Violations reportedSunday, January 6, 2008
The following summaries of incidents at Lowcountry child care centers are based on inspection records from the state Department of Social Services: Gateway Academy, Charleston On Jan. 17, 2006, a 5-year-old girl at a Gateway Academy in Charleston tied a piece of landscaping material around her neck and headed down a slide, accidentally hanging herself. The caregivers, who were watching nearly three dozen children on the playground, did not notice. "Another child on the playground alerted (a caregiver) that the girl was hanging," according to state records. By the time the caregiver arrived, "the girl was unconscious and foaming at the mouth." An ambulance rushed the girl to a hospital. The girl survived. State inspectors visited the center the next day and concluded "the child was injured on the playground due to a lack of supervision by caregivers." The center was cited for not properly inspecting the playground for hazards such as "items that may cause strangulation." In June 2006, just six months after the hanging incident, the state cited the same center for failing to remove a playground strangulation hazard similar to the one that caused the earlier incident. The center still had not fixed the hazard when an inspector returned in October 2006. On separate inspections in 2007, state inspectors cited the center for hiring employees without verifying their education backgrounds and for placing children under the care of an employee who had not been screened through a state registry that tracks child abuse or neglect crimes. Center director Mary Beth Sharpe declined to discuss the violations. First Klass Early Childhood Learning Center In October 2005, a 3-year-old girl at First Klass Early Childhood Learning Center in Charleston was injured when a television fell and fractured her finger. Accounts of the accident differ, but the center's director told investigators with the state Department of Social Services that the child accidentally pulled the unsecured TV off a cart. The state, which learned of the incident when the child's parents called to file a complaint, cited the center for failing to report the accident. First Klass director Allyson Moring did not return phone calls seeking comment. Kingdom Treasures Child Development Center A 3-year-old girl at Kingdom Treasures Child Development Center in North Charleston told her mother she was threatened with a ruler at the center, and the woman's son said he saw a caregiver hit another child with a ruler. The center's director, Latia Joyce, told a state investigator that the caregiver was disciplining her own child with a "pop" on the hand and that a ruler was not used. The director assured the state that "she has notified the teacher that no corporal punishment of any kind will be used at the center." During the investigation, the center was cited for using improper discipline and several other violations, including failure to properly supervise children. Joyce did not return calls seeking comment. Playhouse Day Care Kindergarten Playhouse Day Care Kindergarten in Charleston County has repeated violations for failing to properly supervise children and not securing infants in high chairs, and in 2006 was placed on a corrective action plan for releasing children to unauthorized people. During a three-year period from 2003 to 2006, the state cited the center at least four times for placing infants in their cribs with bottles of milk propped up to their mouths. The center was cited three separate times for not properly supervising infants in high chairs. "One of the infants was in the chair for over 25 minutes with no feeding or activity purpose," a state inspector noted at an inspection in February 2007. Center director Becky Nolen did not return calls seeking comment. Your First Step to Success Child Care In 2005, the state received a complaint that children at Your First Step to Success Child Care in North Charleston were not being provided with structured activities such as learning the alphabet. The state investigator following up on the complaint in October 2005 reported that the allegation was unfounded. But the very next month, a state inspector cited the center for not having a planned activity schedule for each classroom. The center also has a history of violations, including reoccurring problems with roach infestations, uncleanliness, improper supervision and broken toys. On a visit to the center in April 2006, a state investigator saw a caregiver chasing two children through the center's parking lot with a leaf blower. Coming Monday More summaries of incidents at local child care centers, based on inspection records from the state Department of Social Services. |
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Comments
This article has 3 comment(s)
Posted by common_sense_plz on January 6, 2008 at 9:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
OMG. . . across the parking lot with a leaf blower.
I am just dumbfounded. I remember when I was looking for part time care 2 years ago. I contacted TUW child care resource and referral. I was given about 10 names and numbers to check out. I visited several of the centers. It was scary then and sounds like not much has changed. I'll never forget the center where I was an inconvience to them. Unspoken rule that parents were not to show up except to pick up and drop off. I was in violation. Or the one with the worker taking her smoke break at the front entrance. Or feeding time where all the babies were being served from the same bowl and spoon.
I am so thankful that my mother was able to watch my child and now for 2-4K a family friend has a day care school where she is teaching the kids using the ABEKA program.
Posted by jca on January 6, 2008 at 11:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
yikes and where are all these schools. this is the main reason i chose to stay home with my son and give up my job. i was too afraid he would be harmed.
what is wrong with the people in these school. fire the bad people and hire good ones or close these school
specially the first one where that had a strangulation hazard they didnt remove
Posted by professional_blk_woman on January 6, 2008 at 12:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
You know, this is really sad, but you get what you pay for. Child care workers are grossly underpaid, and many of them are only there to collect a paycheck. The employees who really care take advantage of continuing education, put their all into caring for these children, and communicate consistently and effectively with parents. These things should not be happening!!! A child nearly hangs himself on the playground, the center doesnt correct the infraction, and the State continues to allow the center to remain in operation? Forget the fines. REVOKE THEIR LICENSE!!!!!!! If there is no real fear of justification, why bother correcting deficiencies??? Could you imagine pulling into th eparking lot to pick up your child and seeing an employee chasing them with a leaf blower or someone "popping" them with a ruler? Oh, someone would have to call the police, alright...on ME!