Happy Hands: A School for Little People

Regulation 6.2.5.6: Profanity and obscene language shall not be used in the FCCH while children are present.

“Staff A said that they have sworn at their own older children while they are playing outside and the other children in care are sleeping. It was also shared that the two children may yell and swear at each other while they are outside at nap time. No profanity may be used in a childcare while children are present. Corrective Action: Effective immediately, staff are never to use profane or obscene language at the program while children are present. A Program Improvement Plan outlining the programs policies on acceptable guidance techniques must be submitted. This plan must include how staff will be trained and supervised to ensure that staff model appropriate language and use positive statements while working with any child present.”

Correction date in the state record: Aug 12, 2025

Regulation 7.3.3: Family Child Care Assistant The FCCP shall ensure and maintain documentation that each Family Child Care Assistant is eighteen (18) years of age and meets or exceeds one (1) of the following qualifications: * At least is a high school graduate or has completed a GED and the Fundamentals for Early Childhood Professionals' course within the first twelve (12) months of employment; or * At least is a high school graduate or has completed a GED and has successfully completed at least three (3) college credits in content consistent with the core knowledge areas identified by NLCDC within the first twelve (12) months of employment; or * At least is enrolled in or is a high school graduate and graduate from a State Board of Education approved Human Services Certificate Program that emphasizes child development or early childhood education.

“Staff person A has been serving as a family child care assistant in the program since June 2020 and has not completed educational requirements for the role. Supports available and the requirement to complete one of the three (3) options was previously discussed during a compliance visit. Corrective Action: Develop a plan that includes how staff person A will meet one of the three (3) options and when the coursework/training will be completed. Include in this plan, documentation that confirms enrollment in training/education.”

Correction date in the state record: Nov 8, 2024

Regulation 2.3.7.3.1: The prospective FCCP shall submit a Records Check Authorization form to the Division with the initial application and shall submit to fingerprinting at a location designated by the Division after having received the Fingerprinting Authorization Certificate by the Division.

“Staff person A has been employed since June 2020 and has not completed the required fingerprinting process. The program was notified on June 8, 2020 of the fingerprint requirements. Corrective Action: Have the identified staff person schedule an appointment for the fingerprint process. Establish a system to ensure fingerprints are processed when notified by the Division of the requirement.”

Correction date in the state record: Nov 28, 2022

Regulation 5.4.1.1: The FCCP shall ensure that each child, except school age children, has an individual crib, port-a-crib, cot, mat, or bed that is safe for the child's age and development, in good repair, and used by only one child each day. No child shall nap directly on the floor or on furniture not designed for sleeping. Cribs or port-a-cribs shall be used for children under the age of twelve (12) months. Children shall not nap in cribs or port-a-cribs if they are physically able to climb out unassisted.

“It was confirmed that the two ten month old children have been sleeping on mats. It was acknowledged that program had not planned for crib use for children under one year of age. Corrective Action: Develop a plan to ensure crib or port-a-cribs are available for children under one year of age.”

Correction date in the state record: Nov 28, 2022

Regulation 7.1.3: Orientation of FCCP and New Staff The FCCP shall complete an orientation training session approved by the Division prior to beginning care for children. The FCCP shall ensure staff complete an orientation training session approved by the Division prior to being left alone with children. Trainees shall complete the orientation training within one (1) month of their first date of working with children. 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; * Supervision of children; * Child accident and injury procedures including building and physical premises safety; * Safe sleep practices; * Administration of medication requirements; * Emergency and evacuation requirements; * Nutrition and food safety including prevention of and response to emergencies due to food and allergic reactions; * Recordkeeping; * Transportation and child passenger safety; * Release of children; * Respectful engagement of families; * 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, trainees, and partner staff; * Responsibility to comply with current applicable licensing regulations; * Background check requirements to include changes in situations, restrictions, and exceptions for those prohibited by these regulations; * Staffing requirements to include opening and closing; and * Ensuring children have extra clothes and diapers available.

“Staff person B has been employed since June 2020 and has not completed the required orientation. It was confirmed that this person has worked directly with children and been counted in staff to child ratio. Corrective Action: Develop and submit this licenser the plan to have Staff person B complete the required training.”

Correction date in the state record: Dec 9, 2021

Regulation 7.2.1: The FCCP shall ensure that all new staff, and any new individual with unsupervised access to children in the FCCH submits a Records Check Authorization form to the Division and shall submit to fingerprinting at a location designated by the Division after having received the Fingerprinting Authorization Certificate by the Division.

“The program and Staff person B were notified by the Division that fingerprint processing was required on 06/08/2020, and the program and Staff person C were notified by the Division that fingerprint renewal processing was required on 07/26/2021. It is a program's responsiblity to ensure staff persons complete this requirement which may include intermittently contacting the fingerprinting processing location for updates on operation and/or reaching out to the Division for guidance about alternate locations. Although the COVID pandemic limited access to fingerprint processing centers, it was confirmed that the Newfane Sheriff's office has had availability for fingerprinting process at times between June 2020 and 12/01/2021. Corrective Action: Contact and schedule an appointment for each person to complete their fingerprint processing. Send the dates of the appointments to this licenser. Establish a process to monitor staff completion of the background clearance process.”

Correction date in the state record: Dec 9, 2021

Regulation 5.10.3.1.1: There shall be a safe outdoor play area large enough to provide opportunities for vigorous play and large muscle activity on the premises or within a safe walking distance of the FCCH approved by the Division.

“Hard surfaced items are in the use zones of the two rope swings and this presents as a hazard to children's play. Children stand upon a hard plastic large tube to access one rope and there is plastic play structure position laying on its side on the ground within 2 feet of the access to this rope. Children reportedly stand upon the hard plastic tube to hold onto the knots on the this rope and sway out and around whilst keeping their feet upon the plastic tube. The presence of the tube under the rope and the close proximity of the additional play structure are within the use zone for the rope. There is a longer rope with knots from which children reportedly hold onto and lift their feet off the ground to swing about the area. This rope is within 3 feet of the plastic tube which puts the tube within the require safe use zone for the rope. Corrective Action: Effective immediately, children are to not use these ropes until the use zones are clear of items. Ensure there is a safe use zone created and maintained around any and all play items that meet the criteria of this rule. In the update to this licenser about changes made indicate the ways in which the National Public Playground Safety Manual was used in decision making.”

Correction date in the state record: Dec 9, 2021

Regulation 7.2.2: The FCCP shall submit a Records Check Authorization form to the Division for any new individuals, sixteen (16) years of age or older, residing in the FCCH or present more than five (5) times in 365 days during the FCCH's hours of operation as required in the rule 2.3.7.2 of these regulations.

“Staff person A is present providing care for what is reported to be this person's third time over at least 3 months time and this person has not submitted a record check authorization form. A service provider has reportedly been visiting the program one time per week during the months of January through May 2020 and one day per week for the months of September through November 2021 and this person has not submitted a record check authorization form. Corrective Action: Staff person A is present providing care for what is reported to be this person's third time over at least 3 months time and this person has not submitted a record check authorization form.”

Correction date in the state record: Dec 9, 2021

Regulation 3.3.7.3: Within six (6) months of initial date of employment, the FCCP and all staff shall maintain an up-to-date BFIS Quality and Credential Account. Documentation, verification of qualifications, and all annual professional development activities as specified in the rules sections 7.3 and 7.4 of these regulations shall be submitted to NLCDC to be verified and maintained in BFIS.

“Staff person B has been employed more than 6 months and there is no documentation within this person's BFIS quality and credential account. Staff person D's quality and credential account is missing documentation of a High School Diploma or GED certificate and documentation verifying CPR/1st aid certification Corrective Action: Develop a plan with these individuals to ensure all required documentation is within the Quality and Credential accounts via the Northern Lights @ CCV. Send the plan with dates of documents to be sent and what types of documents to this licenser.”

Correction date in the state record: Dec 9, 2021

Regulation 3.3.6.1: The FCCP shall maintain a record of the date of each evacuation drill as required in the rules in section 3.6.2 of these regulations that includes the number of children, staff evacuated, time taken to evacuate, and notation of the drill conducted while children were sleeping or resting. Evacuation records shall be kept for two (2) years.

“It was reported that the documentation for the completed monthly evacuation drills has been lost. The frequency, actions, and meeting place of evacaution drills were confirmed by staff persons. Corrective Action: Establish a recording and maintenance system for evacuation drills. Submit in writing how this record will be maintained and where it will be store within the facility.”

Correction date in the state record: Dec 9, 2021