Inspection · 2025-04-21
(571) 423-6392
Areas Reviewed
8VAC20-780 Administration.
20 Access to minor?s records
8VAC20-780 Staff Qualifications and Training.
22.1 Early Childhood Care and Education
8VAC20-780 Physical Plant.
63.2 Child Abuse & Neglect
8VAC20-780 Staffing and Supervision.
8VAC20-780 Programs.
8VAC20-780 Special Care Provisions and Emergencies
8VAC20-770 Background Checks
During the inspection, the inspector reviewed the areas listed above. Unless otherwise noted as a violation within this inspection report, the provider was in compliance with the standards reviewed. If there were any serious injuries or fatalities related to a violation, the details will be included in the description of the violation.
Inspector Notes
An unannounced monitoring inspection was initiated on April 21, 2025, and completed on April 28, 2025, in response to a self-report received by the licensing office on April 16, 2025, relating to staffing and supervision. The inspector reviewed 1 child record and 5 staff records on-site. This inspection included document review, tour of the facility, interviews, observations and measurements.
Information gathered during the inspection determined non-compliance with applicable standards or law, and violations are documented on the violation notice issued to the program.
Please complete the plan of correction (POC) and date to be corrected sections for each violation cited on the violation notice. Specify how the violation will be or has been corrected. Submit your POC within five (5) business days from today, which will be the close of business on May 5, 2025. A POC submitted after this date will not appear on the public website.
Violations
2When staff are supervising children, they shall always ensure their care, protection, and guidance.
On 04/15/2025, staff #1, staff #2 and staff #3, did not ensure the care and protection of child #1 (age: 2 years) when they left classroom #1 leaving child #1 unsupervised for approximately 3 minutes and 29 seconds.
Given that we believe the offense cited in 8VAC20-780 (5)340-F is duplicative of 8VAC20-780(5)340-A, we contend that the same Plan of Correction will prevent this violation from reoccurring.
On 04/15/2025, staff #1, staff #2 and staff #3, left classroom #1, leaving child #1 (age: 2 years) alone in the room and out of sight supervision for approximately 3 minutes and 29 seconds.
Upon receiving the Violation Notice, we conducted a thorough review of the incident and our existing supervision policies and procedures. As a direct result, we have implemented the following corrective and preventative measures:
Immediate Staff Retraining: All staff members working in the Classroom at the time of the incident have undergone immediate retraining on the critical importance of continuous sight and sound supervision of all children. This retraining emphasized the specific requirements outlined in the Virginia State Licensing Standards and the potential risks associated with any lapse in supervision.
Center-Wide Supervision Refresher: We are conducting a center-wide refresher training for all Bright Start Learning Center staff on the policies and procedures pertaining to sight and sound supervision. This training will reinforce the expectations for active supervision, including constant visual and auditory monitoring of children in all settings, including classrooms, hallways, playgrounds, and during transitions.
Name to Face Recognition Protocol Review: To further enhance our preventative measures, we are implementing a mandatory review with staff in each classroom, "Name to Face Recognition" protocol for exiting and re-entering classrooms. This procedure requires staff to visually confirm each child by name before leaving a space and upon returning, ensuring that all children are accounted for at all times. This is integrated into our daily routines through our Brightwheel app and manual checking while outdoors. This will be reinforced through ongoing training and monitoring.
Review and Reinforcement of Child Accounting Procedures: We are revisiting and reinforcing our existing child accounting procedures, including sign-in/sign-out processes, classroom attendance checks, and transition protocols. This will ensure accurate tracking of children's whereabouts throughout the day.
Enhanced Monitoring and Accountability: We are implementing enhanced monitoring procedures to ensure consistent adherence to our supervision policies. This includes unannounced spot checks and regular discussions during staff meetings to reinforce best practices and address any potential challenges.