G.S. 110-90 · Violation

Name of Operation: LITTLE TYKES CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER Facility ID: 36000302 Consultant: CHRISTINE ROSINSKI Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 6/26/2024 Number Present: 9 Completed Date: 6/26/2024 Age: From 2 To 6 Total Minutes: 125 Time In: 08:10 AM Time Out: 10:15 AM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s unannounced annual compliance visit was to monitor your compliance with all applicable child care requirements, including health and safety requirements. You, Stephanie Tarbush, Owner/Administrator, assisted with today’s visit. A checklist was used to note the requirements I monitored today. Your program currently operates with a four (4) star license issued July 19, 2017. The permit restrictions were in compliance including First Shift (daytime care), meets enhanced ratios, meets enhanced space, and meets enhanced ratios minus one in each group. The Secretary of State website was checked on April 22, 2024, and your business, Little Tykes Child Development Center, was not listed. If any changes to the corporation need to be made or you decide to sell your business, then you must notify me at least thirty days prior to any changes occurring. The license cannot be bought, sold, subleased, transferred to another person or location, or inherited. A walk-through of the facility was completed today, all indoor and outdoor areas were monitored. I observed children in the indoor learning environment. Children throughout the facility were participating in routines, breakfast, free play, and group time during the visit. The last sanitation inspection was conducted on February 16, 2024. A “superior” classification was issued with eight (8) demerits noted on the grade card. The last fire inspection was conducted on November 3, 2023. The last fire drill was conducted on June 4, 2024. The last emergency drill was conducted on April 19, 2024. The last playground inspection was conducted on March 20, 2024. Two (2) children’s files were reviewed during the visit. No new staff members were hired since the last visit. Two (2) existing staff files were reviewed during the visit. The following violation was observed/documented during today’s visit: Violation Number Comment Rule 859 Monthly playground inspections were not completed and/or they were not completed by an individual trained in playground safety requirements. There were no playground inspections on file for April 2024 or May 2024. .0605(q) The violation documented must be corrected immediately. On or before July 10, 2024, I must receive a written, dated, and signed compliance letter that describes accurately and in detail, how and when the violation was corrected, and how compliance will be maintained in the future. Include the violation item number, statement of compliance, date of the visit, and license ID number in the letter. Please be aware any information submitted by you is considered legal documentation. If it is determined the information provided in the letter is not true, it may be considered falsification of information. If sufficient information is not received by the due date, an unannounced follow-up visit may be conducted. The Division of Child Development 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. Please send your letter to christine.rosinski@dhhs.nc.gov. You must maintain at least 75% Compliance History for each 18-month period as required by G.S. 110-90(4) (c). Prior to today's visit, your program maintained a compliance history of 96%. Please note any violations cited during future visits will negatively impact your compliance history. Repeated violations or violations left unresolved may lead to an administrative action. Technical assistance was provided on the following: 1. A monthly playground inspection must be conducted by an individual trained in playground safety requirements. A trained administrator or staff person must make a record of each inspection using a playground inspection checklist provided by the Division. The checklist is to be signed by the person who conducts the inspection and must be maintained for 12 months in the center's files for review by a representative of the Division. Continue to use the playground inspection checklist which may be found online at https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/providers/credent.asp. You stated you completed the inspections; however, you could not find the inspection forms during the visit. I suggested you plan to conduct the playground inspections on the same day fire drills are conducted to ensure a month does not get skipped. After completion of the inspection and documentation on the checklist, immediately place the inspection checklist on your playground inspection clipboard to ensure it is on file and available for review at all times. Consultation: The hold harmless legislation was extended and signed into law on Monday 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. You are in cohort 1; therefore, your reassessment year will begin July 1, 2024. Beginning in July and throughout the next few months I recommend you consider completing the following tasks and activities that will help prepare you for your reassessment year, which will be sometime between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025. If possible, we will align the reassessment with your annual compliance visit timeframe. • Have all staff update WORKS accounts to reflect all currently completed coursework (DCDEE-WORKS) • Determine whether you wish to have Environment Rating Scale (ERS) Assessments [ITERS-R, ECERS-R, SACERS-U, FCCERS-R] 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. • Family child care home providers consider the FCCERS-R self-study process and timeline for completion since it must occur over a 3-month time period prior to your rated license reassessment • Consider requesting an ERS assessment (free of charge) during the preparation year. Remember the scores can be used in a variety of ways o ERS assessments can be requested during the preparation year and scores can be used as guidance to enhance program quality o If desired, assessment scores can be used during the preparation year if the operator wants to move forward with a rated license reassessment o Assessment scores can be saved to use during the reassessment year o Facilities can request another ERS assessment (free of charge) in your reassessment year for any ERS assessment scoring less than a 5.0 Stay up to date with the Division of Child Development and Early Education by visiting www.ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov. This website enables you to view the entire Law and Child Care Requirements for North Carolina as well as download required forms. I encourage you to click on the "What's New" tab for important updates impacting child care in North Carolina. Thank you for your time today. If you have any questions about today’s visit, please contact me or my supervisor, Tammy McGalliard, tammy.mcgalliard@dhhs.nc.gov. If I can be of further assistance, you may contact me at 704-579-4463. Christine Rosinski PO Box 927 Cornelius, NC 28031 Christine.rosinski@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

Open Not marked corrected in the state record

Category: supervision. Open / not marked corrected.

G.S. 110-90 · Violation

Name of Operation: LITTLE TYKES CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER Facility ID: 36000302 Consultant: CHRISTINE ROSINSKI Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 12/5/2023 Number Present: 10 Completed Date: 12/5/2023 Age: From 2 To 5 Total Minutes: 70 Time In: 08:00 AM Time Out: 09:10 AM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Routine Unannounced Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for a routine unannounced visit. You, Stephanie Tarbush, Owner/Administrator, assisted me with today’s visit. Your program currently operates with a four (4) star license issued July 19, 2017. The permit restrictions were in compliance including first shift (daytime care), second shift, meets enhanced ratio, meets enhanced space, and meets enhanced ratios minus one in each group. The Secretary of State website was checked on December 5, 2023 and your business, Little Tykes Child Development Center, was not listed. If any changes to the corporation need to be made or you decide to sell your business, then you must notify me at least thirty days prior to any changes occurring. The license cannot be bought, sold, subleased, transferred to another person or location, or inherited. A walk-through of the facility was completed today, all indoor and outdoor areas were monitored. I observed children in the indoor and outdoor learning environment. Children throughout the facility were participating in routines, breakfast, group time, and free play during today’s visit. Limited monitoring of staff files was conducted for the purpose of reviewing training regarding CPR/First Aid, EPR, Playground Safety, ITS-SIDS, Special Training, and Criminal Background Checks. One (1) new staff member was hired since the last visit. The most recent sanitation inspection for your facility was conducted on February 22, 2023. A superior sanitation classification was issued with six (6) demerits. The most recent approved fire inspection for your facility was conducted on November 3, 2023. The following violations were observed/documented during today’s visit: Violation Number Comment Rule 898 All electrical appliances were not used in accordance with the manufacturers instruction. Appliances with heating elements, such as bottle warmers, crock pots, curling irons, irons, coffee pots, and/or their cords were accessible to preschool-age children. In Space #3, a space heater was in use and placed on the shelf to the left of the door to the playground. .0604(e) You must maintain at least 75% Compliance History for each 18-month period as required by G.S. 110-90(4) (c). Prior to today's visit, your program maintained a compliance history of 98%. Please note any violations cited during future visits will negatively impact your compliance history. Repeated violations or violations left unresolved may lead to an administrative action. Technical assistance was provided on the following: 1. All electrical appliances must be used only in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. For appliances with heating elements, such as bottle warmers, space heaters, crock pots, irons, coffee pots, or curling irons, neither the appliance nor any cord may be accessible to preschool-age children. Crock pots and coffee makers are not necessary in classrooms. I suggested you discuss this rule with all staff members to ensure items with heating elements are not kept in the classrooms, or in any other area where they are accessible to children. The space heater was removed from the classroom and placed in the office during the visit. Consultation The hold harmless legislation was extended and signed into law on Monday June 12th, 2023. This legislation allows facilities to remain at their current star level without a reassessment until June 30, 2024 and when reassessed it reduces the education evaluation requirements for lead teachers from 75% to 50% until June of 2026. To prepare for the reassessment process, DCDEE has developed a cohort system. There are three cohorts, and each include a preparation year and a reassessment year. While the first reassessment year will not begin until July 1, 2024, the preparation year for cohort one begins July 1, 2023. Your facility is in cohort one. Beginning in July and throughout the next few months I recommend you consider completing the following tasks and activities that will help prepare you for your reassessment year, which will be sometime between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025. If possible, we will align the reassessment with your annual compliance visit timeframe. • Have all staff update WORKS accounts to reflect all currently completed coursework (DCDEE-WORKS) • Determine whether you wish to have Environment Rating Scale (ERS) Assessments [ITERS-R, ECERS-R, SACERS-U, FCCERS-R] 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. • Family child care home providers consider the FCCERS-R self-study process and timeline for completion since it must occur over a 3-month time period prior to your rated license reassessment • Consider requesting an ERS assessment (free of charge) during the preparation year. Remember the scores can be used in a variety of ways o ERS assessments can be requested during the preparation year and scores can be used as guidance to enhance program quality o If desired, assessment scores can be used during the preparation year if the operator wants to move forward with a rated license reassessment o Assessment scores can be saved to use during the reassessment year o Facilities can request another ERS assessment (free of charge) in your reassessment year for any ERS assessment scoring less than a 5.0 Qualifying letters are now valid for five (5) years from the date of issue. Please begin the criminal background re-check at least two (2) months prior to the expiration of the current qualifying 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/ . This website enables you to view the entire Law and Child Care Requirements for North Carolina as well as download required forms. I encourage you to click on the "What's New" tab for important updates impacting child care in North Carolina. Thank you for your time today. If you have any questions about today’s visit, please contact me or my supervisor, Tammy McGalliard, tammy.mcgalliard@dhhs.nc.gov. If I can be of further assistance, you may contact me at 704-579-4463. Christine Rosinski PO Box 927 Cornelius, NC 28031 Christine.rosinski@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

Open Not marked corrected in the state record

Category: supervision. Open / not marked corrected.