VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES

Little Light Early Learning Center
217 W. Depot Street
Bedford, VA 24523
(540) 586-0677

Current Inspector: Rebecca Forestier (540) 309-2835

Inspection Date: Dec. 11, 2024

Complaint Related: Yes

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 8VAC20-770 BACKGROUND CHECKS 22.1 BACKGROUND CHECKS, CODE, CARBON MONOXIDE 63.2 CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT

Comments:

An unannounced inspection was initiated on 12/04/2024 and completed on 01/08/2025, with local agencies, in response to a complaint received by the licensing office on 12/03/2024 relating to allegations involving programs. The inspector reviewed 5 children?s records and 1 staff record on-site on 12/11/2024. The inspection included: document review, tour of the facility, interviews, observations, and measurements. The preponderance of evidence gathered during the investigation supports the allegation; therefore, the complaint is determined to be valid. Information gathered during the inspection determined non-compliance with applicable standards or law and the violations are documented on the violation notice issued to the program.

Violations:

Standard #:	8VAC20-780-40-E
Complaint related:	No
Description:	Systemic Violation Centers shall be in compliance with the center?s own policies and procedures that are required by the standards. The center?s infant room safe sleep procedures, as posted in the classroom, state the following: always on their back in a crib; nothing should be in their cribs expect for their pacifier, no blankets unless it is a secured swaddle blanket or sleep sack; and no bottles allowed in cribs. There were three separate days where staff placed three infants (5 months old, 6 months old, and 11 months old) into their cribs on their stomachs. Infant 3 was placed into their crib with a blanket. Infant 2 was placed into their crib with a bottle.
Plan of Correction:	The staff member was terminated. Retraining the entire staff. The film was removed from the window to increase visibility into the classroom. A new camera system has been purchased and additional cameras will be placed in the infant classroom. The program director has been in the classroom regularly.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-40-K
Complaint related:	No
Description:	Systemic Violation The center shall develop written procedures for prevention of shaken baby syndrome or abusive head trauma, including coping with crying babies, safe sleeping practices, and sudden infant death syndrome awareness. The center did not have written procedures for preventing shaken baby syndrome or abusive head trauma.
Plan of Correction:	Have completed the procedures and they will be incorporated into the handbook. Will be retraining all staff to include hands-on training.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-60-A
Complaint related:	No
Description:	Repeat Violation Systemic Violation Each center shall maintain a separate record for each child enrolled that contains the required information. The record for Infant 2, who has been enrolled for 1 month, did not include information regarding allergies and intolerances to medication or any other substances, and actions to take in an emergency. The record for Infant 3, who has been enrolled for 4 months, did not contain a written care plan for each child with a diagnosed food allergy. The records for Infant 2, Infant 4 and Infant 5, all of which have been enrolled for more than 1 month, did not contain a first date of attendance.
Plan of Correction:	All infant files will be reviewed and brought up to compliance.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-340-A
Complaint related:	Yes
Description:	When staff are supervising children, they shall always ensure their care, protection and guidance. Staff 1 did not ensure proper care and protection to Infant 1 (5 months old), Infant 2 (6 months old), and Infant 3 (11 months old) over a two-week period in November 2024. The actions of Staff 1 include: picking up or carrying the infants in a manner that did not provide head and neck support more than 30 times allowing the infant?s heads to shake backward and forward; carrying the infants by one arm more than 10 times; releasing infants from an elevated position to the floor more than 5 times; pushing Infant 2?s face down onto the floor as they were laying on their stomach and covering their head with the hood of their sweatshirt; slinging Infant 3 from one location on the floor to another; placing a blanket over Infant 1?s face on four occasions, from approximately 25 seconds to more than 5 minutes; throwing a blanket at Infant 3 as they were laying on the floor where the blanket landed on and covered the infant?s face for approximately 30 seconds while the infant was moving their arms attempting to remove the blanket; held a bib over Infant 2?s face for approximately 6 seconds; leaning over a crib rail to tend to an infant while holding Infant 1 with the infant?s body between the staff?s body and the crib rail which resulted in the infant crying, it was later determined that the infant?s arm was broken.
Plan of Correction:	The staff member was terminated. Retraining the entire staff. The film was removed from the window to increase visibility into the classroom. A new camera system has been purchased and additional cameras will be placed in the infant classroom. The program director has been in the classroom regularly.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-340-F
Complaint related:	No
Description:	Repeat Violation Children under 10 years of age shall always be within actual sight and sound supervision of staff. 11/18/2024, Staff 1 carried Infant 1 (5 months old) to the outside playground. Infant 2 (11 months old) and Infant 3 (6 months old) were alone inside the classroom for approximately 50 seconds out of the sight and sound supervision of staff. Staff 1 came back into the classroom to get Infant 2 and Infant 3, leaving Infant 1 on the outside playground alone, out of the sight and sound supervision of staff. Staff 1 brought Infant 1 and Infant 3 back into the classroom approximately 30 minutes later, leaving Infant 2 on the outside playground alone and out of sight and sound supervision of staff. Staff 1 then went to the outside playground to get Infant 2, leaving Infant 1 and Infant 3 inside the classroom alone and out of the sight and sound supervision of staff.
Plan of Correction:	The staff member was terminated. Retraining the entire staff. The film was removed from the window to increase visibility into the classroom. A new camera system has been purchased and additional cameras will be placed in the infant classroom. The program director has been in the classroom regularly.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-370-1
Complaint related:	No
Description:	Systemic Violation When an infant is placed in their crib, they shall be placed on their back. 11/15/2024, Staff 4 placed Infant 3 (6 months old) into a crib on their stomach. On the same day, Staff 1 placed Infant 1 (5 months old) into a crib on their stomach. 11/18/2024, Staff 1 placed Infant 1 (5 months old) into a crib on their stomach.
Plan of Correction:	Staff will be retrained.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-400-B
Complaint related:	Yes
Description:	Systemic Violation Behavioral guidance shall be constructive in nature, age and stage appropriate, and shall be intended to redirect children to appropriate behavior. 11/12/2024, Infant 2 (11 months old) was sitting in the walkway at the half wall in the Infant Room, Staff 1 attempted to block off the walkway from the play area to the crib area with a crib. Staff 1 pushed Infant 1 with her foot multiple times, to get the child to move. Staff 1 eventually extended their leg and used their foot to move the infant out of the way. 11/25/2024, Staff 1 was in the play area of the Infant Room working with a toy. Infant 2 (11 months old) crawled over to where Staff 1 was working on the toy. Staff 1 looked back at the child and then pushed the child away with their hand.
Plan of Correction:	The staff member was terminated. Retraining the entire staff. The film was removed from the window to increase visibility into the classroom. A new camera system has been purchased and additional cameras will be placed in the infant classroom. The program director has been in the classroom regularly.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-410-1
Complaint related:	Yes
Description:	Systemic Violation The following actions, or threats thereof, are forbidden, roughly handling or shaking a child; and forcing a child to assume an uncomfortable position. Staff 1 did not ensure that forbidden actions were not used with Infant 1 (5 months old), Infant 2 (11 months old), and Infant 3 (6 months old) over a two-week period in November 2024. Staff 1 roughly handled, picked up and carried the three infants in a manner that resulted in shaking and/or placing the infants into uncomfortable positions. The forbidden actions of Staff 1 are as follows: picking up the infants in a rough manner where their heads/necks lacked support often resulting in the infant?s heads shaking; carrying the infants in a rough manner by one arm; releasing infants from an elevated position to the floor; pushing Infant 2?s face down onto the floor as they were laying on their stomach; slinging Infant 3 from one location on the floor to another; jerking a blanket out from under Infant 3 resulting in the infant?s head shaking as they rolled off of the blanket onto the floor; and carrying Infant 2 across the room by the wrist resulting in the infants body hitting the wall and a crib.
Plan of Correction:	The staff member was terminated. Retraining the entire staff. The film was removed from the window to increase visibility into the classroom. A new camera system has been purchased and additional cameras will be placed in the infant classroom. The program director has been in the classroom regularly.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-440-A
Complaint related:	No
Description:	Systemic Violation Cribs shall not be occupied by more than one child at a time. 11/18/2024, Infant 1 (5 months old) and Infant 3 (6 months old) were placed together in the same crib by Staff 1 for approximately 3 minutes.
Plan of Correction:	The staff member was terminated. Retraining the entire staff. The film was removed from the window to increase visibility into the classroom. A new camera system has been purchased and additional cameras will be placed in the infant classroom. The program director has been in the classroom regularly.