VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES

The Children's Center - Suffolk Head Start
860 Davis Boulevard
Suffolk, VA 23434
(757) 809-5557

Current Inspector: Melinda Popkin (757) 802-5281

Inspection Date: May 13, 2024

Complaint Related: No

Areas Reviewed:

8VAC20-780 Administration. 8VAC20-780 Staff Qualifications and Training. 8VAC20-780 Physical Plant. 8VAC20-780 Staffing and Supervision. 8VAC20-780 Programs. 8VAC20-780 Special Care Provisions and Emergencies 8VAC20-780 Special Services. 8VAC20-820 THE LICENSE. 8VAC20-820 THE LICENSING PROCESS. 8VAC20-820 HEARINGS PROCEDURES. 8VAC20-770 Background Checks 20 Access to minor's records 22.1 Early Childhood Care and Education 63.2 Child Abuse & Neglect

Technical Assistance:

Effective January 1, 2025, the VDOE will begin determining compliance with ? 22.1-289.057 of the Code of Virginia, which is legislation passed by the General Assembly in 2020. The law requires all licensed child day programs, religious exempt child day centers that serve preschool age children, and certified preschools to test potable drinking water. The law requires that programs submit their plans and test results to the Virginia Department of Health Office of Drinking Water (VDH ODW) and the Superintendent. If the results of the testing indicate elevated lead levels, the program shall remediate, retest, and resubmit results to VDH ODW and the Superintendent. There is an additional alternative bottled water option that comes with additional requirements. The statutory requirement can be found online at https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title22.1/chapter14.1/section22.1-289.057/. Resources are now available for providers on the "What's New" webpage on the ChildCareVA website at https://www.childcare.virginia.gov/providers/what-s-new.

Comments:

An unannounced monitoring inspection was conducted on 5/13/2024from 12:15pm-2:35pm. At the time of entrance, 99 children, ages 2 1/2 to 5 years old were in care with16 staff members present. The sample size consisted of 10 children?s records and 5 staff records. The inspector reviewed compliance in the areas of administration, physical plant, staffing and supervision, programming, medication, special care and emergencies and nutrition Children were observed having lunch, served family style, talking and socializing at the lunch tables, washing hands and settling onto cots for rest time. Medication administration was not observed. Only emergency medications to be administered for exposure to a food allergen were stored on site and reviewed with regard to storage, labeling and required written authorization and documentation. Transportation was not viewed today. A new stationary play set for the two-year-old children was observed. Information gathered during the inspection determined non-compliance with applicable standards or law and violations were documented on the violation notice issued to the program

Violations:

Standard #:	8VAC20-780-40-L
Description:	Based on a review of documentation and intervie, staff did not demonstrate that they were informed of children in their classroom with regard to their food allergies, sensitivities, and dietary restrictions. Evidence: When staff working in Room 8 during the inspection were asked if there were children enrolled in this classroom with food allergies, one staff stated that there no food allergies for any children in the class. An allergy list was reviewed which listed "popcorn" as an allergen for child A who was assigned to this class. An Epi-pen was in this classroom's medication bag along with an allergy plan for exposure or reaction to cashews and pistachios. The second staff in the classroom stated that she was aware of child A's allergy to popcorn but was not aware of the cashews and pistachios being an allergen for child B. Staff confirmed that child A and child B were both assigned to this classroom.
Plan of Correction:	The staff who initially stated that there were no food allergies in the classroom was not normally assigned to this room. Both of these food allergies were listed on an allergy list posted confidentially in this room. The program is a nut-free facility and popcorn is not served due to possible choking hazards. However, staff will be reminded to check the allergy list in the room where they are working, daily, and each time before serving a meal or snack to the children.