10A NCAC 09 .0515 · Violation

Name of Operation: First Choice Childcare Center Facility ID: 26002627 Consultant: RHONDA BLACKMON Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 10/6/2025 Number Present: 1 Completed Date: 10/6/2025 Age: From 3 To 3 Total Minutes: 330 Time In: 09:00 AM Time Out: 02:30 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Temp Time Period Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today's visit was to monitor compliance with applicable child care requirements pertinent to a first temporary time period visit. The previous visit was completed on July 30, 2025, and prior to today’s visit, the eighteen-month compliance history score was 100% as required by North Carolina General Statute 110-90(4)(c-d). This program currently operates with a Temporary License issued September 5, 2025 to March 5, 2026. The information on record with DCDEE was verified as correct by Carolyn Nails and the owner’s corporation status was verified on the Secretary of State’s website as current-active. Current Inspections are as follows: Sanitation Inspection with ten (10) demerits and a classification of Superior completed July 8, 2025. Fire Inspection, approved for daytime care only, dated May 15, 2025. Nina McNeill, Administrator, and Alfreda Weathers, Assistant Director, were present. I explained the purpose of the visit and requested to wash my hands prior to conducting a walk-through of the indoor and outdoor areas. N. McNeill and A. Weathers accompanied me as I monitored the indoor and outdoor areas. There were no enrollment records for Spaces #1, 2, 4, and 5. I observed a menu on top of the counter in the kitchen, but it was not dated. When I asked about the menu, A. Weathers stated it was old and that a current menu was not planned for this week. In Space #3, a child, aged three-years-old, was present. During the visit, the child built a castle with Mega Blocks, manipulated number and shape puzzles, danced and moved to music, participated in personal care routines and ate lunch. Lunch served was chicken nuggets, mashed potatoes and gravy, steamed broccoli florets, applesauce, and milk. After lunch, the child cleaned up, washed her hands, and transitioned to her cot for rest time. There was no activity plan for Space #3. Staff personnel and medical files, the child’s record, and required center program records were monitored today. At the completion of the visit, the Visit Summary was reviewed with N. McNeill. The following violations were observed and corrected during the visit: Violation Number Comment Rule 114 A summary of the NC Child Care Law was not given to a parent of every child enrolled in the center. A summary of the NC Child Care Law was not given to a parent of the child, identified on the children's records worksheet, enrolled in the center on September 18, 2025. GS 110-102 428 A current activity plan was not posted for each group of children for reference. There was no activity plan posted or available for review in Space #3. GS 110-91(12); .0508(a) 526 Menus for all meals and snacks were not current or posted where easily seen by parents and cook. Menus for all meals and snacks were not current or posted. The Assistant Director stated that the meals and snacks for this week were not planned in advance and that a menu was not available for review. 10A NCAC 09 .0901(b) 1207 Parent participation plan was not discussed with parents on or before the child's first day of attendance and/or a copy was not given to them or posted in the center. Parent participation plan was not discussed with parents of the child enrolled in the facility on September 18, 2025, and a copy was not given to them or posted in the center. 10A NCAC 09 .0515(a) 1310 The completed, signed application was not on file on the first day each child attends. The application for the child, identified on the children's records worksheet, was not completed, signed, and on file on the first day. The child's first day of attendance was September 18, 2025. The application was completed and signed on September 22, 2025. .0801(a) 1834 Application did not have a medical action plan attached for any child with health care needs such as allergies, asthma, or other chronic conditions that require specialized health services. The child's application, identified on the children's records worksheet, did not have a medical action plan attached. On the application, the parent documented the child has an allergy to peanuts and it requires specialized health services. .0801(b) 1851 The operator did not notify the parent of each child enrolled in writing of the smoking and tobacco restriction. The operator did not notify the parent of the child, identified on the children's records worksheet, in writing of the smoking and tobacco restriction. .0604(j) 1907 A copy of the Prevention of Shaken Baby and Abusive Head Trauma policy was not given to or explained to parents of newly enrolled children up to five years of age on or before the first day the child receives care at the center. A copy of the Prevention of Shaken Baby and Abusive Head Trauma policy was not given to or explained to parents of the child, identified on the children's records worksheet, before the first day the child receives care at the center (September 18, 2025). .0608(b) 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. Violations observed and documented today may impact the compliance history score. The violations observed and documented today must be corrected immediately. Additionally, by 5:00pm on October 20, 2025, you must submit a written, dated, and signed statement to me. The statement must describe accurately and in detail, how and when the violations were corrected. If the letter states that corrections have been made when they have not, this may be considered falsification of information. If sufficient information is not received by the due date, a follow-up visit may be completed. Mail or email the information to: Rhonda Blackmon Lead Child Care Consultant P.O. Box 279 Linden, NC 28356 Rhonda.blackmon@dhhs.nc.gov If you email the compliance letter, you must include a signature block, which contains your name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. An example is: Jane Doe, Administrator AAA Childcare ID# 12345678 The compliance history is based on violations that are cited during visits to your facility. If you have an acceptable compliance history at the end of your temporary license you will be eligible to apply for a star rated license. Failure to maintain an acceptable compliance history may result in the issuance of administrative action up to and including denial of a full license at the end of the temporary time period. Technical Assistance Specific to Today’s Visit: Medical Action Plans – A violation was cited for a medical action plan not being on file and attached to the child’s application for enrollment. Growing up healthy is every child's right and every parent's dream for their children. Significant advances in improving the overall health and development of children with chronic illnesses have been made. Having a medical action plan in place when caring for children with health issues is vital in ensuring their health and safety. These health issues could include allergies, asthma, or other chronic conditions that require specialized health services. The maintenance of these plans and the ability to implement such plans for the treatment of reactions are essential. It is important to remember the medical action plan must be attached to the child’s application for enrollment, completed by the child's parent or a health care professional and must be updated on an annual basis. A child, identified on the children’s records worksheet, as having an allergy to peanuts, did not have a medical action plan on file. I printed a copy of the sample medical action form: food allergy & anaphylaxis emergency care plan and medication administration permission form and medication administration record from the DCDEE website. N. McNeill and I reviewed the forms in their entirety, and we discussed the information that is required to be documented and maintained on file. Record keeping is one of the most time-consuming tasks associated with administering a child care program. It is an important part of licensure. Review staff and children's files often to ensure the program is maintaining accurate licensing records. Organization and completeness of records is important to ensure easy access to information in emergency situations. A violation was cited regarding the application for enrollment and signed and dated statement by parent that the Prevention of Shaken Baby Syndrome and Abusive Head Trauma policy was received and explained to parent at enrollment was not on file the child’s first day, and signed and dated statement by parent acknowledging receipt of Summary of the Child Care Law, discussion of parent participation plan and that a copy was received or posted, and notification of smoking and tobacco restriction in writing was not on file. N. McNeill is using the resource from the DCDEE website: Children’s File Checklist. We discussed the following strategies to assist the operator with achieving and maintaining compliance: • Schedule a date and time for the parent/guardian to meet with you to complete the enrollment packet instead of sending the packet home with them to complete and return. • Continue to use the Children’s File Checklist to verify all required information is on file by the due date and do not allow children to attend the program until everything that is due on the 1st day is on file. Activity Plans: There was no activity plan for Space #3. As a reminder, activity plans shall include developmentally appropriate activities for enrolled children. The administrator and I discussed the importance of developing and following the posted activity plans and written schedules and ensuring that the planned activities are offered, and materials are readily available. Activity plans for all children must meet the following minimum licensing requirements: *Include activities daily to stimulate the following 5 developmental domains, as listed in your NC Foundations for Early Learning and Development book: (social &emotional development, health & physical development, approaches to play and learning, language development / communication, and cognitive development). *Include a daily gross motor activity which may occur indoors or outdoors. *Reflect at least 4 activities daily (one of which is gross motor), one of which is offered outdoors, weather permitting. The remaining 3 activities should occur in the following areas (art/creative play, children’s books, blocks and block building, manipulatives, and family living / dramatic play). *Include both free choice and adult-directed activities, that allow children to choose to participate with the whole group, in a small group or independently. *In addition, activity plans must include each of these 3 enrichment activities on at least a weekly basis: sand or water play; science and nature; and music and rhythm. *Materials and equipment must be available both inside and outside to support the activities on the activity plan and the daily schedule. Programs should provide children a balance of guided and self-initiated play and learning indoors and outdoors. These should include opportunities to observe, explore, order and reorder, to make mistakes and find solutions, and to move from the concrete to the abstract in learning. The most meaningful learning has its source in the child’s self-initiated activities. The learning environment that supports individual differences, learning styles, abilities, and cultural values fosters confidence and curiosity in learners. Rated License Assessment: Starting your Pathways to the Stars: I look forward to working with you to transition to the new QRIS system, also known as Pathways to the Stars, located in Section .3200 of the Child Care Rules. During today’s visit, I reviewed the new rules in Section .3200; Standards for Two through Five Star Rated Licenses. Additionally, I reviewed the pathway options, identified facility needs, and answered questions to assist N. McNeill with establishing a plan to achieve compliance for a rated license by month five of the Temporary Time period. As a reminder, the facility must transition to a 3-5 Star Rated License to continue to be eligible to receive subsidized care after six (6) months. Rather than a star level being determined by points earned, star level is now determined by meeting the requirements at each star level within the pathway chosen. During the temporary time-period, as part of the process, I will need to verify evaluation of staff education. To prepare, be sure the staff member’s education has been evaluated and is available for review. A child care facility is eligible for a rated license of two through five-stars upon application and assessment of compliance with the requirements. WORKS is a self-service applicant portal that will be used by an individual applicant to register and maintain their workforce information to support education requirements. The WORKS portal is available online and requires the user to maintain an individual North Carolina Identity Management (NCID) username and password. All paperwork, except for official transcripts, will no longer be submitted to the Workforce Education Unit. These documents will be uploaded using WORKS via each applicant’s WORKS account. All staff education should be current before the fifth month (February) of the temporary time period. For more information about NCID and WORKS, visit the DCDEE website at www.ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov to view more information under the DCDEE WORKS tab http://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/general/mb_dcdeeworks.asp. You can also contact the Workforce Education Unit at 1-800-859-0829 (In State Only) or 919-527-6600 for more information concerning WORKS. The NCRLAP website (www.ncrlap.org) has a wealth of information on the Environment Rating Scales and overall quality issues for child care. Training videos are available on the following topics: Overview of the Assessment Process, A Safe Place for Gross Motor Play, Hand washing and Other Basic Health Considerations, and Language for Learning. To access resources or information on webinars, go to www.ncrlap.org. A packet of forms, brochures, and technical assistance handouts were reviewed and left with N. McNeill. At the conclusion of the visit, N. McNeill stated the program plans to achieve compliance with Pathway 2 and that Sheila Jones, Region 5 Early Childhood Consultant, is providing TA and consultation regarding the Family and Community Engagement Standards, CQI, and Professional Development Plans. Childcare Health Consultant: The Cumberland County Department of Public Health’s current Child Care Health Consultant is Nicole Richardson. Her contact number is: 910-678-7706 and her email address: nrrichardson@cumberlandcountync.gov. Visit the website https://nccchcassociation.org/resources/, under resources there are several links that may be beneficial for your Child Care Center. For example, Caring for Our Children, My Plate, Safe Kids NC, and many others. The following website will also provide more information about the Child Care Health Consultants. The Child Care Health Consultant provides support in the following areas, but not limited to oral health, illness, infectious disease, emergency preparedness, health related areas, nutrition, environmental health, and physical activity. For addition information, visit the website, https://healthychildcare.unc.edu/child-care-health-consultants/about-cchc/. The Partnership for Children of Cumberland County offers on-site technical assistance to child care programs. Types of technical assistance provided include observation and assessment and support and mentoring visits. For more information, contact Mary Welch, CCR&R Program Manager at (910) 867-9700 or visit www.ccpfc.org to complete a technical assistance application. Additionally, please review the Region 5 education, training topics and training calendars for Early Education Professionals. Training: Child care administrators and staff members shall complete health and safety training within one year of employment unless the staff member has completed the training within the year prior to beginning employment. Complete the health and safety training record as found on the DCDEE website. After the first year, staff must complete the health and safety training topics at least once every five years. Child care staff are expected to be well informed about child abuse and neglect issues and adequately trained to prevent and recognize potential maltreatment. The child care administrator and all staff members shall complete Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment training within 90 days of employment. Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment training is available at https://www.preventchildabusenc.org. Additionally, staff who are responsible for supervising groups of school-age children (group leaders) shall be at least 18 years of age and have a high school diploma or its equivalent prior to employment and shall complete the BSAC training within three months of becoming employed. Documentation of training must be kept on file for review. Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR): One staff member is required to complete the Emergency Preparedness and Response in Child Care training within 12 months of licensure (September 5, 2026). The trained staff will have four (4) months from completion to go online and complete the EPR Plan. Fire drills will continue to be completed monthly and lock down drills or shelter in place drills will be completed within three months. The trained staff shall review the EPR Plan annually or when information in the plan changes to ensure all information is current. All staff shall review the center's EPR Plan during orientation and/or on an annual basis with the trained staff. Documentation of the review shall be maintained on file. The template for the EPR plan can be found at: https://rmp.nc.gov/portal/portal.aspx. On-going Training: It is your responsibility to keep the staff and training worksheets current for the consultant to review during annual compliance visits. Reminder: After the first year of employment, the child care administrator and any staff who work with children shall participate in on-going training activities annually. Refer to child care requirement 09.1103 for the number of required training hours based on education and experience. The DCDEE has a new initiative – Natural Outdoor Learning Initiative. Through this initiative, we hope to increase knowledge and confidence for everyone in developing and implementing best practices to support the creation, programming, and safe use of naturalized outdoor spaces in child care facilities. You can learn more by visiting the NLI website, where you will also find many resources, including an updated Toolkit designed to help you enhance your outdoor learning environment. The downloadable NLI Toolkit is available at: https://naturalearning.org/preschool-outdoor-toolkit If you have questions, please contact me at: (910) 709-4168. 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 .0901 · Violation

Name of Operation: First Choice Childcare Center Facility ID: 26002627 Consultant: RHONDA BLACKMON Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 10/6/2025 Number Present: 1 Completed Date: 10/6/2025 Age: From 3 To 3 Total Minutes: 330 Time In: 09:00 AM Time Out: 02:30 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Temp Time Period Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today's visit was to monitor compliance with applicable child care requirements pertinent to a first temporary time period visit. The previous visit was completed on July 30, 2025, and prior to today’s visit, the eighteen-month compliance history score was 100% as required by North Carolina General Statute 110-90(4)(c-d). This program currently operates with a Temporary License issued September 5, 2025 to March 5, 2026. The information on record with DCDEE was verified as correct by Carolyn Nails and the owner’s corporation status was verified on the Secretary of State’s website as current-active. Current Inspections are as follows: Sanitation Inspection with ten (10) demerits and a classification of Superior completed July 8, 2025. Fire Inspection, approved for daytime care only, dated May 15, 2025. Nina McNeill, Administrator, and Alfreda Weathers, Assistant Director, were present. I explained the purpose of the visit and requested to wash my hands prior to conducting a walk-through of the indoor and outdoor areas. N. McNeill and A. Weathers accompanied me as I monitored the indoor and outdoor areas. There were no enrollment records for Spaces #1, 2, 4, and 5. I observed a menu on top of the counter in the kitchen, but it was not dated. When I asked about the menu, A. Weathers stated it was old and that a current menu was not planned for this week. In Space #3, a child, aged three-years-old, was present. During the visit, the child built a castle with Mega Blocks, manipulated number and shape puzzles, danced and moved to music, participated in personal care routines and ate lunch. Lunch served was chicken nuggets, mashed potatoes and gravy, steamed broccoli florets, applesauce, and milk. After lunch, the child cleaned up, washed her hands, and transitioned to her cot for rest time. There was no activity plan for Space #3. Staff personnel and medical files, the child’s record, and required center program records were monitored today. At the completion of the visit, the Visit Summary was reviewed with N. McNeill. The following violations were observed and corrected during the visit: Violation Number Comment Rule 114 A summary of the NC Child Care Law was not given to a parent of every child enrolled in the center. A summary of the NC Child Care Law was not given to a parent of the child, identified on the children's records worksheet, enrolled in the center on September 18, 2025. GS 110-102 428 A current activity plan was not posted for each group of children for reference. There was no activity plan posted or available for review in Space #3. GS 110-91(12); .0508(a) 526 Menus for all meals and snacks were not current or posted where easily seen by parents and cook. Menus for all meals and snacks were not current or posted. The Assistant Director stated that the meals and snacks for this week were not planned in advance and that a menu was not available for review. 10A NCAC 09 .0901(b) 1207 Parent participation plan was not discussed with parents on or before the child's first day of attendance and/or a copy was not given to them or posted in the center. Parent participation plan was not discussed with parents of the child enrolled in the facility on September 18, 2025, and a copy was not given to them or posted in the center. 10A NCAC 09 .0515(a) 1310 The completed, signed application was not on file on the first day each child attends. The application for the child, identified on the children's records worksheet, was not completed, signed, and on file on the first day. The child's first day of attendance was September 18, 2025. The application was completed and signed on September 22, 2025. .0801(a) 1834 Application did not have a medical action plan attached for any child with health care needs such as allergies, asthma, or other chronic conditions that require specialized health services. The child's application, identified on the children's records worksheet, did not have a medical action plan attached. On the application, the parent documented the child has an allergy to peanuts and it requires specialized health services. .0801(b) 1851 The operator did not notify the parent of each child enrolled in writing of the smoking and tobacco restriction. The operator did not notify the parent of the child, identified on the children's records worksheet, in writing of the smoking and tobacco restriction. .0604(j) 1907 A copy of the Prevention of Shaken Baby and Abusive Head Trauma policy was not given to or explained to parents of newly enrolled children up to five years of age on or before the first day the child receives care at the center. A copy of the Prevention of Shaken Baby and Abusive Head Trauma policy was not given to or explained to parents of the child, identified on the children's records worksheet, before the first day the child receives care at the center (September 18, 2025). .0608(b) 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. Violations observed and documented today may impact the compliance history score. The violations observed and documented today must be corrected immediately. Additionally, by 5:00pm on October 20, 2025, you must submit a written, dated, and signed statement to me. The statement must describe accurately and in detail, how and when the violations were corrected. If the letter states that corrections have been made when they have not, this may be considered falsification of information. If sufficient information is not received by the due date, a follow-up visit may be completed. Mail or email the information to: Rhonda Blackmon Lead Child Care Consultant P.O. Box 279 Linden, NC 28356 Rhonda.blackmon@dhhs.nc.gov If you email the compliance letter, you must include a signature block, which contains your name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. An example is: Jane Doe, Administrator AAA Childcare ID# 12345678 The compliance history is based on violations that are cited during visits to your facility. If you have an acceptable compliance history at the end of your temporary license you will be eligible to apply for a star rated license. Failure to maintain an acceptable compliance history may result in the issuance of administrative action up to and including denial of a full license at the end of the temporary time period. Technical Assistance Specific to Today’s Visit: Medical Action Plans – A violation was cited for a medical action plan not being on file and attached to the child’s application for enrollment. Growing up healthy is every child's right and every parent's dream for their children. Significant advances in improving the overall health and development of children with chronic illnesses have been made. Having a medical action plan in place when caring for children with health issues is vital in ensuring their health and safety. These health issues could include allergies, asthma, or other chronic conditions that require specialized health services. The maintenance of these plans and the ability to implement such plans for the treatment of reactions are essential. It is important to remember the medical action plan must be attached to the child’s application for enrollment, completed by the child's parent or a health care professional and must be updated on an annual basis. A child, identified on the children’s records worksheet, as having an allergy to peanuts, did not have a medical action plan on file. I printed a copy of the sample medical action form: food allergy & anaphylaxis emergency care plan and medication administration permission form and medication administration record from the DCDEE website. N. McNeill and I reviewed the forms in their entirety, and we discussed the information that is required to be documented and maintained on file. Record keeping is one of the most time-consuming tasks associated with administering a child care program. It is an important part of licensure. Review staff and children's files often to ensure the program is maintaining accurate licensing records. Organization and completeness of records is important to ensure easy access to information in emergency situations. A violation was cited regarding the application for enrollment and signed and dated statement by parent that the Prevention of Shaken Baby Syndrome and Abusive Head Trauma policy was received and explained to parent at enrollment was not on file the child’s first day, and signed and dated statement by parent acknowledging receipt of Summary of the Child Care Law, discussion of parent participation plan and that a copy was received or posted, and notification of smoking and tobacco restriction in writing was not on file. N. McNeill is using the resource from the DCDEE website: Children’s File Checklist. We discussed the following strategies to assist the operator with achieving and maintaining compliance: • Schedule a date and time for the parent/guardian to meet with you to complete the enrollment packet instead of sending the packet home with them to complete and return. • Continue to use the Children’s File Checklist to verify all required information is on file by the due date and do not allow children to attend the program until everything that is due on the 1st day is on file. Activity Plans: There was no activity plan for Space #3. As a reminder, activity plans shall include developmentally appropriate activities for enrolled children. The administrator and I discussed the importance of developing and following the posted activity plans and written schedules and ensuring that the planned activities are offered, and materials are readily available. Activity plans for all children must meet the following minimum licensing requirements: *Include activities daily to stimulate the following 5 developmental domains, as listed in your NC Foundations for Early Learning and Development book: (social &emotional development, health & physical development, approaches to play and learning, language development / communication, and cognitive development). *Include a daily gross motor activity which may occur indoors or outdoors. *Reflect at least 4 activities daily (one of which is gross motor), one of which is offered outdoors, weather permitting. The remaining 3 activities should occur in the following areas (art/creative play, children’s books, blocks and block building, manipulatives, and family living / dramatic play). *Include both free choice and adult-directed activities, that allow children to choose to participate with the whole group, in a small group or independently. *In addition, activity plans must include each of these 3 enrichment activities on at least a weekly basis: sand or water play; science and nature; and music and rhythm. *Materials and equipment must be available both inside and outside to support the activities on the activity plan and the daily schedule. Programs should provide children a balance of guided and self-initiated play and learning indoors and outdoors. These should include opportunities to observe, explore, order and reorder, to make mistakes and find solutions, and to move from the concrete to the abstract in learning. The most meaningful learning has its source in the child’s self-initiated activities. The learning environment that supports individual differences, learning styles, abilities, and cultural values fosters confidence and curiosity in learners. Rated License Assessment: Starting your Pathways to the Stars: I look forward to working with you to transition to the new QRIS system, also known as Pathways to the Stars, located in Section .3200 of the Child Care Rules. During today’s visit, I reviewed the new rules in Section .3200; Standards for Two through Five Star Rated Licenses. Additionally, I reviewed the pathway options, identified facility needs, and answered questions to assist N. McNeill with establishing a plan to achieve compliance for a rated license by month five of the Temporary Time period. As a reminder, the facility must transition to a 3-5 Star Rated License to continue to be eligible to receive subsidized care after six (6) months. Rather than a star level being determined by points earned, star level is now determined by meeting the requirements at each star level within the pathway chosen. During the temporary time-period, as part of the process, I will need to verify evaluation of staff education. To prepare, be sure the staff member’s education has been evaluated and is available for review. A child care facility is eligible for a rated license of two through five-stars upon application and assessment of compliance with the requirements. WORKS is a self-service applicant portal that will be used by an individual applicant to register and maintain their workforce information to support education requirements. The WORKS portal is available online and requires the user to maintain an individual North Carolina Identity Management (NCID) username and password. All paperwork, except for official transcripts, will no longer be submitted to the Workforce Education Unit. These documents will be uploaded using WORKS via each applicant’s WORKS account. All staff education should be current before the fifth month (February) of the temporary time period. For more information about NCID and WORKS, visit the DCDEE website at www.ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov to view more information under the DCDEE WORKS tab http://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/general/mb_dcdeeworks.asp. You can also contact the Workforce Education Unit at 1-800-859-0829 (In State Only) or 919-527-6600 for more information concerning WORKS. The NCRLAP website (www.ncrlap.org) has a wealth of information on the Environment Rating Scales and overall quality issues for child care. Training videos are available on the following topics: Overview of the Assessment Process, A Safe Place for Gross Motor Play, Hand washing and Other Basic Health Considerations, and Language for Learning. To access resources or information on webinars, go to www.ncrlap.org. A packet of forms, brochures, and technical assistance handouts were reviewed and left with N. McNeill. At the conclusion of the visit, N. McNeill stated the program plans to achieve compliance with Pathway 2 and that Sheila Jones, Region 5 Early Childhood Consultant, is providing TA and consultation regarding the Family and Community Engagement Standards, CQI, and Professional Development Plans. Childcare Health Consultant: The Cumberland County Department of Public Health’s current Child Care Health Consultant is Nicole Richardson. Her contact number is: 910-678-7706 and her email address: nrrichardson@cumberlandcountync.gov. Visit the website https://nccchcassociation.org/resources/, under resources there are several links that may be beneficial for your Child Care Center. For example, Caring for Our Children, My Plate, Safe Kids NC, and many others. The following website will also provide more information about the Child Care Health Consultants. The Child Care Health Consultant provides support in the following areas, but not limited to oral health, illness, infectious disease, emergency preparedness, health related areas, nutrition, environmental health, and physical activity. For addition information, visit the website, https://healthychildcare.unc.edu/child-care-health-consultants/about-cchc/. The Partnership for Children of Cumberland County offers on-site technical assistance to child care programs. Types of technical assistance provided include observation and assessment and support and mentoring visits. For more information, contact Mary Welch, CCR&R Program Manager at (910) 867-9700 or visit www.ccpfc.org to complete a technical assistance application. Additionally, please review the Region 5 education, training topics and training calendars for Early Education Professionals. Training: Child care administrators and staff members shall complete health and safety training within one year of employment unless the staff member has completed the training within the year prior to beginning employment. Complete the health and safety training record as found on the DCDEE website. After the first year, staff must complete the health and safety training topics at least once every five years. Child care staff are expected to be well informed about child abuse and neglect issues and adequately trained to prevent and recognize potential maltreatment. The child care administrator and all staff members shall complete Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment training within 90 days of employment. Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment training is available at https://www.preventchildabusenc.org. Additionally, staff who are responsible for supervising groups of school-age children (group leaders) shall be at least 18 years of age and have a high school diploma or its equivalent prior to employment and shall complete the BSAC training within three months of becoming employed. Documentation of training must be kept on file for review. Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR): One staff member is required to complete the Emergency Preparedness and Response in Child Care training within 12 months of licensure (September 5, 2026). The trained staff will have four (4) months from completion to go online and complete the EPR Plan. Fire drills will continue to be completed monthly and lock down drills or shelter in place drills will be completed within three months. The trained staff shall review the EPR Plan annually or when information in the plan changes to ensure all information is current. All staff shall review the center's EPR Plan during orientation and/or on an annual basis with the trained staff. Documentation of the review shall be maintained on file. The template for the EPR plan can be found at: https://rmp.nc.gov/portal/portal.aspx. On-going Training: It is your responsibility to keep the staff and training worksheets current for the consultant to review during annual compliance visits. Reminder: After the first year of employment, the child care administrator and any staff who work with children shall participate in on-going training activities annually. Refer to child care requirement 09.1103 for the number of required training hours based on education and experience. The DCDEE has a new initiative – Natural Outdoor Learning Initiative. Through this initiative, we hope to increase knowledge and confidence for everyone in developing and implementing best practices to support the creation, programming, and safe use of naturalized outdoor spaces in child care facilities. You can learn more by visiting the NLI website, where you will also find many resources, including an updated Toolkit designed to help you enhance your outdoor learning environment. The downloadable NLI Toolkit is available at: https://naturalearning.org/preschool-outdoor-toolkit If you have questions, please contact me at: (910) 709-4168. 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 110-102 · Violation

Name of Operation: First Choice Childcare Center Facility ID: 26002627 Consultant: RHONDA BLACKMON Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 10/6/2025 Number Present: 1 Completed Date: 10/6/2025 Age: From 3 To 3 Total Minutes: 330 Time In: 09:00 AM Time Out: 02:30 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Temp Time Period Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today's visit was to monitor compliance with applicable child care requirements pertinent to a first temporary time period visit. The previous visit was completed on July 30, 2025, and prior to today’s visit, the eighteen-month compliance history score was 100% as required by North Carolina General Statute 110-90(4)(c-d). This program currently operates with a Temporary License issued September 5, 2025 to March 5, 2026. The information on record with DCDEE was verified as correct by Carolyn Nails and the owner’s corporation status was verified on the Secretary of State’s website as current-active. Current Inspections are as follows: Sanitation Inspection with ten (10) demerits and a classification of Superior completed July 8, 2025. Fire Inspection, approved for daytime care only, dated May 15, 2025. Nina McNeill, Administrator, and Alfreda Weathers, Assistant Director, were present. I explained the purpose of the visit and requested to wash my hands prior to conducting a walk-through of the indoor and outdoor areas. N. McNeill and A. Weathers accompanied me as I monitored the indoor and outdoor areas. There were no enrollment records for Spaces #1, 2, 4, and 5. I observed a menu on top of the counter in the kitchen, but it was not dated. When I asked about the menu, A. Weathers stated it was old and that a current menu was not planned for this week. In Space #3, a child, aged three-years-old, was present. During the visit, the child built a castle with Mega Blocks, manipulated number and shape puzzles, danced and moved to music, participated in personal care routines and ate lunch. Lunch served was chicken nuggets, mashed potatoes and gravy, steamed broccoli florets, applesauce, and milk. After lunch, the child cleaned up, washed her hands, and transitioned to her cot for rest time. There was no activity plan for Space #3. Staff personnel and medical files, the child’s record, and required center program records were monitored today. At the completion of the visit, the Visit Summary was reviewed with N. McNeill. The following violations were observed and corrected during the visit: Violation Number Comment Rule 114 A summary of the NC Child Care Law was not given to a parent of every child enrolled in the center. A summary of the NC Child Care Law was not given to a parent of the child, identified on the children's records worksheet, enrolled in the center on September 18, 2025. GS 110-102 428 A current activity plan was not posted for each group of children for reference. There was no activity plan posted or available for review in Space #3. GS 110-91(12); .0508(a) 526 Menus for all meals and snacks were not current or posted where easily seen by parents and cook. Menus for all meals and snacks were not current or posted. The Assistant Director stated that the meals and snacks for this week were not planned in advance and that a menu was not available for review. 10A NCAC 09 .0901(b) 1207 Parent participation plan was not discussed with parents on or before the child's first day of attendance and/or a copy was not given to them or posted in the center. Parent participation plan was not discussed with parents of the child enrolled in the facility on September 18, 2025, and a copy was not given to them or posted in the center. 10A NCAC 09 .0515(a) 1310 The completed, signed application was not on file on the first day each child attends. The application for the child, identified on the children's records worksheet, was not completed, signed, and on file on the first day. The child's first day of attendance was September 18, 2025. The application was completed and signed on September 22, 2025. .0801(a) 1834 Application did not have a medical action plan attached for any child with health care needs such as allergies, asthma, or other chronic conditions that require specialized health services. The child's application, identified on the children's records worksheet, did not have a medical action plan attached. On the application, the parent documented the child has an allergy to peanuts and it requires specialized health services. .0801(b) 1851 The operator did not notify the parent of each child enrolled in writing of the smoking and tobacco restriction. The operator did not notify the parent of the child, identified on the children's records worksheet, in writing of the smoking and tobacco restriction. .0604(j) 1907 A copy of the Prevention of Shaken Baby and Abusive Head Trauma policy was not given to or explained to parents of newly enrolled children up to five years of age on or before the first day the child receives care at the center. A copy of the Prevention of Shaken Baby and Abusive Head Trauma policy was not given to or explained to parents of the child, identified on the children's records worksheet, before the first day the child receives care at the center (September 18, 2025). .0608(b) 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. Violations observed and documented today may impact the compliance history score. The violations observed and documented today must be corrected immediately. Additionally, by 5:00pm on October 20, 2025, you must submit a written, dated, and signed statement to me. The statement must describe accurately and in detail, how and when the violations were corrected. If the letter states that corrections have been made when they have not, this may be considered falsification of information. If sufficient information is not received by the due date, a follow-up visit may be completed. Mail or email the information to: Rhonda Blackmon Lead Child Care Consultant P.O. Box 279 Linden, NC 28356 Rhonda.blackmon@dhhs.nc.gov If you email the compliance letter, you must include a signature block, which contains your name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. An example is: Jane Doe, Administrator AAA Childcare ID# 12345678 The compliance history is based on violations that are cited during visits to your facility. If you have an acceptable compliance history at the end of your temporary license you will be eligible to apply for a star rated license. Failure to maintain an acceptable compliance history may result in the issuance of administrative action up to and including denial of a full license at the end of the temporary time period. Technical Assistance Specific to Today’s Visit: Medical Action Plans – A violation was cited for a medical action plan not being on file and attached to the child’s application for enrollment. Growing up healthy is every child's right and every parent's dream for their children. Significant advances in improving the overall health and development of children with chronic illnesses have been made. Having a medical action plan in place when caring for children with health issues is vital in ensuring their health and safety. These health issues could include allergies, asthma, or other chronic conditions that require specialized health services. The maintenance of these plans and the ability to implement such plans for the treatment of reactions are essential. It is important to remember the medical action plan must be attached to the child’s application for enrollment, completed by the child's parent or a health care professional and must be updated on an annual basis. A child, identified on the children’s records worksheet, as having an allergy to peanuts, did not have a medical action plan on file. I printed a copy of the sample medical action form: food allergy & anaphylaxis emergency care plan and medication administration permission form and medication administration record from the DCDEE website. N. McNeill and I reviewed the forms in their entirety, and we discussed the information that is required to be documented and maintained on file. Record keeping is one of the most time-consuming tasks associated with administering a child care program. It is an important part of licensure. Review staff and children's files often to ensure the program is maintaining accurate licensing records. Organization and completeness of records is important to ensure easy access to information in emergency situations. A violation was cited regarding the application for enrollment and signed and dated statement by parent that the Prevention of Shaken Baby Syndrome and Abusive Head Trauma policy was received and explained to parent at enrollment was not on file the child’s first day, and signed and dated statement by parent acknowledging receipt of Summary of the Child Care Law, discussion of parent participation plan and that a copy was received or posted, and notification of smoking and tobacco restriction in writing was not on file. N. McNeill is using the resource from the DCDEE website: Children’s File Checklist. We discussed the following strategies to assist the operator with achieving and maintaining compliance: • Schedule a date and time for the parent/guardian to meet with you to complete the enrollment packet instead of sending the packet home with them to complete and return. • Continue to use the Children’s File Checklist to verify all required information is on file by the due date and do not allow children to attend the program until everything that is due on the 1st day is on file. Activity Plans: There was no activity plan for Space #3. As a reminder, activity plans shall include developmentally appropriate activities for enrolled children. The administrator and I discussed the importance of developing and following the posted activity plans and written schedules and ensuring that the planned activities are offered, and materials are readily available. Activity plans for all children must meet the following minimum licensing requirements: *Include activities daily to stimulate the following 5 developmental domains, as listed in your NC Foundations for Early Learning and Development book: (social &emotional development, health & physical development, approaches to play and learning, language development / communication, and cognitive development). *Include a daily gross motor activity which may occur indoors or outdoors. *Reflect at least 4 activities daily (one of which is gross motor), one of which is offered outdoors, weather permitting. The remaining 3 activities should occur in the following areas (art/creative play, children’s books, blocks and block building, manipulatives, and family living / dramatic play). *Include both free choice and adult-directed activities, that allow children to choose to participate with the whole group, in a small group or independently. *In addition, activity plans must include each of these 3 enrichment activities on at least a weekly basis: sand or water play; science and nature; and music and rhythm. *Materials and equipment must be available both inside and outside to support the activities on the activity plan and the daily schedule. Programs should provide children a balance of guided and self-initiated play and learning indoors and outdoors. These should include opportunities to observe, explore, order and reorder, to make mistakes and find solutions, and to move from the concrete to the abstract in learning. The most meaningful learning has its source in the child’s self-initiated activities. The learning environment that supports individual differences, learning styles, abilities, and cultural values fosters confidence and curiosity in learners. Rated License Assessment: Starting your Pathways to the Stars: I look forward to working with you to transition to the new QRIS system, also known as Pathways to the Stars, located in Section .3200 of the Child Care Rules. During today’s visit, I reviewed the new rules in Section .3200; Standards for Two through Five Star Rated Licenses. Additionally, I reviewed the pathway options, identified facility needs, and answered questions to assist N. McNeill with establishing a plan to achieve compliance for a rated license by month five of the Temporary Time period. As a reminder, the facility must transition to a 3-5 Star Rated License to continue to be eligible to receive subsidized care after six (6) months. Rather than a star level being determined by points earned, star level is now determined by meeting the requirements at each star level within the pathway chosen. During the temporary time-period, as part of the process, I will need to verify evaluation of staff education. To prepare, be sure the staff member’s education has been evaluated and is available for review. A child care facility is eligible for a rated license of two through five-stars upon application and assessment of compliance with the requirements. WORKS is a self-service applicant portal that will be used by an individual applicant to register and maintain their workforce information to support education requirements. The WORKS portal is available online and requires the user to maintain an individual North Carolina Identity Management (NCID) username and password. All paperwork, except for official transcripts, will no longer be submitted to the Workforce Education Unit. These documents will be uploaded using WORKS via each applicant’s WORKS account. All staff education should be current before the fifth month (February) of the temporary time period. For more information about NCID and WORKS, visit the DCDEE website at www.ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov to view more information under the DCDEE WORKS tab http://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/general/mb_dcdeeworks.asp. You can also contact the Workforce Education Unit at 1-800-859-0829 (In State Only) or 919-527-6600 for more information concerning WORKS. The NCRLAP website (www.ncrlap.org) has a wealth of information on the Environment Rating Scales and overall quality issues for child care. Training videos are available on the following topics: Overview of the Assessment Process, A Safe Place for Gross Motor Play, Hand washing and Other Basic Health Considerations, and Language for Learning. To access resources or information on webinars, go to www.ncrlap.org. A packet of forms, brochures, and technical assistance handouts were reviewed and left with N. McNeill. At the conclusion of the visit, N. McNeill stated the program plans to achieve compliance with Pathway 2 and that Sheila Jones, Region 5 Early Childhood Consultant, is providing TA and consultation regarding the Family and Community Engagement Standards, CQI, and Professional Development Plans. Childcare Health Consultant: The Cumberland County Department of Public Health’s current Child Care Health Consultant is Nicole Richardson. Her contact number is: 910-678-7706 and her email address: nrrichardson@cumberlandcountync.gov. Visit the website https://nccchcassociation.org/resources/, under resources there are several links that may be beneficial for your Child Care Center. For example, Caring for Our Children, My Plate, Safe Kids NC, and many others. The following website will also provide more information about the Child Care Health Consultants. The Child Care Health Consultant provides support in the following areas, but not limited to oral health, illness, infectious disease, emergency preparedness, health related areas, nutrition, environmental health, and physical activity. For addition information, visit the website, https://healthychildcare.unc.edu/child-care-health-consultants/about-cchc/. The Partnership for Children of Cumberland County offers on-site technical assistance to child care programs. Types of technical assistance provided include observation and assessment and support and mentoring visits. For more information, contact Mary Welch, CCR&R Program Manager at (910) 867-9700 or visit www.ccpfc.org to complete a technical assistance application. Additionally, please review the Region 5 education, training topics and training calendars for Early Education Professionals. Training: Child care administrators and staff members shall complete health and safety training within one year of employment unless the staff member has completed the training within the year prior to beginning employment. Complete the health and safety training record as found on the DCDEE website. After the first year, staff must complete the health and safety training topics at least once every five years. Child care staff are expected to be well informed about child abuse and neglect issues and adequately trained to prevent and recognize potential maltreatment. The child care administrator and all staff members shall complete Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment training within 90 days of employment. Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment training is available at https://www.preventchildabusenc.org. Additionally, staff who are responsible for supervising groups of school-age children (group leaders) shall be at least 18 years of age and have a high school diploma or its equivalent prior to employment and shall complete the BSAC training within three months of becoming employed. Documentation of training must be kept on file for review. Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR): One staff member is required to complete the Emergency Preparedness and Response in Child Care training within 12 months of licensure (September 5, 2026). The trained staff will have four (4) months from completion to go online and complete the EPR Plan. Fire drills will continue to be completed monthly and lock down drills or shelter in place drills will be completed within three months. The trained staff shall review the EPR Plan annually or when information in the plan changes to ensure all information is current. All staff shall review the center's EPR Plan during orientation and/or on an annual basis with the trained staff. Documentation of the review shall be maintained on file. The template for the EPR plan can be found at: https://rmp.nc.gov/portal/portal.aspx. On-going Training: It is your responsibility to keep the staff and training worksheets current for the consultant to review during annual compliance visits. Reminder: After the first year of employment, the child care administrator and any staff who work with children shall participate in on-going training activities annually. Refer to child care requirement 09.1103 for the number of required training hours based on education and experience. The DCDEE has a new initiative – Natural Outdoor Learning Initiative. Through this initiative, we hope to increase knowledge and confidence for everyone in developing and implementing best practices to support the creation, programming, and safe use of naturalized outdoor spaces in child care facilities. You can learn more by visiting the NLI website, where you will also find many resources, including an updated Toolkit designed to help you enhance your outdoor learning environment. The downloadable NLI Toolkit is available at: https://naturalearning.org/preschool-outdoor-toolkit If you have questions, please contact me at: (910) 709-4168. 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: First Choice Childcare Center Facility ID: 26002627 Consultant: RHONDA BLACKMON Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 10/6/2025 Number Present: 1 Completed Date: 10/6/2025 Age: From 3 To 3 Total Minutes: 330 Time In: 09:00 AM Time Out: 02:30 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Temp Time Period Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today's visit was to monitor compliance with applicable child care requirements pertinent to a first temporary time period visit. The previous visit was completed on July 30, 2025, and prior to today’s visit, the eighteen-month compliance history score was 100% as required by North Carolina General Statute 110-90(4)(c-d). This program currently operates with a Temporary License issued September 5, 2025 to March 5, 2026. The information on record with DCDEE was verified as correct by Carolyn Nails and the owner’s corporation status was verified on the Secretary of State’s website as current-active. Current Inspections are as follows: Sanitation Inspection with ten (10) demerits and a classification of Superior completed July 8, 2025. Fire Inspection, approved for daytime care only, dated May 15, 2025. Nina McNeill, Administrator, and Alfreda Weathers, Assistant Director, were present. I explained the purpose of the visit and requested to wash my hands prior to conducting a walk-through of the indoor and outdoor areas. N. McNeill and A. Weathers accompanied me as I monitored the indoor and outdoor areas. There were no enrollment records for Spaces #1, 2, 4, and 5. I observed a menu on top of the counter in the kitchen, but it was not dated. When I asked about the menu, A. Weathers stated it was old and that a current menu was not planned for this week. In Space #3, a child, aged three-years-old, was present. During the visit, the child built a castle with Mega Blocks, manipulated number and shape puzzles, danced and moved to music, participated in personal care routines and ate lunch. Lunch served was chicken nuggets, mashed potatoes and gravy, steamed broccoli florets, applesauce, and milk. After lunch, the child cleaned up, washed her hands, and transitioned to her cot for rest time. There was no activity plan for Space #3. Staff personnel and medical files, the child’s record, and required center program records were monitored today. At the completion of the visit, the Visit Summary was reviewed with N. McNeill. The following violations were observed and corrected during the visit: Violation Number Comment Rule 114 A summary of the NC Child Care Law was not given to a parent of every child enrolled in the center. A summary of the NC Child Care Law was not given to a parent of the child, identified on the children's records worksheet, enrolled in the center on September 18, 2025. GS 110-102 428 A current activity plan was not posted for each group of children for reference. There was no activity plan posted or available for review in Space #3. GS 110-91(12); .0508(a) 526 Menus for all meals and snacks were not current or posted where easily seen by parents and cook. Menus for all meals and snacks were not current or posted. The Assistant Director stated that the meals and snacks for this week were not planned in advance and that a menu was not available for review. 10A NCAC 09 .0901(b) 1207 Parent participation plan was not discussed with parents on or before the child's first day of attendance and/or a copy was not given to them or posted in the center. Parent participation plan was not discussed with parents of the child enrolled in the facility on September 18, 2025, and a copy was not given to them or posted in the center. 10A NCAC 09 .0515(a) 1310 The completed, signed application was not on file on the first day each child attends. The application for the child, identified on the children's records worksheet, was not completed, signed, and on file on the first day. The child's first day of attendance was September 18, 2025. The application was completed and signed on September 22, 2025. .0801(a) 1834 Application did not have a medical action plan attached for any child with health care needs such as allergies, asthma, or other chronic conditions that require specialized health services. The child's application, identified on the children's records worksheet, did not have a medical action plan attached. On the application, the parent documented the child has an allergy to peanuts and it requires specialized health services. .0801(b) 1851 The operator did not notify the parent of each child enrolled in writing of the smoking and tobacco restriction. The operator did not notify the parent of the child, identified on the children's records worksheet, in writing of the smoking and tobacco restriction. .0604(j) 1907 A copy of the Prevention of Shaken Baby and Abusive Head Trauma policy was not given to or explained to parents of newly enrolled children up to five years of age on or before the first day the child receives care at the center. A copy of the Prevention of Shaken Baby and Abusive Head Trauma policy was not given to or explained to parents of the child, identified on the children's records worksheet, before the first day the child receives care at the center (September 18, 2025). .0608(b) 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. Violations observed and documented today may impact the compliance history score. The violations observed and documented today must be corrected immediately. Additionally, by 5:00pm on October 20, 2025, you must submit a written, dated, and signed statement to me. The statement must describe accurately and in detail, how and when the violations were corrected. If the letter states that corrections have been made when they have not, this may be considered falsification of information. If sufficient information is not received by the due date, a follow-up visit may be completed. Mail or email the information to: Rhonda Blackmon Lead Child Care Consultant P.O. Box 279 Linden, NC 28356 Rhonda.blackmon@dhhs.nc.gov If you email the compliance letter, you must include a signature block, which contains your name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. An example is: Jane Doe, Administrator AAA Childcare ID# 12345678 The compliance history is based on violations that are cited during visits to your facility. If you have an acceptable compliance history at the end of your temporary license you will be eligible to apply for a star rated license. Failure to maintain an acceptable compliance history may result in the issuance of administrative action up to and including denial of a full license at the end of the temporary time period. Technical Assistance Specific to Today’s Visit: Medical Action Plans – A violation was cited for a medical action plan not being on file and attached to the child’s application for enrollment. Growing up healthy is every child's right and every parent's dream for their children. Significant advances in improving the overall health and development of children with chronic illnesses have been made. Having a medical action plan in place when caring for children with health issues is vital in ensuring their health and safety. These health issues could include allergies, asthma, or other chronic conditions that require specialized health services. The maintenance of these plans and the ability to implement such plans for the treatment of reactions are essential. It is important to remember the medical action plan must be attached to the child’s application for enrollment, completed by the child's parent or a health care professional and must be updated on an annual basis. A child, identified on the children’s records worksheet, as having an allergy to peanuts, did not have a medical action plan on file. I printed a copy of the sample medical action form: food allergy & anaphylaxis emergency care plan and medication administration permission form and medication administration record from the DCDEE website. N. McNeill and I reviewed the forms in their entirety, and we discussed the information that is required to be documented and maintained on file. Record keeping is one of the most time-consuming tasks associated with administering a child care program. It is an important part of licensure. Review staff and children's files often to ensure the program is maintaining accurate licensing records. Organization and completeness of records is important to ensure easy access to information in emergency situations. A violation was cited regarding the application for enrollment and signed and dated statement by parent that the Prevention of Shaken Baby Syndrome and Abusive Head Trauma policy was received and explained to parent at enrollment was not on file the child’s first day, and signed and dated statement by parent acknowledging receipt of Summary of the Child Care Law, discussion of parent participation plan and that a copy was received or posted, and notification of smoking and tobacco restriction in writing was not on file. N. McNeill is using the resource from the DCDEE website: Children’s File Checklist. We discussed the following strategies to assist the operator with achieving and maintaining compliance: • Schedule a date and time for the parent/guardian to meet with you to complete the enrollment packet instead of sending the packet home with them to complete and return. • Continue to use the Children’s File Checklist to verify all required information is on file by the due date and do not allow children to attend the program until everything that is due on the 1st day is on file. Activity Plans: There was no activity plan for Space #3. As a reminder, activity plans shall include developmentally appropriate activities for enrolled children. The administrator and I discussed the importance of developing and following the posted activity plans and written schedules and ensuring that the planned activities are offered, and materials are readily available. Activity plans for all children must meet the following minimum licensing requirements: *Include activities daily to stimulate the following 5 developmental domains, as listed in your NC Foundations for Early Learning and Development book: (social &emotional development, health & physical development, approaches to play and learning, language development / communication, and cognitive development). *Include a daily gross motor activity which may occur indoors or outdoors. *Reflect at least 4 activities daily (one of which is gross motor), one of which is offered outdoors, weather permitting. The remaining 3 activities should occur in the following areas (art/creative play, children’s books, blocks and block building, manipulatives, and family living / dramatic play). *Include both free choice and adult-directed activities, that allow children to choose to participate with the whole group, in a small group or independently. *In addition, activity plans must include each of these 3 enrichment activities on at least a weekly basis: sand or water play; science and nature; and music and rhythm. *Materials and equipment must be available both inside and outside to support the activities on the activity plan and the daily schedule. Programs should provide children a balance of guided and self-initiated play and learning indoors and outdoors. These should include opportunities to observe, explore, order and reorder, to make mistakes and find solutions, and to move from the concrete to the abstract in learning. The most meaningful learning has its source in the child’s self-initiated activities. The learning environment that supports individual differences, learning styles, abilities, and cultural values fosters confidence and curiosity in learners. Rated License Assessment: Starting your Pathways to the Stars: I look forward to working with you to transition to the new QRIS system, also known as Pathways to the Stars, located in Section .3200 of the Child Care Rules. During today’s visit, I reviewed the new rules in Section .3200; Standards for Two through Five Star Rated Licenses. Additionally, I reviewed the pathway options, identified facility needs, and answered questions to assist N. McNeill with establishing a plan to achieve compliance for a rated license by month five of the Temporary Time period. As a reminder, the facility must transition to a 3-5 Star Rated License to continue to be eligible to receive subsidized care after six (6) months. Rather than a star level being determined by points earned, star level is now determined by meeting the requirements at each star level within the pathway chosen. During the temporary time-period, as part of the process, I will need to verify evaluation of staff education. To prepare, be sure the staff member’s education has been evaluated and is available for review. A child care facility is eligible for a rated license of two through five-stars upon application and assessment of compliance with the requirements. WORKS is a self-service applicant portal that will be used by an individual applicant to register and maintain their workforce information to support education requirements. The WORKS portal is available online and requires the user to maintain an individual North Carolina Identity Management (NCID) username and password. All paperwork, except for official transcripts, will no longer be submitted to the Workforce Education Unit. These documents will be uploaded using WORKS via each applicant’s WORKS account. All staff education should be current before the fifth month (February) of the temporary time period. For more information about NCID and WORKS, visit the DCDEE website at www.ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov to view more information under the DCDEE WORKS tab http://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/general/mb_dcdeeworks.asp. You can also contact the Workforce Education Unit at 1-800-859-0829 (In State Only) or 919-527-6600 for more information concerning WORKS. The NCRLAP website (www.ncrlap.org) has a wealth of information on the Environment Rating Scales and overall quality issues for child care. Training videos are available on the following topics: Overview of the Assessment Process, A Safe Place for Gross Motor Play, Hand washing and Other Basic Health Considerations, and Language for Learning. To access resources or information on webinars, go to www.ncrlap.org. A packet of forms, brochures, and technical assistance handouts were reviewed and left with N. McNeill. At the conclusion of the visit, N. McNeill stated the program plans to achieve compliance with Pathway 2 and that Sheila Jones, Region 5 Early Childhood Consultant, is providing TA and consultation regarding the Family and Community Engagement Standards, CQI, and Professional Development Plans. Childcare Health Consultant: The Cumberland County Department of Public Health’s current Child Care Health Consultant is Nicole Richardson. Her contact number is: 910-678-7706 and her email address: nrrichardson@cumberlandcountync.gov. Visit the website https://nccchcassociation.org/resources/, under resources there are several links that may be beneficial for your Child Care Center. For example, Caring for Our Children, My Plate, Safe Kids NC, and many others. The following website will also provide more information about the Child Care Health Consultants. The Child Care Health Consultant provides support in the following areas, but not limited to oral health, illness, infectious disease, emergency preparedness, health related areas, nutrition, environmental health, and physical activity. For addition information, visit the website, https://healthychildcare.unc.edu/child-care-health-consultants/about-cchc/. The Partnership for Children of Cumberland County offers on-site technical assistance to child care programs. Types of technical assistance provided include observation and assessment and support and mentoring visits. For more information, contact Mary Welch, CCR&R Program Manager at (910) 867-9700 or visit www.ccpfc.org to complete a technical assistance application. Additionally, please review the Region 5 education, training topics and training calendars for Early Education Professionals. Training: Child care administrators and staff members shall complete health and safety training within one year of employment unless the staff member has completed the training within the year prior to beginning employment. Complete the health and safety training record as found on the DCDEE website. After the first year, staff must complete the health and safety training topics at least once every five years. Child care staff are expected to be well informed about child abuse and neglect issues and adequately trained to prevent and recognize potential maltreatment. The child care administrator and all staff members shall complete Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment training within 90 days of employment. Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment training is available at https://www.preventchildabusenc.org. Additionally, staff who are responsible for supervising groups of school-age children (group leaders) shall be at least 18 years of age and have a high school diploma or its equivalent prior to employment and shall complete the BSAC training within three months of becoming employed. Documentation of training must be kept on file for review. Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR): One staff member is required to complete the Emergency Preparedness and Response in Child Care training within 12 months of licensure (September 5, 2026). The trained staff will have four (4) months from completion to go online and complete the EPR Plan. Fire drills will continue to be completed monthly and lock down drills or shelter in place drills will be completed within three months. The trained staff shall review the EPR Plan annually or when information in the plan changes to ensure all information is current. All staff shall review the center's EPR Plan during orientation and/or on an annual basis with the trained staff. Documentation of the review shall be maintained on file. The template for the EPR plan can be found at: https://rmp.nc.gov/portal/portal.aspx. On-going Training: It is your responsibility to keep the staff and training worksheets current for the consultant to review during annual compliance visits. Reminder: After the first year of employment, the child care administrator and any staff who work with children shall participate in on-going training activities annually. Refer to child care requirement 09.1103 for the number of required training hours based on education and experience. The DCDEE has a new initiative – Natural Outdoor Learning Initiative. Through this initiative, we hope to increase knowledge and confidence for everyone in developing and implementing best practices to support the creation, programming, and safe use of naturalized outdoor spaces in child care facilities. You can learn more by visiting the NLI website, where you will also find many resources, including an updated Toolkit designed to help you enhance your outdoor learning environment. The downloadable NLI Toolkit is available at: https://naturalearning.org/preschool-outdoor-toolkit If you have questions, please contact me at: (910) 709-4168. 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: First Choice Childcare Center Facility ID: 26002627 Consultant: RHONDA BLACKMON Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 10/6/2025 Number Present: 1 Completed Date: 10/6/2025 Age: From 3 To 3 Total Minutes: 330 Time In: 09:00 AM Time Out: 02:30 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Temp Time Period Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today's visit was to monitor compliance with applicable child care requirements pertinent to a first temporary time period visit. The previous visit was completed on July 30, 2025, and prior to today’s visit, the eighteen-month compliance history score was 100% as required by North Carolina General Statute 110-90(4)(c-d). This program currently operates with a Temporary License issued September 5, 2025 to March 5, 2026. The information on record with DCDEE was verified as correct by Carolyn Nails and the owner’s corporation status was verified on the Secretary of State’s website as current-active. Current Inspections are as follows: Sanitation Inspection with ten (10) demerits and a classification of Superior completed July 8, 2025. Fire Inspection, approved for daytime care only, dated May 15, 2025. Nina McNeill, Administrator, and Alfreda Weathers, Assistant Director, were present. I explained the purpose of the visit and requested to wash my hands prior to conducting a walk-through of the indoor and outdoor areas. N. McNeill and A. Weathers accompanied me as I monitored the indoor and outdoor areas. There were no enrollment records for Spaces #1, 2, 4, and 5. I observed a menu on top of the counter in the kitchen, but it was not dated. When I asked about the menu, A. Weathers stated it was old and that a current menu was not planned for this week. In Space #3, a child, aged three-years-old, was present. During the visit, the child built a castle with Mega Blocks, manipulated number and shape puzzles, danced and moved to music, participated in personal care routines and ate lunch. Lunch served was chicken nuggets, mashed potatoes and gravy, steamed broccoli florets, applesauce, and milk. After lunch, the child cleaned up, washed her hands, and transitioned to her cot for rest time. There was no activity plan for Space #3. Staff personnel and medical files, the child’s record, and required center program records were monitored today. At the completion of the visit, the Visit Summary was reviewed with N. McNeill. The following violations were observed and corrected during the visit: Violation Number Comment Rule 114 A summary of the NC Child Care Law was not given to a parent of every child enrolled in the center. A summary of the NC Child Care Law was not given to a parent of the child, identified on the children's records worksheet, enrolled in the center on September 18, 2025. GS 110-102 428 A current activity plan was not posted for each group of children for reference. There was no activity plan posted or available for review in Space #3. GS 110-91(12); .0508(a) 526 Menus for all meals and snacks were not current or posted where easily seen by parents and cook. Menus for all meals and snacks were not current or posted. The Assistant Director stated that the meals and snacks for this week were not planned in advance and that a menu was not available for review. 10A NCAC 09 .0901(b) 1207 Parent participation plan was not discussed with parents on or before the child's first day of attendance and/or a copy was not given to them or posted in the center. Parent participation plan was not discussed with parents of the child enrolled in the facility on September 18, 2025, and a copy was not given to them or posted in the center. 10A NCAC 09 .0515(a) 1310 The completed, signed application was not on file on the first day each child attends. The application for the child, identified on the children's records worksheet, was not completed, signed, and on file on the first day. The child's first day of attendance was September 18, 2025. The application was completed and signed on September 22, 2025. .0801(a) 1834 Application did not have a medical action plan attached for any child with health care needs such as allergies, asthma, or other chronic conditions that require specialized health services. The child's application, identified on the children's records worksheet, did not have a medical action plan attached. On the application, the parent documented the child has an allergy to peanuts and it requires specialized health services. .0801(b) 1851 The operator did not notify the parent of each child enrolled in writing of the smoking and tobacco restriction. The operator did not notify the parent of the child, identified on the children's records worksheet, in writing of the smoking and tobacco restriction. .0604(j) 1907 A copy of the Prevention of Shaken Baby and Abusive Head Trauma policy was not given to or explained to parents of newly enrolled children up to five years of age on or before the first day the child receives care at the center. A copy of the Prevention of Shaken Baby and Abusive Head Trauma policy was not given to or explained to parents of the child, identified on the children's records worksheet, before the first day the child receives care at the center (September 18, 2025). .0608(b) 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. Violations observed and documented today may impact the compliance history score. The violations observed and documented today must be corrected immediately. Additionally, by 5:00pm on October 20, 2025, you must submit a written, dated, and signed statement to me. The statement must describe accurately and in detail, how and when the violations were corrected. If the letter states that corrections have been made when they have not, this may be considered falsification of information. If sufficient information is not received by the due date, a follow-up visit may be completed. Mail or email the information to: Rhonda Blackmon Lead Child Care Consultant P.O. Box 279 Linden, NC 28356 Rhonda.blackmon@dhhs.nc.gov If you email the compliance letter, you must include a signature block, which contains your name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. An example is: Jane Doe, Administrator AAA Childcare ID# 12345678 The compliance history is based on violations that are cited during visits to your facility. If you have an acceptable compliance history at the end of your temporary license you will be eligible to apply for a star rated license. Failure to maintain an acceptable compliance history may result in the issuance of administrative action up to and including denial of a full license at the end of the temporary time period. Technical Assistance Specific to Today’s Visit: Medical Action Plans – A violation was cited for a medical action plan not being on file and attached to the child’s application for enrollment. Growing up healthy is every child's right and every parent's dream for their children. Significant advances in improving the overall health and development of children with chronic illnesses have been made. Having a medical action plan in place when caring for children with health issues is vital in ensuring their health and safety. These health issues could include allergies, asthma, or other chronic conditions that require specialized health services. The maintenance of these plans and the ability to implement such plans for the treatment of reactions are essential. It is important to remember the medical action plan must be attached to the child’s application for enrollment, completed by the child's parent or a health care professional and must be updated on an annual basis. A child, identified on the children’s records worksheet, as having an allergy to peanuts, did not have a medical action plan on file. I printed a copy of the sample medical action form: food allergy & anaphylaxis emergency care plan and medication administration permission form and medication administration record from the DCDEE website. N. McNeill and I reviewed the forms in their entirety, and we discussed the information that is required to be documented and maintained on file. Record keeping is one of the most time-consuming tasks associated with administering a child care program. It is an important part of licensure. Review staff and children's files often to ensure the program is maintaining accurate licensing records. Organization and completeness of records is important to ensure easy access to information in emergency situations. A violation was cited regarding the application for enrollment and signed and dated statement by parent that the Prevention of Shaken Baby Syndrome and Abusive Head Trauma policy was received and explained to parent at enrollment was not on file the child’s first day, and signed and dated statement by parent acknowledging receipt of Summary of the Child Care Law, discussion of parent participation plan and that a copy was received or posted, and notification of smoking and tobacco restriction in writing was not on file. N. McNeill is using the resource from the DCDEE website: Children’s File Checklist. We discussed the following strategies to assist the operator with achieving and maintaining compliance: • Schedule a date and time for the parent/guardian to meet with you to complete the enrollment packet instead of sending the packet home with them to complete and return. • Continue to use the Children’s File Checklist to verify all required information is on file by the due date and do not allow children to attend the program until everything that is due on the 1st day is on file. Activity Plans: There was no activity plan for Space #3. As a reminder, activity plans shall include developmentally appropriate activities for enrolled children. The administrator and I discussed the importance of developing and following the posted activity plans and written schedules and ensuring that the planned activities are offered, and materials are readily available. Activity plans for all children must meet the following minimum licensing requirements: *Include activities daily to stimulate the following 5 developmental domains, as listed in your NC Foundations for Early Learning and Development book: (social &emotional development, health & physical development, approaches to play and learning, language development / communication, and cognitive development). *Include a daily gross motor activity which may occur indoors or outdoors. *Reflect at least 4 activities daily (one of which is gross motor), one of which is offered outdoors, weather permitting. The remaining 3 activities should occur in the following areas (art/creative play, children’s books, blocks and block building, manipulatives, and family living / dramatic play). *Include both free choice and adult-directed activities, that allow children to choose to participate with the whole group, in a small group or independently. *In addition, activity plans must include each of these 3 enrichment activities on at least a weekly basis: sand or water play; science and nature; and music and rhythm. *Materials and equipment must be available both inside and outside to support the activities on the activity plan and the daily schedule. Programs should provide children a balance of guided and self-initiated play and learning indoors and outdoors. These should include opportunities to observe, explore, order and reorder, to make mistakes and find solutions, and to move from the concrete to the abstract in learning. The most meaningful learning has its source in the child’s self-initiated activities. The learning environment that supports individual differences, learning styles, abilities, and cultural values fosters confidence and curiosity in learners. Rated License Assessment: Starting your Pathways to the Stars: I look forward to working with you to transition to the new QRIS system, also known as Pathways to the Stars, located in Section .3200 of the Child Care Rules. During today’s visit, I reviewed the new rules in Section .3200; Standards for Two through Five Star Rated Licenses. Additionally, I reviewed the pathway options, identified facility needs, and answered questions to assist N. McNeill with establishing a plan to achieve compliance for a rated license by month five of the Temporary Time period. As a reminder, the facility must transition to a 3-5 Star Rated License to continue to be eligible to receive subsidized care after six (6) months. Rather than a star level being determined by points earned, star level is now determined by meeting the requirements at each star level within the pathway chosen. During the temporary time-period, as part of the process, I will need to verify evaluation of staff education. To prepare, be sure the staff member’s education has been evaluated and is available for review. A child care facility is eligible for a rated license of two through five-stars upon application and assessment of compliance with the requirements. WORKS is a self-service applicant portal that will be used by an individual applicant to register and maintain their workforce information to support education requirements. The WORKS portal is available online and requires the user to maintain an individual North Carolina Identity Management (NCID) username and password. All paperwork, except for official transcripts, will no longer be submitted to the Workforce Education Unit. These documents will be uploaded using WORKS via each applicant’s WORKS account. All staff education should be current before the fifth month (February) of the temporary time period. For more information about NCID and WORKS, visit the DCDEE website at www.ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov to view more information under the DCDEE WORKS tab http://ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/general/mb_dcdeeworks.asp. You can also contact the Workforce Education Unit at 1-800-859-0829 (In State Only) or 919-527-6600 for more information concerning WORKS. The NCRLAP website (www.ncrlap.org) has a wealth of information on the Environment Rating Scales and overall quality issues for child care. Training videos are available on the following topics: Overview of the Assessment Process, A Safe Place for Gross Motor Play, Hand washing and Other Basic Health Considerations, and Language for Learning. To access resources or information on webinars, go to www.ncrlap.org. A packet of forms, brochures, and technical assistance handouts were reviewed and left with N. McNeill. At the conclusion of the visit, N. McNeill stated the program plans to achieve compliance with Pathway 2 and that Sheila Jones, Region 5 Early Childhood Consultant, is providing TA and consultation regarding the Family and Community Engagement Standards, CQI, and Professional Development Plans. Childcare Health Consultant: The Cumberland County Department of Public Health’s current Child Care Health Consultant is Nicole Richardson. Her contact number is: 910-678-7706 and her email address: nrrichardson@cumberlandcountync.gov. Visit the website https://nccchcassociation.org/resources/, under resources there are several links that may be beneficial for your Child Care Center. For example, Caring for Our Children, My Plate, Safe Kids NC, and many others. The following website will also provide more information about the Child Care Health Consultants. The Child Care Health Consultant provides support in the following areas, but not limited to oral health, illness, infectious disease, emergency preparedness, health related areas, nutrition, environmental health, and physical activity. For addition information, visit the website, https://healthychildcare.unc.edu/child-care-health-consultants/about-cchc/. The Partnership for Children of Cumberland County offers on-site technical assistance to child care programs. Types of technical assistance provided include observation and assessment and support and mentoring visits. For more information, contact Mary Welch, CCR&R Program Manager at (910) 867-9700 or visit www.ccpfc.org to complete a technical assistance application. Additionally, please review the Region 5 education, training topics and training calendars for Early Education Professionals. Training: Child care administrators and staff members shall complete health and safety training within one year of employment unless the staff member has completed the training within the year prior to beginning employment. Complete the health and safety training record as found on the DCDEE website. After the first year, staff must complete the health and safety training topics at least once every five years. Child care staff are expected to be well informed about child abuse and neglect issues and adequately trained to prevent and recognize potential maltreatment. The child care administrator and all staff members shall complete Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment training within 90 days of employment. Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment training is available at https://www.preventchildabusenc.org. Additionally, staff who are responsible for supervising groups of school-age children (group leaders) shall be at least 18 years of age and have a high school diploma or its equivalent prior to employment and shall complete the BSAC training within three months of becoming employed. Documentation of training must be kept on file for review. Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR): One staff member is required to complete the Emergency Preparedness and Response in Child Care training within 12 months of licensure (September 5, 2026). The trained staff will have four (4) months from completion to go online and complete the EPR Plan. Fire drills will continue to be completed monthly and lock down drills or shelter in place drills will be completed within three months. The trained staff shall review the EPR Plan annually or when information in the plan changes to ensure all information is current. All staff shall review the center's EPR Plan during orientation and/or on an annual basis with the trained staff. Documentation of the review shall be maintained on file. The template for the EPR plan can be found at: https://rmp.nc.gov/portal/portal.aspx. On-going Training: It is your responsibility to keep the staff and training worksheets current for the consultant to review during annual compliance visits. Reminder: After the first year of employment, the child care administrator and any staff who work with children shall participate in on-going training activities annually. Refer to child care requirement 09.1103 for the number of required training hours based on education and experience. The DCDEE has a new initiative – Natural Outdoor Learning Initiative. Through this initiative, we hope to increase knowledge and confidence for everyone in developing and implementing best practices to support the creation, programming, and safe use of naturalized outdoor spaces in child care facilities. You can learn more by visiting the NLI website, where you will also find many resources, including an updated Toolkit designed to help you enhance your outdoor learning environment. The downloadable NLI Toolkit is available at: https://naturalearning.org/preschool-outdoor-toolkit If you have questions, please contact me at: (910) 709-4168. 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