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KinderCare Learning Center - Pocoshock

Inspection · 2021-05-14

Date
2021-05-14
Complaint Related
No
Licensing Inspector
Susan Ellington-Sconiers
(804) 588-2368
SHSIA monitoring inspection of an approved subsidy vendor to determine compliance with current subsidy requirements regarding the health and safety of children and to promote quality standards for the children in their care.
No

Areas Reviewed

22VAC40-185 ADMINISTRATION.
22VAC40-185 STAFF QUALIFICATIONS AND TRAINING.
22VAC40-185 STAFFING AND SUPERVISION.
22VAC40-185 PROGRAMS.
22VAC40-80 THE LICENSE.
22VAC40-80 THE LICENSING PROCESS.

Inspector Notes

This inspection was conducted by licensing staff using an alternate remote protocol, necessary due to a state of emergency health pandemic declared by the Governor of Virginia.

A monitoring inspection was initiated on May 14, 2021 and concluded on May 20, 2021. A self-reported incident was received by the department regarding allegations in the area of forbidden actions. The director was contacted by telephone to conduct the investigation. The inspector emailed the director a list of documentation required to complete the investigation.

The evidence gathered during the investigation supported the self-report of non-compliance with standards or law and violations were issued. Any violations not related to the self-report but identified during the course of the investigation can be found on the violation notice.

Please complete the ?plan of correction? and ?date to be corrected? for each violation cited on the violation notice and return it to me within 5 business days from today. You will need to specify how the deficient practice will be or has been corrected. Your plan of correction must contain: 1) steps to correct the noncompliance with the standard(s), 2) measures to prevent the noncompliance from occurring

Violations

3
Standard 22VAC40-185-40-E
Based on a review of records and interview the center failed to comply with the center's own discipline policies including unacceptable discipline measures.
Evidence: 1. The center's policy for "Guidance, Protection of and Respect for Children" states: any kind of physical discipline or corporal punishment, including but not limited to hitting, pinching, pushing, biting, or grabbing a child is unacceptable."
2. Staff admitted to grabbing Child #1's (3 years old) arm on April 22, 2021. Child #1 took an Airpod case belonging to Staff #1 from the teacher table and "chucked it to the ground" while running in the classroom. Staff #1 admitted to "grabbing" Child #1 to stop him from "running and destroying property."
3. Staff #1 reported the method of behavioral guidance permitted according to center policy is to use positive language like "no thank you or your friend doesn't like that" and that she told Child #1 to stop and to sit down and it didn't work so she grabbed Child #1 to "restrain" him.
4. An outside witness stated that Staff #1 chased Child #1 in the classroom and "roughly" grabbed Child #1 by the arm.
5. Administration reported that Staff #1 grabbed the child's arm to stop him from "harming himself."
Plan of Correction: All staff receive in orientation training on Kindercare's behavior policy and management. The center will continue to assure all staff receive this training and are in understanding of behavior guidance.
Standard 22VAC40-185-400-B
Based on interview the center did not ensure behavioral guidance shall be constructive in nature, age and stage appropriate, and shall be intended to redirect children to appropriate behavior and resolve conflicts.
1. Staff #1 stated Child #1 (3 years old) was running in the classroom on April 22, 2021 and grabbed Staff #1's Airpod case from the teacher table and "chucked it to the ground."
2. Staff #1 stated the other children in the class were seated at their tables as Child #1 was running. Staff #1 stated she grabbed Child #1 by the arm and Child #1 "yanked himself to the ground."
3. Staff #1 stated she was trying to "restrain Child #1 from continuing his behaviors."
4. Staff #1 stated she called Child #1's name two times and said "stop."
Plan of Correction: The information relayed to the licensing inspector by Administration was based on information provided by the teacher. Administration does not support any violation of our behavior guidance policy by any staff member. As a mandated reporter: a self-report was done to initiate an independent investigation and provide support from licensing inspector. The teacher in question has resigned. All staff have been provided a review of behavior guidance.
Standard 22VAC40-185-410-1
Based on staff interview the center did not ensure that roughly handling a child was forbidden.
Evidence: 1. Child #1 took an Airpod case belonging to Staff #1 from the teacher table and "chucked it to the ground" while running in the classroom. Staff #1 admitted to grabbing Child #1's (3 years old) arm to stop him from "running and destroying property" on April 22, 2021.
2. An outside witness stated that Staff #1 chased Child #1 in the classroom and "roughly" grabbed Child #1 by the arm.
3. Administration reported that Staff #1 grabbed the child's arm to stop him from "harming himself."
Plan of Correction: The information relayed to the licensing inspector by Administration was based on information provided by the teacher. Administration does not support any violation of our behavior guidance policy by any staff member. As a mandated reporter: a self-report was done to initiate an independent investigation and provide support from licensing inspector. The information relayed to the licensing inspector by Administration was based on information provided by the teacher. Administration does not support any violation of our behavior guidance policy by any staff member. As a mandated reporter: a self-report was done to initiate an independent investigation and provide support from licensing inspector. The teacher in question has resigned. All staff have been provided a review of behavior guidance.
View original record on Virginia Department of Social Services