your convenience, your letter may be sent by email to: kimberly.crane@dhhs.nc.gov I must receive your compliance letter no later than August 2, 2023. Please Note: If you state in your 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. Compliance History: You 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 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. During today’s visit, I provided the following technical assistance: 1) The outdoor safety inspections should be completed monthly and recorded on the “Outdoor Inspection Checklist for Family Child Care Homes” form provided on the DCDEE website under the “Provider Documents and Forms” tab. 2) Your facility’s Safe Sleep Policy should be posted in the child care area where infants receive care. 3) Training certificates to be counted towards the on-going training requirement for a compliance year should be no more than 12 months old from the date of the last annual compliance visit. 4) When you make revisions to your Written Plan of Care, you should notify each family enrolled in your facility by completing an updated Written Plan of Care document for each child and securing the parent’s signature and date. 5) When a new family enrolls in your facility and you give the family a copy of your operational policies, you should secure a signed and dated acknowledgement statement documenting that the family received the operational policies in writing. 6) Your Ready to Go file should include the most current Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan, contact information for individuals to pick-up children, each child's Application for Child Care, medication authorizations and instructions as applicable, any action plans for children with special health care needs as applicable, a list of any known food allergies of children and additional caregiver, additional caregiver contact information, Incident Report forms, an area map, and emergency telephone numbers. Your Ready to Go file should be maintained annually and when changes to information occur such as child withdrawals from your enrollment, new child enrollments, additional caregiver and substitute caregiver changes, and child information updates. 7) Your written and posted activity plans should include developmentally appropriate activities for the children in your care that are 0 to 24 months of age. I observed your activity plans included developmentally appropriate activities for children older than 24 months of age including school-age children. 8) Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .1712(a-f), the written plan of care is meant to notify parents of routine tasks the FCCH operator intends to complete while children are in care. Examples of routine tasks specified in the child care rule include running errands, meeting personal and family demands, attending classes, and attending medical appointments. Routine tasks should be limited to no more than 2 hours per week. 9) The written plan of care is not meant to be used to document off-premises activities that occur on a regular basis. An Off-Premises Activity Permission form should be used for these types of activities. 10) Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09. 1723(15)(a), before a child participates in an off-premises outing, the parent should give written permission for the child to participate in that activity. 11) Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09. 1723(15)(b), parents may provide a written statement giving standing permission for up to 12 months for their child to participate in an off-premises activity that occurs on a regular basis. Examples include but are not limited to a weekly visit to the local library on Wednesdays from 10am to 11am, a daily visit to the local park from 10am to 12pm, a weekly visit to the public splash pad on Fridays from 3pm to 4pm, etc. 12) Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09. 1723(5), written permission to transport should include when and where the child is to be transported, and the name of the transportation provider. I suggest you use the Transportation Permission form available on the DCDEE website. 13) Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09. 1723(5), parents may give standing permission for up to 12 months for their child to be transported to and from the home. This standing permission is to allow you to pick the child up at the child’s home or school and transport the child to your FCCH. 14) Blanket authorization to transport children to off-premises activities is not allowed by child care rule. 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 are doing 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

GS 110-91 · Violation

Name of Operation: LITTLE LAMBS CHILDCARE Facility ID: 18000297 Consultant: KIMBERLY CRANE Operation Type: Family CC Home Case Number: Visit Date: 7/19/2023 Number Present: 8 Completed Date: 7/19/2023 Age: From 0 To 8 Total Minutes: 260 Time In: 09:10 AM Time Out: 01:30 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Family CC Home Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for an annual compliance visit. You, Mary King, Owner/Operator, assisted me with today’s visit. Your program currently operates with a five-star license, issued on November 18, 2019, earning six (6) points in the education component, seven (7) points in the program standards component and one (1) quality point for having obtained an Infant/Toddler Certificate. I conducted your last annual compliance visit on July 28, 2022. Your program’s compliance history was 97% as of July 18, 2023 and was reviewed with you today. I visited indoor and outdoor spaces today. I observed children playing in activity areas, engaged in a whole-group teacher-directed pre-writing activities for toddlers and preschoolers and basic math fact reviews for school-age children, outdoor play, handwashing, eating lunch, nap preparations, and napping. I observed the infant engaged in floor play, outdoor play, eating lunch, interacting with the older children, and napping. I observed children adequately supervised during today’s visit. I observed licensed capacity of 8 children maintained during today’s visit. I observed approved space used during today's visit. I observed permit restrictions including “Daytime and Overnight”, “Children in care on ground level only”, “Serves no more than 3 children less than one year of age” and “Age extended to 13 years” maintained during today’s visit. I reviewed program records, children records, and staff records today. You stated you share a vehicle used for transportation with the owner/operator of Little Lambs Childcare #2 and that vehicle is kept at that Family Child Care Home residence. I informed you that vehicle and transportation documentation was monitored routinely during the monitoring visits made to Little Lambs Childcare #2. I reminded you a copy of the transportation permission forms and the off-premises activities permission forms for each child should also be kept at and are monitored at your facility as well. I completed the “Annual Compliance Monitoring Checklist for Family Child Care Homes” during today’s visit. The following violations were observed and cited today: Violation Number Comment Rule 714 Monthly check for hazards on the outdoor play area was not completed using a form supplied by the Division. "Outdoor Inspection Checklist for Family Child Care Homes” documents were missing for January 2023, February 2023, and March 2023. 10A NCAC .1721(e)(5)(A-F) 929 Developmentally appropriate activities for the ages of children in care, were not provided as planned on the written schedule and activity plan. The activity plan did not include developmentally appropriate activities for children 0 to 24 months of age. G.S.110-91(12) & .1718(a)(6) 1301 Operator did not complete the required number of on-going training hours as specified in rule. The owner/operater had completed 9 out of the 10 required on-going training hours. GS 110-91(11); 10A NCAC 09 .1705(b)(5) 1720 Operator did not give written notice of the written plan of care amendment to parents of all children enrolled, at least 30 days before the change was implemented. Each parent did not sign a statement acknowledging the receipt and explanation of the amendment. The operator did not retain the acknowledgment in the child's record for as long as the child was enrolled in the home and a copy was not maintained on file for review by Division representatives. The Written Plan of Care on file for 7 out of 8 children enrolled was not the most recent plan of care and the plan currently being followed. .1712(f) 1804 Safe sleep policy and poster about safe sleep practices was not posted in a prominent place in the infant sleeping room or area where parents and caregivers are able to view daily. The Safe Sleep Policy was not posted in the child care area where the infant slept and the parents and caregivers were able to view the policy daily. .1724(b) 1828 The Family Child Care Home operator did not discuss the operational policies with parents on or before the child's first day of attendance. A signed and dated parent acknowledgement statement of having received written operational policies was not on file for 2 out of 8 children enrolled. 10A NCAC 09. 1715(b) 1875 The EPR Plan did not include the location of the Ready to Go File and/or required information. The Ready to Go file was not up to date with information for 2 out of 8 children enrolled not included in the current file and multiple children who were no longer enrolled included in the current file. .1714(d)(10) Compliance Plan: All violations cited must be corrected immediately. Please submit written, signed, and dated compliance documentation to me at the email/address below detailing the steps taken to correct each violation. Your compliance documentation must include the following: 1) A compliance letter including the following: 1. The name of your facility 2. The ID number of your facility 3. The date you write the letter 4. A corrective action statement for each violation stating how you corrected the violation and are now in compliance. 5. A compliance plan statement for each violation stating how you 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. Your letter may be mailed to me at: Kimberly Crane Post Office Box 6217 Hickory, NC 28603 For your convenience, your letter may be sent by email to: kimberly.crane@dhhs.nc.gov I must receive your compliance letter no later than August 2, 2023. Please Note: If you state in your 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. Compliance History: You 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 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. During today’s visit, I provided the following technical assistance: 1) The outdoor safety inspections should be completed monthly and recorded on the “Outdoor Inspection Checklist for Family Child Care Homes” form provided on the DCDEE website under the “Provider Documents and Forms” tab. 2) Your facility’s Safe Sleep Policy should be posted in the child care area where infants receive care. 3) Training certificates to be counted towards the on-going training requirement for a compliance year should be no more than 12 months old from the date of the last annual compliance visit. 4) When you make revisions to your Written Plan of Care, you should notify each family enrolled in your facility by completing an updated Written Plan of Care document for each child and securing the parent’s signature and date. 5) When a new family enrolls in your facility and you give the family a copy of your operational policies, you should secure a signed and dated acknowledgement statement documenting that the family received the operational policies in writing. 6) Your Ready to Go file should include the most current Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan, contact information for individuals to pick-up children, each child's Application for Child Care, medication authorizations and instructions as applicable, any action plans for children with special health care needs as applicable, a list of any known food allergies of children and additional caregiver, additional caregiver contact information, Incident Report forms, an area map, and emergency telephone numbers. Your Ready to Go file should be maintained annually and when changes to information occur such as child withdrawals from your enrollment, new child enrollments, additional caregiver and substitute caregiver changes, and child information updates. 7) Your written and posted activity plans should include developmentally appropriate activities for the children in your care that are 0 to 24 months of age. I observed your activity plans included developmentally appropriate activities for children older than 24 months of age including school-age children. 8) Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09 .1712(a-f), the written plan of care is meant to notify parents of routine tasks the FCCH operator intends to complete while children are in care. Examples of routine tasks specified in the child care rule include running errands, meeting personal and family demands, attending classes, and attending medical appointments. Routine tasks should be limited to no more than 2 hours per week. 9) The written plan of care is not meant to be used to document off-premises activities that occur on a regular basis. An Off-Premises Activity Permission form should be used for these types of activities. 10) Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09. 1723(15)(a), before a child participates in an off-premises outing, the parent should give written permission for the child to participate in that activity. 11) Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09. 1723(15)(b), parents may provide a written statement giving standing permission for up to 12 months for their child to participate in an off-premises activity that occurs on a regular basis. Examples include but are not limited to a weekly visit to the local library on Wednesdays from 10am to 11am, a daily visit to the local park from 10am to 12pm, a weekly visit to the public splash pad on Fridays from 3pm to 4pm, etc. 12) Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09. 1723(5), written permission to transport should include when and where the child is to be transported, and the name of the transportation provider. I suggest you use the Transportation Permission form available on the DCDEE website. 13) Per child care rule 10A NCAC 09. 1723(5), parents may give standing permission for up to 12 months for their child to be transported to and from the home. This standing permission is to allow you to pick the child up at the child’s home or school and transport the child to your FCCH. 14) Blanket authorization to transport children to off-premises activities is not allowed by child care rule. 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 are doing 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