NC GS 110-90 · Violation

Name of Operation: DARE COUNTY HEAD START Facility ID: 2855001 Consultant: MARJORIE WHITE Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 9/6/2023 Number Present: 14 Completed Date: 9/6/2023 Age: From 3 To 4 Total Minutes: 195 Time In: 09:15 AM Time Out: 12:30 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Routine Unannounced Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced * The purpose of today’s Routine Unannounced visit was to monitor compliance with applicable child care requirements. Last Annual Compliance visit – 3/13/2023 Last Sanitation Inspection – 5/17/2023 with Superior Rating; expires 5/17/2024 Last Fire Inspection – 8/22/2023 with Correction Notice Issued; approved for daytime only; Fire Marshal is scheduled to do re-inspection on 9/21/2023 because of locked door. Provide him with correct Adult Day Care & Child Care Fire Inspection Report to complete. *Sanitation and fire inspections are required at least annually by the date of the previous inspection. Send fire inspections to me within seven (7) days of the inspection. 18-month compliance history from 3/1/2022 – 8/31/2023 = 95% D. Hunt, Administrator, was not present. A. Bailey, LT, and A. Calderon, Family Services Worker, assisted with the visit. The facility currently operates with a Five-Star Center License, issued 9/4/2020 (age range change), earning points in the following components: Program (6 PTS) + Education (6 PTS) + Quality Point (1 PT) = 13 Points = 5 Stars *Quality Point met and remains in effect - Staff benefits and parent involvement The next rated license assessment was due by 3/5/2021. See below for more information about the Division’s plan to return to rated license assessments. This facility is owned by Economic Improvement Council, Inc. According to the NC Secretary of State's website, this non-profit corporation is current and active as of 8/31/2023. Please contact me prior to any information change regarding the ownership of this facility. Facility contact information and license information were current. Contact me to make any changes to address, phone, or email or to request changes to the license. I monitored the classrooms and spaces used for child care, kitchen, and outdoor play area for applicable child care center requirements using the Child Care Center Requirements, effective 7/1/2023 and Item Number Listing, effective 6/2022. There were no new staff, so I monitored program records. The facility continues to be approved for transportation; however, they are no longer offering routine transportation. Center Observations: Parent information was posted on the bulletin boards in the classroom. Children were finishing up group time and transitioning to centers. The Family Service Worker worked with a small group of children who playing with table toys. The Lead Teacher circulated throughout the classroom. She assisted in the art area, encouraging children to talk about their drawings. There were minor disputes over toys, but the teachers handled it appropriately with positive guidance techniques. They used the bathroom and went outdoors where the spacious playground offered space to run and chase each other. They climbed and played on the large stationary climber, rode tricycles on the track and played in the sand. When they returned indoors, they washed hands. Lunch was chicken nuggets, peas, French fries, Hawaiian roll, and milk. The menu varied from the posted menu, but substitutions were documented. The group was young and some of the children were a little weepy because it was their first time away from home, but the teachers soothed them and recognized their feelings. I observed and documented the following violations during today’s visit. Violation Number Comment Rule 849 Leftover medicines were not returned to the parent after the course of treatment was completed, after authorization was withdrawn or after authorization had expired and/or medication was not discarded within 72 hours of completion of treatment or withdrawal of authorization. An Albuterol inhaler and an Epi-Pen were not returned to the parent of a child no longer attending the center since May 2023 or discarded. .0803(12) 1811 Shelter-in-place or lockdown drills were not practiced every three months and/or drill record was incomplete. Documentation of a shelter-in-place or lockdown drill was not available for the April - June quarter of 2023. The center was open through May 11, 2023. .0604(u);.0302(d)(8) * Child care programs are expected to achieve and always maintain compliance and are required by NC GS 110-90(4)(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. D. Banks, Head Start Director, arrived to the visit. I reviewed the visit summary and violations with her. She signed the printed copis. Two violations were documented during today’s visit. Correct these immediately. Send evidence of correction to me so that I receive it no later than 9/20/2023. The compliance verification letter needs to state the facility name and license number and list each violation by Item # and describe in detail when and how each violation has been corrected. Send compliance verification letter in an email from the center’s official email address, dena.banks@eicca.org to my email address, Marjorie.White@dhhs.nc.gov. If sent from another email address, the center’s official address must be Cc’d in the compliance email. You may include the compliance verification as an attachment or in the body of the email. If sufficient information is not received by the due date, a follow-up visit may be conducted. *I will email a sample compliance verification letter to you. *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 or Jennifer.Linhardt@dhhs.nc.gov. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WITH DOCUMENTED VIOLATIONS: Leftover Medication – An Albuterol inhaler and Epi-pen were observed in the blue medication bag hanging out of reach on the classroom door. When I checked the roster, I observed that the child was not listed. The lead teacher stated that he was no longer enrolled since last May. She stated the administrator reminded the parent to take the medication on the last day and later called her to pick up the medication, but she never stopped by the center. When medications or medication permission forms expire or child leaves center, return the medication to the parent within 72 hours unless the medication is still needed, and the permission form needs to be updated. Check medication boxes, bags, or cabinets monthly to review medications and medication permission forms. Update or return as needed. The Family Services Worker is going to contact the parent one more time to offer her a chance to pick up the medication. If not picked up by Friday, 9/8/2023, she will discard the medication. For your compliance letter, state when the medication was either removed from the center by the parent or discarded. Fire Drills and Emergency Drills - Practicing and documenting fire drills monthly and lock-down or shelter-in-place drills quarterly is critical to teaching and reminding staff and children the procedures for evacuating the building safely in case of a fire or staying safe inside in the event of an intruder or tornado. The routine practice fosters a calm, competent response to an emergency when it occurs. The center was open last year from August 2022 – May 2023. Fire drills were practiced and documented monthly; however, an emergency drill was not documented for the April – June quarter. The center has already completed and documented a fire drill and an emergency drill for August 2023. For your compliance letter, describe how you will ensure that emergency drills are completed and documented for any quarter in which your center is operating (Jul-Sep; Oct-Dec; Jan-Mar; April-May). Use a new Emergency Drill Log for each school year. Because you do not operate during June and July, just record that the center is not open for those months. GENERAL VISIT INFORMATION: Be knowledgeable of the child care laws and rules and environmental health rules; review them with your staff and assist them with understanding and implementing them to maintain compliance and keep children safe and healthy. The most recent versions of child care laws and rules (updated 7/1/23) and environmental health rules (updated 7/1/23) in North Carolina, the Items Number Listing (can be used as a detailed checklist of required items) and What’s New information are available on the DCDEE website, www.ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov. Check the designated facility email at least weekly to stay current with communication and email blasts from DCDEE. If your email is not the facility email, sign up for email blasts on the What’s New page for general information and communication from DCDEE. 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 including but not limited to: Environment Rating Scales, healthy behaviors and classroom management, developmentally appropriate practice, EPR plans, activity plans, NC Foundations for Early Learning (developmental domains), etc. *Children & Youth Partnership for Dare County: Phone - (252) 441-0614; website - www.darekids.org. REMINDERS: Staff Worksheets – Your Staff Worksheets are a great tool to help you track when items such as Criminal Background Checks, required trainings and staff forms expire and need to be updated. I encourage you to update information on the staff worksheets throughout the year as items are updated and/or staff change. *We reviewed your staff worksheet. I highlighted items that were delinquent and items that are coming due in the next year. Health and Safety Training and Five (5) Year Cycle Tracking Requirements – Review Row 17 on Staff Worksheet for staff members needing initial H&S Training or five-year renewal. New staff are required to complete Health & Safety Training (H&S Training) within one year of hire (CPR/First Aid and Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment within 3 months of hire) and then complete training in all topic areas every five years. On-going Training Hours – Review Row 18 (# hours to carry over) on the Staff Worksheets to determine how many on-going training hours returning staff will need by 3/13/2023 (anniversary of last Annual Compliance visit). New staff will complete Health & Safety in their first year and then will complete on-going training annually based upon their level of education posted in DCDEE Works. *Use the On-going Training Log to document training annually. Attach copies of certificates. Moodle Support - DCDEE has established a new email address and phone number for Moodle Support. To get help with Moodle, email DCDEE_Moodle_Support@dhhs.nc.gov or call (919) 814-6326. Staff Education and Works – Ms. Hunt’s AAS-ECE degree is posted in Works! Linens and Cots – Keep cots free of storage. To prevent contamination or germs, do not place classroom or personal items on cots. ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: I shared information on the following topics: 1. Annual Licensing Fee 2. Environmental Health Rules Update 3. New Rules – July 2023 – enhanced outdoor space, cooperative arrangements, multi-age grouping 4. New Challenging Behaviors Helpline! 5. Available on Moodle! NC Early Childhood Credential (NCECC) Equivalency Exam 6. NC Rated License Assessment Project (NCRLAP) Resources TRANSITION BACK TO RATED LICENSE ASSESSMENTS AND COHORTS To transition back to rated license assessments, the Division has created a two-year Cohort Model. All facilities are assigned to one of three cohorts based on their current rated license assessment due date. Each cohort will have a year for preparation and a year for assessment. (However, you are encouraged to begin preparations now so that you are ready when your cohort group is due!) Your child care center was due for a three-year rated license reassessment by 3/5/2021 and has been assigned to Cohort 1. The Cohort 1 Rated License Preparation Year is from 7/1/2023 – 6/30/2024. During your preparation year, if you are interested in having the Environment Rating Scales completed, review the ECERS-R by obtaining the manuals for each classroom and looking for assessment related resources at ncrlap.org. Request technical assistance and training for your staff from Children & Youth Partnership for Dare County. You can request and complete an ECERS-R during your preparation year. If your scores help you meet or exceed your current star rating and you are ready to move forward with your rated license assessment, you may choose to do so during your preparation year. Your preparation year is also the time to continue to work on staff education and ensure that Works accounts are completed and up to date for staff members. Look at options to help staff earn the NC Early Childhood Credential (NCECC): completing EDU 119, applying for Early Educator Certification, completing and passing the new NCECC Equivalency Exam option available on Moodle. Encourage staff with the NCECC to enroll in additional college coursework to increase points in Education. TEACH Scholarships are available to help staff pay for educational expenses. Go to https://www.childcareservices.org/programs/teach-north-carolina/ . The Cohort 1 Rated License Assessment Year is from 7/1/2024 – 6/30/2025. During your assessment year you may choose to complete the ECERS-R again at no cost even if you completed them during your preparation year. Use the feedback from your preparation year scores to create a plan to improve your scores. During this year, all education needs to be posted in Works. At some point during that year, you will have your rated license assessed. UPDATE ON YOUR CENTER’S RATED LICENSE POINTS PROGRAM STANDARDS – Six (6) Points – will be reassessed when ECERS-R are completed *last scored 5.84 points *meets enhanced space and enhanced ratios EDUCATION STANDARDS Six (6) Points – currently eligible for Five (5) Points *Based in information available in DCDEE Works *Points are earned based on the lowest level of education for any one position. Administrator Education – Currently eligible for 5 Points D. Hunt – NCECC + AAS-ECE w/ 27+y ec experience and 3.5y+ ad experience = 5 points Lead Teacher Education – 7 Points – Currently eligible for 7 Points *SB 570 providing flexibility to allow 50% of lead teachers have AAS-ECE or higher at 7 Point level until 6/2023 Space 1 (3’s-5’s): A. Bailey – BS-ECE w/ 17+y exp = 7 points Space 2 – not in use Teacher Education – 7 Points - Currently eligible for 7 Points Space 1 (3’s – 5’s): D. Hunt – AAS-ECE w/ 27+y exp = 7 points Space 2 – not in use QUALTY POINT - One (1) Point Staff Benefits and Parent Involvement Total the amount of points in Program Standards, Education Standards and Quality Point. 1 – 3 Points = One Star 4 – 6 Points = Two Stars 7 – 9 Points = Three Stars 10 – 12 Points = Four Stars 13 – 15 Points = Five Stars Technical Assistance to Improve ECERS-R Scores – The website for the NC Rated License Assessment Project (NCRLAP), www.ncrlap.org , has a wealth of resources and training opportunities to help you intentionally prepare for your upcoming ECERS-R assessment. From the main webpage, you can access self-assessment tools to review each subscale in detail and determine how you can make improvements in each area. See “Thinking More About Space and Furnishing,” “Thinking More About Personal Care Routines,” “Thinking More About Language and Interactions,” “Thinking More About Activities,” and “Thinking More About Program Structure.” Taking the time to work through these activities with your staff and using that self-reflection to purchase materials, rearrange your classrooms, work on interactions, improve daily routines, etc. will help you improve your environment and your scores. Also check out the training options under the training tab. Trainings are both self-guided and live (virtual). You and your staff can earn training credit for participating in these trainings. In 2018, you scored lowest on Subscale 2 of the ECERS-R: Personal Care Routines. Look at the following and consider ways to improve your scores: Item #11 – Nap/rest – Cots or mats need to be placed at least 18 inches apart or separated by a solid barrier for the full length of the cot/mat. For higher scores, separate them by 36 inches (3 feet). This helps to reduce the spread of germs exhaled and inhaled as children fall off to sleep and breathe more deeply. Item #12 – Toileting/diapering – Bathrooms are not available in the classroom and are down the hall. Since there are no additional staff to assist consistently with children needing to use the bathroom, children are taken to the bathroom as a whole group instead of allowed to go individually. Consider having a staff person available for children and staff bathroom needs. Item #14 – Safety practices – When spraying sanitizer or disinfectant, have children step back away from the tables. Mist from the sanitizer is a potential eye or lung irritant. In 2022, you scored the lowest on Subscale 4: Activities. Look at the following and consider ways to improve your scores: Item #15: Books and pictures – In addition to reading to children in a large group at least daily, read to children in smaller groups at least daily, during free time or at naptime for those who do not rest well. Item #20: Art – To provide the quantity and variety of art materials available to children add water colors, fingerpaints, and fingerpainting paper to meet the paint category. Consider offering the following in the 3-D category: playdough, clay, wood gluing. Item #21: Music/movement – Provide a way for children to listen to music independently, i.e., CD player with choice of CDS, tape player with tapes, old mobile phone that has appropriate music for children to play independently. Multicultural CDs, tapes, and music can also be used to meet Item #28: Promoting acceptance of diversity. Item #22: Blocks – Provide a space (6’ x 9’) that is solely used for block and accessory storage and block play. Item #23: Sand/water – Offer sand and water play daily (indoors and/or outdoors). Provide accessories for water and sand play: containers for filling and dumping, scoops, funnels, shovels, pots and pans, molds, toy people, toy animals, trucks, measuring cups of different sizes, Item #24: Dramatic play – Add dress-up clothing and accessories back to dramatic play area. Ensure you have choices for boys and girls. Also, it is great to have choices for occupations, e.g., fire fighter, police, doctor/nurse, barber/hair stylist/pet groomer, cook, etc. Including garments from different ethnic groups also helps meet Item #28: Promoting acceptance of diversity. Item #26: Math/number – Help children link math to normal daily activities: talk about numbers when preparing for meals and snacks such as setting the table (number of napkins needed), let a child be in charge of counting the number of children and then reporting to the Food Service Technician how many breakfast and lunches plates are needed, refer to the hands on the clock when talking about time, count how many steps it takes to the bathroom or playground, let children move the timer to track computer usage. Item #27: Use of TV, video, and/or computers – Limit children to no more than 20 minutes of computer time daily. Use a timer (good for math/number) and track who uses the computer. Thank you for your time and assistance today. Refer to this visit summary for a refresher of our discussions today, and I encourage you to share with staff and use the information as a teaching tool. 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.