Marie Carmen Bouchard

Regulation 6.2.4.4: When children are outside playing, the FCCP and/or staff shall be outside supervising the children. If due to the mixed ages of the children and the need to step away to meet basic care needs of children, the FCCP and/or staff may supervise the school age children from inside the home provided that the children can be seen from inside and the outside play area is fenced to prevent the children from leaving the play area. Children younger than school age shall not play outside without the FCCP and/or staff person present at any time.

“Children have been seen playing outside without adult supervision. The provider stated that she has let children play outside while she is inside her home. Corrective Action: As discussed during the visit, immediately sending children outside without adult supervision. By December 15, 2025, submit a program improvement plan indicating how you will support children's needs for outdoor play while meeting the needs of the infants in care including but not limited to naps, feeding and diapering.”

Correction date in the state record: Dec 8, 2025

Regulation 5.10.3.3: Safe Use Zones For all play equipment that is thirty (30) inches or higher from the ground, including climbing equipment, slides, swings and other similar equipment, the FCCP shall ensure that the surface under and around the equipment, included recommended use zones, is of approved resilient material that protects children if they fall. * Materials in the use zone shall consist of wood chips, pea stone, mulch, engineered wood fibers, sand, safety-tested shredded or rubber like material or rubber mats designed for protective cushioning; * Materials used in the use zone shall follow the recommendations listed in the most recent publication of U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's Public Playground Safety Handbook regarding critical depth of tested materials determined by the height of the highest climbing surface of the equipment; * Materials used in the use zone shall be installed and maintained according to the manufacturer's instructions; * If the loose material such as sand, mulch, or shredded rubber is used in use zones, the FCCP shall ensure that the material is raked regularly and replenished to maintain depth and resilience; and * If the resilient material in use zones freezes, the FCCP shall ensure that the children will not play on the equipment until the resilient material has thawed and is once again resilient.

“The provider has a combination swing/slide structure that allows children to achieve a height of over 30 inches and therefore requires cushioning material underneath and around it. One swing, ladder and slide did not have any cushioning materials underneath and around it. One slide had a small plastic mat that is not considered cushioning material. Corrective Action: The slide/swing set must immediately be blocked from children's use ,until it has the required cushioning material under and around it, to a sufficient depth as required by U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's Public Playground Safety Handbook, available at : https://www.cpsc.gov/safety-education/safety-guides/playgrounds/public-playground-safety-handbook. By 10/27/23 submit photos of the structure with the required cushioning material in place or block from use.”

Correction date in the state record: Oct 24, 2023