Always Ready Little People's Day Care

G.S. 110-90 · Violation

Name of Operation: ALWAYS READY LITTLE PEOPLE'S DAY CARE Facility ID: 80000418 Consultant: CAROLYN CONLEY Operation Type: Family CC Home Case Number: Visit Date: 1/16/2026 Number Present: 3 Completed Date: 1/16/2026 Age: From 1 To 3 Total Minutes: 330 Time In: 10:45 AM Time Out: 04:15 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Family CC Home Type Of Visit: Temp Time Period Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today's visit was to monitor your program for compliance with all applicable childcare requirements during the first temporary period visit (TTP). Upon arrival, I was greeted by Ms. Naketa Rivers who was caring for three children upon my arrival. She stated that you, Ms. Tabitha Quick, Operator, was at the library and would be returning shortly. When you arrived at the home you stated that you were at the bank. I requested to see your Written Plan of Care, and you stated that you do not have one in place. Please see the Technical Assistance Section of this visit summary. I received an email from you on November 18, 2025, stating that you would not be caring for children until February 25, 2026. We spoke on the phone and discussed that I am required to conduct at least two unannounced visits during the temporary time period and will need to monitor applicable requirements, including but not limited to fire drill logs and outdoor inspection reports. I attempted to conduct the first TTP visit on December 3, 2025, and I left my business card and requested that you contact me to give me your schedule. That afternoon you left a voice mail message to inform me that you have one child enrolled that arrives at 3:00 PM. You also stated that you are working during the day until you are able to get more children enrolled. On December 15, 2025, I emailed you a reminder about the Rated License/Pathways Process that was discussed during the prelicensing phase and the importance of completing the required documents in a timely manner if you were interested in applying for a 2–5star license. I had attached the documents to the email for your review. I gave you the documents and we reviewed them during today’s visit. I also stated in the email that I monitored the Workforce Online Reporting and Knowledge System (WORKS) and there is no record that you have an account. The email included what needed to be done and the link to start the process. This will determine what your star rating is in education standards. You replied to the email and stated that you were going to have your mentor help you. During today’s visit you stated that you have received a grant and have been working with Kelly Shaw, Statewide Family Child Care Business Anchor with South Western Child Development Commission (SWDC) and Casandra Drakeford, your SWDC Mentor. Prior to today’s visit I monitored WORKS and there is no record that you have an account. I reminded you that it is very important that you complete this task because that is used to determine you star rating in education standards. You will need to create an account, request to be evaluated as a family child care home provider and submit your high school diploma/transcripts and official college transcripts for evaluation: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Services/DCDEE-WORKS. Your Temporary License was issued on September 26, 2025, and will end on March 26, 2026. We reviewed the facility input form to ensure that there were no changes to your facility information, and you stated that your phone number has changed to 704-798-9554. I will make sure to get that updated in our Regulatory System. We reviewed the facility permit to ensure that there were no changes to your facility’s operation. The facility is owned/operated by you, Tabitha Quick. As the owner/operator, you are required by Child Care Rule .0102 (19) to reside in the home where the license is issued and according to General Statute 110-91(8) to be the full-time caregiver to the children enrolled at the family child care home. You stated you live in the home and that you, full time caregiver and Ms. Rivers are the persons working to care for the children enrolled at your family child care home. We discussed that you cannot work at a different job during operating hours when children are present. You stated that now that you have children enrolled you only work an additional job when the children are not present. We reviewed the restrictions on your family child care home license as well as the capacity, shifts of care, and the age range of the children served at your facility. You stated that you did not have any questions regarding the information reviewed with you regarding your license. You stated that you have not completed an outdoor inspection. There was documentation that you have conducted fire drills, but it was not on the DCDEE form and did not include how long the evacuation took. This was discussed during our phone conversation on December 3, 2025, that you would need to complete the outdoor inspections and drills monthly regardless if children are enrolled now that you are a licensed family child care home (FCCH). The children were observed during arrival procedures, hand washing routines, free choice activities indoors and outdoors, lunch, nap time and afternoon snack. There were three children present and three children enrolled and their files were monitored during today’s visit. You stated that the families receive the Summary of Law in their enrollment packet. I monitored Ms. Naketa (Brooker) Rivers Criminal Background (CBC) Qualification Letter, and it expired on September 17, 2025. We discussed that she will need to leave the premises immediately and cannot return until she gives you a copy of a qualification CBC letter. I emailed Ms. Rivers the link to the Criminal Background Information tab. RATED LICENSE/QRIS-PATHWAYS PROCESS: During today’s visit we reviewed the following documents and hard copies were given to you: -Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) for Family Child Care Homes (FCCH)(Rule .3221) -Education Standards for FCCH Operators (Rule .3217) -Family & Community Engagement Standards for FCCH (Rule .3220) -Pathway 2 Classroom & Instructional Star Rating Overview. Please submit to me electronically the rated license application and required documents by the end of the business day on February 12, 2026, if you decide to apply for the 2-4 star license. You were reminded of the following: -A compliance history score of seventy five percent or above must be maintained to receive a rated license. -For continued eligibility in the subsidized child care program, you must achieve a three-star or higher rated license at the end of the temporary license period. The following violations were cited during today's visit. Violation Number Comment Rule 538 The written schedule did not reflect daily opportunities for both free choice and guided activities. The Written schedule was not posted upon arrival. .1718(a )(7)(C ) 708 Indoor stairs with more than two steps were not made inaccessible to children two years of age or younger. The stairs leading to the 2nd floor were accessible because there was no gate making them inaccessible. 10 A NCAC 09 .1719(a)(29) 714 Monthly check for hazards on the outdoor play area was not completed using a form supplied by the Division. You stated that have not completed/documented monthly checks for the outdoor play area. 10A NCAC .1721(e)(5)(A-F) 905 Record of monthly fire drills, giving the date, time of day and length of time to evacuate, and operator's signature, were not available. The length of time to evacuate was not documented. .1721 (e )(2) 912 Written feeding schedule was not on file for each child under 15 months of age and/or was not updated regularly to reflect changes in the child's needs. There was one child under 15 months of age that had page one of the feeding schedule was missing. .1706(i) 921 Operator did not maintain accurate daily attendance records including documentation of arrival and departure for all children in care, including the operator's own preschool children. One child present today was not signed in when he arrived. .1721(e)(6) 930 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 from the date of issuance). N. Rivers began employment on 1/12/26 and her qualification letter expired on 9/17/25. G.S. 110-90.2 & .2703(n) & (o) 1713 The written plan of care did not specify times for completing routine tasks and did not include those times on the written schedule. During today's visit you had left the program to run to the bank. You did not have a Written Plan of Care in place to inform families of such tasks. .1712(e)(1) 1821 Caregivers did not document compliance with visually checking on sleeping infants aged 12 months or younger and/or the documents were not maintained for a minimum of 30 days. The infant aged child began enrollment on 12/22/25 and there was no documentation showing that the child was visually checked every 15 minutes. .1724(a)(8)&(f) 1922 Plastic bags, toys, and toy parts small enough to be swallowed, including but not limited to materials that can be easily torn apart such as foam rubber and styrofoam, were accessible to children under the age of three. There were plastic shopping bags stored in bottom oven drawer, corner kitchen cabinet and diaper changing cabinet that were not locked or at least five feet from the floor. .1719(a)(18) 1940 Hazardous cleaning supplies and other items that might be poisonous e.g. toxic plants, were not out of reach or in locked storage when children were in care. The closet used to store cots was unlocked and had dryer sheets and toothpaste that were not at least five feet from the floor. The closet close to bathroom was not locked and had the following stored in there: Clorox Wipes, bleach, clothes detergent, lighter fluid, and multipurpose cleaners. There was a kitchen drawer that was not locked at had batteries and White Out stored in there. There was disinfectant spray located on the kitchen counter near the sink that was not at least five feet from the floor. There was hand sanitizer and White Out located on the desk that was not at least five feet from the floor. The cabinet under the kitchen sink was not locked and there was dish detergent and Downy Unstoppables stored in there. .1719(a)(6) 1945 Items that are prohibited to be an infants sleep space, eg. pillows, wedges, blankets, toys, bumper pads, quilts, loose bedding, towels, and wash cloths were present in the crib with a sleeping infant. Upon arrival there was an infant aged child sleeping in the crib that had a rattle and a blanket inside the crib. .1724(a )(3) 2032 The signed statement regarding receipt of the shaken baby syndrome and abusive head trauma policy did not contain the required information. Two children files did not have the signature of the parent/legal guardian, date document was received, child's name and date of enrollment. .1726(b)(1-6) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: -Please make sure to monitor your home prior to the children arriving to ensure that you have a safe environment. This includes but limited to sanitizers, sanitizer spray, disinfectant spray and plastic bags are at least five feet from the floor or in locked storage. This includes but not limited to lighter fluid, bleach, cleaners, White Out and batteries. This includes ensuring that the stairs are inaccessible. -We discussed that if you are going to do a routine task going to the bank on Friday mornings or to the grocery store on Mondays then you will need to complete the Written Plan of Care we discussed, and I emailed the document to you during today’s visit. This will need to be reviewed and signed by all families and placed in each child’s file. You completed the form for each family during today’s visit, and we discussed that you will need to review with the families prior to them signing the document. -We discussed the Infant Feeding Schedule and reviewed the document that is required to be completed by each child under 15 months of age. I also emailed the document to you today. You will want to keep this document in the kitchen where meals are prepared. Families will need to update this document as eating habits change. -Please review your Infant Sleep Policy and make sure that you are following it. This includes but not limited to no items including blankets should be in the crib with the exception of a pacifier and documentation needs to be kept showing the the infant age children are visually checked while sleeping. I emailed you a sample Safe Sleep Log during today’s visit. -We discussed that even if children are not enrolled you are required to conduct an outdoor play environment inspection and document it on the DCDEE form. It may be helpful to place monthly reminders on your calendar. I emailed you a copy of the form during today’s visit. -We discussed you will want to use the DCDEE Emergency Drill Form located on the DCDEE website to ensure that you are documenting all the required information. I emailed you a copy of the form during today’s visit. -We discussed that if families fail to sign their children in when they arrive that you will need to sign them in as soon as they arrive. -We discussed that the daily schedule needs to be posted and accurate as well as the activity plan. You will also want to include any routine tasks that you have listed on the Written Plan of Care. -It is important to monitor Criminal Background Qualification letter to ensure that the are current. You cannot hire anyone unless you have a copy of their current qualifying letter. -We discussed when the Shaken Baby Policy is reviewed with the families, you will need to make sure the families complete all the required information. CONSULTATION: -The NC Summary of Child Care Law brochure and poster were both updated in November 2025 and are available on the DCDEE website at https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Provider-Documents-and-Forms. I emailed you a copy today. Please begin using the current version of the NC Summary of Child Care Law brochure in your enrollment packet. COMPLIANCE PLAN: Please be aware any information submitted by you is considered legal documentation. If it is determined the information provided in the letter is not true, this may be considered falsification of information. If sufficient information is not received by the due date of January 30, 2026, a follow-up visit may be completed. While the Division allows you time to explain how you have corrected violations when violations are cited, it is expected you correct all violations immediately. When you are asked to send a compliance letter to me, it is expected and required that your compliance letter be sent to me no later than the date indicated in this documentation. Your letter must include the following: -Name of your program -ID number of your program -Date of Letter -Violation number -Explain how you corrected the violation (send supporting documentation to show compliance) -Describe your plan to make sure you will not have that same violation in the future -Name or signature of the person who wrote the letter. (If emailing the letter, your email address will be considered your digital signature.) Here are some important links on the DCEEE website that may be helpful: -Child Care Rules and Laws: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Services/Licensing/Getting-a-License -DCDEE Documents and Forms: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Provider-Documents-and-Forms -Training and Professional Development: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Training-and-Professional-Development -Required Health and Safety Training: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Training-and-Professional-Development/Health-and-Safety-Trainings -Care for Children Receiving Subsidy: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Provider/Providing-Child-Care/Subsidized-Child-Care/Care-for-Children-Receiving-Subsidy -DCDEE Updates and Current Projects: https://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/Whats-New At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was reviewed with you and a copy was given to you. We appreciate all you are doing to serve the children and families of NC. If you have any questions, please contact me at: 704-594-0149 or carolyn.conley@dhhs.nc.gov. or my supervisor, Erin Pickard, at erin.pickard@dhhs.nc.gov. Carolyn Conley Lead Child Care Consultant Regulatory Services Section/DHHS Division of Child Development and Early Education Post Office Box 835 Kannapolis 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