Incident investigation·May 13, 2024

On 05/13/2024 Licensing Program Analyst (LPA) Justin Giese made a subsequent unannounced visit to the facility to conclude an investigation related submission of an Unusual Incident Report (UIR) that was received by the regional Office on 03/15/2024. The UIR outlined an incident which occurred on 03/08/2024 pertaining to personal rights of a child in care. LPA met with Interim Director Carol Hartwick. LPA made initial contact with Facility on 04/03/2024, during this visit LPA collected/reviewed documents pertinent to this UIR and conducted interviews with Staff and Children present. LPA made a subsequent visit on 04/29/2024, during this visit LPA conducted additional child interviews. LPA conducted a total of eight random children\342\200\231s interviews and gathered the following information. All children interviewed disclosed they had not observed Staff utilize any form of physical corporal punishment, such as hitting/spankiing, rather Staff use verbal redirection when necessary, however; It was disclosed by all children interviewed that they had observed a Staff Member tap themselves or other children on top of their head/shoulders/upper back area with rolled up papers or available cardboard lunch/snack trays located within the classroom. Children stated the act of being tapped on the head was more of a playful engagement between Staff and children. None of the children interviewed reported this act as unusual punishment, infliction of pain or humiliation by the Staffs actions. Although the actions of the Staff Member were perceived as non-punitive and playful, Facility Staff is advised to immediately cease this practice and be mindful of the perception of his/her relationships with children. See LIC9102 Technical Violation issued during this inspection. An exit interview was conducted, LPA provided the Interim Director, Carol Hartwick with a copy of this report and a notice of site visit on 05/13/2024. Notice of Site Visit must remain posted for the next 30 days.