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Compliance Inspector (CI) Jessica Graham investigated the allegation that a parent was asked by a staff member of this License Exempt facility for written permission to spank their 1.5 year old child. However, physical punishment is not a discipline policy listed on the facility's NPR. This allegation is substantiated based on the following information.
RSMo 210.254.2 which states "The notice of parental responsibility shall include the following: RSMo 210.2542.(5) The disciplinary philosophy and policies of the child-care facility."
On December 10, 2025, Compliance Inspector (CI) Jessica Graham reviewed the Notice of Parental Responsibility provided by the facility. The discipline section did no list spanking as a discipline technique but instead stated the following:
DISCIPLINE
"Instead, speaking the truth in Love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is Head, that is, Christ." Ephesians 4:15
Lighthouse Littles Child Care & Preschool strives to work with your child on behavioral and decision-making skills.
The goals of our program are:
1. To help children develop inner controls. Ideally, children's behavior should not be dependent on the
presence of an adult. We would like them to integrate our classroom guidelines into their natural behavior.
2. To help children feel valued and encourage them to use their God-given gits in their relationships with others as we love our neighbors as ourselves.
It is vey important for the development of children to be consistent and positive when disciplining or problem solving. The following are methods of discipline we use:
Modeling-Children are natural imitators. Adults (teachers) an model a skill or desired behavior for the child to follow.
Positive Reinforcement-Praise, attention, access to special toys, etc. can increase desired behaviors.
Preventive Measures-Teachers Plan an environment that can prevent potential conflicts.
Redirection-Make suggestions to or give the child options of activities to participate in rather than the misbehavior. Allow the child to remove themselves from the area of conflict.
Giving choices and using logical consequence reasoning-The child is guided into and allowed to make positive choices. This helps the child to problem solve, brainstorm, and realize that consequences are a result of misbehavior.
Calming Techniques and Time Away-When a child is frustrated and unable to rationalize, they deserve time alone to express their emotions. Time away needs to be present as a positive solution to negative behavior.
Time Out-A technique used to interrupt unacceptable behavior by removing the child from events, encouraging acceptable behavior. Time out is viewed as a calming device rather than a form of punishment. Timeout is used as time away from the group, with a limit of 1 minute per year of age. Most discipline problems can be prevented or handled by using a positive approach.
Daily Report-Parents are notified through daily sheets or incident reports of any behavior issues that were worked with through the day.
On December 10, 2025, Parent B (parent of Child B and also a caregiver at the facility), stated that she gave Leeann Long, director, permission to spank Child B (age 3-years-old) while at the center. Leeann is the only one that would spank her and it is done in the office away from the other children.
Child A, age 4-years-old, said that Parent B (parent of Child B and caregiver at the facility), carried him to the office one time so he could get a spanking. "Lala" (Leeann) and Parent B spanked him. Lala spanked him on his butt. He said Child C got spanked also.
CI Graham attempted to interview Child C, age 3-years-old, but he would not participate.
Alexis Cook, caregiver, said that she was not aware of anyone spanking the children. She will use separation in the infant room for the children that are not listening.
On December 15, 2025, Parent A said that the daycare sent out a paper asking if they wanted their child whooped or not. She signed the paper saying it was okay if Child A's behavior was bad enough. She was never told when he would get spanked at daycare, Child A would just tell her at night when he got home.
On December 15, 2025, Mariah Hillis, caregiver, said she has never been asked by a parent to spank their child. She uses redirection with the children.
On December 15, 2025, Addie Cook, caregiver, said that spanking is not done in the classroom, but instead it is in the office with Leeann. Child A and Child B's parents asked them to spank their children. No other caregivers spank the children. Only Child A and Child B get spanked.
On December 15, 2025, Leeann Long, director, said that she was not aware that spanking had to be listed on the Notice of Parental Responsibility (NPR) but would update their policies. Child A had been sent home daily from the daycare and she talked with Parent A who said they spank at home and she could try that at the center. Child A was spanked twice that she remembers but no other children had ever been spanked.
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