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On August 30, 2024, the Office of Childhood (OOC) received a report alleging that the reporter informed the agency that she saw a child climbing up on a toy kitchen. Britt walked over and swatted a child on the bottom to discipline for climbing. Britt stated that she sometimes swats children lightly to get their attention if they are doing something they shouldn`t. In one case the child bit so hard on her hand that she swatted the child to get them to stop biting. After conducting the investigation, Compliance Inspector (CI) Cole Eddins finds the allegation is substantiated. This conclusion is based on the following evidence of licensing rule violations which occurred at the facility:
5 CSR 25-500.182(1)(C)3. which states: "Only constructive, age-appropriate methods of discipline shall be used to help children develop self-control and assume responsibility for their own actions."
and
5 CSR 25-500.182(1)(C)7. which states: "Physical punishment including, but not limited to, spanking, slapping, shaking, biting, or pulling hair shall be prohibited. "
On September 4, 2024, CI Eddins conducted an unannounced inspection and interviewed Operations Specialist Shannon Ponzar, Parent A (who was also a caregiver), Caregiver Zoe Anderson, and Caregiver Emily Shanahan. Shannon Ponzar, Parent A, and Emily Shanahan had heard that Caregiver Melissa Britt swatted Child A as a form of discipline. Shannon stated Melissa said that she sometimes swats children lightly to get their attention or if they are doing something they shouldn't be doing. Zoe Anderson stated that she observed Melissa swat Child A's bottom because Child A was not following her directions, and he was climbing on toy sets in the classroom.
On September 4, 2024, CI Eddins conducted a walkthrough of the facility and observed the facility discipline policy, which states that caregivers are not allowed to use physical punishment of any kind on children.
On September 4, 2024, CI Eddins reviewed footage from August 27, 2024, received from Shannon on September 4, 2024. The video footage contained no audio or time stamps. Child A's head can be observed behind a counter facing the right-side wall. Exactly five seconds into the video, Melissa Britt can be observed walking towards Child A from the left side of the screen. Melissa Britt is observed swatting Child A on an unknown part of his body. Melissa's hand appears to recoil from the force of the swat.
On September 27, 2024, CI Eddins interviewed Melissa, who stated that she patted children on the butt for redirection.
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