VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES

Unique Little Hands Inc.
3000 Godwin Boulevard
Suffolk, VA 23434
(757) 925-3708

Current Inspector: Melinda Popkin (757) 802-5281

Inspection Date: April 26, 2024

Complaint Related: No

Areas Reviewed:

8VAC20-780 Administration. 8VAC20-780 Staff Qualifications and Training. 8VAC20-780 Physical Plant. 8VAC20-780 Staffing and Supervision. 8VAC20-780 Programs. 8VAC20-780 Special Care Provisions and Emergencies 8VAC20-780 Special Services. 8VAC20-820 THE LICENSE. 8VAC20-820 THE LICENSING PROCESS. 8VAC20-820 HEARINGS PROCEDURES. 8VAC20-770 Background Checks 20 Access to minor's records 22.1 Early Childhood Care and Education 63.2 Child Abuse & Neglect

Technical Assistance:

Today we discussed the timing of background checks in relation to the employment date documented in staff records. Currently you are documenting a hire date and a date that staff began working in the classrooms. With regard to the Criminal Background Checks, staff may not be employed, whether they are working in the classrooms or in another capacity, until their criminal record results have been received (out of state criminal record results as well, as applicable). Until these results have been received, a potential candidate should not be employed or oriented / trained until after the date of their criminal Record results. With regard to the dates of Orientation in relation to the dates of employment, orientation must be completed before staff works alone with children and no later than seven days of the date of assuming job responsibilities. Please utilize job titles that indicate whether a staff member is "Program Leader" qualified or an "assistant" to the program leader(s) so that I am able to look for the appropriate qualifications for their position. When you list staff as a "co-lead" then I would expect to see program leader qualifications documented in the records for both "lead" staff. Program leader documentation should be gathered in one place in the file to demonstrate how the staff person qualifies. For example, if they qualify by having 24 hours of training within a 6 month period and 6 months pf programmatic experience, the resume listing the experience and the group of trainings within the 6 month period should be clipped together and indicated as "Program Leader Qualifications". Otherwise, I will need to ask about how each staff qualifies for their position and you will need to have someone available who knows how they qualify and who can take time to gather this information and demonstrate for the inspector exactly how they qualify.

Comments:

An unannounced Renewal inspection was conducted on 4/26/2024 from 1:20pm-4:40pm. At the time of entrance, 56 children, ages 1 year to 8 years old, were in care with 5 staff members present. The sample size consisted of 6 children?s records, 5 new staff records and 2 additional staff record s requiring updates. Children were observed during snack time, engaged in group activities and teacher led games, watching a movie, playing outdoors and being picked up by parents at dismissal. Medication administration was not observed and the assistant director stated that there are no medications stored on site at this time. Children are not transported in a vehicle by the program with the exception of outings during the summer with school aged campers. Children were observed arriving to the program from public schools via public school busses. 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. Repeat violations were found and are identified within this report.

Violations:

Standard #:	22.1-289.035-B-2
Description:	Based on a review of records, the licensee did not ensure that staff are not employed prior to the receipt of a Criminal Record Search. Evidence: The record for staff #2 contained documentation of staff#2 obtaining orientation training on 3/11/2024. However, staff #2's results of the Criminal Record Search (fingerprints) were dated after that date, on 4/3/2024. Staff must not be employed (which encompasses orientation, training or other activities in addition to working directly with the children) until the results of the Criminal History background check results are received back.
Plan of Correction:	There was some confusion regarding the hire dates versus the dates that staff actually began working in the classroom. and where the requirement fell in that block of time. Effective immediately, staff will not be hired, oriented or trained until the Criminal History Results are received and deemed acceptable. Date of "employment "and training documented in the staff record will reflect the appropriate delay until the Criminal Record Results have been obtained.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-70
Description:	*** REPEAT VIOLATION *** Based on a review of records and interview, the licensee did not always ensure that each staff has a complete record containing all required documentation. Evidence: Three new staff records were reviewed as well as updates for 4 previously reviewed staff records. The record for staff #1, whose date of hire was documented as 10/23/2023, did not contain documentation that two or more references as to character and reputation as well as competency were checked before employment or volunteering.
Plan of Correction:	Staff references are obtained prior to the hiring of new staff. A system of documenting and maintaining the information obtained will be put into place to ensure that this documentation is in the staff records for review.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-280-B
Description:	Based on observation, staff did not ensure that hazardous substances are always kept in a locked place using a safe locking method that prevents access by children. Evidence There was a small bottle of correction fluid in the staff supply baskets in the back 2 year old classroom and in the back 3 to 5 year old classroom. The baskets were sitting on open shelving in both classrooms and were accessible to the children in care. The front 3 to 4 year old classroom had a small travel size hand sanitizer in the staff supply basket which was sitting on open shelving in the classroom, accessible to the children in care. Each of these products contain a printed warning statement to "keep out of reach of children" along with additional warnings for responding to ingestion.
Plan of Correction:	These items were relocated to a locked cabinet during the inspection. Staff will be reminded that any items containing a warning to "keep out of reach of children" should be stored in a locked location when they are not actively using it.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-330-B
Description:	Based on observation and interview, the licensee did not ensure that all outdoor equipment with moving parts or climbing apparatus have fall zones under and surrounding the area where the equipment is located, to include the child's trajectory in the event of a fall when the equipment is in use, Evidence: There was a toddler slide whose chute top was approximately 2 feet from ground level. The slide was located over artificial turf with no additional material under and around the slide to protect children from injured in the event of a fall. The staff in charge at the time of the inspection confirmed that there was not resilient surfacing under the grass turf,
Plan of Correction:	Staff stated that they did not realize, due to the low height of the slide, that this piece of equipment would require resilient surfacing. The slide was removed from the outdoor play area during the inspection and will not be placed back unless or until the required fall zone of resilient surfacing is installed under and around it.