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On May 28, 2025, the Office of Childhood (OOC) received an allegation that: Reporter stated that children are being placed in a highchair for timeout. After conducting an investigation, Compliance Inspector (CI) Michelle Honea has found this allegation to be substantiated based on the following evidence:
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)8., which states: "No discipline technique which is humiliating, threatening, or frightening to children shall be used. Children shall not be shamed, ridiculed, or spoken to harshly, abusively, or with profanity."
AND
5 CSR 25-500.182(1)(C)5., which states: "Brief, supervised separation from the group may be used based on a guideline of one (1) minute of separation for each year of the child's age."
On May 29, 2025, CI Honea conducted an unannounced inspection to the facility and interviewed Director Molly Maxwell, teachers Alyssa Watkins and Katelynn Baker. Molly stated that they use a highchair for punishment when a child does not listen or to keep a child from taking other children's food. No one ever told them a highchair cannot be used for punishment. Katelynn stated that she will use a highchair on the 2-year-olds for punishment. The highchair is used if a child is not listening to direction or if a child takes other children's food. Alyssa stated that they use a highchair for punishment. The child will sit in a highchair for at least five minutes before the teachers take the child out of the highchair. CI Honea also conducted a walkthrough of the facility and observed a highchair sitting against the wall in the 2-year-old and 3-year-old classroom.
*TA was provided that a highchair should only be used for meals for children under age two-years-old and never to be used for punishment for any age child. CI Honea also informed facility staff that the highchair needed to be removed from the classroom.
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