VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES

Shenandoah Valley Child Development Center
2867 West Mosby Road
Harrisonburg, VA 22801
(540) 879-1155

Current Inspector: Stephanie Reed (540) 272-6558

Inspection Date: June 7, 2019 , July 3, 2019 and July 8, 2019

Complaint Related: No

Areas Reviewed:

22VAC40-185 ADMINISTRATION. 22VAC40-185 STAFF QUALIFICATIONS AND TRAINING. 22VAC40-185 STAFFING AND SUPERVISION. 22VAC40-185 PROGRAMS. 22VAC40-191 Background Checks (22VAC40-191)

Technical Assistance:

A supplemental page was provided.

Comments:

An unannounced inspection was conducted on June 7, 2019, July 3, 2019, and July 8, 2019 regarding a self-reported incident received in the Valley Licensing Office on June 6, 2019. The on-site portion of the inspection was held on June 7, 2019 from 11:20a.m. to 3:35p.m. At that time there were 49 children present and in the care of 9 staff members with three extra staff members available to assist when needed. There were 90 children enrolled in the center. Three staff members were interviewed in conjunction with a local agency. Two staff records were reviewed and one child's record was reviewed. The violations resulting from the inspection were noted on the violation notice and the risk ratings for the violations were listed on the supplemental page. An exit phone interview was conducted on July 25, 2019. Please complete the column for ?Plan of Correction? for each violation cited on the violation notice and return it to the Valley Licensing Office. If you have any questions, please contact your licensing inspector, Diann Reed, at (540) 280-0742.

Violations:

Standard #:	22VAC40-185-40-E
Description:	Based on review of the center?s supervision policy and confirmation from staff interviews, the center failed to ensure their operational responsibilities were met by not following their own Supervision Policy. Evidence: 1. Under the center?s Sight and Sound Policy it states, ?As an SVCDC teacher you are responsible for accounting for every student and child in your care at all times. You are expected to be in sight and sound of each and every child in your care. ...Adequate supervision of students, in addition to strategic placements will be done through head counts, that is, counting every child as they exit and enter rooms and playgrounds.? 2. On June 6, 2019, Staff #1 and Staff #2 were supervising 12 children from Classroom A outside on the playground when they brought the group of children inside. Child A (age 2 years) was left alone on the playground when the two staff members and the other 11 children walked into the center and into Classroom A. 3. Staff #1 reported, ?We count or are supposed to be counting all the time. We usually count when we line-up to go out, before we go out the door, and all the time when we are outside. We count when we line-up at the gate and before we come back in. I count when we get back in to make sure.? Staff #1 reported that on this date she did not count the children before coming into the building from the playground or when they got back to the classroom. 4. Staff #2 stated that she had counted the ten children that she had lined-up to go in the building and she thought Staff #1 had two children so she did not count those children. Staff #2 stated, ?I shouldn?t have to check to see if another teacher made sure that they had their kids.? 5. The center?s policy was not followed when the staff in Classroom A did not count every child as they exited the playground and entered the room.
Plan of Correction:	The incident and measures to prevent re-occurrence in the future have been reviewed with staff and we will ensure that all our staff will follow our policies laid out in our handbooks. Staff members who were unable to adhere to our center policies are no longer employed.
Standard #:	22VAC40-185-340-A
Description:	Based on interviews with three staff members and confirmation from staff, the center failed to ensure the care and protection of a child. Evidence: 1. On June 6, 2019, Staff #1 and Staff #2 were supervising 12 children from Classroom A while playing outside on the playground. The staff members took 11 of the children through the gate, through the back playground, into the center, and into Classroom A. Approximately three to five minutes later, a member of the public saw Child A (age 2 years) alone on the playground. Neither Staff #1 nor Staff #2 was aware that Child A was not with the group. 2. A man saw Child A on the playground, entered the playground area, and went to the front door of the center to inform the staff in the office. The man was unknown to the staff at the center. 3. Staff #1, Staff #2 and Staff #3 all confirmed that Child A was left alone on the playground.
Plan of Correction:	To ensure the care and protection of the children on our playground staff members will count twice (using name-to-face method) before leaving the playground. Staff members will also do a scan of the entire playground prior to leaving the playground. Staff members and their classes will enter and exit through the front office, where another staff member (front office staff) will count children as well.
Standard #:	22VAC40-185-340-F
Description:	Based on interviews with three staff members and verification from staff, the center failed to ensure that a child under the age of 10 was in actual sight and sound supervision of staff. Evidence: 1. Staff #1 and Staff #2 were supervising 12 children in Classroom A outside on the playground on June 6, 2019. Child A (age 2 years) from Classroom A was not in sight and sound supervision of staff when Staff #1 and Staff #2 left the playground with 11 children, walked into the center and into their classroom without Child A. Child A was found on the playground by a member of the public who informed staff in the office about the child. 2. Staff #2 reported that it was approximately 10:50a.m. when the two staff members started to gather the children together to take them inside. She stated, ?It was 10:54a.m. when I checked my watch when we got in, so Child A was out there for literally four or five minutes.? 3. Staff #3 stated she was in the office when a man knocked on the door to say there was a child on the playground. She went out to the playground to find Child A unattended. Staff #3 reported the child was out of sight and sound supervision of a staff member between three to four minutes.
Plan of Correction:	To ensure the sight and supervision of all the children in our care staff members will receive additional training from an outside consultant. Our sight and sound policy as well as licensing regulations have been reviewed with staff to ensure understanding.