NC GS 110-90 · Violation

Name of Operation: COOPER'S CHILD CARE AND LEARNING HOME Facility ID: 28000207 Consultant: MARJORIE WHITE Operation Type: Family CC Home Case Number: Visit Date: 4/10/2024 Number Present: 5 Completed Date: 4/10/2024 Age: From 1 To 5 Total Minutes: 210 Time In: 09:00 AM Time Out: 12:30 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 Annual Compliance visit was to monitor your family child care home with applicable child care requirements. I completed your last Annual Compliance visit on 6/6/23. The FCCH Early Learning Professional, M. Cooper, was present and assisted me with the visit. The family child care home currently operates with a Four-Star License, issued 6/16/2023, earning points in the following components: Program (2 PTS) + Education (7 PTS) + Quality Point (1 PT) = 10 Points = 4 Stars *Quality Point met and remains in effect: Has obtained Infant/Toddler Certificate. Your program was also monitored for compliance with implementing an approved curriculum (Bank Street Curriculum - Explorations with Young Children) as required for all Four and Five-Star facilities with four-year old children enrolled. Your three-year rated license assessment is due 6/16/26. DCDEE has developed a cohort system to return all facilities back to rated license reassessments. You have been assigned to Cohort 3. The Cohort 3 Rated License Preparation Year is from 7/1/2025 – 6/30/2026. You may complete your FCCERS-R Self-Assessment and rated license reassessment during this year or you may wait until your Assessment Year from 7/1/2026 – 6/30/2027. During both of these years, you may request and complete an FCCERS-R assessment to potentially earn more points in Program Standards and a higher star rated license. We will discuss more details at next year’s annual compliance visit. The family child care home’s 18-month compliance history from 10/5/22 – 4/4/24 = 97%. The family child care home is owned as a Sole Proprietorship. The family child care home is required to have a Permit for Special Exception from Dare County Planning Department. It is valid until 8/1/24. M. Cooper reported no changes to facility contact information (phone, address, email) or license information. Please contact me prior to any information changes regarding the ownership of this facility or contact information. I monitored the indoor and outdoor spaces used for child care for applicable family child care home requirements using the NC Child Care Requirements, effective 1/1/2024 and Item Number Listing, effective 3/1/2024. I also reviewed all children’s records, operator and household member records, and program records. I checked the car designated for transportation and the required documents; the family child care home continues to be approved for transportation. The operator stated that she never uses a substitute and closes the family child care home when she is not available to provide care. The Written Plan of Care currently reflects that the operator does not perform routine tasks during operating hours. If there are any changes to the Written Plan of Care, it must be revised and provided to parents. Parents must sign that they have received the updated Written Plan of Care. Observations The operator was present with four children, fourteen months through four years of age. Her school-age son was home sick and in this bedroom. The preschool-age children played with developmentally appropriate toys and learning materials arranged in defined activity centers on low shelves and in open bins. During circle time they sang songs and talked about bugs. The operator used a felt board to tell a story. The outdoor space provided opportunities for active play, imaginative play and sand play. The large complex climber/swings was showing signs of extensive rust. The operator will make it inaccessible until it can be removed from the outdoor space. Children washed their hands before lunch. Lunches are brought from home; all met nutritional requirements. After lunch, the older children rested on linen-covered cots. The toddler slept in a play pen. I observed and documented the following violations during today’s visit. Violation Number Comment Rule 714 Monthly check for hazards on the outdoor play area was not completed using a form supplied by the Division. Documentation of outdoor inspections were not available since September 2023. 10A NCAC .1721(e)(5)(A-F) 1853 The operator did not conduct a monthly fire drill. Documentation of monthly fire drills was not available since September 2023. .1719(a)(15) & .1721( e)(2) 1854 The operator did not conduct a quarterly lockdown or shelter-in-place drill and or the drill record was incomplete. Documentation of quarterly emergency drills was not available since September 2023. .1719(a )(16) & .1721(e )(7) * Child care programs are expected to achieve and always maintain compliance and are required by NC GS 110-90(4) d(d) to achieve and maintain an 18-month compliance history score of at least 75%. Any violations documented may impact the compliance history score. I completed an electronic copy of the visit summary and provided a printed copy of it to you, M. Cooper. We reviewed the visit summary and violation(s) documented during today’s visit. Correct these immediately. Send evidence of correction to me so that I receive it no later than 4/24/2024. Your compliance verification letter needs to state your facility name and license number and list each violation by Item # and describe in detail when and how each violation has been corrected. Do not include names of children in the compliance letter. Use their initials. Also include the following documents/pictures to verify compliance: copy of April outdoor inspection; copy of Fire and Emergency Drill log with April drills completed. Send compliance verification letter in an email from your fcch’s official email address, mhctaz79@gmail.com to my email address, Marjorie.White@dhhs.nc.gov. You may include the compliance verification as an attachment or in the body of the email. I will email a sample compliance verification letter to you. If sufficient information is not received by the due date, a follow-up visit may be conducted. Please be aware that any information submitted by you is legal documentation. If it is determined the information provided in the compliance letter is not true, this may be considered falsification of information. If I may be of further assistance, please contact me by phone at (252) 373-9385, by e-mail at Marjorie.White@dhhs.nc.gov. You may also call Jennifer Linhardt, Licensing Supervisor, at (252) 373-4199. Technical Assistance with Documented Violations: Outdoor Inspections – Regular outdoor inspections are critical to prevent deterioration of equipment and accumulation of hazardous materials within the play site, and to ensure that appropriate repairs are made as soon as possible. A monthly safety check of all the equipment within the facility as a focused task provides an opportunity to notice wear and tear that requires maintenance. Documentation of outdoor inspections was not available since September 2023. The operator stated that she knows she has completed outdoor inspections because she does them at the beginning of the month but could not find the clipboard that holds the outdoor inspection forms. She had not done them for April because she was on vacation but was planning to do it later this week. Resume completing outdoor inspections monthly and complete an April outdoor inspection. Write the month/day/year. (4/10/24 not 4/10) Scan and email the April inspection with your compliance letter. *The metal supports on the large rock wall/slide/swing set is rusted to a point that the support beams are flaking and disintegrating to the point where it may be affecting the integrity of the structure. For the time being, make this inaccessible to children. They should not be climbing, swinging or playing underneath it. You can wrap yellow caution tape around it until you are able to take it apart, remove it and take it to the waste transfer station. Fire Drills and Emergency Drills – Regular fire and emergency drills constitute an important safety practice. The routine practice of such drills fosters a calm, competent response to an emergency when it occurs. Documentation of a monthly fire drill was not available since September 2023. A quarterly emergency drill was not available since September 2023. The operator stated that she knows she has completed fire drills monthly because she does them at the beginning of the month when she completes outdoor inspections but could not find the clipboard that holds the fire drill form. Fire drills must be completed any month that the facility is open including partial months. She also completes quarterly emergency drills on the third month of the quarter but could not find that fire drill/emergency drill log A quarterly emergency drill must be completed each quarter (January – March; April – June; July – September; October – December). Write the actual date of the emergency drill, not just the quarter. (Example 2/27/23, not January – March). Resume completing fire and emergency drills and complete an April fire drill and a quarterly emergency drill. Scan and email the emergency drill log reflecting the April fire drill and a quarterly emergency drill with your compliance letter. General Visit Information: As a licensed family child care home operator, it is your responsibility to be knowledgeable of the child care laws and rules. The most recent versions of laws and rules regarding child care facilities in North Carolina are available on the DCDEE website, www.ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov. You can also review the “What’s New” section and download a copy of the Items Number Listing which you can use as a checklist for your program Your local and regional Smart Start Partnerships and Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies are available to assist you with technical assistance and training on a multitude of topics not limited to: Family Child Care Environment Rating Scale – Revised (FCCERS-R), infant/toddler practices, healthy behaviors. Child Care Health Consultants can provide training and technical assistance on topics related to health and safety such as sanitation, handwashing, diapering, illness policies, etc. *Children & Youth Partnership for Dare County: Phone - (252) 441-0614; website - www.darekids.org. *Child Care Health Consultant – S. Rosser - Office: (252) 557-4208 or stacy_rosser@unc.edu *Southwestern Child Development Commission, www.swcdcinc.org - offers DCDEE approved, on-line, self-paced training with affordable annual packages allowing you to take as many courses as you need or want for one price. Reminders: FCCH Verification Form –We reviewed your FCCH Verification Form today, and I highlighted items that will expire in the next year. On-going Training and Health & Safety Training - We reviewed your FCCH Verification form which documents your on-going training requirements and Health & Safety Training requirements. Document annual on-going training on the On-going Training Log and attach certificates. You completed 5.5 of 8 of your required on-going training for this past year. You need 3.5 hours of on-going training by 6/6/24 (anniversary of last Annual Compliance visit). Then you will need 8 hours of on-going training by 4/10/25 (anniversary of this Annual Compliance visit). You completed your five-year Health & Safety Training renewal in 1/15/23. Your next five-year renewal will be due January 2028. Required Water, Lead Paint, and Asbestos Testing – The operator completed testing through RTI, evaluated on 11/9/23. Water – Kitchen sink - .32 Daycare sink - .15 Lead Paint – survey completed; testing not required Asbestos – survey completed; testing not required Thank you for being pro-active and taking care of this! Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) Requirements and Ready-to-Go File – Your Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) Plan needs to be reviewed and updated annually. 1. Log into the Emergency Management Portal on the DCDEE website -> Provider tab -> Training and Professional Development -> Emergency Preparedness and Response 2. Scroll down to NC Risk Management Portal link. Log in at top right using NCID used to create or update EPR Plan. 3. Click “Get Started” 4. Review EPR Plan (listed by name on cover of most recent plan) and update as needed. 5. Document update/review date on page 28. If changes are needed, print the plan up to page 29. If no changes are needed, print new cover page and page 28 with the update/review date reflected. If you have questions, or need assistance with accessing your EPR Plan contact Amia M. Eaton, Training and Program Development Consultant Amia.Eaton@dhhs.nc.gov *Also update your Ready-to-Go File to include children, remove former children, and add updated medication information. (Make sure a copy of the Child’s Application for Enrollment is added to the R2G File when a new child starts, or the application is updated.) *Your EPR Plan was reviewed and updated in the NC Risk Management Portal in June 2023. Review in the NC Risk Management Portal and update or document date of review by June 2024. Locked Storage – You can add magnetic locks to your lower cabinet in the bathroom to store cleaning supplies. Additional Comments: Apply for a Business Tool Kit Grant – The NC Family Child Care Project is offered a Business Tool Kit Grant for $5,000 that can be used for office supplies, educational supplies, furniture, PPE supplies, and professional development. The deadline to apply is 4/12/24. For more information or questions, contact A. Arsenault, Region 1 Family Child Care Coordinator at (252) 333-1233 or (252) 619-4205 or by email at ashleigh@aacfnc.org. You received information about this grant on 4/3/2024. I reviewed information about the following with you and emailed the information and links to you during/after the visit: • Supporting Healthy Social-Emotional Development Webinar • Required Water, Lead Paint, and Asbestos Testing – Enroll by 5/1/24. • Moodle Back Up and Running and Moodle Support Contacts • Love Them Through It: Understanding Trauma in Young Children Training • Rule Changes Effective January 1, 2024 • Free On-line Professional Development Memberships • Health and Safety Resources • New Challenging Behaviors Helpline • NC Rated License Assessment Project (NC-RLAP) Resources • NCID – Keep it current! Thank you for your time and assistance today. Refer to this visit summary for a refresher of our discussions today. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to call or email me at the contact information listed above. 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

Open Not marked corrected in the state record

Category: supervision. Open / not marked corrected.