The Merit School at The Castle (#9)

8VAC20-780-130-A · The center shall obtain documentation that each child has received the immunizations required by the State Board of Health before the child can attend the center.

Child #1, who had been attending for 42 days, did not have documentation of an immunization record on file.

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8VAC20-780-340-A · COMPLAINT RELATED

When staff are supervising children, they shall always ensure their care, protection, and guidance. On 07/03/25, Staff #1 was rough housing with Child #1 (6-years-old) when he slapped the child on both sides of their face.

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8VAC20-780-350-B-1 · COMPLAINT RELATED

The required ratio for children birth up to 16 months is one staff per four children. Documentation reviewed and interviews conducted on 11/06/25 and 11/13/25 revealed that on 10/29/25, Staff #1 and Staff #2 were alone with 11 children, ages ranging from 4 months up to 14 months, for over an hour. On 10/31/25, Staff #1 and Staff #2, were alone with 11 children, ages ranging from 4 months up to 14 months, for approximately 10 minutes.

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8VAC20-780-140-A · Physical examinations completed by a physician shall be obtained prior to the first day of attendance or within 30 days after the first day of attendance.

There was no physical examination in the record of Child #2, who had been enrolled for 32 days.

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8VAC20-780-400-A · In order to promote the child's physical, intellectual, emotional, and social well-being and growth, staff shall interact with the child and one another to provide needed help, comfort, support.

Documentation reviewed and interviews conducted on 11/06/25 and 11/13/25 revealed that Staff #1 was observed yelling at staff and slamming classroom doors on several occasions in front of the children in care.

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8VAC20-780-410-1 · The following acts are forbidden: physical punishment, striking a child, roughly handling or shaking a child, restricting movement through binding or tying, forcing a child to assume an uncomfortable position, or exercise as punishment.

Staff reported during interviews on October 3,2025, that they observed Teacher #1, push Child #1 to the ground and say, "How do you like it?" to Child #1. This incident occurred on the playground after Child #1 tried to push another child off of the hippo toy.

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8VAC20-780-40-E · The center is required to ensure the center's own policies and procedures that are required by these standards are in compliance.

On 03/26/25, the center had a medication on-site for Child #6 that expired over six months ago. The center?s medication policies state medication must not exceed the expiration date.

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8VAC20-790-600-D-1 · All staff who work directly with children shall have within 90 days of the date of employment current certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) appropriate to the ages of children in care. Staff #3 and Staff #4 obtained a certification in CPR more than four months after their date of employment. Both staff members work directly with children.

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8VAC20-770-60-C-2 · For staff hired before July 1, 2024, providers must obtain the results of a central registry search for an employee, within 30 days of employment. The central registry search results in the record of Staff #1, who is currently employed, was dated 53 days after their first day of employment.

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8VAC20-780-80-A · Based on review of attendance records it was determined that staff did not always document the arrival and departure of each child as it occurs. Evidence: 1.) There were thirteen children observed in the two year old classroom, however there 11 children marked present on the attendance record. 2.) There were ten children observed in the three year old classroom however, there were eight children marked present on the attendance record.

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