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Home › NC › Shallotte › Kindred Kids Academy
720 Whiteville Road, Shallotte NC 28470 · License #10000317 · Center · Child Care Center
Not published by the state. Owners can add hours via profile claim.
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10A NCAC 09 .1005 · Violation
Name of Operation: Kindred Kids Academy Facility ID: 10000317 Consultant: NATALIE M. POND Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 5/5/2026 Number Present: 92 Completed Date: 5/5/2026 Age: From 0 To 5 Total Minutes: 240 Time In: 09:00 AM Time Out: 01:00 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 your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for an annual compliance visit. Your program currently operates with a Five Star Center License issued December 3, 2025. Restrictions on the license include a first shift capacity of one hundred twenty-eight children ages 0 through 12, meets enhanced ratios, and meets enhanced space. Restrictions were in compliance today. This is the first annual compliance visit after the temporary license was issued on June 2, 2025. The sanitation inspection was completed on July 17, 2025 with a “Superior” classification. The fire inspection was completed on September 16, 2025 and your facility was approved for daytime care only, up to 9pm. The Secretary of State website was reviewed and Kindred Kids Academy, Inc. was listed as current-active. The center's compliance history was reviewed with the operator. Prior to the visit the program’s eighteen month compliance history was ninety percent (90%). Nichole McDowell, owner/operator, and Kaylee McDowell, administrator, were present for the visit and accompanied me during classroom observations. There were one hundred eight children enrolled and ninety two children present. All licensed spaces were observed today. Age-appropriate materials were accessible to all children and spaces were arranged into activity areas. Infants in group 1 received care according to individual needs; while some were napping or preparing to be fed, others were playing on the floor with a teacher. Individual feeding schedules and safe sleep checks were being maintained. Toddlers in group 2 were reading with the teacher while others played with fine motor toys and a sensory ball pit. Toddlers in group 7 were observed indoors having a dance party and participating in a hand painting activity as well as free play with dolls and stacking bowls. Young preschoolers in group 6 were observed outside with rocking and riding toys, sand play, and ball play. Preschoolers in groups 4 and 5 were observed outside using trikes and playing in an outdoor kitchen. Preschoolers in group 8 were singing songs during group time and transitioning to outdoor play. Group 9 is the NC Pre-K classroom; these students were engaged in free play throughout the room with a variety of activities including number card matching, play doh, coloring, dinosaur play, and dress up. Supervision and staff-child ratios were observed and found to be in compliance. Lunch consisted of turkey and cheese sandwiches, mixed vegetables, applesauce, and milk. A percentage of children’s files were reviewed. New staff have not been hired since the last visit. A percentage of veteran staff’s files were reviewed. The program was also monitored for compliance with implementing an approved curriculum as required for all four- and five-star licensed facilities where four-year-old children are enrolled; this program uses the Creative Curriculum. NC Pre-K monitoring: The NC Pre-K requirements in Section .3000 of the Child Care Rules were monitored for compliance today. Staff-child ratios and maximum group sizes were verified in compliance. Children attend the program from (8:15am-2:45pm), meeting the instructional day requirement of 6.5 hours. This NC Pre-K program uses Creative Curriculum, Dial 4 Screening, and TS Gold for their ongoing assessments. Developmental Screenings and On-going Assessments were completed and Health Assessments were on file. NC Pre-K staff information was verified in the NC Pre-K Plan. A Site Monitoring visit has been conducted by Smart Start of Brunswick County, the contracting agency, during a site visit on December 9, 2025. It was noted that all requirements were in compliance. Families receive weekly newsletters and receive regular communication through the Dojo app. Family events occur throughout year, including an upcoming Muffins for Moms. On January 26, 2026, a Rated License Request was completed for the NC Pre-K classroom. An ECERS-3 assessment was completed on March 9, 2026, with a score of 5.0. The facility summary report was reviewed at an ERS visit on March 24, 2026. The following violation(s) were documented. Violation Number Comment Rule 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. Certification for staff member S.G. expired January 2026. .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. Certification for staff member S.G. expired January 2026. .1102(d) 1867 The depth of the loose surfacing was not based on critical height of the equipment. The surfacing under the swings on the playground used by preschool children was mostly dirt with some mulch mixed in. .0605(k)(1-4) Child Care programs are expected to achieve and maintain compliance at all times and are required by NC GS 110-90(4) (d) to achieve and maintain an eighteen (18)-month compliance history score of at least seventy-five (75) percent. Any violation(s) documented may impact the compliance history score. The violation(s) documented must be corrected immediately. On or before May 19, 2026, I must receive a written, dated, and signed compliance letter that describes accurately and in detail how and when the violations were corrected. Please be aware any information submitted by you is legal documentation. If it is determined the information provided in the letter is not true, this may be considered falsification of information. Please note, if the compliance letter is not received by the agreed-upon date, a follow-up visit may be made to verify compliance. Mail or email the information to: Natalie Pond, Child Care Consultant P.O. Box 4 Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480 Natalie.m.pond@dhhs.nc.gov If you email the compliance letter, it must be sent from the email address registered with the DCDEE. Your letter should either be typed within the body of the email so your facility email address is visible when your letter is printed (this serves as your signature), or your letter with signature may be scanned and attached to the email. The following information must be included: name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. An example is: Jane Doe, Administrator AAA Child Care ID # 12345678 Technical Assistance: A violation was cited for surfacing under the swings on the preschool playground. You stated you have recently raked and leveled the area; however, the surfacing is mostly dirt with a little bit of mulch mixed in and not the appropriate six inches of mulch. We discussed adding more mulch to the area to ensure the correct depth. CPR and First Aid training shall be renewed on or before the expiration of the certification for all staff in direct care of children. Certification shall be kept in the staff member’s file. We discussed tracking tools such as an Outlook calendar to ensure that trainings are obtained in a timely manner and do not expire before new certification is obtained. Health & Safety Training – All staff members must complete Health and Safety training as outlined in Child Care Rule 10A NCAC 09 .1102, within one year of employment. New staff are in the process of completing these training courses. Remember, the Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment training must be taken at www. positivechildhoodalliancenc.org, within the first 90 days of employment. All health and safety trainings are required to then be renewed every 5 years. Completing, refreshing, and updating the required Health and Safety Training increases your awareness and knowledge regarding child development and safety. Ensure this information is completed, recorded on the required Health and Safety training record, and on file for review with the applicable certificates. As stated in rule 10A NCAC 09 .1103, after the first year of employment, the child care administrator and any staff who have responsibility for planning and supervising a child care center, and staff who work with children, shall participate in on-going training activities annually. Your facility is now heading into the second year. Use the on-going training record found on the Provider Documents page of the DCDEE website to keep files up to date and organized. Refer to the chart found in the rule number above for the required number of hours per staff. As a reminder, the chart shows the minimum requirements before the additional 5 on-going hours for the administrator and lead teachers, if that option is chosen for Pathway 2 / Classroom & Instructional Quality. For those staff, I suggest adding “plus 5” to the on-going training record. I suggest using the Staff File Checklist found on the Provider Documents page of the DCDEE website. This will help to ensure that all required documents and certificates are included in the staff file and available for review. Today you stated you would like to use an outdoor classroom outside the fenced area with preschoolers and school-aged children. We discussed requirements in rule10A NCAC 09 .1005 OFF PREMISE ACTIVITIES IN CHILD CARE CENTERS, including but not limited to: off-premise authorization, no children under the age of three, and using a list of participating children to track attendance. ABCMS Provider Portal: As stated in G.S. 110-90.2 & .2703(r) child care operators are to notify the Division of any new child care providers who were hired or moved into the child care facility within five business days. You have completed the portal training and are working with the CBC Unit; you stated that you are on a waiting list with the CBC Unit to have your facility updated and receive the codes necessary to link staff. Violations may be cited if the facility’s roster is not verified in the provider portal. Choosing a Pathway to the Stars: During a visit on January 8, 2026 you stated that you were planning to choose Pathway Two, Classroom and Instructional Quality. You were given information related to staff information in WORKS, additional in-service training hours, child observations, and formative assessments. The facility is using Creative Curriculum and plans to use Teaching Strategies Gold for formative assessments. You stated that you are in the process of getting that together for each classroom. You have completed your CQI plans and the Family and Community Engagement Standards. You are working on verification of staff in WORKS. Training opportunities: Every Relationship Matters Created by the ITTI Care Project, Every Relationship Matters! Strengthening Relationships between Adults in Child Care Settings for Directors, Teachers and FCCH Professionals is a free 1.5-hour training that highlights how important all the relationships that surround young children are. Address the Stress ITTI Care Project’s Address the Stress training is now available. This free 1-hour Wellness Workshop teaches ways to reduce stress and take care of YOU! Both are now available online via DCDEE Moodle! Message from Teaching Strategies About Professional Development Teacher Memberships: Your complimentary Professional Development Teacher Membership (PDTM) will expire on August 20, 2026. For those who would like to register for coursework now: You should have already received an email from Teaching Strategies® (Implementation@TeachingStrategies.com) with information on how to log in. In addition to the Quorum eLearning platform, your membership also includes access to the Hub, an early childhood education professional learning community. Stay up to date with the Division of Child Development and Early Education by visiting www.ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov. This website enables you to view the entire Law and Child Care Requirements for North Carolina as well as download required forms. Click on the “What’s New” tab for important updates impacting child care in North Carolina. At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you. Contact me with questions or concerns at 910-364-4898 or Natalie.m.pond@dhhs.nc.gov. If you need further assistance, please contact my supervisor Kim Sherry at 910-824-0470 or kim.sherry@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
Generated from this facility's specific inspection record
Data synced from North Carolina's child care licensing agency on Jul 9, 2026 · Report an error
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: supervision. Open / not marked corrected.
10A NCAC 09 .1102 · Violation
Name of Operation: Kindred Kids Academy Facility ID: 10000317 Consultant: NATALIE M. POND Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 5/5/2026 Number Present: 92 Completed Date: 5/5/2026 Age: From 0 To 5 Total Minutes: 240 Time In: 09:00 AM Time Out: 01:00 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 your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for an annual compliance visit. Your program currently operates with a Five Star Center License issued December 3, 2025. Restrictions on the license include a first shift capacity of one hundred twenty-eight children ages 0 through 12, meets enhanced ratios, and meets enhanced space. Restrictions were in compliance today. This is the first annual compliance visit after the temporary license was issued on June 2, 2025. The sanitation inspection was completed on July 17, 2025 with a “Superior” classification. The fire inspection was completed on September 16, 2025 and your facility was approved for daytime care only, up to 9pm. The Secretary of State website was reviewed and Kindred Kids Academy, Inc. was listed as current-active. The center's compliance history was reviewed with the operator. Prior to the visit the program’s eighteen month compliance history was ninety percent (90%). Nichole McDowell, owner/operator, and Kaylee McDowell, administrator, were present for the visit and accompanied me during classroom observations. There were one hundred eight children enrolled and ninety two children present. All licensed spaces were observed today. Age-appropriate materials were accessible to all children and spaces were arranged into activity areas. Infants in group 1 received care according to individual needs; while some were napping or preparing to be fed, others were playing on the floor with a teacher. Individual feeding schedules and safe sleep checks were being maintained. Toddlers in group 2 were reading with the teacher while others played with fine motor toys and a sensory ball pit. Toddlers in group 7 were observed indoors having a dance party and participating in a hand painting activity as well as free play with dolls and stacking bowls. Young preschoolers in group 6 were observed outside with rocking and riding toys, sand play, and ball play. Preschoolers in groups 4 and 5 were observed outside using trikes and playing in an outdoor kitchen. Preschoolers in group 8 were singing songs during group time and transitioning to outdoor play. Group 9 is the NC Pre-K classroom; these students were engaged in free play throughout the room with a variety of activities including number card matching, play doh, coloring, dinosaur play, and dress up. Supervision and staff-child ratios were observed and found to be in compliance. Lunch consisted of turkey and cheese sandwiches, mixed vegetables, applesauce, and milk. A percentage of children’s files were reviewed. New staff have not been hired since the last visit. A percentage of veteran staff’s files were reviewed. The program was also monitored for compliance with implementing an approved curriculum as required for all four- and five-star licensed facilities where four-year-old children are enrolled; this program uses the Creative Curriculum. NC Pre-K monitoring: The NC Pre-K requirements in Section .3000 of the Child Care Rules were monitored for compliance today. Staff-child ratios and maximum group sizes were verified in compliance. Children attend the program from (8:15am-2:45pm), meeting the instructional day requirement of 6.5 hours. This NC Pre-K program uses Creative Curriculum, Dial 4 Screening, and TS Gold for their ongoing assessments. Developmental Screenings and On-going Assessments were completed and Health Assessments were on file. NC Pre-K staff information was verified in the NC Pre-K Plan. A Site Monitoring visit has been conducted by Smart Start of Brunswick County, the contracting agency, during a site visit on December 9, 2025. It was noted that all requirements were in compliance. Families receive weekly newsletters and receive regular communication through the Dojo app. Family events occur throughout year, including an upcoming Muffins for Moms. On January 26, 2026, a Rated License Request was completed for the NC Pre-K classroom. An ECERS-3 assessment was completed on March 9, 2026, with a score of 5.0. The facility summary report was reviewed at an ERS visit on March 24, 2026. The following violation(s) were documented. Violation Number Comment Rule 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. Certification for staff member S.G. expired January 2026. .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. Certification for staff member S.G. expired January 2026. .1102(d) 1867 The depth of the loose surfacing was not based on critical height of the equipment. The surfacing under the swings on the playground used by preschool children was mostly dirt with some mulch mixed in. .0605(k)(1-4) Child Care programs are expected to achieve and maintain compliance at all times and are required by NC GS 110-90(4) (d) to achieve and maintain an eighteen (18)-month compliance history score of at least seventy-five (75) percent. Any violation(s) documented may impact the compliance history score. The violation(s) documented must be corrected immediately. On or before May 19, 2026, I must receive a written, dated, and signed compliance letter that describes accurately and in detail how and when the violations were corrected. Please be aware any information submitted by you is legal documentation. If it is determined the information provided in the letter is not true, this may be considered falsification of information. Please note, if the compliance letter is not received by the agreed-upon date, a follow-up visit may be made to verify compliance. Mail or email the information to: Natalie Pond, Child Care Consultant P.O. Box 4 Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480 Natalie.m.pond@dhhs.nc.gov If you email the compliance letter, it must be sent from the email address registered with the DCDEE. Your letter should either be typed within the body of the email so your facility email address is visible when your letter is printed (this serves as your signature), or your letter with signature may be scanned and attached to the email. The following information must be included: name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. An example is: Jane Doe, Administrator AAA Child Care ID # 12345678 Technical Assistance: A violation was cited for surfacing under the swings on the preschool playground. You stated you have recently raked and leveled the area; however, the surfacing is mostly dirt with a little bit of mulch mixed in and not the appropriate six inches of mulch. We discussed adding more mulch to the area to ensure the correct depth. CPR and First Aid training shall be renewed on or before the expiration of the certification for all staff in direct care of children. Certification shall be kept in the staff member’s file. We discussed tracking tools such as an Outlook calendar to ensure that trainings are obtained in a timely manner and do not expire before new certification is obtained. Health & Safety Training – All staff members must complete Health and Safety training as outlined in Child Care Rule 10A NCAC 09 .1102, within one year of employment. New staff are in the process of completing these training courses. Remember, the Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment training must be taken at www. positivechildhoodalliancenc.org, within the first 90 days of employment. All health and safety trainings are required to then be renewed every 5 years. Completing, refreshing, and updating the required Health and Safety Training increases your awareness and knowledge regarding child development and safety. Ensure this information is completed, recorded on the required Health and Safety training record, and on file for review with the applicable certificates. As stated in rule 10A NCAC 09 .1103, after the first year of employment, the child care administrator and any staff who have responsibility for planning and supervising a child care center, and staff who work with children, shall participate in on-going training activities annually. Your facility is now heading into the second year. Use the on-going training record found on the Provider Documents page of the DCDEE website to keep files up to date and organized. Refer to the chart found in the rule number above for the required number of hours per staff. As a reminder, the chart shows the minimum requirements before the additional 5 on-going hours for the administrator and lead teachers, if that option is chosen for Pathway 2 / Classroom & Instructional Quality. For those staff, I suggest adding “plus 5” to the on-going training record. I suggest using the Staff File Checklist found on the Provider Documents page of the DCDEE website. This will help to ensure that all required documents and certificates are included in the staff file and available for review. Today you stated you would like to use an outdoor classroom outside the fenced area with preschoolers and school-aged children. We discussed requirements in rule10A NCAC 09 .1005 OFF PREMISE ACTIVITIES IN CHILD CARE CENTERS, including but not limited to: off-premise authorization, no children under the age of three, and using a list of participating children to track attendance. ABCMS Provider Portal: As stated in G.S. 110-90.2 & .2703(r) child care operators are to notify the Division of any new child care providers who were hired or moved into the child care facility within five business days. You have completed the portal training and are working with the CBC Unit; you stated that you are on a waiting list with the CBC Unit to have your facility updated and receive the codes necessary to link staff. Violations may be cited if the facility’s roster is not verified in the provider portal. Choosing a Pathway to the Stars: During a visit on January 8, 2026 you stated that you were planning to choose Pathway Two, Classroom and Instructional Quality. You were given information related to staff information in WORKS, additional in-service training hours, child observations, and formative assessments. The facility is using Creative Curriculum and plans to use Teaching Strategies Gold for formative assessments. You stated that you are in the process of getting that together for each classroom. You have completed your CQI plans and the Family and Community Engagement Standards. You are working on verification of staff in WORKS. Training opportunities: Every Relationship Matters Created by the ITTI Care Project, Every Relationship Matters! Strengthening Relationships between Adults in Child Care Settings for Directors, Teachers and FCCH Professionals is a free 1.5-hour training that highlights how important all the relationships that surround young children are. Address the Stress ITTI Care Project’s Address the Stress training is now available. This free 1-hour Wellness Workshop teaches ways to reduce stress and take care of YOU! Both are now available online via DCDEE Moodle! Message from Teaching Strategies About Professional Development Teacher Memberships: Your complimentary Professional Development Teacher Membership (PDTM) will expire on August 20, 2026. For those who would like to register for coursework now: You should have already received an email from Teaching Strategies® (Implementation@TeachingStrategies.com) with information on how to log in. In addition to the Quorum eLearning platform, your membership also includes access to the Hub, an early childhood education professional learning community. Stay up to date with the Division of Child Development and Early Education by visiting www.ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov. This website enables you to view the entire Law and Child Care Requirements for North Carolina as well as download required forms. Click on the “What’s New” tab for important updates impacting child care in North Carolina. At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you. Contact me with questions or concerns at 910-364-4898 or Natalie.m.pond@dhhs.nc.gov. If you need further assistance, please contact my supervisor Kim Sherry at 910-824-0470 or kim.sherry@dhhs.nc.gov If the operator fails to correct any documented violations within the established time period, the Division of Child Development and Early Education may deny, suspend, terminate, or revoke any permit to operate (10A NCAC 09 .2000). All information in this report has been reviewed with me today.I understand that it is my responsibility to maintaincompliance with applicable NC Child Care Requirements at all times
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: supervision. Open / not marked corrected.
10A NCAC 09 .1103 · Violation
Name of Operation: Kindred Kids Academy Facility ID: 10000317 Consultant: NATALIE M. POND Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 5/5/2026 Number Present: 92 Completed Date: 5/5/2026 Age: From 0 To 5 Total Minutes: 240 Time In: 09:00 AM Time Out: 01:00 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 your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for an annual compliance visit. Your program currently operates with a Five Star Center License issued December 3, 2025. Restrictions on the license include a first shift capacity of one hundred twenty-eight children ages 0 through 12, meets enhanced ratios, and meets enhanced space. Restrictions were in compliance today. This is the first annual compliance visit after the temporary license was issued on June 2, 2025. The sanitation inspection was completed on July 17, 2025 with a “Superior” classification. The fire inspection was completed on September 16, 2025 and your facility was approved for daytime care only, up to 9pm. The Secretary of State website was reviewed and Kindred Kids Academy, Inc. was listed as current-active. The center's compliance history was reviewed with the operator. Prior to the visit the program’s eighteen month compliance history was ninety percent (90%). Nichole McDowell, owner/operator, and Kaylee McDowell, administrator, were present for the visit and accompanied me during classroom observations. There were one hundred eight children enrolled and ninety two children present. All licensed spaces were observed today. Age-appropriate materials were accessible to all children and spaces were arranged into activity areas. Infants in group 1 received care according to individual needs; while some were napping or preparing to be fed, others were playing on the floor with a teacher. Individual feeding schedules and safe sleep checks were being maintained. Toddlers in group 2 were reading with the teacher while others played with fine motor toys and a sensory ball pit. Toddlers in group 7 were observed indoors having a dance party and participating in a hand painting activity as well as free play with dolls and stacking bowls. Young preschoolers in group 6 were observed outside with rocking and riding toys, sand play, and ball play. Preschoolers in groups 4 and 5 were observed outside using trikes and playing in an outdoor kitchen. Preschoolers in group 8 were singing songs during group time and transitioning to outdoor play. Group 9 is the NC Pre-K classroom; these students were engaged in free play throughout the room with a variety of activities including number card matching, play doh, coloring, dinosaur play, and dress up. Supervision and staff-child ratios were observed and found to be in compliance. Lunch consisted of turkey and cheese sandwiches, mixed vegetables, applesauce, and milk. A percentage of children’s files were reviewed. New staff have not been hired since the last visit. A percentage of veteran staff’s files were reviewed. The program was also monitored for compliance with implementing an approved curriculum as required for all four- and five-star licensed facilities where four-year-old children are enrolled; this program uses the Creative Curriculum. NC Pre-K monitoring: The NC Pre-K requirements in Section .3000 of the Child Care Rules were monitored for compliance today. Staff-child ratios and maximum group sizes were verified in compliance. Children attend the program from (8:15am-2:45pm), meeting the instructional day requirement of 6.5 hours. This NC Pre-K program uses Creative Curriculum, Dial 4 Screening, and TS Gold for their ongoing assessments. Developmental Screenings and On-going Assessments were completed and Health Assessments were on file. NC Pre-K staff information was verified in the NC Pre-K Plan. A Site Monitoring visit has been conducted by Smart Start of Brunswick County, the contracting agency, during a site visit on December 9, 2025. It was noted that all requirements were in compliance. Families receive weekly newsletters and receive regular communication through the Dojo app. Family events occur throughout year, including an upcoming Muffins for Moms. On January 26, 2026, a Rated License Request was completed for the NC Pre-K classroom. An ECERS-3 assessment was completed on March 9, 2026, with a score of 5.0. The facility summary report was reviewed at an ERS visit on March 24, 2026. The following violation(s) were documented. Violation Number Comment Rule 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. Certification for staff member S.G. expired January 2026. .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. Certification for staff member S.G. expired January 2026. .1102(d) 1867 The depth of the loose surfacing was not based on critical height of the equipment. The surfacing under the swings on the playground used by preschool children was mostly dirt with some mulch mixed in. .0605(k)(1-4) Child Care programs are expected to achieve and maintain compliance at all times and are required by NC GS 110-90(4) (d) to achieve and maintain an eighteen (18)-month compliance history score of at least seventy-five (75) percent. Any violation(s) documented may impact the compliance history score. The violation(s) documented must be corrected immediately. On or before May 19, 2026, I must receive a written, dated, and signed compliance letter that describes accurately and in detail how and when the violations were corrected. Please be aware any information submitted by you is legal documentation. If it is determined the information provided in the letter is not true, this may be considered falsification of information. Please note, if the compliance letter is not received by the agreed-upon date, a follow-up visit may be made to verify compliance. Mail or email the information to: Natalie Pond, Child Care Consultant P.O. Box 4 Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480 Natalie.m.pond@dhhs.nc.gov If you email the compliance letter, it must be sent from the email address registered with the DCDEE. Your letter should either be typed within the body of the email so your facility email address is visible when your letter is printed (this serves as your signature), or your letter with signature may be scanned and attached to the email. The following information must be included: name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. An example is: Jane Doe, Administrator AAA Child Care ID # 12345678 Technical Assistance: A violation was cited for surfacing under the swings on the preschool playground. You stated you have recently raked and leveled the area; however, the surfacing is mostly dirt with a little bit of mulch mixed in and not the appropriate six inches of mulch. We discussed adding more mulch to the area to ensure the correct depth. CPR and First Aid training shall be renewed on or before the expiration of the certification for all staff in direct care of children. Certification shall be kept in the staff member’s file. We discussed tracking tools such as an Outlook calendar to ensure that trainings are obtained in a timely manner and do not expire before new certification is obtained. Health & Safety Training – All staff members must complete Health and Safety training as outlined in Child Care Rule 10A NCAC 09 .1102, within one year of employment. New staff are in the process of completing these training courses. Remember, the Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment training must be taken at www. positivechildhoodalliancenc.org, within the first 90 days of employment. All health and safety trainings are required to then be renewed every 5 years. Completing, refreshing, and updating the required Health and Safety Training increases your awareness and knowledge regarding child development and safety. Ensure this information is completed, recorded on the required Health and Safety training record, and on file for review with the applicable certificates. As stated in rule 10A NCAC 09 .1103, after the first year of employment, the child care administrator and any staff who have responsibility for planning and supervising a child care center, and staff who work with children, shall participate in on-going training activities annually. Your facility is now heading into the second year. Use the on-going training record found on the Provider Documents page of the DCDEE website to keep files up to date and organized. Refer to the chart found in the rule number above for the required number of hours per staff. As a reminder, the chart shows the minimum requirements before the additional 5 on-going hours for the administrator and lead teachers, if that option is chosen for Pathway 2 / Classroom & Instructional Quality. For those staff, I suggest adding “plus 5” to the on-going training record. I suggest using the Staff File Checklist found on the Provider Documents page of the DCDEE website. This will help to ensure that all required documents and certificates are included in the staff file and available for review. Today you stated you would like to use an outdoor classroom outside the fenced area with preschoolers and school-aged children. We discussed requirements in rule10A NCAC 09 .1005 OFF PREMISE ACTIVITIES IN CHILD CARE CENTERS, including but not limited to: off-premise authorization, no children under the age of three, and using a list of participating children to track attendance. ABCMS Provider Portal: As stated in G.S. 110-90.2 & .2703(r) child care operators are to notify the Division of any new child care providers who were hired or moved into the child care facility within five business days. You have completed the portal training and are working with the CBC Unit; you stated that you are on a waiting list with the CBC Unit to have your facility updated and receive the codes necessary to link staff. Violations may be cited if the facility’s roster is not verified in the provider portal. Choosing a Pathway to the Stars: During a visit on January 8, 2026 you stated that you were planning to choose Pathway Two, Classroom and Instructional Quality. You were given information related to staff information in WORKS, additional in-service training hours, child observations, and formative assessments. The facility is using Creative Curriculum and plans to use Teaching Strategies Gold for formative assessments. You stated that you are in the process of getting that together for each classroom. You have completed your CQI plans and the Family and Community Engagement Standards. You are working on verification of staff in WORKS. Training opportunities: Every Relationship Matters Created by the ITTI Care Project, Every Relationship Matters! Strengthening Relationships between Adults in Child Care Settings for Directors, Teachers and FCCH Professionals is a free 1.5-hour training that highlights how important all the relationships that surround young children are. Address the Stress ITTI Care Project’s Address the Stress training is now available. This free 1-hour Wellness Workshop teaches ways to reduce stress and take care of YOU! Both are now available online via DCDEE Moodle! Message from Teaching Strategies About Professional Development Teacher Memberships: Your complimentary Professional Development Teacher Membership (PDTM) will expire on August 20, 2026. For those who would like to register for coursework now: You should have already received an email from Teaching Strategies® (Implementation@TeachingStrategies.com) with information on how to log in. In addition to the Quorum eLearning platform, your membership also includes access to the Hub, an early childhood education professional learning community. Stay up to date with the Division of Child Development and Early Education by visiting www.ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov. This website enables you to view the entire Law and Child Care Requirements for North Carolina as well as download required forms. Click on the “What’s New” tab for important updates impacting child care in North Carolina. At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you. Contact me with questions or concerns at 910-364-4898 or Natalie.m.pond@dhhs.nc.gov. If you need further assistance, please contact my supervisor Kim Sherry at 910-824-0470 or kim.sherry@dhhs.nc.gov If the operator fails to correct any documented violations within the established time period, the Division of Child Development and Early Education may deny, suspend, terminate, or revoke any permit to operate (10A NCAC 09 .2000). All information in this report has been reviewed with me today.I understand that it is my responsibility to maintaincompliance with applicable NC Child Care Requirements at all times
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: supervision. Open / not marked corrected.
G.S. 110-90 · Violation
Name of Operation: Kindred Kids Academy Facility ID: 10000317 Consultant: NATALIE M. POND Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 5/5/2026 Number Present: 92 Completed Date: 5/5/2026 Age: From 0 To 5 Total Minutes: 240 Time In: 09:00 AM Time Out: 01:00 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 your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for an annual compliance visit. Your program currently operates with a Five Star Center License issued December 3, 2025. Restrictions on the license include a first shift capacity of one hundred twenty-eight children ages 0 through 12, meets enhanced ratios, and meets enhanced space. Restrictions were in compliance today. This is the first annual compliance visit after the temporary license was issued on June 2, 2025. The sanitation inspection was completed on July 17, 2025 with a “Superior” classification. The fire inspection was completed on September 16, 2025 and your facility was approved for daytime care only, up to 9pm. The Secretary of State website was reviewed and Kindred Kids Academy, Inc. was listed as current-active. The center's compliance history was reviewed with the operator. Prior to the visit the program’s eighteen month compliance history was ninety percent (90%). Nichole McDowell, owner/operator, and Kaylee McDowell, administrator, were present for the visit and accompanied me during classroom observations. There were one hundred eight children enrolled and ninety two children present. All licensed spaces were observed today. Age-appropriate materials were accessible to all children and spaces were arranged into activity areas. Infants in group 1 received care according to individual needs; while some were napping or preparing to be fed, others were playing on the floor with a teacher. Individual feeding schedules and safe sleep checks were being maintained. Toddlers in group 2 were reading with the teacher while others played with fine motor toys and a sensory ball pit. Toddlers in group 7 were observed indoors having a dance party and participating in a hand painting activity as well as free play with dolls and stacking bowls. Young preschoolers in group 6 were observed outside with rocking and riding toys, sand play, and ball play. Preschoolers in groups 4 and 5 were observed outside using trikes and playing in an outdoor kitchen. Preschoolers in group 8 were singing songs during group time and transitioning to outdoor play. Group 9 is the NC Pre-K classroom; these students were engaged in free play throughout the room with a variety of activities including number card matching, play doh, coloring, dinosaur play, and dress up. Supervision and staff-child ratios were observed and found to be in compliance. Lunch consisted of turkey and cheese sandwiches, mixed vegetables, applesauce, and milk. A percentage of children’s files were reviewed. New staff have not been hired since the last visit. A percentage of veteran staff’s files were reviewed. The program was also monitored for compliance with implementing an approved curriculum as required for all four- and five-star licensed facilities where four-year-old children are enrolled; this program uses the Creative Curriculum. NC Pre-K monitoring: The NC Pre-K requirements in Section .3000 of the Child Care Rules were monitored for compliance today. Staff-child ratios and maximum group sizes were verified in compliance. Children attend the program from (8:15am-2:45pm), meeting the instructional day requirement of 6.5 hours. This NC Pre-K program uses Creative Curriculum, Dial 4 Screening, and TS Gold for their ongoing assessments. Developmental Screenings and On-going Assessments were completed and Health Assessments were on file. NC Pre-K staff information was verified in the NC Pre-K Plan. A Site Monitoring visit has been conducted by Smart Start of Brunswick County, the contracting agency, during a site visit on December 9, 2025. It was noted that all requirements were in compliance. Families receive weekly newsletters and receive regular communication through the Dojo app. Family events occur throughout year, including an upcoming Muffins for Moms. On January 26, 2026, a Rated License Request was completed for the NC Pre-K classroom. An ECERS-3 assessment was completed on March 9, 2026, with a score of 5.0. The facility summary report was reviewed at an ERS visit on March 24, 2026. The following violation(s) were documented. Violation Number Comment Rule 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. Certification for staff member S.G. expired January 2026. .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. Certification for staff member S.G. expired January 2026. .1102(d) 1867 The depth of the loose surfacing was not based on critical height of the equipment. The surfacing under the swings on the playground used by preschool children was mostly dirt with some mulch mixed in. .0605(k)(1-4) Child Care programs are expected to achieve and maintain compliance at all times and are required by NC GS 110-90(4) (d) to achieve and maintain an eighteen (18)-month compliance history score of at least seventy-five (75) percent. Any violation(s) documented may impact the compliance history score. The violation(s) documented must be corrected immediately. On or before May 19, 2026, I must receive a written, dated, and signed compliance letter that describes accurately and in detail how and when the violations were corrected. Please be aware any information submitted by you is legal documentation. If it is determined the information provided in the letter is not true, this may be considered falsification of information. Please note, if the compliance letter is not received by the agreed-upon date, a follow-up visit may be made to verify compliance. Mail or email the information to: Natalie Pond, Child Care Consultant P.O. Box 4 Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480 Natalie.m.pond@dhhs.nc.gov If you email the compliance letter, it must be sent from the email address registered with the DCDEE. Your letter should either be typed within the body of the email so your facility email address is visible when your letter is printed (this serves as your signature), or your letter with signature may be scanned and attached to the email. The following information must be included: name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. An example is: Jane Doe, Administrator AAA Child Care ID # 12345678 Technical Assistance: A violation was cited for surfacing under the swings on the preschool playground. You stated you have recently raked and leveled the area; however, the surfacing is mostly dirt with a little bit of mulch mixed in and not the appropriate six inches of mulch. We discussed adding more mulch to the area to ensure the correct depth. CPR and First Aid training shall be renewed on or before the expiration of the certification for all staff in direct care of children. Certification shall be kept in the staff member’s file. We discussed tracking tools such as an Outlook calendar to ensure that trainings are obtained in a timely manner and do not expire before new certification is obtained. Health & Safety Training – All staff members must complete Health and Safety training as outlined in Child Care Rule 10A NCAC 09 .1102, within one year of employment. New staff are in the process of completing these training courses. Remember, the Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment training must be taken at www. positivechildhoodalliancenc.org, within the first 90 days of employment. All health and safety trainings are required to then be renewed every 5 years. Completing, refreshing, and updating the required Health and Safety Training increases your awareness and knowledge regarding child development and safety. Ensure this information is completed, recorded on the required Health and Safety training record, and on file for review with the applicable certificates. As stated in rule 10A NCAC 09 .1103, after the first year of employment, the child care administrator and any staff who have responsibility for planning and supervising a child care center, and staff who work with children, shall participate in on-going training activities annually. Your facility is now heading into the second year. Use the on-going training record found on the Provider Documents page of the DCDEE website to keep files up to date and organized. Refer to the chart found in the rule number above for the required number of hours per staff. As a reminder, the chart shows the minimum requirements before the additional 5 on-going hours for the administrator and lead teachers, if that option is chosen for Pathway 2 / Classroom & Instructional Quality. For those staff, I suggest adding “plus 5” to the on-going training record. I suggest using the Staff File Checklist found on the Provider Documents page of the DCDEE website. This will help to ensure that all required documents and certificates are included in the staff file and available for review. Today you stated you would like to use an outdoor classroom outside the fenced area with preschoolers and school-aged children. We discussed requirements in rule10A NCAC 09 .1005 OFF PREMISE ACTIVITIES IN CHILD CARE CENTERS, including but not limited to: off-premise authorization, no children under the age of three, and using a list of participating children to track attendance. ABCMS Provider Portal: As stated in G.S. 110-90.2 & .2703(r) child care operators are to notify the Division of any new child care providers who were hired or moved into the child care facility within five business days. You have completed the portal training and are working with the CBC Unit; you stated that you are on a waiting list with the CBC Unit to have your facility updated and receive the codes necessary to link staff. Violations may be cited if the facility’s roster is not verified in the provider portal. Choosing a Pathway to the Stars: During a visit on January 8, 2026 you stated that you were planning to choose Pathway Two, Classroom and Instructional Quality. You were given information related to staff information in WORKS, additional in-service training hours, child observations, and formative assessments. The facility is using Creative Curriculum and plans to use Teaching Strategies Gold for formative assessments. You stated that you are in the process of getting that together for each classroom. You have completed your CQI plans and the Family and Community Engagement Standards. You are working on verification of staff in WORKS. Training opportunities: Every Relationship Matters Created by the ITTI Care Project, Every Relationship Matters! Strengthening Relationships between Adults in Child Care Settings for Directors, Teachers and FCCH Professionals is a free 1.5-hour training that highlights how important all the relationships that surround young children are. Address the Stress ITTI Care Project’s Address the Stress training is now available. This free 1-hour Wellness Workshop teaches ways to reduce stress and take care of YOU! Both are now available online via DCDEE Moodle! Message from Teaching Strategies About Professional Development Teacher Memberships: Your complimentary Professional Development Teacher Membership (PDTM) will expire on August 20, 2026. For those who would like to register for coursework now: You should have already received an email from Teaching Strategies® (Implementation@TeachingStrategies.com) with information on how to log in. In addition to the Quorum eLearning platform, your membership also includes access to the Hub, an early childhood education professional learning community. Stay up to date with the Division of Child Development and Early Education by visiting www.ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov. This website enables you to view the entire Law and Child Care Requirements for North Carolina as well as download required forms. Click on the “What’s New” tab for important updates impacting child care in North Carolina. At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you. Contact me with questions or concerns at 910-364-4898 or Natalie.m.pond@dhhs.nc.gov. If you need further assistance, please contact my supervisor Kim Sherry at 910-824-0470 or kim.sherry@dhhs.nc.gov If the operator fails to correct any documented violations within the established time period, the Division of Child Development and Early Education may deny, suspend, terminate, or revoke any permit to operate (10A NCAC 09 .2000). All information in this report has been reviewed with me today.I understand that it is my responsibility to maintaincompliance with applicable NC Child Care Requirements at all times
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: supervision. Open / not marked corrected.
NC GS 110-90 · Violation
Name of Operation: Kindred Kids Academy Facility ID: 10000317 Consultant: NATALIE M. POND Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 5/5/2026 Number Present: 92 Completed Date: 5/5/2026 Age: From 0 To 5 Total Minutes: 240 Time In: 09:00 AM Time Out: 01:00 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 your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for an annual compliance visit. Your program currently operates with a Five Star Center License issued December 3, 2025. Restrictions on the license include a first shift capacity of one hundred twenty-eight children ages 0 through 12, meets enhanced ratios, and meets enhanced space. Restrictions were in compliance today. This is the first annual compliance visit after the temporary license was issued on June 2, 2025. The sanitation inspection was completed on July 17, 2025 with a “Superior” classification. The fire inspection was completed on September 16, 2025 and your facility was approved for daytime care only, up to 9pm. The Secretary of State website was reviewed and Kindred Kids Academy, Inc. was listed as current-active. The center's compliance history was reviewed with the operator. Prior to the visit the program’s eighteen month compliance history was ninety percent (90%). Nichole McDowell, owner/operator, and Kaylee McDowell, administrator, were present for the visit and accompanied me during classroom observations. There were one hundred eight children enrolled and ninety two children present. All licensed spaces were observed today. Age-appropriate materials were accessible to all children and spaces were arranged into activity areas. Infants in group 1 received care according to individual needs; while some were napping or preparing to be fed, others were playing on the floor with a teacher. Individual feeding schedules and safe sleep checks were being maintained. Toddlers in group 2 were reading with the teacher while others played with fine motor toys and a sensory ball pit. Toddlers in group 7 were observed indoors having a dance party and participating in a hand painting activity as well as free play with dolls and stacking bowls. Young preschoolers in group 6 were observed outside with rocking and riding toys, sand play, and ball play. Preschoolers in groups 4 and 5 were observed outside using trikes and playing in an outdoor kitchen. Preschoolers in group 8 were singing songs during group time and transitioning to outdoor play. Group 9 is the NC Pre-K classroom; these students were engaged in free play throughout the room with a variety of activities including number card matching, play doh, coloring, dinosaur play, and dress up. Supervision and staff-child ratios were observed and found to be in compliance. Lunch consisted of turkey and cheese sandwiches, mixed vegetables, applesauce, and milk. A percentage of children’s files were reviewed. New staff have not been hired since the last visit. A percentage of veteran staff’s files were reviewed. The program was also monitored for compliance with implementing an approved curriculum as required for all four- and five-star licensed facilities where four-year-old children are enrolled; this program uses the Creative Curriculum. NC Pre-K monitoring: The NC Pre-K requirements in Section .3000 of the Child Care Rules were monitored for compliance today. Staff-child ratios and maximum group sizes were verified in compliance. Children attend the program from (8:15am-2:45pm), meeting the instructional day requirement of 6.5 hours. This NC Pre-K program uses Creative Curriculum, Dial 4 Screening, and TS Gold for their ongoing assessments. Developmental Screenings and On-going Assessments were completed and Health Assessments were on file. NC Pre-K staff information was verified in the NC Pre-K Plan. A Site Monitoring visit has been conducted by Smart Start of Brunswick County, the contracting agency, during a site visit on December 9, 2025. It was noted that all requirements were in compliance. Families receive weekly newsletters and receive regular communication through the Dojo app. Family events occur throughout year, including an upcoming Muffins for Moms. On January 26, 2026, a Rated License Request was completed for the NC Pre-K classroom. An ECERS-3 assessment was completed on March 9, 2026, with a score of 5.0. The facility summary report was reviewed at an ERS visit on March 24, 2026. The following violation(s) were documented. Violation Number Comment Rule 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. Certification for staff member S.G. expired January 2026. .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. Certification for staff member S.G. expired January 2026. .1102(d) 1867 The depth of the loose surfacing was not based on critical height of the equipment. The surfacing under the swings on the playground used by preschool children was mostly dirt with some mulch mixed in. .0605(k)(1-4) Child Care programs are expected to achieve and maintain compliance at all times and are required by NC GS 110-90(4) (d) to achieve and maintain an eighteen (18)-month compliance history score of at least seventy-five (75) percent. Any violation(s) documented may impact the compliance history score. The violation(s) documented must be corrected immediately. On or before May 19, 2026, I must receive a written, dated, and signed compliance letter that describes accurately and in detail how and when the violations were corrected. Please be aware any information submitted by you is legal documentation. If it is determined the information provided in the letter is not true, this may be considered falsification of information. Please note, if the compliance letter is not received by the agreed-upon date, a follow-up visit may be made to verify compliance. Mail or email the information to: Natalie Pond, Child Care Consultant P.O. Box 4 Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480 Natalie.m.pond@dhhs.nc.gov If you email the compliance letter, it must be sent from the email address registered with the DCDEE. Your letter should either be typed within the body of the email so your facility email address is visible when your letter is printed (this serves as your signature), or your letter with signature may be scanned and attached to the email. The following information must be included: name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. An example is: Jane Doe, Administrator AAA Child Care ID # 12345678 Technical Assistance: A violation was cited for surfacing under the swings on the preschool playground. You stated you have recently raked and leveled the area; however, the surfacing is mostly dirt with a little bit of mulch mixed in and not the appropriate six inches of mulch. We discussed adding more mulch to the area to ensure the correct depth. CPR and First Aid training shall be renewed on or before the expiration of the certification for all staff in direct care of children. Certification shall be kept in the staff member’s file. We discussed tracking tools such as an Outlook calendar to ensure that trainings are obtained in a timely manner and do not expire before new certification is obtained. Health & Safety Training – All staff members must complete Health and Safety training as outlined in Child Care Rule 10A NCAC 09 .1102, within one year of employment. New staff are in the process of completing these training courses. Remember, the Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment training must be taken at www. positivechildhoodalliancenc.org, within the first 90 days of employment. All health and safety trainings are required to then be renewed every 5 years. Completing, refreshing, and updating the required Health and Safety Training increases your awareness and knowledge regarding child development and safety. Ensure this information is completed, recorded on the required Health and Safety training record, and on file for review with the applicable certificates. As stated in rule 10A NCAC 09 .1103, after the first year of employment, the child care administrator and any staff who have responsibility for planning and supervising a child care center, and staff who work with children, shall participate in on-going training activities annually. Your facility is now heading into the second year. Use the on-going training record found on the Provider Documents page of the DCDEE website to keep files up to date and organized. Refer to the chart found in the rule number above for the required number of hours per staff. As a reminder, the chart shows the minimum requirements before the additional 5 on-going hours for the administrator and lead teachers, if that option is chosen for Pathway 2 / Classroom & Instructional Quality. For those staff, I suggest adding “plus 5” to the on-going training record. I suggest using the Staff File Checklist found on the Provider Documents page of the DCDEE website. This will help to ensure that all required documents and certificates are included in the staff file and available for review. Today you stated you would like to use an outdoor classroom outside the fenced area with preschoolers and school-aged children. We discussed requirements in rule10A NCAC 09 .1005 OFF PREMISE ACTIVITIES IN CHILD CARE CENTERS, including but not limited to: off-premise authorization, no children under the age of three, and using a list of participating children to track attendance. ABCMS Provider Portal: As stated in G.S. 110-90.2 & .2703(r) child care operators are to notify the Division of any new child care providers who were hired or moved into the child care facility within five business days. You have completed the portal training and are working with the CBC Unit; you stated that you are on a waiting list with the CBC Unit to have your facility updated and receive the codes necessary to link staff. Violations may be cited if the facility’s roster is not verified in the provider portal. Choosing a Pathway to the Stars: During a visit on January 8, 2026 you stated that you were planning to choose Pathway Two, Classroom and Instructional Quality. You were given information related to staff information in WORKS, additional in-service training hours, child observations, and formative assessments. The facility is using Creative Curriculum and plans to use Teaching Strategies Gold for formative assessments. You stated that you are in the process of getting that together for each classroom. You have completed your CQI plans and the Family and Community Engagement Standards. You are working on verification of staff in WORKS. Training opportunities: Every Relationship Matters Created by the ITTI Care Project, Every Relationship Matters! Strengthening Relationships between Adults in Child Care Settings for Directors, Teachers and FCCH Professionals is a free 1.5-hour training that highlights how important all the relationships that surround young children are. Address the Stress ITTI Care Project’s Address the Stress training is now available. This free 1-hour Wellness Workshop teaches ways to reduce stress and take care of YOU! Both are now available online via DCDEE Moodle! Message from Teaching Strategies About Professional Development Teacher Memberships: Your complimentary Professional Development Teacher Membership (PDTM) will expire on August 20, 2026. For those who would like to register for coursework now: You should have already received an email from Teaching Strategies® (Implementation@TeachingStrategies.com) with information on how to log in. In addition to the Quorum eLearning platform, your membership also includes access to the Hub, an early childhood education professional learning community. Stay up to date with the Division of Child Development and Early Education by visiting www.ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov. This website enables you to view the entire Law and Child Care Requirements for North Carolina as well as download required forms. Click on the “What’s New” tab for important updates impacting child care in North Carolina. At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you. Contact me with questions or concerns at 910-364-4898 or Natalie.m.pond@dhhs.nc.gov. If you need further assistance, please contact my supervisor Kim Sherry at 910-824-0470 or kim.sherry@dhhs.nc.gov If the operator fails to correct any documented violations within the established time period, the Division of Child Development and Early Education may deny, suspend, terminate, or revoke any permit to operate (10A NCAC 09 .2000). All information in this report has been reviewed with me today.I understand that it is my responsibility to maintaincompliance with applicable NC Child Care Requirements at all times
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: supervision. Open / not marked corrected.
10A NCAC 09 .0508 · Violation
Name of Operation: Kindred Kids Academy Facility ID: 10000317 Consultant: JENNIFER GARNER Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 8/19/2025 Number Present: 64 Completed Date: 8/19/2025 Age: From 0 To 11 Total Minutes: 260 Time In: 09:00 AM Time Out: 01:20 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Temp Time Period Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today's unannounced visit was to monitor compliance with applicable child care requirements for the facility’s second temporary time period visit. The facility’s Temporary License was issued June 2, 2025, and is valid through December 2, 2025. Restrictions on the permit include a first shift capacity of 100 children aged 0 to 12 years old; meeting enhanced space and enhanced ratios. According to the North Carolina Secretary of State website today, your corporation Kindred Kids Academy Inc. is current and active. The information on record with DCDEE was verified as correct by Administrator Kaylee McDowell. Child Care Consultant Natalie Pond was present and assisted with today’s visit. As this is a change of ownership a new building, fire and inspections must be completed prior to the expiration of your Temporary License. A fire inspection was completed June 6, 2025. The facility was approved for daytime care only. A superior sanitation inspection with 13 demerits was earned on July 17, 2025. Failure to obtain an approved building inspection prior to December 2, 2025, may result in administrative action against your license. I strongly encourage you to request your building inspection now in the event there are any unknown items of non-compliance that must be addressed. Prior to today’s visit, the facility requested an increase in capacity. The facility currently has a capacity of 100 children. Based on the square footage of approved spaces, the facility has a potential capacity of 128 children. Once the building inspection has been completed, an increase in capacity may be granted if the capacity on item #27 is greater than 100. The facility had the following items posted/located in a prominent place in the center for parents and available for me to review: the Temporary License, Safe Arrival and Departure Procedure, fire drill log, emergency medical care plan and the Summary of the NC Child Care Law. All approved indoor and outdoor spaces were monitored. Nine indoor spaces and two outdoor spaces have been approved and are in use. Upon arrival I explained the purpose of my visit. A therapist was present in space 3 working with preschool children. A parent was present shadowing her child in space 4. Daily schedules and activity plans were posted; the activity plan in space 8 was dated June 23, 2025. In space one, infants were observed in swings, bouncy seats, highchairs having breakfast and on the floor playing with various age appropriate toys. Safe sleep documentation had not yet been completed for today as no infants had yet napped. Preschool children were observed during group time and outside on the fenced in playground. During group time they sang, danced and listed to a story. Outside the children ran, rode trikes, swung on swings and had informal conversations. Staff moved about the indoor and outdoor spaces ensuring visual supervision of all children. School age children were observed cleaning up and preparing for group time. During group time they participated in an interactive story. Morning snack today consisted of biscuits, blueberries and milk. The Clean Classrooms for Carolina Kids website reflected the following information about your facility’s required three-year water testing, lead paint testing, and asbestos testing: Three-year Water Testing was completed March 15, 2024. The Lead Paint and Asbestos application sections were completed November 5, 2025, and no additional testing is required. Child Care programs are expected to always achieve and maintain compliance with child care rules, and are required by NC GS 110-90(4) (d) to achieve and maintain an eighteen-month compliance history score of at least seventy-five percent. Any violation(s) documented may impact the compliance history score. The following violations were observed today and must be corrected immediately: Violation Number Comment Rule 428 A current activity plan was not posted for each group of children for reference. The activity plan in space 8 was June 23, 2025 GS 110-91(12); .0508(a) 445 For children under three years of age, developmentally appropriate toys and activities were not provided as outlined in Rule. The activity areas in space 6 lacked materials in sufficient quantity to allow all children to use them at some time during the day and to allow for a range of choices. .0510 (e ) (1)(A-G) 533 Human milk, formula and other bottled beverages including sippy cups, sent from child's home were not fully prepared, dated, and labeled for the appropriate child. Bottles for two children were not dated with the current date. 15A NCAC 18A .2804(d) 824 Outdoor play area was not enclosed by fence with a minimum height of 4 feet. The top of the fence, less than six feet, was not free from protrusions. The height of the exterior fence was less than 4 feet high in several locations. GS 110-91(6); .0605((i) 1867 The depth of the loose surfacing was not based on critical height of the equipment. The surfacing under the swings was compact and not resilient. .0605(k)(1-4) A compliance letter including detailed information about how all violations have been corrected must be received by August 29, 2025. Include any supporting documentation with your response (if applicable). Your letter will be used as verification that violations have been corrected, and compliance is maintained; your written response is considered a legal document so must be accurate and truthful. If you email the compliance letter, it must be sent using the email address registered with DCDEE and include your facility name and ID number. If sufficient information is not received by the due date, a follow-up visit will be conducted. Complaint Follow-up: During the complaint visit on August 13, 2025, two violations were cited. Your compliance letter has not yet been received. On or before August 22, 2025. I must receive a written, dated, and signed compliance letter that describes accurately and in detail how and when the violations were corrected. If you email the compliance letter, it must be sent from the email address registered with the DCDEE (this serves as your signature) and the following information must be included: name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. Today you explained that the facility has extra linens in each classroom in the event a child does not bring linens or their linens become soiled or wet. If facility feel a child would benefit from time outside of their classroom for a few minutes, they will contact administration. Administrative staff will offer the child an opportunity to go to space 3 for a feel minutes to talk or play one-on-one or an opportunity to walk around together for a few minutes. Children will no longer visit the office. If your compliance letter is not received by August 22, 2025, a follow-up visit will be made. Technical Assistance specific to violations cited: Bottles: Each infant shall be served only formula, breast milk, and bottles labeled with their individual name and the current date. Before feeding a bottle to an infant, use name to face recognition to ensure you are giving the correct bottle to the correct child. Consider writing the dates on bottles with a wax pencil; you could also add the date on a piece of tape and attach it to the bottle. Fence: The top bar of the fence frame adjacent to the office on the playground used by infants, toddlers and two-year-old children, has been damaged and is now bent. The exterior fence is bowed and damaged is several areas. Due to the addition of surfacing, the fence no longer measures 4 feet in height in all areas as required. Repair/replace the damaged fence areas. You can replace the fence with a new 4 foot fence or you can attempt to move the surfacing away from the fence base in an attempt to restore the original fence height. When measuring the height of the fence, we will measure from the ground to the top of the fence inside the playground. Activity Plan: Child Care Rule 10A NCAC 09 .0508 ACTIVITY SCHEDULES AND PLANS states (a) All centers shall have a current schedule and activity plan for each group of children posted for reference by parents and by caregivers. The schedule and activity plan may be combined in a single document. (b) For each group of children in care, the activity plan shall include activities intended to stimulate the following developmental domains, in accordance with North Carolina Foundations for Early Learning and Development, available on the Division's website at http://ncchildcare.nc.gov/providers/pv_foundations.asp: (1) emotional and social development; (2) health and physical development; (3) approaches to play and learning; (4) language development and communication; and (5) cognitive development. Consider reviewing all activity plans on Friday’s to ensure staff have them completed for the following week. Current activity plans should be posted no later than Monday morning. Activity Areas: Materials in each activity area shall be offered in sufficient quantity to allow for three children to use them at some time during the day and to allow for a range of choices. Surfacing: Nationally, nearly 70% of playground related injuries are from falls. Fall injuries are the result of two things: 1) The height a child falls from and 2) The material/surface the child falls upon. Provide “soft” resilient surfacing under and around stationary playground equipment. Refer to 10A NCAC 09 .0605(h)(i). Daily rake the surfacing back under the swings and encourage children to keep their feet from dragging the mulch. RATED LICENSE: Today we again discussed the two-component rated license process. As this change of ownership occurred during the “hold harmless period” and you submitted a rated license request you have chosen to continue with the points awarded during the last rated license assessment. Under the previous ownership the facility earned 1 quality point for 75% of all teachers having an AAS or higher in early childhood education/child development. The facility earned six points in program for meeting enhanced requirements, as well as enhanced space and ratios. The facility earned a 5.32 and a 5.5 on the ECERS-R with an average score of 5.41 across their two assessments. An ITERS-R and a SACERS-U were not completed as part of the assessment. The facility earned seven points in education. The facility earned a total of 14 points which is a 5-star license. QRIS and Pathways: The new rules related to the star rated license system (QRIS) have been approved. The DCDEE team looks forward to working with child care facilities across the state to transition to the new QRIS system, also known as Pathways to the Stars, located in Section .3200 of the Child Care Rules. The transition will begin soon with the following informational opportunities: • You can review the rule roll out module in the DCDEE e-learning Moodle platform and attend the following webinar: o August 20 at 6:30pm (child care centers and centers located in a residence) Join webinar • In September, child care consultants will host in-person facility operator/administrator meetings within the counties they serve to provide additional guidance on the changes, the transition plan and timeline. • Beginning In October, child care consultants will begin discussing the new rules in Section .3200; Standards for Two through Five Star Rated Licenses during licensing visits. Consultants will review the pathway options, identify facility needs, answer questions, and work with the facility operator to establish an individualized timeline for transition to a new rated license within 12 months based on the pathway chosen. We understand this is a big change and are committed to ensuring all providers have a good understanding of the new opportunities in order to make informed decisions on which pathway best suits the needs of the facility. We look forward to seeing you at these upcoming informational settings and working with you on your pathway to the stars! I hope you will take the time to join a webinar. I will send information regarding the provider meetings soon. Stay up to date with the Division of Child Development and Early Education by visiting www.ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov. This website enables you to view the entire Law and Child Care Requirements for North Carolina as well as download required forms. Click on the “What’s New” tab for important updates impacting child care in North Carolina. If the operator fails to correct any documented violations within the established time period, the Division of Child Development and Early Education may deny, suspend, terminate, or revoke any permit to operate (10A NCAC 09 .2000). All information in this report has been reviewed with me today.I understand that it is my responsibility to maintaincompliance with applicable NC Child Care Requirements at all times
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: supervision. Open / not marked corrected.
10A NCAC 09 .0605 · Violation
Name of Operation: Kindred Kids Academy Facility ID: 10000317 Consultant: JENNIFER GARNER Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 8/19/2025 Number Present: 64 Completed Date: 8/19/2025 Age: From 0 To 11 Total Minutes: 260 Time In: 09:00 AM Time Out: 01:20 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Temp Time Period Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today's unannounced visit was to monitor compliance with applicable child care requirements for the facility’s second temporary time period visit. The facility’s Temporary License was issued June 2, 2025, and is valid through December 2, 2025. Restrictions on the permit include a first shift capacity of 100 children aged 0 to 12 years old; meeting enhanced space and enhanced ratios. According to the North Carolina Secretary of State website today, your corporation Kindred Kids Academy Inc. is current and active. The information on record with DCDEE was verified as correct by Administrator Kaylee McDowell. Child Care Consultant Natalie Pond was present and assisted with today’s visit. As this is a change of ownership a new building, fire and inspections must be completed prior to the expiration of your Temporary License. A fire inspection was completed June 6, 2025. The facility was approved for daytime care only. A superior sanitation inspection with 13 demerits was earned on July 17, 2025. Failure to obtain an approved building inspection prior to December 2, 2025, may result in administrative action against your license. I strongly encourage you to request your building inspection now in the event there are any unknown items of non-compliance that must be addressed. Prior to today’s visit, the facility requested an increase in capacity. The facility currently has a capacity of 100 children. Based on the square footage of approved spaces, the facility has a potential capacity of 128 children. Once the building inspection has been completed, an increase in capacity may be granted if the capacity on item #27 is greater than 100. The facility had the following items posted/located in a prominent place in the center for parents and available for me to review: the Temporary License, Safe Arrival and Departure Procedure, fire drill log, emergency medical care plan and the Summary of the NC Child Care Law. All approved indoor and outdoor spaces were monitored. Nine indoor spaces and two outdoor spaces have been approved and are in use. Upon arrival I explained the purpose of my visit. A therapist was present in space 3 working with preschool children. A parent was present shadowing her child in space 4. Daily schedules and activity plans were posted; the activity plan in space 8 was dated June 23, 2025. In space one, infants were observed in swings, bouncy seats, highchairs having breakfast and on the floor playing with various age appropriate toys. Safe sleep documentation had not yet been completed for today as no infants had yet napped. Preschool children were observed during group time and outside on the fenced in playground. During group time they sang, danced and listed to a story. Outside the children ran, rode trikes, swung on swings and had informal conversations. Staff moved about the indoor and outdoor spaces ensuring visual supervision of all children. School age children were observed cleaning up and preparing for group time. During group time they participated in an interactive story. Morning snack today consisted of biscuits, blueberries and milk. The Clean Classrooms for Carolina Kids website reflected the following information about your facility’s required three-year water testing, lead paint testing, and asbestos testing: Three-year Water Testing was completed March 15, 2024. The Lead Paint and Asbestos application sections were completed November 5, 2025, and no additional testing is required. Child Care programs are expected to always achieve and maintain compliance with child care rules, and are required by NC GS 110-90(4) (d) to achieve and maintain an eighteen-month compliance history score of at least seventy-five percent. Any violation(s) documented may impact the compliance history score. The following violations were observed today and must be corrected immediately: Violation Number Comment Rule 428 A current activity plan was not posted for each group of children for reference. The activity plan in space 8 was June 23, 2025 GS 110-91(12); .0508(a) 445 For children under three years of age, developmentally appropriate toys and activities were not provided as outlined in Rule. The activity areas in space 6 lacked materials in sufficient quantity to allow all children to use them at some time during the day and to allow for a range of choices. .0510 (e ) (1)(A-G) 533 Human milk, formula and other bottled beverages including sippy cups, sent from child's home were not fully prepared, dated, and labeled for the appropriate child. Bottles for two children were not dated with the current date. 15A NCAC 18A .2804(d) 824 Outdoor play area was not enclosed by fence with a minimum height of 4 feet. The top of the fence, less than six feet, was not free from protrusions. The height of the exterior fence was less than 4 feet high in several locations. GS 110-91(6); .0605((i) 1867 The depth of the loose surfacing was not based on critical height of the equipment. The surfacing under the swings was compact and not resilient. .0605(k)(1-4) A compliance letter including detailed information about how all violations have been corrected must be received by August 29, 2025. Include any supporting documentation with your response (if applicable). Your letter will be used as verification that violations have been corrected, and compliance is maintained; your written response is considered a legal document so must be accurate and truthful. If you email the compliance letter, it must be sent using the email address registered with DCDEE and include your facility name and ID number. If sufficient information is not received by the due date, a follow-up visit will be conducted. Complaint Follow-up: During the complaint visit on August 13, 2025, two violations were cited. Your compliance letter has not yet been received. On or before August 22, 2025. I must receive a written, dated, and signed compliance letter that describes accurately and in detail how and when the violations were corrected. If you email the compliance letter, it must be sent from the email address registered with the DCDEE (this serves as your signature) and the following information must be included: name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. Today you explained that the facility has extra linens in each classroom in the event a child does not bring linens or their linens become soiled or wet. If facility feel a child would benefit from time outside of their classroom for a few minutes, they will contact administration. Administrative staff will offer the child an opportunity to go to space 3 for a feel minutes to talk or play one-on-one or an opportunity to walk around together for a few minutes. Children will no longer visit the office. If your compliance letter is not received by August 22, 2025, a follow-up visit will be made. Technical Assistance specific to violations cited: Bottles: Each infant shall be served only formula, breast milk, and bottles labeled with their individual name and the current date. Before feeding a bottle to an infant, use name to face recognition to ensure you are giving the correct bottle to the correct child. Consider writing the dates on bottles with a wax pencil; you could also add the date on a piece of tape and attach it to the bottle. Fence: The top bar of the fence frame adjacent to the office on the playground used by infants, toddlers and two-year-old children, has been damaged and is now bent. The exterior fence is bowed and damaged is several areas. Due to the addition of surfacing, the fence no longer measures 4 feet in height in all areas as required. Repair/replace the damaged fence areas. You can replace the fence with a new 4 foot fence or you can attempt to move the surfacing away from the fence base in an attempt to restore the original fence height. When measuring the height of the fence, we will measure from the ground to the top of the fence inside the playground. Activity Plan: Child Care Rule 10A NCAC 09 .0508 ACTIVITY SCHEDULES AND PLANS states (a) All centers shall have a current schedule and activity plan for each group of children posted for reference by parents and by caregivers. The schedule and activity plan may be combined in a single document. (b) For each group of children in care, the activity plan shall include activities intended to stimulate the following developmental domains, in accordance with North Carolina Foundations for Early Learning and Development, available on the Division's website at http://ncchildcare.nc.gov/providers/pv_foundations.asp: (1) emotional and social development; (2) health and physical development; (3) approaches to play and learning; (4) language development and communication; and (5) cognitive development. Consider reviewing all activity plans on Friday’s to ensure staff have them completed for the following week. Current activity plans should be posted no later than Monday morning. Activity Areas: Materials in each activity area shall be offered in sufficient quantity to allow for three children to use them at some time during the day and to allow for a range of choices. Surfacing: Nationally, nearly 70% of playground related injuries are from falls. Fall injuries are the result of two things: 1) The height a child falls from and 2) The material/surface the child falls upon. Provide “soft” resilient surfacing under and around stationary playground equipment. Refer to 10A NCAC 09 .0605(h)(i). Daily rake the surfacing back under the swings and encourage children to keep their feet from dragging the mulch. RATED LICENSE: Today we again discussed the two-component rated license process. As this change of ownership occurred during the “hold harmless period” and you submitted a rated license request you have chosen to continue with the points awarded during the last rated license assessment. Under the previous ownership the facility earned 1 quality point for 75% of all teachers having an AAS or higher in early childhood education/child development. The facility earned six points in program for meeting enhanced requirements, as well as enhanced space and ratios. The facility earned a 5.32 and a 5.5 on the ECERS-R with an average score of 5.41 across their two assessments. An ITERS-R and a SACERS-U were not completed as part of the assessment. The facility earned seven points in education. The facility earned a total of 14 points which is a 5-star license. QRIS and Pathways: The new rules related to the star rated license system (QRIS) have been approved. The DCDEE team looks forward to working with child care facilities across the state to transition to the new QRIS system, also known as Pathways to the Stars, located in Section .3200 of the Child Care Rules. The transition will begin soon with the following informational opportunities: • You can review the rule roll out module in the DCDEE e-learning Moodle platform and attend the following webinar: o August 20 at 6:30pm (child care centers and centers located in a residence) Join webinar • In September, child care consultants will host in-person facility operator/administrator meetings within the counties they serve to provide additional guidance on the changes, the transition plan and timeline. • Beginning In October, child care consultants will begin discussing the new rules in Section .3200; Standards for Two through Five Star Rated Licenses during licensing visits. Consultants will review the pathway options, identify facility needs, answer questions, and work with the facility operator to establish an individualized timeline for transition to a new rated license within 12 months based on the pathway chosen. We understand this is a big change and are committed to ensuring all providers have a good understanding of the new opportunities in order to make informed decisions on which pathway best suits the needs of the facility. We look forward to seeing you at these upcoming informational settings and working with you on your pathway to the stars! I hope you will take the time to join a webinar. I will send information regarding the provider meetings soon. Stay up to date with the Division of Child Development and Early Education by visiting www.ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov. This website enables you to view the entire Law and Child Care Requirements for North Carolina as well as download required forms. Click on the “What’s New” tab for important updates impacting child care in North Carolina. 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: Kindred Kids Academy Facility ID: 10000317 Consultant: JENNIFER GARNER Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 8/19/2025 Number Present: 64 Completed Date: 8/19/2025 Age: From 0 To 11 Total Minutes: 260 Time In: 09:00 AM Time Out: 01:20 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Temp Time Period Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today's unannounced visit was to monitor compliance with applicable child care requirements for the facility’s second temporary time period visit. The facility’s Temporary License was issued June 2, 2025, and is valid through December 2, 2025. Restrictions on the permit include a first shift capacity of 100 children aged 0 to 12 years old; meeting enhanced space and enhanced ratios. According to the North Carolina Secretary of State website today, your corporation Kindred Kids Academy Inc. is current and active. The information on record with DCDEE was verified as correct by Administrator Kaylee McDowell. Child Care Consultant Natalie Pond was present and assisted with today’s visit. As this is a change of ownership a new building, fire and inspections must be completed prior to the expiration of your Temporary License. A fire inspection was completed June 6, 2025. The facility was approved for daytime care only. A superior sanitation inspection with 13 demerits was earned on July 17, 2025. Failure to obtain an approved building inspection prior to December 2, 2025, may result in administrative action against your license. I strongly encourage you to request your building inspection now in the event there are any unknown items of non-compliance that must be addressed. Prior to today’s visit, the facility requested an increase in capacity. The facility currently has a capacity of 100 children. Based on the square footage of approved spaces, the facility has a potential capacity of 128 children. Once the building inspection has been completed, an increase in capacity may be granted if the capacity on item #27 is greater than 100. The facility had the following items posted/located in a prominent place in the center for parents and available for me to review: the Temporary License, Safe Arrival and Departure Procedure, fire drill log, emergency medical care plan and the Summary of the NC Child Care Law. All approved indoor and outdoor spaces were monitored. Nine indoor spaces and two outdoor spaces have been approved and are in use. Upon arrival I explained the purpose of my visit. A therapist was present in space 3 working with preschool children. A parent was present shadowing her child in space 4. Daily schedules and activity plans were posted; the activity plan in space 8 was dated June 23, 2025. In space one, infants were observed in swings, bouncy seats, highchairs having breakfast and on the floor playing with various age appropriate toys. Safe sleep documentation had not yet been completed for today as no infants had yet napped. Preschool children were observed during group time and outside on the fenced in playground. During group time they sang, danced and listed to a story. Outside the children ran, rode trikes, swung on swings and had informal conversations. Staff moved about the indoor and outdoor spaces ensuring visual supervision of all children. School age children were observed cleaning up and preparing for group time. During group time they participated in an interactive story. Morning snack today consisted of biscuits, blueberries and milk. The Clean Classrooms for Carolina Kids website reflected the following information about your facility’s required three-year water testing, lead paint testing, and asbestos testing: Three-year Water Testing was completed March 15, 2024. The Lead Paint and Asbestos application sections were completed November 5, 2025, and no additional testing is required. Child Care programs are expected to always achieve and maintain compliance with child care rules, and are required by NC GS 110-90(4) (d) to achieve and maintain an eighteen-month compliance history score of at least seventy-five percent. Any violation(s) documented may impact the compliance history score. The following violations were observed today and must be corrected immediately: Violation Number Comment Rule 428 A current activity plan was not posted for each group of children for reference. The activity plan in space 8 was June 23, 2025 GS 110-91(12); .0508(a) 445 For children under three years of age, developmentally appropriate toys and activities were not provided as outlined in Rule. The activity areas in space 6 lacked materials in sufficient quantity to allow all children to use them at some time during the day and to allow for a range of choices. .0510 (e ) (1)(A-G) 533 Human milk, formula and other bottled beverages including sippy cups, sent from child's home were not fully prepared, dated, and labeled for the appropriate child. Bottles for two children were not dated with the current date. 15A NCAC 18A .2804(d) 824 Outdoor play area was not enclosed by fence with a minimum height of 4 feet. The top of the fence, less than six feet, was not free from protrusions. The height of the exterior fence was less than 4 feet high in several locations. GS 110-91(6); .0605((i) 1867 The depth of the loose surfacing was not based on critical height of the equipment. The surfacing under the swings was compact and not resilient. .0605(k)(1-4) A compliance letter including detailed information about how all violations have been corrected must be received by August 29, 2025. Include any supporting documentation with your response (if applicable). Your letter will be used as verification that violations have been corrected, and compliance is maintained; your written response is considered a legal document so must be accurate and truthful. If you email the compliance letter, it must be sent using the email address registered with DCDEE and include your facility name and ID number. If sufficient information is not received by the due date, a follow-up visit will be conducted. Complaint Follow-up: During the complaint visit on August 13, 2025, two violations were cited. Your compliance letter has not yet been received. On or before August 22, 2025. I must receive a written, dated, and signed compliance letter that describes accurately and in detail how and when the violations were corrected. If you email the compliance letter, it must be sent from the email address registered with the DCDEE (this serves as your signature) and the following information must be included: name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. Today you explained that the facility has extra linens in each classroom in the event a child does not bring linens or their linens become soiled or wet. If facility feel a child would benefit from time outside of their classroom for a few minutes, they will contact administration. Administrative staff will offer the child an opportunity to go to space 3 for a feel minutes to talk or play one-on-one or an opportunity to walk around together for a few minutes. Children will no longer visit the office. If your compliance letter is not received by August 22, 2025, a follow-up visit will be made. Technical Assistance specific to violations cited: Bottles: Each infant shall be served only formula, breast milk, and bottles labeled with their individual name and the current date. Before feeding a bottle to an infant, use name to face recognition to ensure you are giving the correct bottle to the correct child. Consider writing the dates on bottles with a wax pencil; you could also add the date on a piece of tape and attach it to the bottle. Fence: The top bar of the fence frame adjacent to the office on the playground used by infants, toddlers and two-year-old children, has been damaged and is now bent. The exterior fence is bowed and damaged is several areas. Due to the addition of surfacing, the fence no longer measures 4 feet in height in all areas as required. Repair/replace the damaged fence areas. You can replace the fence with a new 4 foot fence or you can attempt to move the surfacing away from the fence base in an attempt to restore the original fence height. When measuring the height of the fence, we will measure from the ground to the top of the fence inside the playground. Activity Plan: Child Care Rule 10A NCAC 09 .0508 ACTIVITY SCHEDULES AND PLANS states (a) All centers shall have a current schedule and activity plan for each group of children posted for reference by parents and by caregivers. The schedule and activity plan may be combined in a single document. (b) For each group of children in care, the activity plan shall include activities intended to stimulate the following developmental domains, in accordance with North Carolina Foundations for Early Learning and Development, available on the Division's website at http://ncchildcare.nc.gov/providers/pv_foundations.asp: (1) emotional and social development; (2) health and physical development; (3) approaches to play and learning; (4) language development and communication; and (5) cognitive development. Consider reviewing all activity plans on Friday’s to ensure staff have them completed for the following week. Current activity plans should be posted no later than Monday morning. Activity Areas: Materials in each activity area shall be offered in sufficient quantity to allow for three children to use them at some time during the day and to allow for a range of choices. Surfacing: Nationally, nearly 70% of playground related injuries are from falls. Fall injuries are the result of two things: 1) The height a child falls from and 2) The material/surface the child falls upon. Provide “soft” resilient surfacing under and around stationary playground equipment. Refer to 10A NCAC 09 .0605(h)(i). Daily rake the surfacing back under the swings and encourage children to keep their feet from dragging the mulch. RATED LICENSE: Today we again discussed the two-component rated license process. As this change of ownership occurred during the “hold harmless period” and you submitted a rated license request you have chosen to continue with the points awarded during the last rated license assessment. Under the previous ownership the facility earned 1 quality point for 75% of all teachers having an AAS or higher in early childhood education/child development. The facility earned six points in program for meeting enhanced requirements, as well as enhanced space and ratios. The facility earned a 5.32 and a 5.5 on the ECERS-R with an average score of 5.41 across their two assessments. An ITERS-R and a SACERS-U were not completed as part of the assessment. The facility earned seven points in education. The facility earned a total of 14 points which is a 5-star license. QRIS and Pathways: The new rules related to the star rated license system (QRIS) have been approved. The DCDEE team looks forward to working with child care facilities across the state to transition to the new QRIS system, also known as Pathways to the Stars, located in Section .3200 of the Child Care Rules. The transition will begin soon with the following informational opportunities: • You can review the rule roll out module in the DCDEE e-learning Moodle platform and attend the following webinar: o August 20 at 6:30pm (child care centers and centers located in a residence) Join webinar • In September, child care consultants will host in-person facility operator/administrator meetings within the counties they serve to provide additional guidance on the changes, the transition plan and timeline. • Beginning In October, child care consultants will begin discussing the new rules in Section .3200; Standards for Two through Five Star Rated Licenses during licensing visits. Consultants will review the pathway options, identify facility needs, answer questions, and work with the facility operator to establish an individualized timeline for transition to a new rated license within 12 months based on the pathway chosen. We understand this is a big change and are committed to ensuring all providers have a good understanding of the new opportunities in order to make informed decisions on which pathway best suits the needs of the facility. We look forward to seeing you at these upcoming informational settings and working with you on your pathway to the stars! I hope you will take the time to join a webinar. I will send information regarding the provider meetings soon. Stay up to date with the Division of Child Development and Early Education by visiting www.ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov. This website enables you to view the entire Law and Child Care Requirements for North Carolina as well as download required forms. Click on the “What’s New” tab for important updates impacting child care in North Carolina. 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
NC GS 110-90 · Violation
Name of Operation: Kindred Kids Academy Facility ID: 10000317 Consultant: JENNIFER GARNER Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 8/19/2025 Number Present: 64 Completed Date: 8/19/2025 Age: From 0 To 11 Total Minutes: 260 Time In: 09:00 AM Time Out: 01:20 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Temp Time Period Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today's unannounced visit was to monitor compliance with applicable child care requirements for the facility’s second temporary time period visit. The facility’s Temporary License was issued June 2, 2025, and is valid through December 2, 2025. Restrictions on the permit include a first shift capacity of 100 children aged 0 to 12 years old; meeting enhanced space and enhanced ratios. According to the North Carolina Secretary of State website today, your corporation Kindred Kids Academy Inc. is current and active. The information on record with DCDEE was verified as correct by Administrator Kaylee McDowell. Child Care Consultant Natalie Pond was present and assisted with today’s visit. As this is a change of ownership a new building, fire and inspections must be completed prior to the expiration of your Temporary License. A fire inspection was completed June 6, 2025. The facility was approved for daytime care only. A superior sanitation inspection with 13 demerits was earned on July 17, 2025. Failure to obtain an approved building inspection prior to December 2, 2025, may result in administrative action against your license. I strongly encourage you to request your building inspection now in the event there are any unknown items of non-compliance that must be addressed. Prior to today’s visit, the facility requested an increase in capacity. The facility currently has a capacity of 100 children. Based on the square footage of approved spaces, the facility has a potential capacity of 128 children. Once the building inspection has been completed, an increase in capacity may be granted if the capacity on item #27 is greater than 100. The facility had the following items posted/located in a prominent place in the center for parents and available for me to review: the Temporary License, Safe Arrival and Departure Procedure, fire drill log, emergency medical care plan and the Summary of the NC Child Care Law. All approved indoor and outdoor spaces were monitored. Nine indoor spaces and two outdoor spaces have been approved and are in use. Upon arrival I explained the purpose of my visit. A therapist was present in space 3 working with preschool children. A parent was present shadowing her child in space 4. Daily schedules and activity plans were posted; the activity plan in space 8 was dated June 23, 2025. In space one, infants were observed in swings, bouncy seats, highchairs having breakfast and on the floor playing with various age appropriate toys. Safe sleep documentation had not yet been completed for today as no infants had yet napped. Preschool children were observed during group time and outside on the fenced in playground. During group time they sang, danced and listed to a story. Outside the children ran, rode trikes, swung on swings and had informal conversations. Staff moved about the indoor and outdoor spaces ensuring visual supervision of all children. School age children were observed cleaning up and preparing for group time. During group time they participated in an interactive story. Morning snack today consisted of biscuits, blueberries and milk. The Clean Classrooms for Carolina Kids website reflected the following information about your facility’s required three-year water testing, lead paint testing, and asbestos testing: Three-year Water Testing was completed March 15, 2024. The Lead Paint and Asbestos application sections were completed November 5, 2025, and no additional testing is required. Child Care programs are expected to always achieve and maintain compliance with child care rules, and are required by NC GS 110-90(4) (d) to achieve and maintain an eighteen-month compliance history score of at least seventy-five percent. Any violation(s) documented may impact the compliance history score. The following violations were observed today and must be corrected immediately: Violation Number Comment Rule 428 A current activity plan was not posted for each group of children for reference. The activity plan in space 8 was June 23, 2025 GS 110-91(12); .0508(a) 445 For children under three years of age, developmentally appropriate toys and activities were not provided as outlined in Rule. The activity areas in space 6 lacked materials in sufficient quantity to allow all children to use them at some time during the day and to allow for a range of choices. .0510 (e ) (1)(A-G) 533 Human milk, formula and other bottled beverages including sippy cups, sent from child's home were not fully prepared, dated, and labeled for the appropriate child. Bottles for two children were not dated with the current date. 15A NCAC 18A .2804(d) 824 Outdoor play area was not enclosed by fence with a minimum height of 4 feet. The top of the fence, less than six feet, was not free from protrusions. The height of the exterior fence was less than 4 feet high in several locations. GS 110-91(6); .0605((i) 1867 The depth of the loose surfacing was not based on critical height of the equipment. The surfacing under the swings was compact and not resilient. .0605(k)(1-4) A compliance letter including detailed information about how all violations have been corrected must be received by August 29, 2025. Include any supporting documentation with your response (if applicable). Your letter will be used as verification that violations have been corrected, and compliance is maintained; your written response is considered a legal document so must be accurate and truthful. If you email the compliance letter, it must be sent using the email address registered with DCDEE and include your facility name and ID number. If sufficient information is not received by the due date, a follow-up visit will be conducted. Complaint Follow-up: During the complaint visit on August 13, 2025, two violations were cited. Your compliance letter has not yet been received. On or before August 22, 2025. I must receive a written, dated, and signed compliance letter that describes accurately and in detail how and when the violations were corrected. If you email the compliance letter, it must be sent from the email address registered with the DCDEE (this serves as your signature) and the following information must be included: name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. Today you explained that the facility has extra linens in each classroom in the event a child does not bring linens or their linens become soiled or wet. If facility feel a child would benefit from time outside of their classroom for a few minutes, they will contact administration. Administrative staff will offer the child an opportunity to go to space 3 for a feel minutes to talk or play one-on-one or an opportunity to walk around together for a few minutes. Children will no longer visit the office. If your compliance letter is not received by August 22, 2025, a follow-up visit will be made. Technical Assistance specific to violations cited: Bottles: Each infant shall be served only formula, breast milk, and bottles labeled with their individual name and the current date. Before feeding a bottle to an infant, use name to face recognition to ensure you are giving the correct bottle to the correct child. Consider writing the dates on bottles with a wax pencil; you could also add the date on a piece of tape and attach it to the bottle. Fence: The top bar of the fence frame adjacent to the office on the playground used by infants, toddlers and two-year-old children, has been damaged and is now bent. The exterior fence is bowed and damaged is several areas. Due to the addition of surfacing, the fence no longer measures 4 feet in height in all areas as required. Repair/replace the damaged fence areas. You can replace the fence with a new 4 foot fence or you can attempt to move the surfacing away from the fence base in an attempt to restore the original fence height. When measuring the height of the fence, we will measure from the ground to the top of the fence inside the playground. Activity Plan: Child Care Rule 10A NCAC 09 .0508 ACTIVITY SCHEDULES AND PLANS states (a) All centers shall have a current schedule and activity plan for each group of children posted for reference by parents and by caregivers. The schedule and activity plan may be combined in a single document. (b) For each group of children in care, the activity plan shall include activities intended to stimulate the following developmental domains, in accordance with North Carolina Foundations for Early Learning and Development, available on the Division's website at http://ncchildcare.nc.gov/providers/pv_foundations.asp: (1) emotional and social development; (2) health and physical development; (3) approaches to play and learning; (4) language development and communication; and (5) cognitive development. Consider reviewing all activity plans on Friday’s to ensure staff have them completed for the following week. Current activity plans should be posted no later than Monday morning. Activity Areas: Materials in each activity area shall be offered in sufficient quantity to allow for three children to use them at some time during the day and to allow for a range of choices. Surfacing: Nationally, nearly 70% of playground related injuries are from falls. Fall injuries are the result of two things: 1) The height a child falls from and 2) The material/surface the child falls upon. Provide “soft” resilient surfacing under and around stationary playground equipment. Refer to 10A NCAC 09 .0605(h)(i). Daily rake the surfacing back under the swings and encourage children to keep their feet from dragging the mulch. RATED LICENSE: Today we again discussed the two-component rated license process. As this change of ownership occurred during the “hold harmless period” and you submitted a rated license request you have chosen to continue with the points awarded during the last rated license assessment. Under the previous ownership the facility earned 1 quality point for 75% of all teachers having an AAS or higher in early childhood education/child development. The facility earned six points in program for meeting enhanced requirements, as well as enhanced space and ratios. The facility earned a 5.32 and a 5.5 on the ECERS-R with an average score of 5.41 across their two assessments. An ITERS-R and a SACERS-U were not completed as part of the assessment. The facility earned seven points in education. The facility earned a total of 14 points which is a 5-star license. QRIS and Pathways: The new rules related to the star rated license system (QRIS) have been approved. The DCDEE team looks forward to working with child care facilities across the state to transition to the new QRIS system, also known as Pathways to the Stars, located in Section .3200 of the Child Care Rules. The transition will begin soon with the following informational opportunities: • You can review the rule roll out module in the DCDEE e-learning Moodle platform and attend the following webinar: o August 20 at 6:30pm (child care centers and centers located in a residence) Join webinar • In September, child care consultants will host in-person facility operator/administrator meetings within the counties they serve to provide additional guidance on the changes, the transition plan and timeline. • Beginning In October, child care consultants will begin discussing the new rules in Section .3200; Standards for Two through Five Star Rated Licenses during licensing visits. Consultants will review the pathway options, identify facility needs, answer questions, and work with the facility operator to establish an individualized timeline for transition to a new rated license within 12 months based on the pathway chosen. We understand this is a big change and are committed to ensuring all providers have a good understanding of the new opportunities in order to make informed decisions on which pathway best suits the needs of the facility. We look forward to seeing you at these upcoming informational settings and working with you on your pathway to the stars! I hope you will take the time to join a webinar. I will send information regarding the provider meetings soon. Stay up to date with the Division of Child Development and Early Education by visiting www.ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov. This website enables you to view the entire Law and Child Care Requirements for North Carolina as well as download required forms. Click on the “What’s New” tab for important updates impacting child care in North Carolina. 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: Kindred Kids Academy Facility ID: 10000317 Consultant: JENNIFER GARNER Operation Type: Center Case Number: 0825-042L Visit Date: 8/13/2025 Number Present: 69 Completed Date: 8/13/2025 Age: From 0 To 9 Total Minutes: 130 Time In: 12:10 PM Time Out: 02:20 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Complaint Visit Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s unannounced visit was to obtain information regarding alleged violations of child care requirements. The allegations are as follows: there are concerns that children were cared for in unapproved space; there are concerns that children were not adequately supervised. The facility’s Temporary License was issued June 2, 2025, and is valid through December 2, 2025. Restrictions on the permit include a first shift capacity of 100 children aged 0 to 12 years old; meeting enhanced space and enhanced ratios. Restrictions were in compliance today. According to the North Carolina Secretary of State website today, your corporation Kindred Kids Academy Inc. is current and active. Prior to the visit, the facility had an eighteen-month compliance history score of 100%. In addition to the allegations, Supervision, Staff /Child Ratios, Adequate/Approved Space, and Permit Restrictions were monitored. Limited monitoring occurred. Facility administrator Nichole McDowell was a caregiver in space #1 today and unable to accompany me during the walk through and observations. All approved indoor and outdoor spaces were monitored. Nine indoor spaces and two outdoor spaces have been approved and are in use. Space 3 is not currently used for care. In space 1, seven infants were on the floor exploring the space and playing with various age-appropriate materials. Safe sleep documentation appeared to be completed in real time. Children present in spaces 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7 were all observed napping/resting. The lights were off; the natural light from the windows provided ample light for supervision. Staff moved about the spaces ensuring visual supervision of all children. In space 8 school age children were drawing their perfect vacation. For some children that was time at the beach with their facility, others wanted to go to Disney and on a cruise. Investigation: The allegations were reviewed with the administrator and select staff members. Each staff member was given the opportunity to state their perceptions of the allegation. Allegation #1- There are concerns that children were cared for in unapproved space. Findings- Ms. McDowell reported that when children are being disruptive in their classroom or need a minute to gather themselves, they are brought into the office for some one-on-one time. Ms. McDowell stated there are toys the child care play with as they work to self-regulate their emotions and it’s an opportunity for individualized attention. Staff might rock a child, read them a book or just talk to them. As the office is not an approved space for care, this allegation is confirmed. Allegation #2- There are concerns that children were not adequately supervised. Findings- While a child was being cared for in the office, the child received an injury. Staff reported the child was being supervised. The child moved faster than the staff member and round the corner of the desk quickly catching the corner of the desk resulting in the injury. An incident report was completed and signed by the parent. Based on the information provided by staff this allegation is unconfirmed. The following violations were cited today: Violation Number Comment Rule 209 Children used space that was not approved. Care was provided in the office, which is unapproved space. GS 110-91(1)&(4-5) 611 All beds, cots, or mats with individual linen were not provided for each child. In space 4,5, 6 and 7 several children were laying on cots coved by blankets without a sheet between them and the sleeping surface. 15A NCAC 18A .2821(c) Child Care programs are expected to achieve and maintain compliance at all times and are required by NC GS 110-90(4) (d) to achieve and maintain an eighteen-month compliance history score of at least seventy-five percent. Any violations documented may impact the compliance history score. The violations documented must be corrected immediately. On or before August 22, 2025. I must receive a written, dated, and signed compliance letter that describes accurately and in detail, how and when the violations were corrected. If you email the compliance letter, it must be sent from the email address registered with the DCDEE (this serves as your signature) and the following information must be included: name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. 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, a follow-up visit will be conducted. An administrative action may be issued based on a confirmed allegation AND a return visit may be made to verify correction of the violation. Technical Assistance: Approved space: If staff feel a child will benefit from time outside of their classroom for a few minutes, consider taking the child outside onto the fenced in playground or into space 3. Space 3 is approved space however it is not used as classroom space. As we discussed today children must remain in approved space at all times and must be adequately supervised at all times. If you wish to have addition spaces approved, you will need to submit building, fire and sanitation inspections approving the spaces. Linens: Each child must have a clean linen between them and the sleeping surface of the cot/ mattress. Consider having several extra cot linens for each space on site to be used in the event one is not brought from home. Crib sheets work well as cot linens. If a child wishes to be covered up, they will need a separate sheet or blanket. Change of Ownership: As this is a change of ownership a new building, fire and inspections must be completed prior to the expiration of your Temporary License. A fire inspection was completed June 6, 2025. The facility was approved for daytime care only. A superior sanitation inspection with 13 demerits was earned on July 17, 2025. Failure to obtain an approved building inspection prior to December 2, 2025, may result in administrative action against your license. I strongly encourage you to request your building inspection now in the event there are any unknown items of non-compliance that must be addressed. Stay up to date with the Division of Child Development and Early Education by visiting www.ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov. This website enables you to view the entire Law and Child Care Requirements for North Carolina as well as download required forms. Click on the “What’s New” tab for important updates impacting child care in North Carolina. Documentation was completed and reviewed on site, printed and signed. Remember it is your responsibility to comply with all child care rules and requirements at all times. Contact me at Jennifer.j.garner@dhhs.nc.gov at (910)824-1447 with any questions or concerns regarding this visit. If the operator fails to correct any documented violations within the established time period, the Division of Child Development and Early Education may deny, suspend, terminate, or revoke any permit to operate (10A NCAC 09 .2000). All information in this report has been reviewed with me today.I understand that it is my responsibility to maintaincompliance with applicable NC Child Care Requirements at all times
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: supervision. Open / not marked corrected.
NC GS 110-90 · Violation
Name of Operation: Kindred Kids Academy Facility ID: 10000317 Consultant: JENNIFER GARNER Operation Type: Center Case Number: 0825-042L Visit Date: 8/13/2025 Number Present: 69 Completed Date: 8/13/2025 Age: From 0 To 9 Total Minutes: 130 Time In: 12:10 PM Time Out: 02:20 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Complaint Visit Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s unannounced visit was to obtain information regarding alleged violations of child care requirements. The allegations are as follows: there are concerns that children were cared for in unapproved space; there are concerns that children were not adequately supervised. The facility’s Temporary License was issued June 2, 2025, and is valid through December 2, 2025. Restrictions on the permit include a first shift capacity of 100 children aged 0 to 12 years old; meeting enhanced space and enhanced ratios. Restrictions were in compliance today. According to the North Carolina Secretary of State website today, your corporation Kindred Kids Academy Inc. is current and active. Prior to the visit, the facility had an eighteen-month compliance history score of 100%. In addition to the allegations, Supervision, Staff /Child Ratios, Adequate/Approved Space, and Permit Restrictions were monitored. Limited monitoring occurred. Facility administrator Nichole McDowell was a caregiver in space #1 today and unable to accompany me during the walk through and observations. All approved indoor and outdoor spaces were monitored. Nine indoor spaces and two outdoor spaces have been approved and are in use. Space 3 is not currently used for care. In space 1, seven infants were on the floor exploring the space and playing with various age-appropriate materials. Safe sleep documentation appeared to be completed in real time. Children present in spaces 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7 were all observed napping/resting. The lights were off; the natural light from the windows provided ample light for supervision. Staff moved about the spaces ensuring visual supervision of all children. In space 8 school age children were drawing their perfect vacation. For some children that was time at the beach with their facility, others wanted to go to Disney and on a cruise. Investigation: The allegations were reviewed with the administrator and select staff members. Each staff member was given the opportunity to state their perceptions of the allegation. Allegation #1- There are concerns that children were cared for in unapproved space. Findings- Ms. McDowell reported that when children are being disruptive in their classroom or need a minute to gather themselves, they are brought into the office for some one-on-one time. Ms. McDowell stated there are toys the child care play with as they work to self-regulate their emotions and it’s an opportunity for individualized attention. Staff might rock a child, read them a book or just talk to them. As the office is not an approved space for care, this allegation is confirmed. Allegation #2- There are concerns that children were not adequately supervised. Findings- While a child was being cared for in the office, the child received an injury. Staff reported the child was being supervised. The child moved faster than the staff member and round the corner of the desk quickly catching the corner of the desk resulting in the injury. An incident report was completed and signed by the parent. Based on the information provided by staff this allegation is unconfirmed. The following violations were cited today: Violation Number Comment Rule 209 Children used space that was not approved. Care was provided in the office, which is unapproved space. GS 110-91(1)&(4-5) 611 All beds, cots, or mats with individual linen were not provided for each child. In space 4,5, 6 and 7 several children were laying on cots coved by blankets without a sheet between them and the sleeping surface. 15A NCAC 18A .2821(c) Child Care programs are expected to achieve and maintain compliance at all times and are required by NC GS 110-90(4) (d) to achieve and maintain an eighteen-month compliance history score of at least seventy-five percent. Any violations documented may impact the compliance history score. The violations documented must be corrected immediately. On or before August 22, 2025. I must receive a written, dated, and signed compliance letter that describes accurately and in detail, how and when the violations were corrected. If you email the compliance letter, it must be sent from the email address registered with the DCDEE (this serves as your signature) and the following information must be included: name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. 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, a follow-up visit will be conducted. An administrative action may be issued based on a confirmed allegation AND a return visit may be made to verify correction of the violation. Technical Assistance: Approved space: If staff feel a child will benefit from time outside of their classroom for a few minutes, consider taking the child outside onto the fenced in playground or into space 3. Space 3 is approved space however it is not used as classroom space. As we discussed today children must remain in approved space at all times and must be adequately supervised at all times. If you wish to have addition spaces approved, you will need to submit building, fire and sanitation inspections approving the spaces. Linens: Each child must have a clean linen between them and the sleeping surface of the cot/ mattress. Consider having several extra cot linens for each space on site to be used in the event one is not brought from home. Crib sheets work well as cot linens. If a child wishes to be covered up, they will need a separate sheet or blanket. Change of Ownership: As this is a change of ownership a new building, fire and inspections must be completed prior to the expiration of your Temporary License. A fire inspection was completed June 6, 2025. The facility was approved for daytime care only. A superior sanitation inspection with 13 demerits was earned on July 17, 2025. Failure to obtain an approved building inspection prior to December 2, 2025, may result in administrative action against your license. I strongly encourage you to request your building inspection now in the event there are any unknown items of non-compliance that must be addressed. Stay up to date with the Division of Child Development and Early Education by visiting www.ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov. This website enables you to view the entire Law and Child Care Requirements for North Carolina as well as download required forms. Click on the “What’s New” tab for important updates impacting child care in North Carolina. Documentation was completed and reviewed on site, printed and signed. Remember it is your responsibility to comply with all child care rules and requirements at all times. Contact me at Jennifer.j.garner@dhhs.nc.gov at (910)824-1447 with any questions or concerns regarding this visit. If the operator fails to correct any documented violations within the established time period, the Division of Child Development and Early Education may deny, suspend, terminate, or revoke any permit to operate (10A NCAC 09 .2000). All information in this report has been reviewed with me today.I understand that it is my responsibility to maintaincompliance with applicable NC Child Care Requirements at all times
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: supervision. Open / not marked corrected.
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: supervision. Open / not marked corrected.
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: supervision. Open / not marked corrected.
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: supervision. Open / not marked corrected.