VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES

POLLYWOG PLACE
1080 Hisey Avenue
Woodstock, VA 22664
(540) 459-6582

Current Inspector: Stephanie Reed (540) 272-6558

Inspection Date: Nov. 1, 2019 , Nov. 26, 2019 , Sept. 13, 2021 and Sept. 16, 2021

Complaint Related: Yes

Areas Reviewed:

22VAC40-185 ADMINISTRATION. 22VAC40-185 PROGRAMS. 22VAC40-185 SPECIAL CARE PROVISIONS AND EMERGENCIES.

Comments:

The unannounced inspections on November 1, 2019 and November 26, 2019 were for the purpose of investigating a complaint regarding behavior management, forbidden actions by staff, and mandated reporting, that was received by licensing staff on October 25, 2019. At the request of local agencies, the investigation remained open, and was later continued off site on September 13, 2021 and September 16, 2021. After completion of pertinent interviews, a review of documentation and records, and viewing classroom video recordings, it was determined that the complaint was valid. Please complete the ?plan of correction? and ?date to be corrected? for each violation cited on the violation notice and return it to the department within 5 business days from receipt. Please specify how the deficient practice will be or has been corrected. Your plan of correction should contain: 1) steps to correct the noncompliance with the standard(s), 2) measures to prevent the noncompliance from occurring again; and 3) person(s) responsible for implementing each step and/or monitoring any preventative measures. Please do not use staff names; list staff by positions only.

Violations:

Standard #:	22VAC40-185-40-E
Complaint related:	No
Description:	Based on interviews with staff, viewing of classroom video recordings and a review of the center?s written policies and procedures, the center did not ensure services maintained compliance with the center?s own policies and procedures required by the standards. Evidence: The discipline policies state that staff are to use ?Love and Logic? methods to teach ?children that decisions have consequences.? The policy also states that staff practice ?redirecting from the behavior to a more positive activity?, that ?time out is to be used sparingly?, and that forbidden actions by staff include ?physical punishment, striking a child, roughly handling?restricting movement?and forcing a child to assume an uncomfortable position.? Multiple staff and video recordings confirmed incidents of Staff A striking children?s hands, arms or backs with her hand during incidents of disciplining children, which included 3-year old Child A, and 1-year old Children B, C, D and E. Multiple staff reported that Staff A regularly raised her voice volume during the first 10 months of 2019 when supervising 1-year olds, 3-year olds and 4-year olds. Staff described the voice of Staff A as ?stern?, ?yelling? and ?threatening?. During the unannounced inspection on 11/1/2019, after nap time, the licensing inspector was in the hallway and heard the raised voice volume of Staff A with a group of 1-year old children while observing the staff member through the hall window while the door to the room was closed. On 10/16/2019, Staff A was sitting in a rocking chair near the back corner of the younger 1-year old room where four children were playing near a window. Staff A took hold of the arm Child B, who was standing near the side of the rocking chair and pulled the child to the front of where Staff A was sitting, and toward the floor. Child B went down onto the floor face first. Child B was laying on the floor with face and stomach on the floor. Staff A picked-up Child B. Bleeding occurred from the child?s nose and Staff A took Child B to a sink to clean the child?s face. In October 2019 on an undisclosed date, Staff A lifted Child D and forcefully put the child onto the cot?s surface after the child woke up during nap. Staff indicated that Staff A told Child D, ?I don?t know what you don?t get about this?. On an unknown date, while supervising nap time, Staff A used a blanket to cover the head of Child A, who was on a cot, and placed a binder, books and a tablet of paper on the back of Child A when the child wouldn?t sleep. On 10/23/19, Child A was emptying mulch from shoes onto the floor. Staff A took Child A?s shoes, went to a trash can, opened the lid, and dropped the shoes into the trash can, instructing Child A to sit in a corner. A different staff member cleaned up the mulch and retrieved the shoes for Child A. On 10/30/19, Child E was using a hand to have contact with another child while playing on the foam pyramid/triangle in the young one year old room. Staff A approached Child E from behind, and struck child E on the back with an open hand. Staff A took hold of child E?s hand/wrist, to pull the child off of the play structure, picked-up child E from behind, turned around and began walking, holding child E and then letting go. Child E went onto the floor stomach side down and Child E?s face went against the floor. Staff A picked up Child E and continued walking with Child E toward the front side corner of the room. Written policies state that ?Any staff member who suspects child abuse and/or neglect must bring this to the director?s attention. The director will notify the appropriate authorities.? During interviews, teaching staff indicated concerns were brought to the attention of Staff B regarding Staff A, but concerns were not reported to the Department of Social Services by Staff B.
Plan of Correction:	The facts presented in the violation notice regarding Pollywog Place and Employee B are not accurate. As of November 1, 2019, Employee A is no longer an employee of Pollywog Place. Employee B was aware that the inspection was taking place. The violation notice notes that the inspection was unannounced. Someone from the Department of Social Services notified Employee B on October 30, 2019 that representatives from their office would be coming to the center on November 1, 2019.
Standard #:	22VAC40-185-80-B
Complaint related:	Yes
Description:	Based on interviews with staff, the center did not ensure that any suspected incident of child abuse was reported to the Department of Social Services (DSS) as required by the Code of Virginia. Evidence: Based on multiple interviews, at least four staff spoke with Staff B about concerns regarding physical and verbal incidents of Staff A disciplining children for their behavior. Staff B did not report the incidents to the department.
Plan of Correction:	The facts presented in the violation notice regarding Pollywog Place and Employee B are not accurate. As of November 1, 2019, Employee A is no longer an employee of Pollywog Place. Employee B was aware that the inspection was taking place. The violation notice notes that the inspection was unannounced. Someone from the Department of Social Services notified Employee B on October 30, 2019 that representatives from their office would be coming to the center on November 1, 2019.
Standard #:	22VAC40-185-400-B
Complaint related:	Yes
Description:	Based on observations at the center and interviews with staff, the center did not ensure that behavioral guidance was constructive in nature, age and stage appropriate, and intended to redirect children to appropriate behavior and resolve conflicts. Evidence: Staff described multiple times that Staff A raised her voice volume while telling the children what to do. This occurred with children ages one year, three years and four years in age. Staff described the voice of Staff A as ?stern?, ?yelling? and ?threatening?. This was described as occurring regularly during the first ten months of 2019. Staff reported concerns about the voice volume and tone used with the children to the center administration, but Staff A continued. During the unannounced inspection on November 1, 2019, after nap time, the licensing inspector was in the hallway and heard the raised voice volume of Staff A while observing the staff member with a group of children through the hall window while the door was closed. The staff member lowered the volume of her voice once she noticed the licensing inspector at the window. According to staff, in the younger one year old room there were incidences when Staff A ?forcefully? and quickly pulled ?binkeys?/pacifiers out of the mouths of 1-year old Child B and 1-year old Child C. On an unknown date, while supervising nap time, Staff A used a blanket to cover the head of 3-year old Child A, who was on a cot, and placed a binder, books and a tablet of paper on the back of Child A when the child wouldn?t sleep. On October 23, 2019, Child A was emptying mulch from shoes onto the floor. Staff A took the child?s shoes, went to a trash can, opened the lid using a foot-pedal, and dropped the shoes into the trash can. Child A went to the trash can, patting the top of the lid using hands, and was crying. Staff A instructed Child A to sit in a corner. A different staff member cleaned up the mulch and retrieved the shoes. Staff A then told Child A, to put on the shoes and threatened to throw them away. According to staff interviews and video observation of the young one year old room, on October 30, 2019, Staff A ?forcefully? and abruptly placed 1-year old Child C in a high chair seat, and Child C began crying.
Plan of Correction:	The facts presented in the violation notice regarding Pollywog Place and Employee B are not accurate. As of November 1, 2019, Employee A is no longer an employee of Pollywog Place. Employee B was aware that the inspection was taking place. The violation notice notes that the inspection was unannounced. Someone from the Department of Social Services notified Employee B on October 30, 2019 that representatives from their office would be coming to the center on November 1, 2019.
Standard #:	22VAC40-185-410-1
Complaint related:	Yes
Description:	Based on staff interviews, and video recordings, the center did not ensure that staff did not use forbidden actions with children. Evidence: Staff indicated various incidents of Staff A using her hand to strike children?s hands, arms and backs after they displayed unacceptable behavior such as hitting other children. In October 2019 on an undisclosed date, a one year old, Child D, woke up after sleeping on a cot. Staff indicated that Staff A lifted Child D, and forcefully put the child onto the cot?s surface. Staff indicated that Staff A told Child D, ?I don?t know what you don?t get about this?. On an unknown date, while supervising nap time, Staff A placed a binder, books and a tablet of paper on the back of Child A, age three years, when the child wouldn?t sleep. On October 16, 2019, Staff A was sitting in a rocking chair near the back corner of the younger one year old room where four children were playing near a window. Staff A took hold of the arm of Child B, age one year, who was standing near the side of the rocking chair and pulled the child to the front of where Staff A was sitting, and toward the floor. Child B went down onto the floor face first. Child B was laying on the floor with face and stomach on the floor. Staff A picked-up Child B. Bleeding occurred from the child?s nose and Staff A took Child B to a sink to clean the child?s face. It was verified by video and staff interviews that on October 30, 2019, Child E, age one year, was using a hand to have contact with another child while playing on the foam pyramid/triangle in the young one year old room. Staff A approached Child E from behind, and struck Child E, on the back with an open hand. Staff A took hold of Child E?s hand/wrist, to pull the child off of the play structure, picked-up child E from behind, turned around and began walking, holding Child E and then letting go. Child E went onto the floor stomach side down and his face went against the floor. Staff A picked up Child E and continued walking with toward the front side corner of the room.
Plan of Correction:	The facts presented in the violation notice regarding Pollywog Place and Employee B are not accurate. As of November 1, 2019, Employee A is no longer an employee of Pollywog Place. Employee B was aware that the inspection was taking place. The violation notice notes that the inspection was unannounced. Someone from the Department of Social Services notified Employee B on October 30, 2019 that representatives from their office would be coming to the center on November 1, 2019.
Standard #:	22VAC40-185-550-M
Complaint related:	No
Description:	Based on interviews with staff, video and a review of injury documentation, the center failed to ensure that all required information was documented for minor injuries and communicated to parents. Evidence: On October 16, 2019, Staff A was sitting in a rocking chair near the back corner of the younger one year old room where four children were playing near a window. Staff A took hold of the arm of Child B, age one year, who was standing near the side of the rocking chair and pulled the child to the front of where Staff A was sitting, and toward the floor. Child B went down onto the floor face first. Child B was laying on the floor with face and stomach on the floor. Staff A picked-up Child B. Bleeding occurred from the child?s nose and Staff A took Child B to a sink to apply pressure to the child?s nose and clean the child?s face with soap and water. An October 16, 2019 injury report completed by Staff A, stated that Child B ?was playing with our stand and play and fell when another friend wanted to play falling on her stomach and hitting her nose on the floor causing her to get a nose bleed?. The circumstances of the injury documented in the injury report did not match the circumstances of the injury observed on video. The handwritten ?Future Action to Prevent Recurrence of Injury? section of the injury report stated that that staff would ?Remind our friend to share toys and that everyone can have a turn?.
Plan of Correction:	The facts presented in the violation notice regarding Pollywog Place and Employee B are not accurate. As of November 1, 2019, Employee A is no longer an employee of Pollywog Place. Employee B was aware that the inspection was taking place. The violation notice notes that the inspection was unannounced. Someone from the Department of Social Services notified Employee B on October 30, 2019 that representatives from their office would be coming to the center on November 1, 2019.