Heather Silk

Regulation 7.4.4: All staff, with the exception of substitutes, shall complete fifteen (15) clock hours of annual professional development activities as required in the rule 7.4.2 of these regulations.

“Review of BFIS Quality and Credential accounts, as well as review of files on site, revealed Staff A only completed two (2) of the required fifteen (15) annual professional development hours for their annual review period of 10/7/23 through 10/7/24. Corrective Action: In addition to the fifteen (15) hours required for the period of 10/7/24 through 10/7/25, complete the missing thirteen (13) hours from the prior period. This is a total of twenty-eight (28) hours for the period of 10/7/24 through 10/7/25. Submit a plan to the Division highlighting how these hours will be completed.”

Correction date in the state record: Jun 25, 2025

Regulation 5.1.2: General Health Examinations: Within forty-five (45) days of enrollment the FCCP shall obtain documentation of the child's age appropriate well care exam from the parent. Documentation shall include information regarding any health conditions and medications that may impact the care of the child.

“A review of children's files reflected that three of the four files reviewed did not contain General Health Exam forms. All files reviewed were for children who had been enrolled for at least 45 days. This is a repeat violation from the site visit conducted in December of 2019. Corrective Action: Immediately plan to collect general health exam forms for all currently enrolled children. As this is a repeat violation, develop a system which will prompt you to collect general health exam forms for all newly enrolled children moving forward. In the corrective action email, include details of: 1. how families of curently enrolled children have been notified of the requirement to collect and submit this form, 2. The date by which you have asked parents to return those forms, 3. what system will you use to ensure you collect these forms for every newly enrolled child moving forward, 4. how often you will routinely check children's files for completion, 5. how you will remind parents of the need for documentation when not submitted in a timely manner, 6. provide updated policies within the family handbook to reflect the requirement for collecting these forms moving forward.”

Correction date in the state record: Jan 24, 2024

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.

“A review of staff BFIS credential accounts and onsite staff documents reflected that CPR and first aid documents for the provider and substitutes, qualification documents for substitutes and mandated reporter training documents for substitutes had not yet been submitted in a timely manner as required by this rule. Corrective Action: Immediately plan to submit all staff documentation with cover sheets to Northern Lights at CCV and copy Licensor [name] on these submissions by 01/16/2024. Develop a system which will prompt you and/or staff to submit all required documentation in a timely manner and follow-up to ensure those documents have been accepted and uploaded to BFIS staff accounts moving forward. Include details of this system in your corrective action email.”

Correction date in the state record: Jan 24, 2024

Regulation 7.2.4: The FCCP 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.

“During this visit, Staff A stated that Staff A and another individual who was not listed on the program's BFIS staff list, was providing substitute care for the program while the provider was away for two weeks. The provider stated that Staff B has provided unsupervised care to the children in the program for one or two hours, approximately six times since 01/01/24. Staff B is not listed on the program's staff list and therefore has not received approval from the Divsion based on the results of a fingerprint supported background clearance. The provider also stated that they believed Staff B was listed as a substitute as they have been previously. While a review of past employees of the program did reveal that Staff B has worked with the program previously, Staff B was removed from the list in 2020 and last received fingerprint supported background clearance approval from the Division more than five years ago. The provider did not ensure that Staff B was indeed listed in the program's account and had current fingerprint clearance approval from the Division prior to allowing Staff B to be left alone with children. This does not meet the requirements of this rule. Corrective Action: Immediately plan to discontinue Staff B's unsupervised access to the children of the program until Staff B has submitted a completed records check authorization form to the Division, submitted to fingerprinting as required, and received a letter stating the Division's approval based on the fingerprint supported background clearance. Develop a system which will prompt you to regularly review the program's BFIS account, staff list, and staff credential accounts to ensure that they are up-to-date and reflecting accuracy, reach out to your Child Care Business Technician, [name] (802-241-0812 or tiffany.le@vermont.gov) and/or your Northern Lights at CCV resource advisor, [name] (802-828-0621 or joanne.rouleau01@ccv.edu) for assistance with resolving identified issues within BFIS accounts, and track due dates for five-year records check and fingerprint renewals to ensure compliance with this rule moving forward. Include details of this system in your corrective action email.”

Correction date in the state record: Jan 24, 2024

Regulation 5.10.1.2.5: There shall be at least one (1) easily accessible dry chemical fire extinguisher which has at least a 2-A: 10BC classification. This fire extinguisher shall be maintained in operating condition. It shall bear an official tag, properly signed, attesting to current operating condition.

“The fire extinguisher accessible to the program bears a tag dated October of 2019. Corrective Action: By 3/29/22, have your fire extinguisher inspected and properly tagged. Submit a photo of the inspection tag to kimberlie.buxton@vermont.gov”

Correction date in the state record: Mar 28, 2022

Regulation 7.4.4: All staff, with the exception of substitutes, shall complete fifteen (15) clock hours of annual professional development activities as required in the rule 7.4.2 of these regulations.

“The registrant was missing 15 hours of professional development from 10/2020 to 10/2021. The registrant could not locate any training certificates and there was no evidence of completion in the Registrant's BFIS Quality and Credential Account. There was no evidence of the completion of this training available in her files or in the Registrant's BFIS Quality and Credential Account. Corrective Action: By 3/29/2022, it is required to make a plan to make up the missing fifteen hours (15) hours in addition to the hours due for the current year. The plan shall be sent to licensor kimberlie.buxton@vermont.gov for review and approval.”

Correction date in the state record: Mar 28, 2022

Regulation 6.2.5.4.2: No form of inappropriate discipline or corporal punishment shall be used with children such as but not limited to: Restricting a child's movements through binding, tying, or use of any other mechanical restraint;

“Heather and Staff Person A confirmed that a toddler and at least one preschool age child have been buckled into booster seats and car seats to restrain them during timeout. Corrective Action: Effective immediately, the use of restrating equipment during timeout shall be discontinuted. Staff will use positive guidance practices to support children's self-control, self-direction and cooperation to help support children's growth and development. By 9/7/2020, submit for approval a program improvement plan outlining the positive methods of guidance to be employed to assist children with aggressive or inappropriate behaviors.”

Correction date in the state record: Nov 7, 2024

Regulation 5.4.3.2: Children shall not be required to sleep. Children who do not nap shall be provided space and equipment for quiet play.

“Staff Person A shared that non-school age children are expected to lay on their nap mats with no books or activities during the entire naptime period from approximately 1PM to 3PM. Corrective Action: Submit a program improvement plan to this Licensor that outlines appropriate rest time practices by 9/7/2020”

Correction date in the state record: Nov 7, 2024

Regulation 5.1.2: General Health Examinations: Within forty-five (45) days of enrollment the FCCP shall obtain documentation of the child's age appropriate well care exam from the parent. Documentation shall include information regarding any health conditions and medications that may impact the care of the child.

“A review of randomly selected children's files for children who had been enrolled more than 45 days showed that they were missing documentation of a general health exams. Corrective Action: Review all children's files and obtain missing general health exam documentation by 12/30/2019. Submit a program improvement plan detailing how general health exams will be obtained for newly enrolled children moving forward. Send this plan and confirmation of all documentation of the most recent up-to-date general health exam to this licensor by 12/27/2019.”

Correction date in the state record: Nov 7, 2024

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.

“The BFIS Quality and Credentialing Accounts for the provider and staff members do not reflect qualifying documentation, credentials, or all required professional development. Corrective Action: By 12/30/2019, submit to Northern Lights at CCV all annual professional development, verification of qualifications, and first aid and cpr certificates for the provider and staff. Email confirmation to this licensor when required documents have been sent and a program improvement plan on how your BFIS Quality and Credential Account will be up-to-date and maintained.”

Correction date in the state record: Nov 7, 2024

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.

“Evacuation drills have been practiced in 2017; however they have not been recorded for the year. Corrective Action: Create and implement a system to record evacuations drills after they are practiced. Ensure all required information is documented. Submit a statement to Vicki at vicki.burgess@vermont.gov by 9/25/2017 indicating your plan and understanding of this rule.”

Correction date in the state record: Nov 1, 2017