VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES

Word of Life Outreach Ministries
14605 Woods Edge Road
South chesterfield, VA 23834
(804) 530-1150

VDSS Contact: Molly Muscat (804) 588-2367

Inspection Date: Jan. 25, 2024

Complaint Related: No

Areas Reviewed:

8VAC20-790 Subsidy Regulations.

Comments:

A complaint inspection was initiated on January 25, 2024 in response to a complaint that was received on January 23, 2024 in reference to behavior guidance and forbidden actions. Documentation was gathered and interviews were conducted. The preponderance of evidence gathered during the investigation supports violation of standards in regard to the complaint. Therefore, the complaint was deemed valid. Violations were cited as a result of this inspection. Please complete the plan of correction and ?date to be corrected? for each violation cited on the violation notice, sign, and return it to me within 5 business days from today. 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 measure(s).

Violations:

Standard #:	8VAC20-790-540-B
Description:	Based on record review, the vendor failed to maintain and keep complete child records. Evidence: 1. Three out of five records viewed did not contain the name, home address, and telephone number for each parent who has custody. 2. Three out of five records viewed did not contain the name, address, and telephone number for each custodial parent's place of employment. 3. Three out of five records viewed did not contain the name, address, and telephone number of at least one person designated by the parent to contact in case of an emergency and the parent cannot be reached.
Plan of Correction:	We understand the importance of maintaining complete and accurate child records. A meeting was held between Administration and Virginia Department of Education to lay out all of the details required for each students record. Students' records were reviewed and updated by Administration, immediately after this meeting. The Director will sure to have each and every parent/guardian to complete enrollment forms in full prior to each student's first day enrolled at the center.
Standard #:	8VAC20-790-550-1
Description:	Based on record review, and observation, the vendor failed to maintain complete staff records. Evidence: The record for staff #2 did not contain the date of employment. Staff #2 was observed working with children in the center.
Plan of Correction:	We understand the importance of maintaining complete staff records. Administration reviews all staff's records were and updated in compliance with the State Board of Education Standards for Subsidy Program Vendor Requirements for Child Day Centers. The Director will ensure that staff records are complete prior to their start date and their files are up-to-date prior to the new staff member's official start date. The Director will also do a minimum of 2 staff file checks per year to make sure that staff are completing and providing proof of ongoing training and file needs.
Standard #:	8VAC20-790-600-B
Description:	Based on record review, the vendor failed to ensure that within the first 90 days of employment all staff who work directly with children shall complete Virginia Preservice Training for Child Care Staff. Evidence: 1. The record for staff #2, date of employment June 2023, did not contain documentation of completion of the Virginia Preservice Training for Child Care Staff.
Plan of Correction:	We understand the importance of newly hired staff's completion of Virginia Preservice Training for Child Care Staff in order to work directly with children, and that this must be done within 90 days of their employment. Administration requested the certificate of Staff #2 from their completion of this training and subsequently placed in their employee file. The Director will not allow any new employee to work directly with children if their Virginia Preservice Training for Child Care Staff is not completed within the first 90 days of their employment to prevent this from happening again.
Standard #:	8VAC20-790-600-F
Description:	REPEAT VIOLATION Based on record review, the vendor failed to ensure that staff who work directly with children, shall in addition to preservice and orientation training annually attend the department's health and safety update course. Evidence: 1. The record for staff #1 contained documentation of the department's annual health and safety update course dated 02/26/2021. 2. The record for staff #3, date of employment 08/09/2016, did not contain documentation of the department's annual health and safety update course.
Plan of Correction:	We understand the importance of staff being properly trained in order to work directly with students and the required annual Health and Safety Update Course. Administration reminded all staff of the pertinent trainings. Each completed the current Virginia Annual Health and Safety Update Training, and their completion and certificates were documented and placed on their respective files. To prevent this violation from happening again, the Director will require and remind each staff member of their state-required trainings, and upon completion will document and file certificates on each employee's file.
Standard #:	8VAC20-790-700-A
Description:	Based on interviews, the center failed to ensure that behavioral guidance shall be constructive in nature and age and stage appropriate and shall be intended to redirect children to appropriate behavior and resolve conflicts. Evidence: Interviews revealed that child #1 removed the wig of staff #1. Staff #1 stated that she grabbed child #1 by the collar of their jacket and spun the child around because the child took her wig off and was laughing at her. Staff #1 acknowledged that she was angry at the child and embarrassed.
Plan of Correction:	We understand the importance of constructive behavioral guidance for the appropriate age and stage of all children in our care. Since notice of violation, Staff #1 has resigned from their role and appointed a new staff member to that position. The importance of redirection has been reviewed and required of all staff. Prevention of improper behavioral guidance regarding children will be carried out by requiring up-to-date trainings on approved methods of behavioral guidance for all staff, and all staff held accountable and immediately addressed and reprimanded if any were not to abide by the center's standard of quality care and guidance of youth in our care.
Standard #:	8VAC20-790-710-1
Description:	Based on interviews, the vendor failed to ensure that forbidden actions such as physical punishment, including striking a child, roughly handling or shaking a child are never used. Evidence: 1. Interviews revealed that staff #1 grabbed child #1 by the collar of their coat to stop them from laughing, and then squeezed child #1 by the cheeks causing a scratch. Staff #1 was then observed shoving child #1 towards the school bus.
Plan of Correction:	We acknowledge the seriousness of forbidden actions as declared by section 8VAC20-790-710 of the State Board of Education Standards for Subsidy Program Vendor Requirements for Child Day Care Centers. Within notice of the violation, Staff #1 has resigned from their role and a new staff member has been appointed to this role. The center has met with leadership from the Virginia Department of Education to review all standards in order to stay within compliance at all times. All staff have been required to take the mandatory trainings and additional courses that will improve the quality of care of all students, staff and families. Prevention of future violation is the top priority of the center, and we will ensure that no staff will ever carry out forbidden actions to any and all students in our care.