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On June 10, 2025, the Office of Childhood (OOC) received a report alleging that a 1-year-old is being put in the 2-year-old room. 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 25-500.082(2)(B)2.B.(I) which states: "For facilities initially licensed for infant/toddler care after the effective date of these rules or facilities adding new infant/toddler space, at least forty-five (45) square feet of usable floor space shall be provided in the facility for each infant and toddler. Space occupied by napping equipment does not have to be deducted from usable floor space;"
and
5 CSR 25-500.112(1)(A) which states: "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 June 13, 2025, CI Eddins completed an unannounced inspection and interviewed Director Karen Kwok and Caregiver Navia Sanders. Navia stated that on June 10, 2025, she observed Child A in her 2-year-old classroom for two hours. She was the only caregiver in the classroom when Child A was moved into her room. She had seven 2-year-old children in her classroom when Child A joined her roster for two hours. To her knowledge, her 2-year-old classroom is not meant to have toddlers in the classroom. Karen stated that while moving around children from the neighboring toddler classroom, she had placed Child A in the 2-year-old classroom with Caregiver Navia for around one-and-a-half to two hours on June 10, 2025. She realized that Navia had seven other 2-year-old children so that put Navia out of ratio by adding Child A to her seven 2-year-old children for up to two hours.
On June 13, 2025, CI Eddins conducted a walkthrough of the facility and observed the facility's diagram, which does not include the 2-year-old classroom as an approved infant/toddler space.
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