VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES

CLinch Valley Community Action, Inc. @ Camp Joy
176 Camp Joy Road
Bluefield, VA 24605
(276) 988-5583

Current Inspector: Katie Gifford (276) 698-9981

Inspection Date: April 17, 2023

Complaint Related: No

Areas Reviewed:

8VAC20-780 Administration. 8VAC20-780 Physical Plant. 8VAC20-780 Staffing and Supervision.

Comments:

An unannounced monitoring inspection was conducted on 04/17/2023 from 10:25am until 11:45 at the field trip site and the center concerning a self-reported incident relating to supervision of a child. Staff interviews were conducted and one child's record was reviewed. 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. Thank you for your cooperation.

Violations:

Standard #:	8VAC20-780-340-A
Description:	Based on interviews, the center failed to ensure that when staff are supervising children, they shall always ensure their care, protection, and guidance. Evidence: On 04/12/23 a child (4yrs 8mos) exited the library while on a field trip and went outside to the parking lot of the library, alone and unsupervised. The child was outside for approximately 1-2 minutes when center staff, who was looking for the child, found the child in the parking lot standing in front of the bus doors and brought the child back inside the library. The parking lot is directly in front of the library in an enclosed parking area designated only for library patrons and the bus was parked directly in front of the front library entrance. The parking lot is approximately 100 feet from the inside of the library area where the children and teachers were gathered.
Plan of Correction:	On Aril 12th, 2023, the head start director received a call that a child involved with a story time library field trip had left the class and walked out the doors of the library and was found standing next to the Clinch Valley School Bus doors. This happened while two students were being taken to the rest room. The other children were finishing cleanup of books and toys. The time period from which the child was out of sight and sound was around one minute. Once being informed of the incident, the director traveled to the Camp Joy Head Start Center and interviewed employees about the incident. It was learned that the normal library class room was not available and the students gathered in a common area of the library to the left of the entrance doors as you walk in. The rest rooms were along the back wall and sight was limited due to the book shelfs. Employees were reminded about the importance of always having students in sight and sound. The mother of the child was called to inform her of the incident. On April 13th, 2023 the center was told that all Camp Joy field trips will be suspended through the remainder of the Head Start School Year. Employees were notified that in the future when the center has a field trip the regular teacher for the class must be present. If the regular teacher is not working that day, the field trip will be cancelled. Employees met on April 17th, 2023 and received training on the Office of Head Starts six strategies of Active Supervision. 1. Positioning of Staff; 2. Listening; 3. Setting up an environment; 4. Anticipating Children?s Behavior; 5) Engaging and Redirecting Children; and 6) Scanning and Counting of children. Although a child was left out of sight and sound, the staff was told that the scan and count of children worked to help find the child in a timely manner and that they also contacted the Education Director to report the issue as required. Since the incident, a new active supervision policy was created and approved by policy council on May 18th, 2023. This 8 page policy has been sent to the inspector and is part of the correction plan. Clinch Valley Head Start has met with the TTA Early Childhood specialist for the Office of Head Start. Working with this specialist, we plan to incorporate a training process to deal with the following: 1. Active Supervision, 2. Classroom management, 3. Working with difficult children, 4. Knowing when to time yourself out in a difficult or stressful situation, and 5. Teaching from the Head Start perspective. (Focus on new teachers and aides). This new training will begin with the fall in-service training for Clinch Valley Head Start. Not only are we bringing this forward to work during in-service but to reinforce this with ongoing training throughout the Head Start year. In addition we are reviewing ways to incorporate more coaching and a mentor program for employees to help each other in the perspective jobs. Submitted by the Director of Head Start and Early Head Start Clinch Valley Community Action
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-340-F
Description:	Based on interviews, the center failed to ensure that children under 10 years of age always should be within sight and sound supervision of staff. Evidence: 1. On 04/12/23 child #1 (4yrs 8mos) at approximately 11:05 exited the library through two sets of front main doors and walked down three steps approximately 100 feet to the parking lot where the school bus was parked. Child #1 was found standing in front of the parked bus doors in the parking lot by staff #3. 2. Witness #1 and #2 reported that after cleaning up and getting ready to leave the library to go back to the center, they started to line the children up and started counting and counted 15 children. 3. Witness #3 reported that she helped count the children and once it was determined there were 15 children and not 16 and who was missing, she went to go look for the missing child. Staff #3 reported seeing child #1 through the front door windows standing in front of the bus doors and ran to get him and brought him back inside. The child was left out of sight and sound supervision for approximately 1-2 mins.
Plan of Correction:	On Aril 12th, 2023, the head start director received a call that a child involved with a story time library field trip had left the class and walked out the doors of the library and was found standing next to the Clinch Valley School Bus doors. This happened while two students were being taken to the rest room. The other children were finishing cleanup of books and toys. The time period from which the child was out of sight and sound was around one minute. Once being informed of the incident, the director traveled to the Camp Joy Head Start Center and interviewed employees about the incident. It was learned that the normal library class room was not available and the students gathered in a common area of the library to the left of the entrance doors as you walk in. The rest rooms were along the back wall and sight was limited due to the book shelfs. It was discussed with employees about the importance of always having students in sight and sound. The mother of the child was called to inform her of the incident. On April 13th, 2023 the center was told that all Camp Joy field trips will be suspended through the remainder of the Head Start School Year. Employees were notified that in the future when the center has a field trip the regular teacher for the class must be present. If the regular teacher is not working that day, the field trip will be cancelled. Employees met on April 17th, 2023 and received training on the Office of Head Starts six strategies of Active Supervision. 1. Positioning of Staff; 2. Listening; 3. Setting up an environment; 4. Anticipating Children?s Behavior; 5) Engaging and Redirecting Children; and 6) Scanning and Counting of children. Although a child was left out of sight and sound, the staff was told that the scan and count of children worked to help find the child in a timely manner and that they also contacted the Education Director to report the issue as required. Since the incident, a new active supervision policy was created and approved by policy council on May 18th, 2023. This 8 page policy has been sent to the inspector and is part of the correction plan. Clinch Valley Head Start has met with the TTA Early Childhood specialist for the Office of Head Start. Working with this specialist, we plan to incorporate a training process to deal with the following: 1. Active Supervision, 2. Classroom management, 3. Working with difficult children, 4. Knowing when to time yourself out in a difficult or stressful situation, and 5. Teaching from the Head Start perspective. (Focus on new teachers and aides). This new training should begin with the fall in-service training for Clinch Valley Head Start. Not only are we bringing this forward to work during in-service but to reinforce this with ongoing training throughout the Head Start year. In addition we are reviewing ways to incorporate more coaching and a mentor program for employees to help each other in the perspective jobs. Submitted by the Director of Head Start and Early Head Start Clinch Valley Community Action