Ethel Sutherland
Decatur, GA 30035 · infants to school-age · Home daycare: the provider shares the address with families
We are a directory, not the daycare. We cannot hold a spot, enroll a child or answer questions about care.
Own this daycare? Claim itAbout
Fun Steps Ahead is a licensed child care center in Decatur, Georgia. It is licensed by the state, for up to 50 children, serving infants, toddlers, preschoolers and school-age children.
It is open Monday to Friday, 5:30 AM to 7:00 PM.
Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning made 7 visits in the last 3 years and cited 17 rules across 3 of them. The visit list, in the state's words, is below.
Hours
| Monday | 5:30 AM to 7:00 PM |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | 5:30 AM to 7:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 5:30 AM to 7:00 PM |
| Thursday | 5:30 AM to 7:00 PM |
| Friday | 5:30 AM to 7:00 PM |
| Saturday | Not listed |
| SundayToday | Not listed |
Programs
| Ages | Infants, toddlers, preschoolers and school-age childrenFrom the state license |
|---|---|
| Child care subsidy | Accepts state child care subsidiesFrom the state license |
| Licensed capacity | 50 childrenFrom the state license |
Cost
Fun Steps Ahead has not listed its tuition. For comparison, full-time infant care at a child care center in DeKalb County has a median price of $205 a week (U.S. Department of Labor, 2022).
State record
7 visits in the last 3 years · Last visit Aug 11, 2026: no rules cited
Rules cited on 4 of 7 visits · 17 rules in all
For comparison: 89% of Georgia daycares had at least one rule cited in the last 3 years; the typical daycare had 0.
A cited rule is what an inspector found on the day of a visit. It is not a rating of the daycare today.
Own this daycare? Add your response to the state record
Rule .33(5)(b)1. - New - Annual Training - Language & Literacy
Rule .33(5)(a) - Staff training-annual/10 hours: (a) Every calendar year after the first year of employment, all supervisory and caregiver Personnel, except independent contractors, Students-in-Training and volunteers, shall attend ten (10) clock hours of diverse training which is offered by an accredited college, university or vocational program or other Department-approved source.
Rule .32(7) - Supervision-Watchful Oversight (Recite-Not Met): (7) Supervision. Children shall be supervised at all times appropriate to the individual age, needs and capabilities of each child. Such supervision must include, but not be limited to, indoor and outdoor activities, mealtimes, naptime, transportation, field trips, and transitions between activities. "Supervision" means that the appropriate number of Staff members are physically present in the area where children are being cared for and are providing watchful oversight to the children, volunteers and Students-in-Training. The persons supervising in the child care area must be alert, positioned to maximize their ability to hear and see the children at all times, and able to respond promptly to the needs and actions of the children being supervised, as well as the actions of the volunteers and Students-in-Training, and provide timely attention to the children's actions and needs. Staff shall be attentive and participating with all children during mealtimes and shall be seated within an arm’s length away from children thirty-six (36) months of age and younger.
Rule .32(4)(a) - Center cap. 19+/ first/last hour combined ages: (a) During early morning times of arrival and late afternoon times of departure, infants and children younger than three (3) years may be grouped with older children so long as Staff:child ratios and group size are met based upon the age of the youngest child in the group.
Rule .31(2)(b)2. - Qualifications: 2. Possess at least one of the following sets of minimum academic requirements and qualifying experience at the time of employment.
Rule .26(8) - Fall Zones and Surfacing: (8) Fall Zones and Surfacing. Climbing and swinging equipment shall have a resilient surface beneath the equipment and the fall zone from such equipment must be adequately maintained by the Center to assure continuing resiliency.
Rule .25(13) - Indoor Storage-Hazards: (13) Indoor Storage Areas. Potentially hazardous equipment, materials and supplies shall be stored in a locked area inaccessible to children. Examples of items to be stored include non-food related products under pressure in aerosol dispensing cans, flammable and corrosive materials, cleaning supplies, poisons, insecticides, office supplies and industrial-sized or commercial buckets with a capacity of three gallons or more or any other similar device with rigid sides which would not tip over if a toddler fell into the container head first.
Rule .20(4) - Medication-Storage: (4) Storage. Medications shall be kept in a storage cabinet or container which is locked or otherwise not accessible to the children and shall be stored separate from cleaning chemicals, supplies or poisons. Medications requiring refrigeration shall be placed in a leak-proof container in a refrigerator that is not accessible to the children.
Rule .03(6) - Confining Equipment/Floor play: (6) Activities for Children Under Three. Children less than three (3) years of age shall not spend more than one-half (1/2) hour of time consecutively in confining equipment, such as swings, highchairs, jump seats, carriers or walkers. Children shall use such equipment only when they are awake. Such children shall be allowed time to play on the floor daily. Infants shall have supervised tummy time on the floor daily when they are awake.
Rule .32(7) - Supervision-Watchful Oversight (Recite-Not Met): (7) Supervision. Children shall be supervised at all times appropriate to the individual age, needs and capabilities of each child. Such supervision must include, but not be limited to, indoor and outdoor activities, mealtimes, naptime, transportation, field trips, and transitions between activities. "Supervision" means that the appropriate number of Staff members are physically present in the area where children are being cared for and are providing watchful oversight to the children, volunteers and Students-in-Training. The persons supervising in the child care area must be alert, positioned to maximize their ability to hear and see the children at all times, and able to respond promptly to the needs and actions of the children being supervised, as well as the actions of the volunteers and Students-in-Training, and provide timely attention to the children's actions and needs. Staff shall be attentive and participating with all children during mealtimes and shall be seated within an arm’s length away from children thirty-six (36) months of age and younger.
Rule .32(2) - Mixed-ages groups/cap. of 19+: (2) Mixed-Age Groups for Centers with a licensed capacity of 19 or more children. The Staff:child ratios for a mixed-age group shall be based on the age of the youngest group of children that includes more than twenty (20%) of the total number of children in the mixed-age group .
Rule .19(1) - License capacity-35 square feet: (1) Usable Space Per Child. A Center's License capacity is based upon its size. A Center must have thirty-five (35) square feet of usable space per child. Kitchens, bathrooms, closets, halls, storage areas or rooms, offices, rooms designated for Staff use, other single use areas and space occupied by adult size furniture shall be excluded in determining usable space.
Rule .09(1)(j) - Portability-Records Check Determination: (j) Portability for Directors, Employees and Provisional Employees, excluding Students-in-Training. Only the most recently issued determination letter is eligible for portability and must be ported electronically. A Center may accept a satisfactory Fingerprint Records Check Determination letter or a satisfactory Comprehensive Records Check Determination letter issued by the Department if the Records Check Clearance Date is within the preceding 12 months from the hire date, the individual has not had a lapse of employment from the child care industry that lasted for 180 days (6 months) or longer, and the Center does not know or reasonably should not know that the individual's satisfactory status has changed.
Rule .32(7) - Supervision-Watchful Oversight: (7) Supervision. Children shall be supervised at all times appropriate to the individual age, needs and capabilities of each child. Such supervision must include, but not be limited to, indoor and outdoor activities, mealtimes, naptime, transportation, field trips, and transitions between activities. "Supervision" means that the appropriate number of Staff members are physically present in the area where children are being cared for and are providing watchful oversight to the children, volunteers and Students-in-Training. The persons supervising in the child care area must be alert, positioned to maximize their ability to hear and see the children at all times, and able to respond promptly to the needs and actions of the children being supervised, as well as the actions of the volunteers and Students-in-Training, and provide timely attention to the children's actions and needs. Staff shall be attentive and participating with all children during mealtimes and shall be seated within an arm’s length away from children thirty-six (36) months of age and younger.
Rule .30(1)(b) - Cots and Mats: (b) Cots and Mats. Cots and mats shall be provided for each child who is two (2) years of age or older and who is required to take a nap and for each child under the age of two (2) years who can climb out of a crib.
Rule .26(8) - Fall Zones and Surfacing: (8) Fall Zones and Surfacing. Climbing and swinging equipment shall have a resilient surface beneath the equipment and the fall zone from such equipment must be adequately maintained by the Center to assure continuing resiliency.
Rule .25(13) - Indoor Storage-Hazards: (13) Indoor Storage Areas. Potentially hazardous equipment, materials and supplies shall be stored in a locked area inaccessible to children. Examples of items to be stored include non-food related products under pressure in aerosol dispensing cans, flammable and corrosive materials, cleaning supplies, poisons, insecticides, office supplies and industrial-sized or commercial buckets with a capacity of three gallons or more or any other similar device with rigid sides which would not tip over if a toddler fell into the container head first.
Rule .32(7) - Supervision-Watchful Oversight: (7) Supervision. Children shall be supervised at all times appropriate to the individual age, needs and capabilities of each child. Such supervision must include, but not be limited to, indoor and outdoor activities, mealtimes, naptime, transportation, field trips, and transitions between activities. "Supervision" means that the appropriate number of Staff members are physically present in the area where children are being cared for and are providing watchful oversight to the children, volunteers and Students-in-Training. The persons supervising in the child care area must be alert, positioned to maximize their ability to hear and see the children at all times, and able to respond promptly to the needs and actions of the children being supervised, as well as the actions of the volunteers and Students-in-Training, and provide timely attention to the children's actions and needs. Staff shall be attentive and participating with all children during mealtimes and shall be seated within an arm’s length away from children thirty-six (36) months of age and younger.
Rule .30(1)(b) - Cots and Mats: (b) Cots and Mats. Cots and mats shall be provided for each child who is two (2) years of age or older and who is required to take a nap and for each child under the age of two (2) years who can climb out of a crib.
Rule .26(8) - Fall Zones and Surfacing: (8) Fall Zones and Surfacing. Climbing and swinging equipment shall have a resilient surface beneath the equipment and the fall zone from such equipment must be adequately maintained by the Center to assure continuing resiliency.
Rule .25(13) - Indoor Storage-Hazards: (13) Indoor Storage Areas. Potentially hazardous equipment, materials and supplies shall be stored in a locked area inaccessible to children. Examples of items to be stored include non-food related products under pressure in aerosol dispensing cans, flammable and corrosive materials, cleaning supplies, poisons, insecticides, office supplies and industrial-sized or commercial buckets with a capacity of three gallons or more or any other similar device with rigid sides which would not tip over if a toddler fell into the container head first.
Reviews
If your child goes or went here, your review helps other parents. We check every review against our review guidelines.
Decatur, GA 30035 · infants to school-age · Home daycare: the provider shares the address with families
4484 Covington Highway, Suite A107, Decatur, GA
4518 Covington Hwy., Decatur, GA
1317 S. Indian Creek Dr., Stone Mountain, GA
1317 South Indian Creek Drive, Stone Mountain, GA
1804 Austin Dr., Decatur, GA
3979 Covington Hwy, Decatur, GA
3569 Larkspur Terrace, Decatur, GA
4120 Cedar Ridge Trail, Stone Mountain, GA
FAQ
Yes. Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning lists it as licensed and operating.
Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning lists the most recent visit on August 11, 2026, with no rules cited. It lists 7 visits in the last 3 years.
Yes. Inspectors cited 17 rules across 4 of 7 visits in the last 3 years. For comparison: 89% of Georgia daycares had at least one rule cited in the last 3 years; the typical daycare had 0. A cited rule is what an inspector found on the day of a visit. It is not a rating of the daycare today.
50, the licensed capacity on the state record. It is licensed to serve infants, toddlers, preschoolers and school-age children.
Yes. The state record says it accepts child care subsidies.
Monday to Friday, 5:30 AM to 7:00 PM. These are the hours on the state record. Holiday hours can differ.
It has not listed its tuition. Call (404) 254-1773 to ask.
(404) 254-1773.
4441 Covington Highway, Decatur, GA 30035. The nearest other daycare we list is A Mother's Love Learning Center, 0.1 miles away.