Mount Carmel H.E.L.P.S. Childcare Center

10A NCAC 09 .0604 · Violation

Name of Operation: Mount Carmel H.E.L.P.S. Childcare Center Facility ID: 67001232 Consultant: HEATHER ELLIOTT Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 5/27/2026 Number Present: 6 Completed Date: 5/27/2026 Age: From 2 To 5 Total Minutes: 335 Time In: 09:10 AM Time Out: 11:30 AM Time In: 01:15 PM Time Out: 04:30 PM List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor compliance with applicable childcare requirements pertinent to an annual compliance visit. This facility operates with a Notice of Compliance since July 9, 2025. Your facility has a capacity of 105. A fire inspection was completed on August 27, 2025, approved for daytime care only. A sanitation inspection was completed on March 19, 2026, and you received a superior classification with 0 demerits. The center is owned by Mount Carmel Helps Inc. and as of today the corporation is listed as currently active on the NC Secretary of State. R. Hunter, administrator, was preset and accompanied me during the walk-through and observation. There are currently 18 children enrolled and 6 were present today, ranging from 2-5 years of age. All approved indoor and outdoor spaces were monitored. Only one space was open for care today. In space 3, children were engaged in free play. The children were playing with a variety of materials including but not limited to beakers with droppers, in housekeeping, playing with a puzzle, and playing with different animals. For lunch, turkey and cheese sandwich on whole wheat bread, carrots with ranch, grapes and milk were served. Staff/child ratios were in compliance in all classrooms. All children were adequately supervised. Teachers were interacting in a positive and developmentally appropriate manner. There are currently two staff members employed at this facility. All staff files were monitored today. All health and safety training were monitored, and requirements were met. Four of the child files were monitored today and found in compliance. The following violations were observed and documented during today’s visit. All violations must be corrected immediately. Violation Number Comment Rule 808 The child care center premises, including the outdoor learning environment, was not clean, drained to minimize standing water, free of litter and hazards, and/or maintained in a manner which does not create conditions that attract or harbor pests. Four fire ant hills were observed on the playground accessible to children. 15A NCAC 18A .2832(a) 858 Plastic bags, materials that could be torn apart and toy parts small enough to be swallowed were accessible to children under three years of age. Four bags were accessible to a child in care who was 2 years of age. .0604(q) 1867 The depth of the loose surfacing was not based on critical height of the equipment. Today, two inches of mulch was under the climbing structure over 18 inches high. The loose surfacing had weeds growing in the fall zone areas. .0605(k)(1-4) Child Care programs are expected to achieve and maintain compliance at all times and are required by NC GS 110-90(4) (d) to achieve and maintain an eighteen-month compliance history score of at least seventy-five percent. Any violation(s) documented may impact the compliance history score. The violation(s) documented must be corrected immediately. On or before June 10, 2026, I must receive a written, dated, and signed compliance letter that describes accurately and in detail how and when the violations were corrected. Please be aware any information submitted by you is legal documentation. If it is determined the information provided in the letter is not true, this may be considered falsification of information. If sufficient information is not received by the due date, a follow-up visit will be conducted. Mail or email the information to: Heather Elliott, Child Care Consultant PO Box 161 Hampstead, NC 28443 heather.elliott@dhhs.nc.gov If you email the compliance letter, it must be sent from the email address registered with the DCDEE, this serves as your signature, and the following information must be included: name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. An example is: Jane Doe, Administrator AAA Child Care ID # 12345678 Technical Assistance: Outdoor Playground: Child Care Rule 10A NCAC 09 .0604 SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR CHILD CARE CENTERS states that once a day, prior to initial use, the indoor and outdoor premises shall be checked for debris, vandalism, and broken equipment. This includes ant hills or any other type of potentially harmful materials. Debris shall be removed and disposed of and ant hills should be made inaccessible to children until they can be treated. Additionally, Sanitation Rule 15A NCAC 18A .2831 ANIMAL AND VERMIN CONTROL states that effective measures shall be taken to keep uncontained insects, rodents, and other vermin out of the child care centers and to prevent their breeding or presence on the premises. Today I suggested that you ensure staff are looking for any potential safety concerns and address them before the children arrive in the outdoor area. As discussed, fall zones should be weeded regularly and loose parts including pine cones, gumballs and sticks should be collected daily to ensure fall zones are kept free of hazards. For the safety of the children, you must ensure weeds and debris are removed and mulch is tilled or added to the appropriate depth to avoid potential injuries to children. I also urged you again to create a regular weeding and tilling schedule for the mulch. To verify compliance, please submit a copy of a June playground inspection showing these hazards have been addressed. Today, only 2 inches of mulch was underneath your playground climbing structure. For licensing purposes, stationary equipment is considered to be any equipment that is anchored to the ground OR is so heavy that it cannot be easily moved. Equipment over 18 inches in height that children can climb on must be installed on resilient surfacing, with a six-foot fall zone surrounding each piece of climbing apparatus; the fall zones cannot overlap. Plastic Bags Plastic bags may not be accessible to children under 3. A plastic Ziplock bag which stored sunscreen was located in a cubby on top of diaper changing table accessible to the children in care. Plastic bags are a suffocation hazard and kill dozens of children yearly mostly infants. Ensure all plastic bags are in locked storage or above 5 feet. This includes plastic bags to use to store medications and diaper wipes stored in the plastic bags. Classrooms Not in Use You have three spaces that are not in use today for care. Today we discussed that before you open the rooms for care of the children, ensure that the child care spaces are ready for children. This includes but is not limited to ensuring outlets are covered, lesson plans are posted, menus posted, and the area is free of any potential hazards. You assured me today that once you are able to open the rooms a run through of the space will occur to ensure that it is ready for care. Today you stated that you are interested in the future applying for a Star-Rated License. Today we reviewed the new Quality Rating and Improvement System. During the visit an overview of section .3200 of the child care rules was provided using the resources available on the QRIS Modernization Page, https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Licensing/Star-Rated-License/QRIS-Modernization. All the newest information on the QRIS rated license assessments and documents are currently posted here. Each of the following pathway options were discussed: Pathway 1 - Program Assessment, Pathway 2 - Classroom and Instructional Quality, and touched on Pathway 3 - Accreditation and Head Start. We reviewed the components common to Pathways 1: Any staff person who will be evaluated as part of the Lead Teachers or Other Educators needs to register for a Works account and submit original, official transcripts or update their current Works account and submit new education. We walked through the Individual and Facility Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) forms (individual and center). You will complete the complete the center form for your facility and an Individual CQI annually. (This will also count as your Professional Development Plan) Maintain these in your staff files. We reviewed the Family and Community Engagement Plan. We reviewed the Foundational Practices. Ensure that they are included in the parent handbook Consider creating a notebook to collect documentation of the practices including pictures, flyers, newsletters, emails, etc. Pathway 1 – Program Assessment: You will complete a 3-month ERS Self-Study using the Thinking More About FCCERS-3. We discussed information available on the NC Rated License Assessment website, www.ncrlap.org,including training and forms for the three-month self-study and other resources (videos, documents, live and recorded training) and opportunities for an Outreach Assessment. To request Outreach Assessment - Email ncrlap@uncg.edu or call 1-866-362-7527. When the 3-month self-study is completed, you will complete and submit the Self-Study Verification Form. Pathway 2: Classroom and Instructional Quality We reviewed the list of approved curriculums and formative assessments as an approved curriculum and formative assessments will be required for pathway 2. You will need to provide verification that you have received training on the selected curriculum and formative assessment tool. We discussed options for five hours of additional training (on-going training or CEUs) or coaching/mentoring option. Reminder: The area near the sidewalk towards the front of the building on the playground is beginning to wash away, please ensure to keep an eye on this area as you stated that it washes away often. The registration for the Nissan is expiring at the end of the month. Please send me a copy of the updated registration with your compliance letter. For the latest information on child care rules and regulations, please visit the Division of Child Development and Early Education’s website at https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/. At the completion of the visit, this summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you. If you have any questions, please contact me, Heather Elliott, Child Care Consultant at 910-364-8728/ heather.elliott@dhhs.nc.gov or my supervisor, Kim Sherry at 910-824-0470/ kim.sherry@dhhs.nc.gov. If the operator fails to correct any documented violations within the established time period, the Division of Child Development and Early Education may deny, suspend, terminate, or revoke any permit to operate (10A NCAC 09 .2000). All information in this report has been reviewed with me today.I understand that it is my responsibility to maintaincompliance with applicable NC Child Care Requirements at all times

NC GS 110-90 · Violation

Name of Operation: Mount Carmel H.E.L.P.S. Childcare Center Facility ID: 67001232 Consultant: HEATHER ELLIOTT Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 5/27/2026 Number Present: 6 Completed Date: 5/27/2026 Age: From 2 To 5 Total Minutes: 335 Time In: 09:10 AM Time Out: 11:30 AM Time In: 01:15 PM Time Out: 04:30 PM List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor compliance with applicable childcare requirements pertinent to an annual compliance visit. This facility operates with a Notice of Compliance since July 9, 2025. Your facility has a capacity of 105. A fire inspection was completed on August 27, 2025, approved for daytime care only. A sanitation inspection was completed on March 19, 2026, and you received a superior classification with 0 demerits. The center is owned by Mount Carmel Helps Inc. and as of today the corporation is listed as currently active on the NC Secretary of State. R. Hunter, administrator, was preset and accompanied me during the walk-through and observation. There are currently 18 children enrolled and 6 were present today, ranging from 2-5 years of age. All approved indoor and outdoor spaces were monitored. Only one space was open for care today. In space 3, children were engaged in free play. The children were playing with a variety of materials including but not limited to beakers with droppers, in housekeeping, playing with a puzzle, and playing with different animals. For lunch, turkey and cheese sandwich on whole wheat bread, carrots with ranch, grapes and milk were served. Staff/child ratios were in compliance in all classrooms. All children were adequately supervised. Teachers were interacting in a positive and developmentally appropriate manner. There are currently two staff members employed at this facility. All staff files were monitored today. All health and safety training were monitored, and requirements were met. Four of the child files were monitored today and found in compliance. The following violations were observed and documented during today’s visit. All violations must be corrected immediately. Violation Number Comment Rule 808 The child care center premises, including the outdoor learning environment, was not clean, drained to minimize standing water, free of litter and hazards, and/or maintained in a manner which does not create conditions that attract or harbor pests. Four fire ant hills were observed on the playground accessible to children. 15A NCAC 18A .2832(a) 858 Plastic bags, materials that could be torn apart and toy parts small enough to be swallowed were accessible to children under three years of age. Four bags were accessible to a child in care who was 2 years of age. .0604(q) 1867 The depth of the loose surfacing was not based on critical height of the equipment. Today, two inches of mulch was under the climbing structure over 18 inches high. The loose surfacing had weeds growing in the fall zone areas. .0605(k)(1-4) Child Care programs are expected to achieve and maintain compliance at all times and are required by NC GS 110-90(4) (d) to achieve and maintain an eighteen-month compliance history score of at least seventy-five percent. Any violation(s) documented may impact the compliance history score. The violation(s) documented must be corrected immediately. On or before June 10, 2026, I must receive a written, dated, and signed compliance letter that describes accurately and in detail how and when the violations were corrected. Please be aware any information submitted by you is legal documentation. If it is determined the information provided in the letter is not true, this may be considered falsification of information. If sufficient information is not received by the due date, a follow-up visit will be conducted. Mail or email the information to: Heather Elliott, Child Care Consultant PO Box 161 Hampstead, NC 28443 heather.elliott@dhhs.nc.gov If you email the compliance letter, it must be sent from the email address registered with the DCDEE, this serves as your signature, and the following information must be included: name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. An example is: Jane Doe, Administrator AAA Child Care ID # 12345678 Technical Assistance: Outdoor Playground: Child Care Rule 10A NCAC 09 .0604 SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR CHILD CARE CENTERS states that once a day, prior to initial use, the indoor and outdoor premises shall be checked for debris, vandalism, and broken equipment. This includes ant hills or any other type of potentially harmful materials. Debris shall be removed and disposed of and ant hills should be made inaccessible to children until they can be treated. Additionally, Sanitation Rule 15A NCAC 18A .2831 ANIMAL AND VERMIN CONTROL states that effective measures shall be taken to keep uncontained insects, rodents, and other vermin out of the child care centers and to prevent their breeding or presence on the premises. Today I suggested that you ensure staff are looking for any potential safety concerns and address them before the children arrive in the outdoor area. As discussed, fall zones should be weeded regularly and loose parts including pine cones, gumballs and sticks should be collected daily to ensure fall zones are kept free of hazards. For the safety of the children, you must ensure weeds and debris are removed and mulch is tilled or added to the appropriate depth to avoid potential injuries to children. I also urged you again to create a regular weeding and tilling schedule for the mulch. To verify compliance, please submit a copy of a June playground inspection showing these hazards have been addressed. Today, only 2 inches of mulch was underneath your playground climbing structure. For licensing purposes, stationary equipment is considered to be any equipment that is anchored to the ground OR is so heavy that it cannot be easily moved. Equipment over 18 inches in height that children can climb on must be installed on resilient surfacing, with a six-foot fall zone surrounding each piece of climbing apparatus; the fall zones cannot overlap. Plastic Bags Plastic bags may not be accessible to children under 3. A plastic Ziplock bag which stored sunscreen was located in a cubby on top of diaper changing table accessible to the children in care. Plastic bags are a suffocation hazard and kill dozens of children yearly mostly infants. Ensure all plastic bags are in locked storage or above 5 feet. This includes plastic bags to use to store medications and diaper wipes stored in the plastic bags. Classrooms Not in Use You have three spaces that are not in use today for care. Today we discussed that before you open the rooms for care of the children, ensure that the child care spaces are ready for children. This includes but is not limited to ensuring outlets are covered, lesson plans are posted, menus posted, and the area is free of any potential hazards. You assured me today that once you are able to open the rooms a run through of the space will occur to ensure that it is ready for care. Today you stated that you are interested in the future applying for a Star-Rated License. Today we reviewed the new Quality Rating and Improvement System. During the visit an overview of section .3200 of the child care rules was provided using the resources available on the QRIS Modernization Page, https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Licensing/Star-Rated-License/QRIS-Modernization. All the newest information on the QRIS rated license assessments and documents are currently posted here. Each of the following pathway options were discussed: Pathway 1 - Program Assessment, Pathway 2 - Classroom and Instructional Quality, and touched on Pathway 3 - Accreditation and Head Start. We reviewed the components common to Pathways 1: Any staff person who will be evaluated as part of the Lead Teachers or Other Educators needs to register for a Works account and submit original, official transcripts or update their current Works account and submit new education. We walked through the Individual and Facility Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) forms (individual and center). You will complete the complete the center form for your facility and an Individual CQI annually. (This will also count as your Professional Development Plan) Maintain these in your staff files. We reviewed the Family and Community Engagement Plan. We reviewed the Foundational Practices. Ensure that they are included in the parent handbook Consider creating a notebook to collect documentation of the practices including pictures, flyers, newsletters, emails, etc. Pathway 1 – Program Assessment: You will complete a 3-month ERS Self-Study using the Thinking More About FCCERS-3. We discussed information available on the NC Rated License Assessment website, www.ncrlap.org,including training and forms for the three-month self-study and other resources (videos, documents, live and recorded training) and opportunities for an Outreach Assessment. To request Outreach Assessment - Email ncrlap@uncg.edu or call 1-866-362-7527. When the 3-month self-study is completed, you will complete and submit the Self-Study Verification Form. Pathway 2: Classroom and Instructional Quality We reviewed the list of approved curriculums and formative assessments as an approved curriculum and formative assessments will be required for pathway 2. You will need to provide verification that you have received training on the selected curriculum and formative assessment tool. We discussed options for five hours of additional training (on-going training or CEUs) or coaching/mentoring option. Reminder: The area near the sidewalk towards the front of the building on the playground is beginning to wash away, please ensure to keep an eye on this area as you stated that it washes away often. The registration for the Nissan is expiring at the end of the month. Please send me a copy of the updated registration with your compliance letter. For the latest information on child care rules and regulations, please visit the Division of Child Development and Early Education’s website at https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/. At the completion of the visit, this summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you. If you have any questions, please contact me, Heather Elliott, Child Care Consultant at 910-364-8728/ heather.elliott@dhhs.nc.gov or my supervisor, Kim Sherry at 910-824-0470/ kim.sherry@dhhs.nc.gov. 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