STATE OF MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES. DC D Wee Friends Ch Care and Learn Ctr

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1 STATE OF MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND ADULT LICENSING JENNIFER M. GRANHOLM GOVERNOR MARIANNE UDOW DIRECTOR June 25, 2007 Ms. Antoinette Ward RE: Lic./Reg. #: Investigation #: DC Wee Friends Ch Care and Learn Ctr Dear Ward: Attached is the Special Investigation Report for the above referenced facility. Due to the violations identified in the report, a written corrective action plan was required. On 4/26/2007, you submitted an acceptable written corrective action plan. Please review the enclosed documentation for accuracy and feel free to contact me with any questions. In the event that I am not available and you need to speak to someone immediately, please feel free to contact the local office at (616) Sincerely, Nancy Parsons, Licensing Consultant Office of Children and Adult Licensing Unit 13, 7th Floor 350 Ottawa, N.W. Grand Rapids, MI (616) enclosure P.O. BOX LANSING, MICHIGAN (517)

2 MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND ADULT LICENSING SPECIAL INVESTIGATION REPORT I. IDENTIFYING INFORMATION License #: Investigation #: DC Complaint Receipt Date: 04/27/2007 Investigation Initiation Date: 04/27/2007 Report Due Date: 06/26/2007 Licensee Name: Licensee Address: Licensee Telephone #: Administrator: Licensee Designee: Name of Facility: Facility Address: Ward Antoinette Unknown N/A Same Wee Friends Ch Care and Learn Ctr Facility Telephone #: (616) Original Issuance Date: License Status: N/A REGULAR Effective Date: 05/23/2006 Expiration Date: 05/22/2008 Capacity: 67 Program Type: CHILD DAY CARE CENTER 1

3 II. ALLEGATION(S) On 4/19/2007 the department received a telephone call from Antoinette Ward, administrator of Wee Friends Child Care Center indicating that center staff left Child A unattended in the preschool room, while taking other child care children to an adjacent building on the center grounds. It was reported that Child A was left alone in preschool room for around two minutes. III. METHODOLOGY 04/27/2007 Special Investigation Intake 04/27/2007 Special Investigation Initiated - Telephone 04/27/2007 Inspection Completed On-site ALLEGATION: On 4/19/2007 the department received a telephone call from Antoinette Ward, administrator of Wee Friends Child Care Center indicating that center staff left Child A unattended in the preschool room, while taking other child care children to an adjacent building on the center grounds. It was reported that Child A was left alone in preschool room for around two minutes. INVESTIGATION: On 04/26 /2007 this consultant made an inspection to Wee Friends Child Center to discuss the above complaint. During the inspection I met with Staff 1, Staff 2, Michelle Duff, Program Director, and Antoinette (Cis) Ward, owner/ program director. Ms. Ward stated the following about the incident: The incident occurred on special friends day. This meant that children had a special person share a day of activities with them. After the acitivites, some children left the center with their friend. At the time of the incident there were five children between the ages of three and four years old left in the preschool room. This consultant talked jointly with both Staff 1 and Staff 2, in the preschool room to discuss the events leading up to the incident. Staff 1 and Staff 2 agreed that the day of the incident was not a usual day for the preschool children as each child brought a special friend. Both staff said that there were activities both indoors and outdoors 2

4 through the morning. They confirmed that at the end of the day there were five preschool children left in the room. The remaining children were brought back to the preschool room for washing their hands and to use the bathroom, prior to naptime. In preparation to leaving the preschool room the children sat in a circle on the rug with their coats and backpacks, near the rear exit to the room. Prior to leaving the preschool room, Staff 1 left briefly to get Child B s coat as he had left in on the playground. Upon returning to the room, Staff 1 counted the children and then escorted the children out of the building out the back exit with Staff 2. Both Staff 1 and Staff 2 shared that the children usually exit through the front exit and they bring the children around to the back of the center complex by the front sidewalk. Staff 1 and Staff 2 said that on the day of the incident, this did not occur. Staff 2 said that they noticed that Child A was missing after they went inside the main center and realized that Child A was not on his cot. Staff 2 went searching for Child A in the preschool room and found him in the book area at the front of the room. Staff 2 asked Child A where was he, and Child A told her that he was looking for books. Staff 2 stated that when she found Child A he was crying a little bit. Staff 2 mentioned that Child A remained in care at the child care center. Staff 2 said that the usual routine in the preschool room is for the children to line up. Staff 2 then takes a head count and checks all of the rooms before leaving building. Normally, Staff 2 shared, one staff is in front of the line of children and the other is in the back of the line. However, on the day of the incident this procedure was not followed. Both Staff 1 and Staff 2 shared that they have learned from this difficult experience. Michelle Duff, program director, indicated that she first learned about situation when she saw that Child A was not on his cot, as she normally is the staff that rubs his back at naptime. When Ms. Duff realized that Child A was not in the main room, she asked staff where was he. Both Staff 1 and Staff 2 thought he was with them in the main room of the center. Ms. Duff said that when she told Staff 1 and Staff 2 that Child A was not in the room, Staff 2 went back to look for him in the preschool room. Ms. Duff informed Child A s father of the incident when he picked Child A up from the center at the end of the day. She shared that Child A s father was most concerned about whether Child A was scared as a result of the incident. Ms. Duff told this consultant that both Staff 1 and Staff 2 were written up for the way they handled the incident. Both Staff 1 and Staff 2 were told that if this type of incident happens again that they would no longer be working at the child care center. Cis Ward, owner/program director, stated that she had spoke with Staff 1 and Staff 2 regarding the incident with Child A. She shared that there were 60 to 70 people at the center, including the children, on special friends day, which made it a very busy time. On 6/19/2007 this consultant discussed the incident with Parent A. Parent A shared that when he was informed of the incident he and Parent B were concerned about the situation. However Parent A stated that he feels the center staff handled the incident appropriately. Parent A shared that Child A has not shown any change of behavior as a 3

5 result of the incident. Parent A felt that the center staff s first concern was for Child A s welfare. Parent A said that the center staff did not try to minimize the incident or blame his child for the situation. Parent A shared that both of his children continue to receive child care at the center. APPLICABLE RULE R Ratio of caregivers to preschool children. (1) The center shall provide appropriate care and supervision of children at all times. ANALYSIS: It is concluded that Child A was left unattended by an adult caregiver for about five minutes in an adjoining building at Wee Friends Child Care Center. Ms. Ward submitted an acceptable corrective action plan on 4/26/2007. CONCLUSION: VIOLATION ESTABLISHED IV. RECOMMENDATION I recommend that the license remain unchanged. 6/25/2007 Nancy Parsons Date Licensing Consultant Approved By: 6/25/2007 Yolanda Sims Date Area Manager 4