Cavendish After School Program

Regulation 5.40: Before the expiration date on the card, training for First Aid and CPR shall be validated by the American Red Cross, American Heart Association or other equivalent, state- recognized organization, and the specific certification documentation maintained in the appropriate Afterschool Child Care Program Staff file.

“Two staff members employed longer than 3 months did not have documentation of current first aid/CPR certification. The documents were not in BFIS accounts, were not available on site, and were not provided to licensing in the 2 weeks following the site visit. Corrective Action: Immediately ensure that these staff complete First Aid/CPR training and send documentation to Northern Lights for entry into BFIS. Additionally, please send certificates of completion to sarah.crosier@vermont.gov by 5/5/2026. Create a plan to ensure that all staff complete the required first aid and CPR within 3 months of hire, and that they maintain current certification moving forward from that. Re-certification should be completed prior to the current one expiring. The documents should be submitted to Northern Lights for entry into BFIS upon completion. Status: Appeal Period.”

Regulation 18.79: The Licensee shall maintain a current list of the Licensee or Designee, Staff, and Volunteers, as applicable in BFIS. Any changes shall be reported through BFIS within five working days of the change.

“A staff member, listed as Program Staff, was still on the associated parties list but left employment with the program on 2/12/2025. Corrective Action: Ensure that the Program Staff listed that no longer works in the program is immediately removed from the associated parties list by entering their end date into BFIS. Ensure moving forward that when a staff member leaves employment with the program that their end date is entered into BFIS within the required five (5) business days of their departure.”

Correction date in the state record: May 22, 2025

Regulation 4.11: The licensee and staff working with children are mandated reporters of child abuse and neglect pursuant to 33 V.S.A. S4913 and are required to report to the Child Abuse Hotline when they reasonably suspect abuse or neglect of a child. This report must be made within twenty-four (24) hours of the time information regarding the suspected abuse or neglect was first received or observed.

“BFIS credential account review as well as post site visit follow up with Staff A determined Staff B, Staff C, Staff F, Staff G and Staff H have not completed this required training. Corrective Action: Ensure completion of this training by Staff indicated prior to the corrective action due date given. Create and implement a system of ensuring completion of this training by all staff.”

Correction date in the state record: Jan 30, 2025

Regulation 5.39: Within six months of hire, all paid Staff counted in the staff/child ratios shall have obtained CDD-approved training in infant/child CPR and basic first aid for children, injury prevention and emergency readiness. All Staff shall receive retraining in first aid prior to the expiration date on each Staff person's first aid card.

“Review of BFIS accounts as well post site visit follow up with Staff A determined Staff B and Staff C have not completed their CPR/First Aid training. Staff B began their employment with the program on 10/3/23 and Staff B began their employment on 9/26/23. Corrective Action: By the corrective action due date given, ensure Staff B and Staff C have enrolled in the next immediately available CPR/First Aid course. Also review all other staff credentials to ensure enrollment and completion of CPR/First Aid prior to their being employed with the program for six (6) months. Create a system for monitoring and tracking CPR/First Aid trainings to ensure completion within the required time frame of this rule, and to ensure certification is maintained.”

Correction date in the state record: Dec 31, 2024

Regulation 5.31: Orientation training shall be conducted for every employee before they are left alone with children. This training shall be documented and shall cover material included in the Staff handbook and licensing regulations. Complete written information and the orientation training session shall include: * Basic knowledge of child growth and development; * Routine and emergency health protection of children including health related exclusions; * Safety and sanitation requirements including handling and storage of hazardous materials and disposal of bio contaminants; * Positive behavior management and child guidance; * Curriculum development policies and responsibilities; * Supervision of children; * Policies and procedures for reporting a missing child; * Child accident and injury procedures including building and physical premises safety; * Safe sleep practices; * Requirements for administration and storage of medication; * Emergency Response Plan and emergency procedures, including: staffing emergencies, school closings, evacuation plans such as site evacuations in case of national or environmental emergency, lock-down procedures, responding to a sick or injured child and medical emergencies; * Use of fire extinguishers; * Nutrition and food safety including prevention of and response to emergencies due to food and allergic reactions; * Recordkeeping, including daily attendance procedures; * Transportation and child passenger safety; * Off-site activities (field trips) * Release of children; * Respectful engagement of families, including daily communication with parents about their child's activities; * Preventing, recognizing, and reporting child abuse and neglect; including information about the signs and symptoms of sexual abuse, sexual violence, grooming processes, recognizing the dangers of child sexual abuse, and other predatory behaviors of sex offenders; * Recognition of and response to the symptoms of common childhood illnesses; * Preventing the spread of infectious disease; * Providing developmentally appropriate activities and experiences for children; * Inclusion of children with special needs; * Guidelines for volunteers; * Responsibility to comply with current applicable licensing regulations; * Staffing plans and definitions of related duties to include opening and closing procedures; * Afterschool Child Care Program licensing regulations; * Employee complaint and grievance procedures; and * Assuring children have extra clothes and diapers available.

“Review of BFIS as well as staff file post site visit follow up with Staff A determined Staff B, Staff C, Staff D, Staff E, and Staff F have not yet completed this required training. During this site visit Staff B, Staff D, and Staff E were observed as being alone with chilren. Per conversation with Staff H on site, all staff are potentially alone with children at times depending on the activities being offered. Corrective Action: Immediately ensure any staff member who has not yet completed this required training are not let alone with children. By the corrective action due date ensure all staff indicated have completed this training. Create and implement a system for ensuring completion of this course.”

Correction date in the state record: Dec 23, 2025

Regulation 10.9: Emergency evacuations shall be practiced with the children each month. A record of practice drills for the previous and current year shall be maintained and available onsite. Practice drills may be pre-announced. There shall be: * a system in place to assure that all children are accounted for at a predetermined safe place; * a safety plan that may include additional lock down practices and procedures.

“No documentation of emergency drills was available. Director [name] stated that emergency drills had not been conducted. This is a repeat violation and was cited in October 2019. Corrective Action: Ensure that an emergency evacuation drill is completed prior to the end of this program year. Notify sarah.crosier@vermont.gov upon completion of the drill. Additionally, create a written plan to identify how the program will ensure that an emegency evauation drill is practiced and documented monthly. Send the plan to sarah.crosier@vermont.gov upon completion.”

Correction date in the state record: Jun 14, 2022

Regulation 6.3: The staff/child ratio shall not exceed 1:13. When the number of children exceeds 10, another identified Staff person shall be available within immediate proximity on site in order to provide prompt assistance in the event of an emergency.

“One staff member was present with 20 children from 3:00-3:18 p.m. Director [name] stated the she was there alone with the group, that one staff member was out with a family emergency and another was running late. Corrective Action: Create a plan to ensure that staff:child ratio is maintained at all times that care is being provided. Submit this plan to sarah.crosier@vermont.gov for review. This is a serious violation which requires that a Parental Notification Letter be sent to all families of children enrolled in your program. Please also send to sarah.crosier@vermont.gov names and contact information for parents who will be sent the Parental Notification Letter.”

Correction date in the state record: Jun 14, 2022

Regulation 10.9: Emergency evacuations shall be practiced with the children each month. A record of practice drills for the previous and current year shall be maintained and available onsite. Practice drills may be pre-announced. There shall be: * a system in place to assure that all children are accounted for at a predetermined safe place; * a safety plan that may include additional lock down practices and procedures.

“Documentation of completed emergency evacuation drills for the previous year were not available. The program has not conducted a drill since the start of the 2019-2020 program year. Corrective Action: Have all required documentation on site available electronically or in paper form as required. Complete an emergency evacuation drill for the missed drill from September. Complete this drill by 10/25/2019. Have scheduled the monthly emergency evacuation drills for the remaining months of the year. Send confirmation that drills are scheduled in compliance with this rule.”

Correction date in the state record: Dec 25, 2019

Regulation 4.3: A child shall be admitted in an Afterschool Child Care Program when there is on file on the premises, either in hard copy or accessible and printable electronic format documentation in the child's file of each child's current immunization status. * Immunization records shall include the immunization administered and the date of each immunization. * If an enrolled child is in the process of complying with immunization requirements in accordance with the Vermont recommended immunization schedule, documentation in the child's file shall include the required Vermont Department of Health form. * If a child has not had a required immunization due to a Vermont allowed exemption, documentation in the child's file shall include the required Vermont Department of Health form.

“The program does not have copies of nor access to children's immunization records of children enrolled in the program. Corrective Action: Ensure children's immunization records are maintained and available for review. Send confirmation of procedure put in place that ensures children's immunization records are available for review.”

Correction date in the state record: Nov 4, 2019

Regulation 5.14: The licensee shall ensure that no person shall be left alone with children without approval from the Division which shall be based on the results of the background check to include fingerprinting.

“Staff person A & Staff person B have been left alone with children without completing the background clearance process inlcuding completion of the fingerprinting results. During this visit,Staff person A was observed alone with children during transition to and from bathroom trips, and while in homework groupings and staff person B was observed taking children to the bathroom and supervising children within the multi-purpose room for a few minutes at a time. Corrective Action: Effective immediately, ensure any staff person who has not completed the required fingerprint clearance process is not alone with children. Send confirmation of the staffing pattern and program practices to be put in place to ensure this requirement is maintained.”

Correction date in the state record: Oct 17, 2019

Regulation 5.31: Orientation training shall be conducted for every employee before they are left alone with children. This training shall be documented and shall cover material included in the Staff handbook and licensing regulations. Complete written information and the orientation training session shall include: * Basic knowledge of child growth and development; * Routine and emergency health protection of children including health related exclusions; * Safety and sanitation requirements including handling and storage of hazardous materials and disposal of bio contaminants; * Positive behavior management and child guidance; * Curriculum development policies and responsibilities; * Supervision of children; * Policies and procedures for reporting a missing child; * Child accident and injury procedures including building and physical premises safety; * Safe sleep practices; * Requirements for administration and storage of medication; * Emergency Response Plan and emergency procedures, including: staffing emergencies, school closings, evacuation plans such as site evacuations in case of national or environmental emergency, lock-down procedures, responding to a sick or injured child and medical emergencies; * Use of fire extinguishers; * Nutrition and food safety including prevention of and response to emergencies due to food and allergic reactions; * Recordkeeping, including daily attendance procedures; * Transportation and child passenger safety; * Off-site activities (field trips) * Release of children; * Respectful engagement of families, including daily communication with parents about their child's activities; * Preventing, recognizing, and reporting child abuse and neglect; including information about the signs and symptoms of sexual abuse, sexual violence, grooming processes, recognizing the dangers of child sexual abuse, and other predatory behaviors of sex offenders; * Recognition of and response to the symptoms of common childhood illnesses; * Preventing the spread of infectious disease; * Providing developmentally appropriate activities and experiences for children; * Inclusion of children with special needs; * Guidelines for volunteers; * Responsibility to comply with current applicable licensing regulations; * Staffing plans and definitions of related duties to include opening and closing procedures; * Afterschool Child Care Program licensing regulations; * Employee complaint and grievance procedures; and * Assuring children have extra clothes and diapers available.

“Staff person A was observed alone with children during transition to and from bathroom trips, and while in homework groupings. She has not completed orientation training. Corrective Action: Ensure all staff persons complete orientation training before being alone with children. Submit a plan that outlines the staffing pattern to ensure only qualified staff persons who have completed orientation are alone with children. Include in this correspondence the steps the program will take to ensure all appropriate staff persons complete orientation.”

Correction date in the state record: Nov 4, 2019

Regulation 5.23: The licensee shall maintain a legally notarized affidavit onsite, signed by the licensee or designee, testifying that each staff file contains these records as required in the rule 5.22 of these regulations. The licensee shall permit representatives of the Division to have full access to off-site records to verify documentation.

“A legally notarized affidavit is not onsite and staff files are reported to be maintained in another location. Corrective Action: Have the required affidavit onsite. Send confirmation this is in place.”

Correction date in the state record: Nov 4, 2019

Regulation 7.2: Children may be out of direct supervision within the confines of the licensed space for brief periods of time as outlined below, with Staff knowledge and permission. The chart below outlines the parameters and conditions for when a child may be out of direct supervision by Staff for short periods of time: * Grades and Age Group: Buddy Requirement; Time Limit. * Grades K, 1, and 2: With a buddy in the same age group; For not more than 10 minutes. * Grades 3, 4, and 5: With a buddy in the same age group; For not more than 10 minutes. * Grades 6 and over: No buddy required; For not more than 10 minutes.

“A child confirmed to be in fifth grade left the homework room alone, reportedly walked to her classroom, collected something, and returned to homework club. She did not have a buddy with her and reportedly went to a classroom that is not part of the approved licensed space. Corrective Action: Ensure all children are supervised as required. Effective immediately, children younger than sixth grade may not leave the supervision of staff persons without employing the buddy system appropriately and may only access licensed space. . Review the requirements of the buddy system with all staff persons. Submit to this licenser the reviewed information and revised plan that ensures the program is meeting each requirement of the buddy plan system.”

Correction date in the state record: Nov 4, 2019

Regulation 5.11: The licensee shall ensure that any new individuals regularly present at the Afterschool Child Care Program submit a Records Check Authorization form to the Division prior to working with children in the Afterschool Child Care Program.

“Two program aides have been regularly employed at the program since the start of the school year without having submitted the required record check authorization forms. Corrective Action: Effective immdiately, have the identified aides complete the required record check documentation. Ensure any and all regularly present which is defined as more than 5 times in the program follow the required record check procedures.”

Correction date in the state record: Oct 17, 2019

Regulation 3.7: The following emergency telephone numbers and information shall be posted near the telephone: * 911, with address and directions to facility * Poison Control Center * Vermont's Child Protection Line to report suspicions of child abuse and neglect * Child Development Division

“It was observed that a child from the K/1/2 group was allowed to leave the classroom they were in for homework club to use the bathroom down the hallway by themselves, with no supervision by an adult of the program. Corrective Action: Ensure that all staff understand that children need to be supervised at all times and the definition of the expected supervision by regulation (defined on page 10, Rule 2.43). When children leave the room for any reason they either need to be supervised by staff (such as the staff standing in the doorway to see that the child goes to the restroom and immediately returns to the class) or follows rule 7.2 for trips other than the bathroom.”

Correction date in the state record: Nov 3, 2016

Regulation 3.7: The following emergency telephone numbers and information shall be posted near the telephone: * 911, with address and directions to facility * Poison Control Center * Vermont's Child Protection Line to report suspicions of child abuse and neglect * Child Development Division

“There was not a complete list of the required emergency numbers nor was the address and directions to the facility posted near any of the phones, nor located on the clipboard used by the program. Corrective Action: Ensure that all staff understand that children need to be supervised at all times and the definition of the expected supervision by regulation (defined on page 10, Rule 2.43). When children leave the room for any reason they either need to be supervised by staff (such as the staff standing in the doorway to see that the child goes to the restroom and immediately returns to the class) or follows rule 7.2 for trips other than the bathroom.”

Correction date in the state record: Nov 3, 2016