Inspection · 2023-07-19
(804) 840-8260
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
8VAC20-770 Background Checks
22.1 Early Childhood Care and Education
Inspector Notes
The licensing inspector conducted an unannounced complaint inspection in response to two complaints that were received by the licensing department on July 12, 2023, and on July 13, 2023, regarding non-compliance with the center?s administration; staff qualifications and training; the physical plant; staffing and supervision; programs; and special services. The inspection was initiated on July 19, 2023, and completed on September 12, 2023. On July 24, 2023, the inspector was on site from 10:45am to approximately 1:55pm. Interviews with staff were completed, observations were made at the center, and documentation was reviewed. Collateral interviews were conducted on July 19, 2023. The inspector received additional documentation electronically.
Based on the information gathered during the investigation, the preponderance of evidence supports part of the allegations, therefore the complaints are determined to be valid. Additional violations unrelated to the complaints were discovered, and violations were documented on the violation notice issued to the program.
Please complete the `plan of correction? and `date to be corrected? for each violation cited on the violation notice and returned it to me within five business days from today. Your plan of correction should contain: 1) steps to correct the noncompliance with the standard(s), 2) measures to prevent the noncompliance from occurring again; and 3) person(s) responsible for implementing each step and/or monitoring any preventive measure(s).
Violations
13Based on a review of three staff records and interview, the center did not obtain the satisfactory results of a national fingerprint-based criminal record search for one staff prior to employment.
Evidence: 1) The record of Staff #3, employed on 06/14/22, did not contain the results of a national fingerprint-based criminal record search.
2) During interview, a member of management reported the center did not have a fingerprint-based criminal record search for Staff #3.
Evidence: The sworn statement in the record of Staff #2, employed on 08/01/22, was completed on 08/02/22.
Based on a review of three staff records and interviews, the center did not have a central registry finding for one staff within 30 days of employment.
Evidence: 1) The record of Staff #3, employed on 06/14/22, did not contain a central registry finding. 2) During interview, a member of management reported the center did not have a central registry finding for Staff #3.
Evidence: 1) The record of Child #1, date of attendance 04/17/23, did not contain documentation of a physical examination. 2) During interview, a member of management acknowledged a physical examination was not on file for Child #1.
Based on a review of three staff records and interview, the center did not ensure one staff member submitted documentation of a negative tuberculosis (TB) screening at the time of employment and prior to coming into contact with children.
Evidence: 1) The TB screening in the record of Staff #3, employed on 06/14/22, was completed on 06/28/23. 2) During interview, a member of management reported this was the only TB screening on file for Staff #3.
Evidence: 1) The record of Staff #3, employed on 06/14/22 as an aide, indicates the staff member is 15 years of age. Aides shall be at least 16 years of age. 2) During interview, a member of management reported she was unaware an aide had to be 16 years of age. The staff is never alone with children but has been counted in ratio in the past.
Based on a review of three staff records and interview, the center did not ensure two staff members completed the Virginia Department of Education-sponsored orientation course within 90 calendar days of employment.
Evidence:
1) According to the certificate for Virginia Department of Education-sponsored orientation course in the record of Staff #2, employed on 08/01/22, the training was completed on 12/31/22.
2) The record of Staff #3, employed on 06/14/22, did not contain a training certificate for the Virginia Department of Education-sponsored orientation course. During interview, a member of management reported the center does not have documentation that Staff #3 has completed the course.
Evidence:
1) During an interview with a collateral witness, it was reported that on 06/14/23 at approximately 7:55am, Staff #1 and Staff #3 were the only two staff members in the Fish Class (Infant 1) with nine children.
2) A review of the center?s Rollcall Sheet for the Fish Class (Infant 1) and the Turtles Class (Infant 2) for 06/14/23 showed there were a total of nine children present by approximately 7:25am. The ages of the children ranged from 3 months to 17 months. A member of management reported the Fish Class (Infant 1) and the Turtles Class (Infant 2) are typically combined in the mornings and were combined on 06/14/23.
The staff-child ratio applied to the group is one staff member to four children based on the age of the youngest child present.
Evidence: During the inspection on 07/24/23, the inspector observed three infants, under 12 months of age, sleeping in cribs. Two out of the three infants had blankets in the cribs. A staff member in the classroom reported she did not know infants could not have blankets in the crib.
The center?s policy on safe sleeping practices state: ?Use a wearable blanket to keep baby warm without blankets in the sleep area. Make sure baby?s head and face stay uncovered during sleep.?
Evidence: 1) During interviews, it was reported that on several occasions, Child #1 (6-months-old) has fallen asleep in a bouncy chair but was not transitioned to their assigned crib. When staff were asked why the child was not moved, they reported ?she was already asleep, and we didn?t want to wake her.? 2) A daily report reviewed for Child #1 dated 05/26/23 shows a picture of Child #1 asleep in a bouncy chair with a blanket. The report was labeled ?Naptime.?
Evidence: 1) During interviews, it was reported that on 07/10/23, a communicable disease was reported to the center for a child in the Fish Class (Infant 1). The parents of the children in the classroom did not receive a notification from the center to let them know their children had been exposed to a communicable disease.
2) Documentation reviewed showed the last notification sent to families regarding a communicable disease was on 05/09/23. A member of management reported a notification was not sent to families about the communicable disease reported on 07/10/23 because the information was given to another member of management that is no longer at the center.
Evidence: 1) Diaper ointment was observed on-site on 07/24/23 for Child #3, Child #5, and Child #6. The center did not have written parent authorization noting any known adverse reactions for the diaper ointment on site for each child. 2) During interview, staff reported the ointments have been applied to Child #3, Child #5, and Child #6.
Evidence: 1) In the refrigerator in the Fish Class (Infant 1), the inspector observed 13 prepared infant bottles that were not dated and two bottles that did not have a child?s name or the date.
2) During interview, staff reported all the prepared bottles contain formula and acknowledged they were not dated and two were also missing the child?s name.