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On January 17, 2025, the Office of Childhood (OOC) received a complaint stating that on January 17, 2025, Parent A dropped off her daughter around 8:30 a.m. in the 1-year-old room. They had 10 children and one staff member in the classroom. Compliance Inspector (CI) Heather Radney conducted an investigation of the allegation and found it to be substantiated based on the following information:
5 CSR 25-500.112(1)(A) - The staff/child ratio and group size shall be followed as outlined in the below chart unless it meets an exception in subparagraphs (1)(B)-(G) below: Infants, toddlers, and 2-year-olds shall have one caregiver for every four children with no more than eight children per group; Groups composed solely of children 24 to 36 months shall have one caregiver for every eight children with no more than 16 children per group; Groups composed solely of children 3 to 4 years shall have one caregiver for every 10 children with no more than 20 children per group; Groups composed solely of children 5 years or older shall have one caregiver for every 16 children with no more than 32 children per group; A mixed group of children consisting of no more than four children age 2 years, and at least one child older than 3 years shall have one caregiver for every 10 children with no more than 20 children per group; A mixed group of children consisting of more than four children ages 24 to 36 months, and at least one child older than 36 months shall have one caregiver for every eight children with no more than 16 children per group.
On January 24, 2025, CI Radney conducted interviews with Summer Daniel, Maleah Climer, Sheree Hayes, Lilly Stephenson and Madison Cates. On March 3, 2025, CI Radney interviewed Kylen MacArthur. Lilly and Kylen reported they were in class together when Child A was dropped off, making 10 infants in their care. Lilly reported Kylen took the younger infants to her classroom. Lilly and Summer reported Summer came to correct ratio at 9:00 a.m.
On January 24, 2025, CI Radney received and reviewed the Check-in Report from The Adventures of Learning. Child A was checked in at 8:25 a.m. by Parent A on January 17, 2025.
Based on the information provided, it appears that the classroom was out of ratio for more than 35 minutes. The tenth child was dropped off at 8:25 a.m. and Summer came into the classroom at 9:00 a.m. Additionally, the classroom exceeded group size limitations for infant and toddlers when there were nine and then 10 children present in the classroom.
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