7/11/19 - Licensing Inspector arrived at 2:00 PM and departed at 3:45 PM to initiate complaint. Management and staff were interviewed related to supervision of children. Center documents were reviewed and spaces were inspected.
7/29/19 - Licensing Inspector arrived at 1:00 and departed at 2:30 PM to complete complaint investigation. Staff records were reviewed and additional conversations held with management. Based on information gathered during the investigation, this complaint is deemed to be valid
Based on interviews with staff and management, it was determined that the facility failed to implement procedures for appropriate supervision of all children in care.
Evidence: 1. On 6/19/19, child #1 was out of the direct supervision of staff of the facility for approximately one hour. a. There was a group of eight children (ages three- and four-years) in care with staff #2. At 10:50 AM, staff #1 relieved staff #2 for her break while the children were in chapel. b. Staff #1 then took all eight children back to their room, where they were playing with toys. Staff #1 stated that she saw child #1 playing with other children at that point. c. At approximately 11:15 AM, a child in the group asked to go to the restroom. As the restroom is located across the hall, staff #1 was standing in the doorway of the room when staff #2 returned from her break at 11:17 AM to resume supervision of the children. The child returned from the restroom at this point and staff #1 left the classroom to go to another classroom to relieve a staff member for their break. d. Staff #2 stated that she was unsure if child #1 was in the room upon her return. When asked where child was, other children in the classroom stated that ?she left.? Staff #1 never verified this information. e. Child #1 was found in the restroom across the hall from the classroom at approximately 12:15 PM by staff #2. 2. During the time the child was missing, staff #1 and staff #2 were responsible for the supervision of the classroom.
Plan of Correction:
Provided by facility: 1. All staff are told to continuously count the children in their care. A checklist will be distributed to teachers to remind them of when to count (i.e. transition to and from destinations, when leaving and coming back from break). Teachers are also being asked several times throughout the day how many children are in their care. 2. Before leaving for a break or for the day, teachers are to count the children in their care, hand off the checklist with children on it to the next teacher, and confirm the number of children she is leaving with the next teacher. 3. Teachers will be reminded to contact a supervisor immediately if they have a child they can't account for after doing counts and checking their checklists. 4. Teachers will sign off on a handout reminding them of all the above procedures to ensure the safety of all children in our care, as well as the consequences if these procedures are not followed.
Disclaimer:
This information is provided by the Virginia Department of Social Services, which neither endorses any facility nor guarantees that the information is complete. It should not be used as the sole source in evaluating and/or selecting a facility.
Find this content at:
http://www.dss.virginia.gov/facility/search/cc.cgi