A Kind Garden

10A NCAC 09 .0901 · Violation

Name of Operation: A KIND GARDEN Facility ID: 92002888 Consultant: KIMBERLY WIMBERLY Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 3/10/2025 Number Present: 6 Completed Date: 3/10/2025 Age: From 1 To 4 Total Minutes: 195 Time In: 09:30 AM Time Out: 12:45 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s unannounced visit was to inspect the facility for compliance with child care requirements during your annual compliance visit. The last annual compliance visit was conducted on 4-1-24. The center-located-in-a-residence currently operates with a 5 STAR rated license. The program is approved for 12 children ages 0-12. My visit was conducted with Alberta Forney, Owner/Administrator. During today’s visit an assessment of Child Care Requirements was conducted, inspecting all space used by children. Michele Remington, Wake County Licensing Supervisor, was also present during the visit today. Ms. Forney stated in conversation during our visit that she lives in a house “down the road.” Ms. Forney additionally clarified that part of the week she lives at the property located at 838 Belmont Drive, Raleigh, NC 27610 and part of the week at a residence located at 1008 Belmont Drive, Raleigh, NC 27610. We discussed that there was inconsistencies with documented addresses throughout the paperwork on file with DCDEE and Ms. Forney stated that her correct mailing address for the center should be 838 Belmont Drive, Raleigh NC 27610. This will be corrected in the system. The current owner of the facility as verified on the NC Secretary of State website on 3-7-25 is listed as A Kind Garden, Inc. and was listed as current-active as verified by consultant. The registered mailing address for the owner is listed as 1008 Belmont Drive, Raleigh NC 27610 and this will be indicated as the owner mailing address. For future reference, please remember to keep DCDEE informed if there are any changes which affect the mailing or physical address of the center so that we may assure accuracy of information. Upon arrival to the program today, the children were observed doing various morning activities and then transitioned to the play outside on the outdoor playground. The children are broken into two groups based on age. Ms. Forney has staff assigned to each group and she assists with the classrooms. The program also has school age children who attend before and after school only. Ms. Forney stated that she does not offer full day care during teacher workdays, track outs or summer months. Daily arrival and departure times are documented in a notebook at the entrance to the center. The license and all required information was observed posted. The most recent revision date of the EPR plan for the program is 2-4-25. Classroom Observations: Staff/child ratios were monitored and observed to be in compliance and space capacity did not exceed that which was allowed. Supervision was observed being maintained. Equipment and furnishings were observed to be safe, sturdy and in good repair. I did not observe a current activity plan posted in the preschool age classroom which cares for children ages two to five years old. The activity plan which was posted in this classroom was dated 3-3-25 through 3-7-25. This was corrected during the visit today. I also observed that a current menu was not posted. This was also corrected during the visit. It was verified that the lunch which was served to the children during the visit matched what was indicated on the menu. For outside time, the children play in a fenced areas. I observed numerous items for the children to play with which promote imaginative and creative play as well as gross motor activities. We did discuss that there is a playground which is not part of the licensed outdoor space but that Ms. Forney uses it for occasional play “outside the fenced area.” In this area we observed two bunnies free roaming and one additional bunny is in a cage in a small building. We also observed two roosters who free roam the play area and additional chickens who are kept in the other side of the building the bunny cages are on. We discussed today that there are large tires which are used for imaginative play but precautions must be taken with them during the hot summer months to assure that they do not become too hot for the children to touch. We also discussed to monitor them for snakes and vermin that may take up residence inside the interior rims of the tires. There were also tomato cages with pointed ends laying on some pieces of lumber which are safety concerns for the children. With the animals free roaming this play area it is still of utmost importance to assure that all safety and sanitation concerns are addressed before the children play on this area outside of their approved play space. The play area must be scanned on a regular basis for any feces that the free roaming animals may leave behind and for the extra precaution of the children, the animals should not be allowed to free roam when the children are playing on the playground. Interactions and activities with the children and the animals should only be conducted during strictly supervised activities. Staff and training worksheets were submitted to me today and all staff files were monitored for compliance. We discussed that staff should complete all of their annual on-going training hours no later than 4-1-25 in order to remain in compliance. Ms. Forney stated that with annual compliance visits changing each year, it has become difficult to assure that staff have completed all the required hours within the annual compliance year timeframe. We discussed that annual compliance visits can come anytime up to 60 days of the previous annual visit as a reminder. As a good rule of thumb, it may be a good idea for staff to not wait until the last minute to complete the required on-going training hours and it may be a good idea to set your on-going hours from January to December of each year so that staff know their expectations. While reviewing staff files, I observed one staff member did not have current CPR and First Aid. The most recent CPR and First Aid for the staff member expired 1-6-25. This same staff member also did not have a current annual health questionnaire on file. One staff member, P. Byrd did not have a current criminal background check qualification letter on file. Ms. Forney stated that the staff member had already submitted the required information to the CBC Unit and is awaiting results. We discussed that in the event that the staff member does not receive their CBC qualification letter by 3-24-25, the staff member will not be allowed back into the facility until one has been obtained. A spot check was conducted on five children’s files and it was observed that three children’s files could not be located during our visit. Ms. Forney stated they must have been misplaced and would search throughout the facility to locate the remaining children’s files. Several other children’s files were missing a few pieces of paperwork but were located and placed back into the assigned file during the visit. It is critical that children’s files remain current and easily accessible in case of emergency. I inspected the facilities posted information such as the license, EMC plan, emergency telephone numbers, staff/ratio sheets, allergy lists, etc. and all were observed to be in compliance. Fire drills, EPR drills and outdoor playground inspections were monitored and I did observe that the last documented fire drill was 2-24-25 and the last EPR drill was conducted on 2-26-25. I did observe that shelter-in-place drills are rotated with lockdowns. The last documented outdoor playground inspection was 2-24-25. The most recent sanitation inspection was conducted on 9-11-24 and the last fire inspection was conducted December 2024. The center is approved for transportation and the transportation vehicle was was onsite today and observed to be in compliance. Ms. Forney has purchased a new vehicle for use during transportation of the school age children to and from school. The transportation vehicle is a Ford 350 truck with license plate TW3919. Ms. Forney could not locate proof of liability insurance during my visit today. Please send me a current copy of proof of liability insurance for my ASAP in order to remain approved for transportation. During our visit today, we discussed the status of remediation for the lead paint test which was conducted on 9-24-24 and test results dated 10-2-24 indicated that there was indication of positive test results for lead on two places of the structure. The results of this test was e-mailed to Ms. Forney by Child Care Consultant on 3-7-25. During our visit today, Ms. Forney stated that she had not been made aware of the test results until received from Child Care Consultant on 3-7-25. Ms. Forney stated she has not received any communication from RTI regarding her findings but that she would get working on the required remediation this week. Please remember to keep me updated and to communication what you did to RTI for documentation purposes to assure that the status of your license is not affected. *****Violations: Seven (7) violations of child care requirements regarding children’s files, activity plans, criminal records, staff records and menus were observed today. A corrective action letter stating how each violation was corrected is due to me no later than March 24, 2025 and can be e-mailed or mailed to me at the contact information at the end of this report. Please remember to address each violation individually and indicate your center name and ID number. Violation Number Comment Rule 428 A current activity plan was not posted for each group of children for reference. A current activity plan was not posted in the preschool age classroom. GS 110-91(12); .0508(a) 526 Menus for all meals and snacks were not current or posted where easily seen by parents and cook. A current menu was not posted. 10A NCAC 09 .0901(b) 1034 All staff, including the director, did not have an annual health questionnaire on file following the initial medical statement. One staff member did not have a current annual health questionnaire on file. .0701(a) 1044 Prior to the expiration date of the qualification letter, the child care provider did not complete and submit required forms to complete a criminal background check (a qualification letter is valid for a maximum of five years for the date of issuance). One staff member did not complete the five year recertification of their criminal background check. G.S. 110-90.2(b) & .2703(n)&(o) 1048 All staff did not successfully complete certification in First Aid appropriate to the age of children in care. Verification of staff completion of First Aid training from an approved training organization was not in the staff file. One staff member did not have current first aid certification. .1102(c) 1049 All staff did not successfully complete certification in CPR training appropriate to the age of the children in care. Verification of staff completion of the CPR course from an approved training organization was not in the staff file. One staff member did not have current CPR certification .1102(d) 1327 Accurate records were not maintained for all children. Files could not be located for three children who are enrolled at the center during the visit today. G.S. 110-91(9) Technical Assistance: *Criminal background checks (CBC) are completed to protect the children from abuse and reduce liability risks. The CBC process must be completed before a person can begin work; therefore, a Qualification Letter must be on file prior to employment. Any employee in a licensed childcare facility who is ever left alone with a child or group of children for any length of time must have a background check completed through the Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE). A CBC must be completed every five years. An expiration date is listed on each Qualification Letter. Submissions can be made six months before the expiration date. Operators will need to be proactive and make staffing decisions and arrangements in advance to avoid non-compliance with this and other DCDEE staffing requirements. *Linking Criminal Background Checks – Staff need to log into the Criminal Background Check Portal on the DCDEE website and link to the facility license number. It is important to do this so staff at DCDEE can contact the center if a random criminal history check uncovers a staff member with a criminal charge or conviction working in a child care facility. It is also a way to for staff at the CBC Unit to keep you updated of the status of out-of-state checks if a new employee has a Provisional Qualification. Instructions on how to link to the facility was provided today. In the future, new staff need to link within five days of hire or transfer to your center. Review Criminal History Record Check Requirements for Child Care Centers in the NC Child Care Requirements 10A NCAC 09 .2703. *Nutrition: Parents/guardians need to be informed about food served in the facility to know how to balance it with the food they serve at home. The menu should be dated and posted for easy view by parents. Preparing for meals prior to the beginning of a new week is very important to assure that all ingredients or components served are available. If substitutions must be made, this must be indicated on the menu prior to the meal being served to the children. *Staff files: Record keeping is one of the most time-consuming tasks associated with administering a child care program. It is an important part of licensure. Review staff files often to ensure the program is maintaining accurate licensing records. Organization and completeness of records is important to ensure easy access to information in emergency situations. We discussed making sure that you develop a record keeping system for staff and children’s records that promotes organization and efficiency. As an administrator, it is your responsibility to review all employment documentation and verify that required documents are received within the specified time frame. Using a checklist to check and date receipt of documents will help you track employment documents. A staff file checklist is available on the DCDEE website under the Provider tab and provider documents links. Please refer to the Staff and Training Worksheets to continue to keep all staff members current with their upcoming due dates for CPR/First Aid training, child maltreatment training, and health and safety training requirements. Please feel free to call me with questions. Contact me with questions at: Kim.Wimberly@dhhs.nc.gov PO BOX 609 Knightdale, NC 27545 919-819-9387 http://ncchildcaresearch.dhhs.state.nc.us 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 .2703 · Violation

Name of Operation: A KIND GARDEN Facility ID: 92002888 Consultant: KIMBERLY WIMBERLY Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 3/10/2025 Number Present: 6 Completed Date: 3/10/2025 Age: From 1 To 4 Total Minutes: 195 Time In: 09:30 AM Time Out: 12:45 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s unannounced visit was to inspect the facility for compliance with child care requirements during your annual compliance visit. The last annual compliance visit was conducted on 4-1-24. The center-located-in-a-residence currently operates with a 5 STAR rated license. The program is approved for 12 children ages 0-12. My visit was conducted with Alberta Forney, Owner/Administrator. During today’s visit an assessment of Child Care Requirements was conducted, inspecting all space used by children. Michele Remington, Wake County Licensing Supervisor, was also present during the visit today. Ms. Forney stated in conversation during our visit that she lives in a house “down the road.” Ms. Forney additionally clarified that part of the week she lives at the property located at 838 Belmont Drive, Raleigh, NC 27610 and part of the week at a residence located at 1008 Belmont Drive, Raleigh, NC 27610. We discussed that there was inconsistencies with documented addresses throughout the paperwork on file with DCDEE and Ms. Forney stated that her correct mailing address for the center should be 838 Belmont Drive, Raleigh NC 27610. This will be corrected in the system. The current owner of the facility as verified on the NC Secretary of State website on 3-7-25 is listed as A Kind Garden, Inc. and was listed as current-active as verified by consultant. The registered mailing address for the owner is listed as 1008 Belmont Drive, Raleigh NC 27610 and this will be indicated as the owner mailing address. For future reference, please remember to keep DCDEE informed if there are any changes which affect the mailing or physical address of the center so that we may assure accuracy of information. Upon arrival to the program today, the children were observed doing various morning activities and then transitioned to the play outside on the outdoor playground. The children are broken into two groups based on age. Ms. Forney has staff assigned to each group and she assists with the classrooms. The program also has school age children who attend before and after school only. Ms. Forney stated that she does not offer full day care during teacher workdays, track outs or summer months. Daily arrival and departure times are documented in a notebook at the entrance to the center. The license and all required information was observed posted. The most recent revision date of the EPR plan for the program is 2-4-25. Classroom Observations: Staff/child ratios were monitored and observed to be in compliance and space capacity did not exceed that which was allowed. Supervision was observed being maintained. Equipment and furnishings were observed to be safe, sturdy and in good repair. I did not observe a current activity plan posted in the preschool age classroom which cares for children ages two to five years old. The activity plan which was posted in this classroom was dated 3-3-25 through 3-7-25. This was corrected during the visit today. I also observed that a current menu was not posted. This was also corrected during the visit. It was verified that the lunch which was served to the children during the visit matched what was indicated on the menu. For outside time, the children play in a fenced areas. I observed numerous items for the children to play with which promote imaginative and creative play as well as gross motor activities. We did discuss that there is a playground which is not part of the licensed outdoor space but that Ms. Forney uses it for occasional play “outside the fenced area.” In this area we observed two bunnies free roaming and one additional bunny is in a cage in a small building. We also observed two roosters who free roam the play area and additional chickens who are kept in the other side of the building the bunny cages are on. We discussed today that there are large tires which are used for imaginative play but precautions must be taken with them during the hot summer months to assure that they do not become too hot for the children to touch. We also discussed to monitor them for snakes and vermin that may take up residence inside the interior rims of the tires. There were also tomato cages with pointed ends laying on some pieces of lumber which are safety concerns for the children. With the animals free roaming this play area it is still of utmost importance to assure that all safety and sanitation concerns are addressed before the children play on this area outside of their approved play space. The play area must be scanned on a regular basis for any feces that the free roaming animals may leave behind and for the extra precaution of the children, the animals should not be allowed to free roam when the children are playing on the playground. Interactions and activities with the children and the animals should only be conducted during strictly supervised activities. Staff and training worksheets were submitted to me today and all staff files were monitored for compliance. We discussed that staff should complete all of their annual on-going training hours no later than 4-1-25 in order to remain in compliance. Ms. Forney stated that with annual compliance visits changing each year, it has become difficult to assure that staff have completed all the required hours within the annual compliance year timeframe. We discussed that annual compliance visits can come anytime up to 60 days of the previous annual visit as a reminder. As a good rule of thumb, it may be a good idea for staff to not wait until the last minute to complete the required on-going training hours and it may be a good idea to set your on-going hours from January to December of each year so that staff know their expectations. While reviewing staff files, I observed one staff member did not have current CPR and First Aid. The most recent CPR and First Aid for the staff member expired 1-6-25. This same staff member also did not have a current annual health questionnaire on file. One staff member, P. Byrd did not have a current criminal background check qualification letter on file. Ms. Forney stated that the staff member had already submitted the required information to the CBC Unit and is awaiting results. We discussed that in the event that the staff member does not receive their CBC qualification letter by 3-24-25, the staff member will not be allowed back into the facility until one has been obtained. A spot check was conducted on five children’s files and it was observed that three children’s files could not be located during our visit. Ms. Forney stated they must have been misplaced and would search throughout the facility to locate the remaining children’s files. Several other children’s files were missing a few pieces of paperwork but were located and placed back into the assigned file during the visit. It is critical that children’s files remain current and easily accessible in case of emergency. I inspected the facilities posted information such as the license, EMC plan, emergency telephone numbers, staff/ratio sheets, allergy lists, etc. and all were observed to be in compliance. Fire drills, EPR drills and outdoor playground inspections were monitored and I did observe that the last documented fire drill was 2-24-25 and the last EPR drill was conducted on 2-26-25. I did observe that shelter-in-place drills are rotated with lockdowns. The last documented outdoor playground inspection was 2-24-25. The most recent sanitation inspection was conducted on 9-11-24 and the last fire inspection was conducted December 2024. The center is approved for transportation and the transportation vehicle was was onsite today and observed to be in compliance. Ms. Forney has purchased a new vehicle for use during transportation of the school age children to and from school. The transportation vehicle is a Ford 350 truck with license plate TW3919. Ms. Forney could not locate proof of liability insurance during my visit today. Please send me a current copy of proof of liability insurance for my ASAP in order to remain approved for transportation. During our visit today, we discussed the status of remediation for the lead paint test which was conducted on 9-24-24 and test results dated 10-2-24 indicated that there was indication of positive test results for lead on two places of the structure. The results of this test was e-mailed to Ms. Forney by Child Care Consultant on 3-7-25. During our visit today, Ms. Forney stated that she had not been made aware of the test results until received from Child Care Consultant on 3-7-25. Ms. Forney stated she has not received any communication from RTI regarding her findings but that she would get working on the required remediation this week. Please remember to keep me updated and to communication what you did to RTI for documentation purposes to assure that the status of your license is not affected. *****Violations: Seven (7) violations of child care requirements regarding children’s files, activity plans, criminal records, staff records and menus were observed today. A corrective action letter stating how each violation was corrected is due to me no later than March 24, 2025 and can be e-mailed or mailed to me at the contact information at the end of this report. Please remember to address each violation individually and indicate your center name and ID number. Violation Number Comment Rule 428 A current activity plan was not posted for each group of children for reference. A current activity plan was not posted in the preschool age classroom. GS 110-91(12); .0508(a) 526 Menus for all meals and snacks were not current or posted where easily seen by parents and cook. A current menu was not posted. 10A NCAC 09 .0901(b) 1034 All staff, including the director, did not have an annual health questionnaire on file following the initial medical statement. One staff member did not have a current annual health questionnaire on file. .0701(a) 1044 Prior to the expiration date of the qualification letter, the child care provider did not complete and submit required forms to complete a criminal background check (a qualification letter is valid for a maximum of five years for the date of issuance). One staff member did not complete the five year recertification of their criminal background check. G.S. 110-90.2(b) & .2703(n)&(o) 1048 All staff did not successfully complete certification in First Aid appropriate to the age of children in care. Verification of staff completion of First Aid training from an approved training organization was not in the staff file. One staff member did not have current first aid certification. .1102(c) 1049 All staff did not successfully complete certification in CPR training appropriate to the age of the children in care. Verification of staff completion of the CPR course from an approved training organization was not in the staff file. One staff member did not have current CPR certification .1102(d) 1327 Accurate records were not maintained for all children. Files could not be located for three children who are enrolled at the center during the visit today. G.S. 110-91(9) Technical Assistance: *Criminal background checks (CBC) are completed to protect the children from abuse and reduce liability risks. The CBC process must be completed before a person can begin work; therefore, a Qualification Letter must be on file prior to employment. Any employee in a licensed childcare facility who is ever left alone with a child or group of children for any length of time must have a background check completed through the Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE). A CBC must be completed every five years. An expiration date is listed on each Qualification Letter. Submissions can be made six months before the expiration date. Operators will need to be proactive and make staffing decisions and arrangements in advance to avoid non-compliance with this and other DCDEE staffing requirements. *Linking Criminal Background Checks – Staff need to log into the Criminal Background Check Portal on the DCDEE website and link to the facility license number. It is important to do this so staff at DCDEE can contact the center if a random criminal history check uncovers a staff member with a criminal charge or conviction working in a child care facility. It is also a way to for staff at the CBC Unit to keep you updated of the status of out-of-state checks if a new employee has a Provisional Qualification. Instructions on how to link to the facility was provided today. In the future, new staff need to link within five days of hire or transfer to your center. Review Criminal History Record Check Requirements for Child Care Centers in the NC Child Care Requirements 10A NCAC 09 .2703. *Nutrition: Parents/guardians need to be informed about food served in the facility to know how to balance it with the food they serve at home. The menu should be dated and posted for easy view by parents. Preparing for meals prior to the beginning of a new week is very important to assure that all ingredients or components served are available. If substitutions must be made, this must be indicated on the menu prior to the meal being served to the children. *Staff files: Record keeping is one of the most time-consuming tasks associated with administering a child care program. It is an important part of licensure. Review staff files often to ensure the program is maintaining accurate licensing records. Organization and completeness of records is important to ensure easy access to information in emergency situations. We discussed making sure that you develop a record keeping system for staff and children’s records that promotes organization and efficiency. As an administrator, it is your responsibility to review all employment documentation and verify that required documents are received within the specified time frame. Using a checklist to check and date receipt of documents will help you track employment documents. A staff file checklist is available on the DCDEE website under the Provider tab and provider documents links. Please refer to the Staff and Training Worksheets to continue to keep all staff members current with their upcoming due dates for CPR/First Aid training, child maltreatment training, and health and safety training requirements. Please feel free to call me with questions. Contact me with questions at: Kim.Wimberly@dhhs.nc.gov PO BOX 609 Knightdale, NC 27545 919-819-9387 http://ncchildcaresearch.dhhs.state.nc.us 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: A KIND GARDEN Facility ID: 92002888 Consultant: KIMBERLY WIMBERLY Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 3/10/2025 Number Present: 6 Completed Date: 3/10/2025 Age: From 1 To 4 Total Minutes: 195 Time In: 09:30 AM Time Out: 12:45 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s unannounced visit was to inspect the facility for compliance with child care requirements during your annual compliance visit. The last annual compliance visit was conducted on 4-1-24. The center-located-in-a-residence currently operates with a 5 STAR rated license. The program is approved for 12 children ages 0-12. My visit was conducted with Alberta Forney, Owner/Administrator. During today’s visit an assessment of Child Care Requirements was conducted, inspecting all space used by children. Michele Remington, Wake County Licensing Supervisor, was also present during the visit today. Ms. Forney stated in conversation during our visit that she lives in a house “down the road.” Ms. Forney additionally clarified that part of the week she lives at the property located at 838 Belmont Drive, Raleigh, NC 27610 and part of the week at a residence located at 1008 Belmont Drive, Raleigh, NC 27610. We discussed that there was inconsistencies with documented addresses throughout the paperwork on file with DCDEE and Ms. Forney stated that her correct mailing address for the center should be 838 Belmont Drive, Raleigh NC 27610. This will be corrected in the system. The current owner of the facility as verified on the NC Secretary of State website on 3-7-25 is listed as A Kind Garden, Inc. and was listed as current-active as verified by consultant. The registered mailing address for the owner is listed as 1008 Belmont Drive, Raleigh NC 27610 and this will be indicated as the owner mailing address. For future reference, please remember to keep DCDEE informed if there are any changes which affect the mailing or physical address of the center so that we may assure accuracy of information. Upon arrival to the program today, the children were observed doing various morning activities and then transitioned to the play outside on the outdoor playground. The children are broken into two groups based on age. Ms. Forney has staff assigned to each group and she assists with the classrooms. The program also has school age children who attend before and after school only. Ms. Forney stated that she does not offer full day care during teacher workdays, track outs or summer months. Daily arrival and departure times are documented in a notebook at the entrance to the center. The license and all required information was observed posted. The most recent revision date of the EPR plan for the program is 2-4-25. Classroom Observations: Staff/child ratios were monitored and observed to be in compliance and space capacity did not exceed that which was allowed. Supervision was observed being maintained. Equipment and furnishings were observed to be safe, sturdy and in good repair. I did not observe a current activity plan posted in the preschool age classroom which cares for children ages two to five years old. The activity plan which was posted in this classroom was dated 3-3-25 through 3-7-25. This was corrected during the visit today. I also observed that a current menu was not posted. This was also corrected during the visit. It was verified that the lunch which was served to the children during the visit matched what was indicated on the menu. For outside time, the children play in a fenced areas. I observed numerous items for the children to play with which promote imaginative and creative play as well as gross motor activities. We did discuss that there is a playground which is not part of the licensed outdoor space but that Ms. Forney uses it for occasional play “outside the fenced area.” In this area we observed two bunnies free roaming and one additional bunny is in a cage in a small building. We also observed two roosters who free roam the play area and additional chickens who are kept in the other side of the building the bunny cages are on. We discussed today that there are large tires which are used for imaginative play but precautions must be taken with them during the hot summer months to assure that they do not become too hot for the children to touch. We also discussed to monitor them for snakes and vermin that may take up residence inside the interior rims of the tires. There were also tomato cages with pointed ends laying on some pieces of lumber which are safety concerns for the children. With the animals free roaming this play area it is still of utmost importance to assure that all safety and sanitation concerns are addressed before the children play on this area outside of their approved play space. The play area must be scanned on a regular basis for any feces that the free roaming animals may leave behind and for the extra precaution of the children, the animals should not be allowed to free roam when the children are playing on the playground. Interactions and activities with the children and the animals should only be conducted during strictly supervised activities. Staff and training worksheets were submitted to me today and all staff files were monitored for compliance. We discussed that staff should complete all of their annual on-going training hours no later than 4-1-25 in order to remain in compliance. Ms. Forney stated that with annual compliance visits changing each year, it has become difficult to assure that staff have completed all the required hours within the annual compliance year timeframe. We discussed that annual compliance visits can come anytime up to 60 days of the previous annual visit as a reminder. As a good rule of thumb, it may be a good idea for staff to not wait until the last minute to complete the required on-going training hours and it may be a good idea to set your on-going hours from January to December of each year so that staff know their expectations. While reviewing staff files, I observed one staff member did not have current CPR and First Aid. The most recent CPR and First Aid for the staff member expired 1-6-25. This same staff member also did not have a current annual health questionnaire on file. One staff member, P. Byrd did not have a current criminal background check qualification letter on file. Ms. Forney stated that the staff member had already submitted the required information to the CBC Unit and is awaiting results. We discussed that in the event that the staff member does not receive their CBC qualification letter by 3-24-25, the staff member will not be allowed back into the facility until one has been obtained. A spot check was conducted on five children’s files and it was observed that three children’s files could not be located during our visit. Ms. Forney stated they must have been misplaced and would search throughout the facility to locate the remaining children’s files. Several other children’s files were missing a few pieces of paperwork but were located and placed back into the assigned file during the visit. It is critical that children’s files remain current and easily accessible in case of emergency. I inspected the facilities posted information such as the license, EMC plan, emergency telephone numbers, staff/ratio sheets, allergy lists, etc. and all were observed to be in compliance. Fire drills, EPR drills and outdoor playground inspections were monitored and I did observe that the last documented fire drill was 2-24-25 and the last EPR drill was conducted on 2-26-25. I did observe that shelter-in-place drills are rotated with lockdowns. The last documented outdoor playground inspection was 2-24-25. The most recent sanitation inspection was conducted on 9-11-24 and the last fire inspection was conducted December 2024. The center is approved for transportation and the transportation vehicle was was onsite today and observed to be in compliance. Ms. Forney has purchased a new vehicle for use during transportation of the school age children to and from school. The transportation vehicle is a Ford 350 truck with license plate TW3919. Ms. Forney could not locate proof of liability insurance during my visit today. Please send me a current copy of proof of liability insurance for my ASAP in order to remain approved for transportation. During our visit today, we discussed the status of remediation for the lead paint test which was conducted on 9-24-24 and test results dated 10-2-24 indicated that there was indication of positive test results for lead on two places of the structure. The results of this test was e-mailed to Ms. Forney by Child Care Consultant on 3-7-25. During our visit today, Ms. Forney stated that she had not been made aware of the test results until received from Child Care Consultant on 3-7-25. Ms. Forney stated she has not received any communication from RTI regarding her findings but that she would get working on the required remediation this week. Please remember to keep me updated and to communication what you did to RTI for documentation purposes to assure that the status of your license is not affected. *****Violations: Seven (7) violations of child care requirements regarding children’s files, activity plans, criminal records, staff records and menus were observed today. A corrective action letter stating how each violation was corrected is due to me no later than March 24, 2025 and can be e-mailed or mailed to me at the contact information at the end of this report. Please remember to address each violation individually and indicate your center name and ID number. Violation Number Comment Rule 428 A current activity plan was not posted for each group of children for reference. A current activity plan was not posted in the preschool age classroom. GS 110-91(12); .0508(a) 526 Menus for all meals and snacks were not current or posted where easily seen by parents and cook. A current menu was not posted. 10A NCAC 09 .0901(b) 1034 All staff, including the director, did not have an annual health questionnaire on file following the initial medical statement. One staff member did not have a current annual health questionnaire on file. .0701(a) 1044 Prior to the expiration date of the qualification letter, the child care provider did not complete and submit required forms to complete a criminal background check (a qualification letter is valid for a maximum of five years for the date of issuance). One staff member did not complete the five year recertification of their criminal background check. G.S. 110-90.2(b) & .2703(n)&(o) 1048 All staff did not successfully complete certification in First Aid appropriate to the age of children in care. Verification of staff completion of First Aid training from an approved training organization was not in the staff file. One staff member did not have current first aid certification. .1102(c) 1049 All staff did not successfully complete certification in CPR training appropriate to the age of the children in care. Verification of staff completion of the CPR course from an approved training organization was not in the staff file. One staff member did not have current CPR certification .1102(d) 1327 Accurate records were not maintained for all children. Files could not be located for three children who are enrolled at the center during the visit today. G.S. 110-91(9) Technical Assistance: *Criminal background checks (CBC) are completed to protect the children from abuse and reduce liability risks. The CBC process must be completed before a person can begin work; therefore, a Qualification Letter must be on file prior to employment. Any employee in a licensed childcare facility who is ever left alone with a child or group of children for any length of time must have a background check completed through the Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE). A CBC must be completed every five years. An expiration date is listed on each Qualification Letter. Submissions can be made six months before the expiration date. Operators will need to be proactive and make staffing decisions and arrangements in advance to avoid non-compliance with this and other DCDEE staffing requirements. *Linking Criminal Background Checks – Staff need to log into the Criminal Background Check Portal on the DCDEE website and link to the facility license number. It is important to do this so staff at DCDEE can contact the center if a random criminal history check uncovers a staff member with a criminal charge or conviction working in a child care facility. It is also a way to for staff at the CBC Unit to keep you updated of the status of out-of-state checks if a new employee has a Provisional Qualification. Instructions on how to link to the facility was provided today. In the future, new staff need to link within five days of hire or transfer to your center. Review Criminal History Record Check Requirements for Child Care Centers in the NC Child Care Requirements 10A NCAC 09 .2703. *Nutrition: Parents/guardians need to be informed about food served in the facility to know how to balance it with the food they serve at home. The menu should be dated and posted for easy view by parents. Preparing for meals prior to the beginning of a new week is very important to assure that all ingredients or components served are available. If substitutions must be made, this must be indicated on the menu prior to the meal being served to the children. *Staff files: Record keeping is one of the most time-consuming tasks associated with administering a child care program. It is an important part of licensure. Review staff files often to ensure the program is maintaining accurate licensing records. Organization and completeness of records is important to ensure easy access to information in emergency situations. We discussed making sure that you develop a record keeping system for staff and children’s records that promotes organization and efficiency. As an administrator, it is your responsibility to review all employment documentation and verify that required documents are received within the specified time frame. Using a checklist to check and date receipt of documents will help you track employment documents. A staff file checklist is available on the DCDEE website under the Provider tab and provider documents links. Please refer to the Staff and Training Worksheets to continue to keep all staff members current with their upcoming due dates for CPR/First Aid training, child maltreatment training, and health and safety training requirements. Please feel free to call me with questions. Contact me with questions at: Kim.Wimberly@dhhs.nc.gov PO BOX 609 Knightdale, NC 27545 919-819-9387 http://ncchildcaresearch.dhhs.state.nc.us 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: A KIND GARDEN Facility ID: 92002888 Consultant: KIMBERLY WIMBERLY Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 3/10/2025 Number Present: 6 Completed Date: 3/10/2025 Age: From 1 To 4 Total Minutes: 195 Time In: 09:30 AM Time Out: 12:45 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s unannounced visit was to inspect the facility for compliance with child care requirements during your annual compliance visit. The last annual compliance visit was conducted on 4-1-24. The center-located-in-a-residence currently operates with a 5 STAR rated license. The program is approved for 12 children ages 0-12. My visit was conducted with Alberta Forney, Owner/Administrator. During today’s visit an assessment of Child Care Requirements was conducted, inspecting all space used by children. Michele Remington, Wake County Licensing Supervisor, was also present during the visit today. Ms. Forney stated in conversation during our visit that she lives in a house “down the road.” Ms. Forney additionally clarified that part of the week she lives at the property located at 838 Belmont Drive, Raleigh, NC 27610 and part of the week at a residence located at 1008 Belmont Drive, Raleigh, NC 27610. We discussed that there was inconsistencies with documented addresses throughout the paperwork on file with DCDEE and Ms. Forney stated that her correct mailing address for the center should be 838 Belmont Drive, Raleigh NC 27610. This will be corrected in the system. The current owner of the facility as verified on the NC Secretary of State website on 3-7-25 is listed as A Kind Garden, Inc. and was listed as current-active as verified by consultant. The registered mailing address for the owner is listed as 1008 Belmont Drive, Raleigh NC 27610 and this will be indicated as the owner mailing address. For future reference, please remember to keep DCDEE informed if there are any changes which affect the mailing or physical address of the center so that we may assure accuracy of information. Upon arrival to the program today, the children were observed doing various morning activities and then transitioned to the play outside on the outdoor playground. The children are broken into two groups based on age. Ms. Forney has staff assigned to each group and she assists with the classrooms. The program also has school age children who attend before and after school only. Ms. Forney stated that she does not offer full day care during teacher workdays, track outs or summer months. Daily arrival and departure times are documented in a notebook at the entrance to the center. The license and all required information was observed posted. The most recent revision date of the EPR plan for the program is 2-4-25. Classroom Observations: Staff/child ratios were monitored and observed to be in compliance and space capacity did not exceed that which was allowed. Supervision was observed being maintained. Equipment and furnishings were observed to be safe, sturdy and in good repair. I did not observe a current activity plan posted in the preschool age classroom which cares for children ages two to five years old. The activity plan which was posted in this classroom was dated 3-3-25 through 3-7-25. This was corrected during the visit today. I also observed that a current menu was not posted. This was also corrected during the visit. It was verified that the lunch which was served to the children during the visit matched what was indicated on the menu. For outside time, the children play in a fenced areas. I observed numerous items for the children to play with which promote imaginative and creative play as well as gross motor activities. We did discuss that there is a playground which is not part of the licensed outdoor space but that Ms. Forney uses it for occasional play “outside the fenced area.” In this area we observed two bunnies free roaming and one additional bunny is in a cage in a small building. We also observed two roosters who free roam the play area and additional chickens who are kept in the other side of the building the bunny cages are on. We discussed today that there are large tires which are used for imaginative play but precautions must be taken with them during the hot summer months to assure that they do not become too hot for the children to touch. We also discussed to monitor them for snakes and vermin that may take up residence inside the interior rims of the tires. There were also tomato cages with pointed ends laying on some pieces of lumber which are safety concerns for the children. With the animals free roaming this play area it is still of utmost importance to assure that all safety and sanitation concerns are addressed before the children play on this area outside of their approved play space. The play area must be scanned on a regular basis for any feces that the free roaming animals may leave behind and for the extra precaution of the children, the animals should not be allowed to free roam when the children are playing on the playground. Interactions and activities with the children and the animals should only be conducted during strictly supervised activities. Staff and training worksheets were submitted to me today and all staff files were monitored for compliance. We discussed that staff should complete all of their annual on-going training hours no later than 4-1-25 in order to remain in compliance. Ms. Forney stated that with annual compliance visits changing each year, it has become difficult to assure that staff have completed all the required hours within the annual compliance year timeframe. We discussed that annual compliance visits can come anytime up to 60 days of the previous annual visit as a reminder. As a good rule of thumb, it may be a good idea for staff to not wait until the last minute to complete the required on-going training hours and it may be a good idea to set your on-going hours from January to December of each year so that staff know their expectations. While reviewing staff files, I observed one staff member did not have current CPR and First Aid. The most recent CPR and First Aid for the staff member expired 1-6-25. This same staff member also did not have a current annual health questionnaire on file. One staff member, P. Byrd did not have a current criminal background check qualification letter on file. Ms. Forney stated that the staff member had already submitted the required information to the CBC Unit and is awaiting results. We discussed that in the event that the staff member does not receive their CBC qualification letter by 3-24-25, the staff member will not be allowed back into the facility until one has been obtained. A spot check was conducted on five children’s files and it was observed that three children’s files could not be located during our visit. Ms. Forney stated they must have been misplaced and would search throughout the facility to locate the remaining children’s files. Several other children’s files were missing a few pieces of paperwork but were located and placed back into the assigned file during the visit. It is critical that children’s files remain current and easily accessible in case of emergency. I inspected the facilities posted information such as the license, EMC plan, emergency telephone numbers, staff/ratio sheets, allergy lists, etc. and all were observed to be in compliance. Fire drills, EPR drills and outdoor playground inspections were monitored and I did observe that the last documented fire drill was 2-24-25 and the last EPR drill was conducted on 2-26-25. I did observe that shelter-in-place drills are rotated with lockdowns. The last documented outdoor playground inspection was 2-24-25. The most recent sanitation inspection was conducted on 9-11-24 and the last fire inspection was conducted December 2024. The center is approved for transportation and the transportation vehicle was was onsite today and observed to be in compliance. Ms. Forney has purchased a new vehicle for use during transportation of the school age children to and from school. The transportation vehicle is a Ford 350 truck with license plate TW3919. Ms. Forney could not locate proof of liability insurance during my visit today. Please send me a current copy of proof of liability insurance for my ASAP in order to remain approved for transportation. During our visit today, we discussed the status of remediation for the lead paint test which was conducted on 9-24-24 and test results dated 10-2-24 indicated that there was indication of positive test results for lead on two places of the structure. The results of this test was e-mailed to Ms. Forney by Child Care Consultant on 3-7-25. During our visit today, Ms. Forney stated that she had not been made aware of the test results until received from Child Care Consultant on 3-7-25. Ms. Forney stated she has not received any communication from RTI regarding her findings but that she would get working on the required remediation this week. Please remember to keep me updated and to communication what you did to RTI for documentation purposes to assure that the status of your license is not affected. *****Violations: Seven (7) violations of child care requirements regarding children’s files, activity plans, criminal records, staff records and menus were observed today. A corrective action letter stating how each violation was corrected is due to me no later than March 24, 2025 and can be e-mailed or mailed to me at the contact information at the end of this report. Please remember to address each violation individually and indicate your center name and ID number. Violation Number Comment Rule 428 A current activity plan was not posted for each group of children for reference. A current activity plan was not posted in the preschool age classroom. GS 110-91(12); .0508(a) 526 Menus for all meals and snacks were not current or posted where easily seen by parents and cook. A current menu was not posted. 10A NCAC 09 .0901(b) 1034 All staff, including the director, did not have an annual health questionnaire on file following the initial medical statement. One staff member did not have a current annual health questionnaire on file. .0701(a) 1044 Prior to the expiration date of the qualification letter, the child care provider did not complete and submit required forms to complete a criminal background check (a qualification letter is valid for a maximum of five years for the date of issuance). One staff member did not complete the five year recertification of their criminal background check. G.S. 110-90.2(b) & .2703(n)&(o) 1048 All staff did not successfully complete certification in First Aid appropriate to the age of children in care. Verification of staff completion of First Aid training from an approved training organization was not in the staff file. One staff member did not have current first aid certification. .1102(c) 1049 All staff did not successfully complete certification in CPR training appropriate to the age of the children in care. Verification of staff completion of the CPR course from an approved training organization was not in the staff file. One staff member did not have current CPR certification .1102(d) 1327 Accurate records were not maintained for all children. Files could not be located for three children who are enrolled at the center during the visit today. G.S. 110-91(9) Technical Assistance: *Criminal background checks (CBC) are completed to protect the children from abuse and reduce liability risks. The CBC process must be completed before a person can begin work; therefore, a Qualification Letter must be on file prior to employment. Any employee in a licensed childcare facility who is ever left alone with a child or group of children for any length of time must have a background check completed through the Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE). A CBC must be completed every five years. An expiration date is listed on each Qualification Letter. Submissions can be made six months before the expiration date. Operators will need to be proactive and make staffing decisions and arrangements in advance to avoid non-compliance with this and other DCDEE staffing requirements. *Linking Criminal Background Checks – Staff need to log into the Criminal Background Check Portal on the DCDEE website and link to the facility license number. It is important to do this so staff at DCDEE can contact the center if a random criminal history check uncovers a staff member with a criminal charge or conviction working in a child care facility. It is also a way to for staff at the CBC Unit to keep you updated of the status of out-of-state checks if a new employee has a Provisional Qualification. Instructions on how to link to the facility was provided today. In the future, new staff need to link within five days of hire or transfer to your center. Review Criminal History Record Check Requirements for Child Care Centers in the NC Child Care Requirements 10A NCAC 09 .2703. *Nutrition: Parents/guardians need to be informed about food served in the facility to know how to balance it with the food they serve at home. The menu should be dated and posted for easy view by parents. Preparing for meals prior to the beginning of a new week is very important to assure that all ingredients or components served are available. If substitutions must be made, this must be indicated on the menu prior to the meal being served to the children. *Staff files: Record keeping is one of the most time-consuming tasks associated with administering a child care program. It is an important part of licensure. Review staff files often to ensure the program is maintaining accurate licensing records. Organization and completeness of records is important to ensure easy access to information in emergency situations. We discussed making sure that you develop a record keeping system for staff and children’s records that promotes organization and efficiency. As an administrator, it is your responsibility to review all employment documentation and verify that required documents are received within the specified time frame. Using a checklist to check and date receipt of documents will help you track employment documents. A staff file checklist is available on the DCDEE website under the Provider tab and provider documents links. Please refer to the Staff and Training Worksheets to continue to keep all staff members current with their upcoming due dates for CPR/First Aid training, child maltreatment training, and health and safety training requirements. Please feel free to call me with questions. Contact me with questions at: Kim.Wimberly@dhhs.nc.gov PO BOX 609 Knightdale, NC 27545 919-819-9387 http://ncchildcaresearch.dhhs.state.nc.us 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: A KIND GARDEN Facility ID: 92002888 Consultant: KIMBERLY WIMBERLY Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 3/10/2025 Number Present: 6 Completed Date: 3/10/2025 Age: From 1 To 4 Total Minutes: 195 Time In: 09:30 AM Time Out: 12:45 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s unannounced visit was to inspect the facility for compliance with child care requirements during your annual compliance visit. The last annual compliance visit was conducted on 4-1-24. The center-located-in-a-residence currently operates with a 5 STAR rated license. The program is approved for 12 children ages 0-12. My visit was conducted with Alberta Forney, Owner/Administrator. During today’s visit an assessment of Child Care Requirements was conducted, inspecting all space used by children. Michele Remington, Wake County Licensing Supervisor, was also present during the visit today. Ms. Forney stated in conversation during our visit that she lives in a house “down the road.” Ms. Forney additionally clarified that part of the week she lives at the property located at 838 Belmont Drive, Raleigh, NC 27610 and part of the week at a residence located at 1008 Belmont Drive, Raleigh, NC 27610. We discussed that there was inconsistencies with documented addresses throughout the paperwork on file with DCDEE and Ms. Forney stated that her correct mailing address for the center should be 838 Belmont Drive, Raleigh NC 27610. This will be corrected in the system. The current owner of the facility as verified on the NC Secretary of State website on 3-7-25 is listed as A Kind Garden, Inc. and was listed as current-active as verified by consultant. The registered mailing address for the owner is listed as 1008 Belmont Drive, Raleigh NC 27610 and this will be indicated as the owner mailing address. For future reference, please remember to keep DCDEE informed if there are any changes which affect the mailing or physical address of the center so that we may assure accuracy of information. Upon arrival to the program today, the children were observed doing various morning activities and then transitioned to the play outside on the outdoor playground. The children are broken into two groups based on age. Ms. Forney has staff assigned to each group and she assists with the classrooms. The program also has school age children who attend before and after school only. Ms. Forney stated that she does not offer full day care during teacher workdays, track outs or summer months. Daily arrival and departure times are documented in a notebook at the entrance to the center. The license and all required information was observed posted. The most recent revision date of the EPR plan for the program is 2-4-25. Classroom Observations: Staff/child ratios were monitored and observed to be in compliance and space capacity did not exceed that which was allowed. Supervision was observed being maintained. Equipment and furnishings were observed to be safe, sturdy and in good repair. I did not observe a current activity plan posted in the preschool age classroom which cares for children ages two to five years old. The activity plan which was posted in this classroom was dated 3-3-25 through 3-7-25. This was corrected during the visit today. I also observed that a current menu was not posted. This was also corrected during the visit. It was verified that the lunch which was served to the children during the visit matched what was indicated on the menu. For outside time, the children play in a fenced areas. I observed numerous items for the children to play with which promote imaginative and creative play as well as gross motor activities. We did discuss that there is a playground which is not part of the licensed outdoor space but that Ms. Forney uses it for occasional play “outside the fenced area.” In this area we observed two bunnies free roaming and one additional bunny is in a cage in a small building. We also observed two roosters who free roam the play area and additional chickens who are kept in the other side of the building the bunny cages are on. We discussed today that there are large tires which are used for imaginative play but precautions must be taken with them during the hot summer months to assure that they do not become too hot for the children to touch. We also discussed to monitor them for snakes and vermin that may take up residence inside the interior rims of the tires. There were also tomato cages with pointed ends laying on some pieces of lumber which are safety concerns for the children. With the animals free roaming this play area it is still of utmost importance to assure that all safety and sanitation concerns are addressed before the children play on this area outside of their approved play space. The play area must be scanned on a regular basis for any feces that the free roaming animals may leave behind and for the extra precaution of the children, the animals should not be allowed to free roam when the children are playing on the playground. Interactions and activities with the children and the animals should only be conducted during strictly supervised activities. Staff and training worksheets were submitted to me today and all staff files were monitored for compliance. We discussed that staff should complete all of their annual on-going training hours no later than 4-1-25 in order to remain in compliance. Ms. Forney stated that with annual compliance visits changing each year, it has become difficult to assure that staff have completed all the required hours within the annual compliance year timeframe. We discussed that annual compliance visits can come anytime up to 60 days of the previous annual visit as a reminder. As a good rule of thumb, it may be a good idea for staff to not wait until the last minute to complete the required on-going training hours and it may be a good idea to set your on-going hours from January to December of each year so that staff know their expectations. While reviewing staff files, I observed one staff member did not have current CPR and First Aid. The most recent CPR and First Aid for the staff member expired 1-6-25. This same staff member also did not have a current annual health questionnaire on file. One staff member, P. Byrd did not have a current criminal background check qualification letter on file. Ms. Forney stated that the staff member had already submitted the required information to the CBC Unit and is awaiting results. We discussed that in the event that the staff member does not receive their CBC qualification letter by 3-24-25, the staff member will not be allowed back into the facility until one has been obtained. A spot check was conducted on five children’s files and it was observed that three children’s files could not be located during our visit. Ms. Forney stated they must have been misplaced and would search throughout the facility to locate the remaining children’s files. Several other children’s files were missing a few pieces of paperwork but were located and placed back into the assigned file during the visit. It is critical that children’s files remain current and easily accessible in case of emergency. I inspected the facilities posted information such as the license, EMC plan, emergency telephone numbers, staff/ratio sheets, allergy lists, etc. and all were observed to be in compliance. Fire drills, EPR drills and outdoor playground inspections were monitored and I did observe that the last documented fire drill was 2-24-25 and the last EPR drill was conducted on 2-26-25. I did observe that shelter-in-place drills are rotated with lockdowns. The last documented outdoor playground inspection was 2-24-25. The most recent sanitation inspection was conducted on 9-11-24 and the last fire inspection was conducted December 2024. The center is approved for transportation and the transportation vehicle was was onsite today and observed to be in compliance. Ms. Forney has purchased a new vehicle for use during transportation of the school age children to and from school. The transportation vehicle is a Ford 350 truck with license plate TW3919. Ms. Forney could not locate proof of liability insurance during my visit today. Please send me a current copy of proof of liability insurance for my ASAP in order to remain approved for transportation. During our visit today, we discussed the status of remediation for the lead paint test which was conducted on 9-24-24 and test results dated 10-2-24 indicated that there was indication of positive test results for lead on two places of the structure. The results of this test was e-mailed to Ms. Forney by Child Care Consultant on 3-7-25. During our visit today, Ms. Forney stated that she had not been made aware of the test results until received from Child Care Consultant on 3-7-25. Ms. Forney stated she has not received any communication from RTI regarding her findings but that she would get working on the required remediation this week. Please remember to keep me updated and to communication what you did to RTI for documentation purposes to assure that the status of your license is not affected. *****Violations: Seven (7) violations of child care requirements regarding children’s files, activity plans, criminal records, staff records and menus were observed today. A corrective action letter stating how each violation was corrected is due to me no later than March 24, 2025 and can be e-mailed or mailed to me at the contact information at the end of this report. Please remember to address each violation individually and indicate your center name and ID number. Violation Number Comment Rule 428 A current activity plan was not posted for each group of children for reference. A current activity plan was not posted in the preschool age classroom. GS 110-91(12); .0508(a) 526 Menus for all meals and snacks were not current or posted where easily seen by parents and cook. A current menu was not posted. 10A NCAC 09 .0901(b) 1034 All staff, including the director, did not have an annual health questionnaire on file following the initial medical statement. One staff member did not have a current annual health questionnaire on file. .0701(a) 1044 Prior to the expiration date of the qualification letter, the child care provider did not complete and submit required forms to complete a criminal background check (a qualification letter is valid for a maximum of five years for the date of issuance). One staff member did not complete the five year recertification of their criminal background check. G.S. 110-90.2(b) & .2703(n)&(o) 1048 All staff did not successfully complete certification in First Aid appropriate to the age of children in care. Verification of staff completion of First Aid training from an approved training organization was not in the staff file. One staff member did not have current first aid certification. .1102(c) 1049 All staff did not successfully complete certification in CPR training appropriate to the age of the children in care. Verification of staff completion of the CPR course from an approved training organization was not in the staff file. One staff member did not have current CPR certification .1102(d) 1327 Accurate records were not maintained for all children. Files could not be located for three children who are enrolled at the center during the visit today. G.S. 110-91(9) Technical Assistance: *Criminal background checks (CBC) are completed to protect the children from abuse and reduce liability risks. The CBC process must be completed before a person can begin work; therefore, a Qualification Letter must be on file prior to employment. Any employee in a licensed childcare facility who is ever left alone with a child or group of children for any length of time must have a background check completed through the Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE). A CBC must be completed every five years. An expiration date is listed on each Qualification Letter. Submissions can be made six months before the expiration date. Operators will need to be proactive and make staffing decisions and arrangements in advance to avoid non-compliance with this and other DCDEE staffing requirements. *Linking Criminal Background Checks – Staff need to log into the Criminal Background Check Portal on the DCDEE website and link to the facility license number. It is important to do this so staff at DCDEE can contact the center if a random criminal history check uncovers a staff member with a criminal charge or conviction working in a child care facility. It is also a way to for staff at the CBC Unit to keep you updated of the status of out-of-state checks if a new employee has a Provisional Qualification. Instructions on how to link to the facility was provided today. In the future, new staff need to link within five days of hire or transfer to your center. Review Criminal History Record Check Requirements for Child Care Centers in the NC Child Care Requirements 10A NCAC 09 .2703. *Nutrition: Parents/guardians need to be informed about food served in the facility to know how to balance it with the food they serve at home. The menu should be dated and posted for easy view by parents. Preparing for meals prior to the beginning of a new week is very important to assure that all ingredients or components served are available. If substitutions must be made, this must be indicated on the menu prior to the meal being served to the children. *Staff files: Record keeping is one of the most time-consuming tasks associated with administering a child care program. It is an important part of licensure. Review staff files often to ensure the program is maintaining accurate licensing records. Organization and completeness of records is important to ensure easy access to information in emergency situations. We discussed making sure that you develop a record keeping system for staff and children’s records that promotes organization and efficiency. As an administrator, it is your responsibility to review all employment documentation and verify that required documents are received within the specified time frame. Using a checklist to check and date receipt of documents will help you track employment documents. A staff file checklist is available on the DCDEE website under the Provider tab and provider documents links. Please refer to the Staff and Training Worksheets to continue to keep all staff members current with their upcoming due dates for CPR/First Aid training, child maltreatment training, and health and safety training requirements. Please feel free to call me with questions. Contact me with questions at: Kim.Wimberly@dhhs.nc.gov PO BOX 609 Knightdale, NC 27545 919-819-9387 http://ncchildcaresearch.dhhs.state.nc.us 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 .1003 · Violation

Name of Operation: A KIND GARDEN Facility ID: 92002888 Consultant: KIMBERLY GIROUARD Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 4/1/2024 Number Present: 7 Completed Date: 4/1/2024 Age: From 1 To 5 Total Minutes: 140 Time In: 11:00 AM Time Out: 01:20 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor compliance during your Annual Compliance Visit. This is a Center In A Residence that currently operates with a 5 Star License, issued on December 1, 2017. The program is licensed to care for 12 children on first and second shift between the ages of 0-12 years. Upon arrival, I was greeted by the director, Ms. Alberta Forney. Ms. Forney accompanied me throughout my walk-through of the program today. At the time of my visit there were a total of eight (8) children present between the ages of 1-5 years old. The children were observed engaged playing outside, eating lunch outside and going down for nap. During my walk-through of the facility today, I observed the staff engaged in the children’s activities and providing appropriate supervision. INSPECTIONS I reviewed all required inspections including fire drills, emergency drills, sanitation, fire, and outdoor inspections. All inspections were found to be in compliance today. TRANSPORTATION This facility provides transportation. I monitored the one SUV used for transporting school age children to and from school. MONITORING During today’s visit, a full assessment was conducted, monitoring all indoor and outdoor space occupied by the children. Staff files were monitored today. A selection of children’s files was monitored. All spaces were monitored for supervision, staff/child ratios, materials, equipment and required postings. A checklist was used to note the requirements that were monitored today. The completed annual compliance checklist was given to the director at the conclusion of the visit. The following violation was cited during today’s visit. Violation Number Comment Rule 1124 Emergency and identifying information, including the child's name, photograph, emergency contact information and/or a copy of the emergency medical care information form was not in the vehicle for each child being transported. Six (6) of the nineteen (19) school age children enrolled did not have the required photograph. 10A NCAC 09 .1003(d) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE – 1) The director, Ms. Forney, and I discussed the importance of reaching out to her fire inspector and sanitation inspector at least 4-6 weeks before her annual fire inspection and annual sanitation inspection expire. I also reminded Ms. Forney she is responsible for emailing me her facility inspection reports within 7 days of the inspection being completed. This is required whether there are corrections to be made or not. I suggested Ms. Forney review the Sanitation Rules on an annual basis with her staff. 2) The Clean Classrooms for Carolina Kids program helps fulfill North Carolina requirements (NC 10A NCAC 41C.1001-1007, NC 154A NCAC 18A.2816) for public schools and child care facilities related to lead in water, lead-based paint, and asbestos. The goal is to identify and eliminate exposure to lead and asbestos hazards where North Carolina children learn and play. Centers are now required to complete these tests every 3 years. The following schedule is to be followed. -Lead water test deadline is July 1, 2024 (test results required by 7/1/24). I suggested the director order the water test 3-4 months before the facility water test expiration date. Expired water tests can result in a Provisional Sanitation Inspection. -Lead Paint and Asbestos testing deadline is May 1, 2024. Centers need to be able to show that they have ENROLLED for these two tests by May 1, 2024. Note, the test does NOT have to be completed by May 1, 2024. - Please register as soon as possible for the required pre-enrollment webinar https://rtiorg.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_vmlhG6iRS26BdkV8SZSaDw#/ to participate in the Clean Classrooms for Carolina Kids Program. -Ms. Forney stated she has received the water test kit but has not conducted the test as of yet. 3) I suggested Ms. Forney decide on a time of year that works best for her program to update ALL children’s files and place reminders on her work calendar to confirm all files are updated and confirmed “complete” to avoid future violations associated with Children’s Files. I also recommended Ms. Foreny print the Child File Check List that is located on the DCDEE website under the Provider tab and use this document annually to confirm all required documents are in each child’s file. CONSULTATION/ RATED LICENSE – RATED LICENSE Reminders/Suggestions/To Do List A Kind Garden is in Cohort 1. The director, Ms. Forney, requested a PREP assessment with NCRLAP and her window is from June 3, 2024 – June 28, 2024. I recommended Ms. Forney, consider completing the following tasks and activities that will help prepare her program staff for their upcoming PREP assessment. *All staff should update their WORKS (DCDEE-WORKS) accounts to reflect all currently completed coursework. I will begin to review your staff’s education, which is in WORKS 8-10 weeks prior to your assessment. I reminded Ms. Forney that she will only be able to use the education that is documented in the WORKS system for each staff member. If the program does well on their PREP assessment BUT they still need to work on increasing their points for the Education component, we can evaluate their education during their Reassessment year which is from July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025. *Request technical assistance with your childcare consultant and local partners (Wake County Smart Start - https://www.wakesmartstart.org and NCRLAP - www.NCRLAP.org) and visit the following website https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Licensing/Star-Rated-License/Resuming-Star-Rated-License for additional resources and important timelines. COMPLIANCE HISTORY According to NC General Statute all Child Care programs must 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. Any violations documented during visits to your program may have an impact on the total compliance history score and cause your score to drop below the mandated level. **Prior to today’s visit, the compliance history score for the center was 100%. Please submit a corrective action letter for the above violation(s). While the Division allows you time to explain how you have corrected violations when they are documented, it is expected that you correct all violations immediately. Your corrective action letter must include the following: Name of your program, Id number of your program, Date of Letter, Violation(s) number(s), and How and When each violation was corrected. Your letter is due no later than April 15, 2024, and should be emailed to Kimberly Girouard at Kimberly.Girouard@dhhs.nc.gov. CONTACT INFORMATION Should you have any questions, please contact me by phone at 919-602-2582 or email at Kimberly.Girouard@dhhs.nc.gov. You can also contact my supervisor Michele Remington at by email at Michele.Remington@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