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On February 13, 2024, the Office of Childhood (OOC) received an allegation that Child A (2-years-old) was left unattended in the gym for fifteen to thirty minutes. After conducting an investigation, Compliance Inspector (CI) Ian Fyfe has found this allegation to be substantiated based on the following evidence:
5 CSR 25-500.182(1)(A)3., which states that: "Caregivers shall provide frequent, direct contact so children are not left unobserved on the premises."
On February 20, 2024, Compliance Inspector (CI) Ian Fyfe conducted an unannounced inspection to Washington University Family Learning Center and interviewed Director Kellie Jackson. On January 12, 2024, staff members Keva Blake and Mackenzie Pensel were in the facility's gross motor room with their class. Ms. Blake and Ms. Pensel became distracted when leaving the room and failed to conduct a proper name-to-face count with the children. Due to this, Child A (2-years-old) was left alone in the gross motor room when Ms. Blake and Ms. Pensel took the group of children back to their classroom. A parent, Parent B, found Child A in the gross motor room and notified staff members. Parent A (parent of Child A) was notified immediately of the incident and the two staff members involved were received formal reprimands.
On February 26, 2024, CI Fyfe interviewed Parent B. Parent B was at the facility picking up her child when she observed Child A to be by herself in the gross motor room. Parent B checked the room for Child A's caregivers but did not see anyone besides Child A. Parent B immediately notified the facility staff, whose response seemed appropriate.
On February 26, 2024, CI Fyfe interviewed staff member Keva Blake. On January 9, 2024, at approximately 4:30 PM, Ms. Blake and her co-teacher Ms. Pensel left Child A in the gross motor room for approximately two to three minutes as they walked back to their classroom. Ms. Blake attributed the mistake to becoming distracted by parents showing up for pick-up and other staff interrupting their counts.
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