VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES

Yellow Brick Road Early Learning Center
410 Yellow Brick Road
Lexington, VA 24450
(540) 463-7344

Current Inspector: Kelly Campbell (540) 309-2494

Inspection Date: Dec. 6, 2019 and Dec. 19, 2019

Complaint Related: No

Areas Reviewed:

22VAC40-185 STAFF QUALIFICATIONS AND TRAINING. 22VAC40-185 STAFFING AND SUPERVISION.

Comments:

An unannounced focused monitoring inspection was made on 12/6/19. The facility reported an incident on 12/5/19 that had occurred on 12/4/19 related to lack of supervision. Video recordings were reviewed, staff were interviewed, documentation of the incident was reviewed, and policies and procedures were reviewed on 12/6/19. Additional staff and collateral interviews took place in a continued joint investigation with the local department of social services on 12/19/19. Based on the investigation of the incident, the self-report of lack of supervision resulted in violations of the Standards which can be viewed on the "Violation Notice" issued to the facility.

Violations:

Standard #:	22VAC40-185-240-B
Description:	Based on interview and review of policies and procedures, the center failed to ensure that by the end of the first day of supervising children, staff were provided in writing procedures required by this Standard. Evidence: 1. The director was asked for the written policies and procedures for supervision of children, specifically written procedures for identifying where attending children are at all times, including procedures to ensure that all children are accounted for before leaving a field trip site and upon return to the center. This procedure is required by this Standard to be provided to staff in writing as a part of the new staff training. The director stated that there was no written procedure for identifying where attending children are at all times.
Plan of Correction:	Staff met and brainstormed procedures the center will use for transitions to different areas. It was then added to teacher handbook.
Standard #:	22VAC40-185-340-A
Description:	Based on interviews and review of the center's video recordings, the center did not ensure the children's care, protection, and guidance when staff were supervising the children. Evidence: 1. Video recordings from the center's camera system of an incident on 12/4/19 from approximately 5:04 pm to 5:16 pm were reviewed. A three year old child, child #1, was observed to be left outside alone with no supervision and the child's care and protection was not ensured. Child #1 was observed to have on a coat while outside and the temperature was above freezing. There was no visible harm to child #1 from this incident. 2. Interviews were conducted with staff about the incident. Staff #1 and #2 stated that they did not do a count of the children once the children had transitioned from outside to the classroom inside. Staff #1 and #2 who were in charge of supervising child #1 stated that they were not aware that the child was left outside. There was no system to ensure that all children were accounted for at all times which resulted in a child being left alone and unsupervised for approximately 12 minutes. 3. As observed on the center's video recordings and information obtained during collateral interviews, a male parent of another child in care at the center noticed child #1 outside and went outside to get child #1. The parent was observed to walk child #1 who was left alone outside into the building and through the breezeway to the foyer/entrance area of the center which is approximately 50 feet. Child #1 was reunited with their parent upon entering the foyer area of the center.
Plan of Correction:	All staff watched webinar leave no children unattended; use active supervision to keep children safe.
Standard #:	22VAC40-185-340-F
Description:	Based on review of video recordings and interviews, the center failed to ensure that children under 10 years of age were within actual sight and sound supervision of staff. Evidence: 1. The center's video recordings of multiple areas inside and outside of the center from 12/4/19 at approximately 5:04 pm were reviewed. The camera recording of the outside playground where 10 three and four year old children were lining up to come inside with two staff was reviewed. A three year old child was observed to be left outside on a covered porch attached to an unoccupied classroom with full length windows which leads directly to the playground area. The child was left outside, not within sight or sound supervision of any staff at the center, for approximately 12 minutes. 2. The playground was observed and had an approximately four foot chain link fence surrounding the entire playground with a coded entry system for each gate to the outside. The child stayed at the windows on the outside porch during the entire time of being out of sight and sound supervision on the covered porch leading from an unoccupied classroom to the playground.
Plan of Correction:	All staff watched webinar leave no children unattended; use active supervision to keep children safe.