VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES

Sharon L. Hostler Child Development Center
107 Whitewood Road
Charlottesville, VA 22901
(434) 951-2060

Current Inspector: Stephanie Reed (540) 272-6558

Inspection Date: March 28, 2022

Complaint Related: No

Areas Reviewed:

8VAC20-780 Administration. 8VAC20-780 Programs.

Comments:

A non-mandated monitoring inspection was conducted on March 28, 2022. There were eighty-five children present in the care of fifteen staff. The inspector reviewed compliance in the areas of administration, and programming, In conjunction with two other agencies, five staff were interviewed between February 10, 2022 and May 9, 2022. Information gathered during the inspection determined non-compliance with applicable standards or law and violations were documented on the violation notice issued to the program. Please complete the plan of correction and date to be corrected sections for each violation cited on the violation notice 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 preventive measure(s). If you have any questions or concerns please contact the Licensing Inspector at 804-297-4469.

Violations:

Standard #:	8VAC20-780-40-E
Description:	Based on staff interviews and review of administrative documents, the center did not ensure that the center's activities, services, and facilities are maintained in compliance with these standards, the center's own policies and procedures that are required by these standards, and the terms of the current license issued by the department. Evidence: 1. The center?s Positive Guidance Policy states: Bright Horizons implements positive guidance and does not ?discipline? or ?punish? children. Bright Horizons prohibits the following: ? Subjecting children to cruel, severe, or frightening punishment such as shaming, humiliation, threats, derogatory remarks, verbal or physical abuse, neglect, or abusive treatment including any forcible restraining, hitting, shaking, jerking, squeezing, spanking, yelling, and choking; ? Using bribes, threats, or false choices to guide behavior; 2. Interview with Staff A on 2/10/2022, revealed that on 2/8/2022, after Child 1 threw books, Staff B picked up child 1 by her shoulders, forcefully placed her on the ground, and slapped the right cheek of Child 1 several times saying ?We do not do that?. When Child 1 attempted to get up, Staff B placed her back on the ground and told her not to get up. 3. Interview with Staff A on 2/10/2022 indicated that after 3 pm on 2/8/2022, in the Toddler A classroom, Child 2 was washing his hands and struggling to turn off the water. Staff C raised her voice and asked Child 2 whether she needed him to get Staff B. Staff B stomped over to Child 2, picked him up by the shoulders, and forcefully placed him on the ground. Staff B then smacked Child 2 several times in the middle of his forehead. 4. Interview on 5/9/2022 with Staff D, the typical co teacher with Staff B, revealed that Staff D did not witness any of the incidents on 2/8/2022, but in the 5-6 months they?d worked together, she had never witnessed Staff B striking a child, but stated that on previous occasions, Staff C would threaten misbehaving children by asking them whether she should call Staff B over and that Staff B could be intimidating to the children by stomping towards them or raising voice when speaking to them.
Plan of Correction:	Program?s Immediate Response: Immediately upon receiving the report from Staff A, both Staff B and C were placed on administrative leave and we obtained written statements from staff, in accordance with our procedures. A self-report was made to state licensing and CPS. That same day we also proactively notified the parents of both Child 1 and Child 2 about the situation. Immediate and ongoing cooperation continues with state licensing, CPS, and the local police department, as well as the parents. We have separated Staff B. Staff C remains on Administrative Leave, pending the investigation. Ongoing Corrective Action Steps: All staff were retrained on Bright Horizons? Positive Guidance Policy. A signed copy of the policy has been placed in each staff member?s file. All staff were also retrained on Bright Horizons? Mandated Reporter Policy and state reporting requirements and a signed Acknowledgement Form is also in each staff?s file. In addition to the immediate retraining of all staff, the Director continues to work in the toddler classroom to ensure ongoing coaching and modeling of appropriate redirecting strategies.. . Observations by center administrators is being done is all classrooms. We will continue regularly scheduled, mandatory, ?Above All Else? training for identifying and reporting potential abuse. The next scheduled training for all staff is August 18, 2022. Conclusion: We are fortunate that both children remain enrolled in the Center and appreciate the trust the parents place in us. We understand the seriousness of this report and have been working diligently to ensure these actions do not occur with children in our center. We responded to this report immediately, and in the best interest of children and will continue to closely observe and monitor teachers in our center and their interactions with children. It is our goal to meet and exceed licensing requirements at all times.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-400-B
Description:	Based on staff interviews, 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: 1. Staff A stated during an interview on 2/10/2022 that during the early part of the day on 2/8/2022 in the Toddler B classroom, Child 1 did something to upset Staff B. When Child 1 noticed that Staff B was upset, the child flinched. Staff A questioned Staff B about the reaction, and Staff B stated, ?She knows I don?t play.? 2. Staff A stated during an interview on 2/10/2022, that approximately an hour after the first incident on 2/8/2022, Child 1 took some books from the bookshelf and threw them, upsetting Staff B. Staff B picked Child 1 up by her shoulders and forcefully placed her on the ground. Staff B then slapped the right cheek of Child 1 several times, while saying, ?We do not do that.? Child 1 attempted to get up while crying, but Staff B placed her back on the ground and told her not to get up. Staff A stated that Child 1?s cheek was much redder than normal after this. 3. Photographs taken on 2/9/22 by another agency showed the right cheek of Child 1 being redder than normal and redder than the other cheek. 4. Staff A stated during an interview on 2/10/2022 that after 3 pm on 2/8/2022, in the Toddler A classroom, Child 2 was washing his hands and struggling to turn off the water. Staff C raised her voice and asked Child 2 whether she needed him to get Staff B. Staff B, hearing this from the Toddler B classroom, stomped over to Child 2, picked him up by the shoulders, and forcefully placed him on the ground. Staff B then smacked Child 2 several times in the middle of his forehead. 5. Photographs taken on 2/9/2022 by another agency showed a bruise starting to form on the forehead of Child 2.
Plan of Correction:	Program?s Immediate Response: Immediately upon receiving the report from Staff A, both Staff B and C were placed on administrative leave and we obtained written statements from staff, in accordance with our procedures. A self-report was made to state licensing and CPS. That same day we also proactively notified the parents of both Child 1 and Child 2 about the situation. Immediate and ongoing cooperation continues with state licensing, CPS, and the local police department, as well as the parents. We have separated Staff B. Staff C remains on Administrative Leave, pending the investigation. Ongoing Corrective Action Steps: All staff were retrained on Bright Horizons? Positive Guidance Policy. A signed copy of the policy has been placed in each staff member?s file. All staff were also retrained on Bright Horizons? Mandated Reporter Policy and state reporting requirements and a signed Acknowledgement Form is also in each staff?s file. In addition to the immediate retraining of all staff, the Director continues to work in the toddler classroom to ensure ongoing coaching and modeling of appropriate redirecting strategies.. . Observations by center administrators is being done is all classrooms. We will continue regularly scheduled, mandatory, ?Above All Else? training for identifying and reporting potential abuse. The next scheduled training for all staff is August 18, 2022. Conclusion: We are fortunate that both children remain enrolled in the Center and appreciate the trust the parents place in us. We understand the seriousness of this report and have been working diligently to ensure these actions do not occur with children in our center. We responded to this report immediately, and in the best interest of children and will continue to closely observe and monitor teachers in our center and their interactions with children. It is our goal to meet and exceed licensing requirements at all times.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-410-1
Description:	Based on staff interviews and photographic evidence, the center did not ensure that staff does not engage in any form of forbidden actions. Evidence: 1. Interview with Staff A on 2/10/2022 indicated that mid-morning on 2/8/2022 in the Toddler B classroom, Staff B picked Child 1 up by her shoulders and forcefully placed her on the ground. Staff B then slapped the right cheek of Child 1. Child 1 attempted to get up while crying, but Staff B placed her back on the ground and told her not to get up. Staff A stated that Child 1?s cheek was much redder than normal after this. 2. Interview with Staff A on 2/10/2022 indicated that after 3 pm on 2/8/2022, in the Toddler A classroom, Child 2 was washing his hands and struggling to turn off the water. Staff C raised her voice and asked Child 2 whether she needed him to get Staff B. Staff B stomped over to Child 2, picked him up by the shoulders, and forcefully placed him on the ground. Staff B then smacked Child 2 several times in the middle of his forehead. Photographs taken on 2/9/2022 by another agency showed the right cheek of Child 1 being redder than normal and redder than the other cheek and bruise starting to form on the forehead of Child 2.
Plan of Correction:	Program?s Immediate Response: Immediately upon receiving the report from Staff A, both Staff B and C were placed on administrative leave and we obtained written statements from staff, in accordance with our procedures. A self-report was made to state licensing and CPS. That same day we also proactively notified the parents of both Child 1 and Child 2 about the situation. Immediate and ongoing cooperation continues with state licensing, CPS, and the local police department, as well as the parents. We have separated Staff B. Staff C remains on Administrative Leave, pending the investigation. Ongoing Corrective Action Steps: All staff were retrained on Bright Horizons? Positive Guidance Policy. A signed copy of the policy has been placed in each staff member?s file. All staff were also retrained on Bright Horizons? Mandated Reporter Policy and state reporting requirements and a signed Acknowledgement Form is also in each staff?s file. In addition to the immediate retraining of all staff, the Director continues to work in the toddler classroom to ensure ongoing coaching and modeling of appropriate redirecting strategies.. . Observations by center administrators is being done is all classrooms. We will continue regularly scheduled, mandatory, ?Above All Else? training for identifying and reporting potential abuse. The next scheduled training for all staff is August 18, 2022. Conclusion: We are fortunate that both children remain enrolled in the Center and appreciate the trust the parents place in us. We understand the seriousness of this report and have been working diligently to ensure these actions do not occur with children in our center. We responded to this report immediately, and in the best interest of children and will continue to closely observe and monitor teachers in our center and their interactions with children. It is our goal to meet and exceed licensing requirements at all times.