Happy Trails Child Care & Lrng Ctr - Pittsburgh PA Child Care Center

281 DUFF RD , PITTSBURGH PA 15235
(412) 371-9290

About the Provider

Description: The Happy Trails Day Care Centers are totally committed to helping build the future of your child. Our careful selection of staff is focused on building a safe, caring and fun learning environment. While concentrating on experienced and proven care-givers, we also look to bring on board staff with new and innovative programs and ideas. This type of blended environment provides your child with the best possible learning experience. At the same time we ensure that the experience is fun for your child helping them learn how to build relationships with children from different cultures and backgrounds.

Happy Trails has served Penn Hills and the surrounding communities for over 30 years. The Penn Hills center was first owned by Don and Dorothy Lamuth when the center was known as Happy Holidays Child Care. Nine years ago the business was purchased from Don and Dorothy by the Engram and Haynes families. The name was then changed to Happy Trails Child Care Center.

Marva and Lew Haynes are long time residents of Penn Hills. Three of their children, Deanna, DaMika and Danielle, attended the Penn Hills school system and two graduated from the high school. Additionally, two of the children actually attended and then worked at the Happy Holiday Child Care Center.

You may recognize the “Engram” name. Bobby is a two-time Penn State All-American football player and a 15 year veteran of the NFL. His wife, Deanna, is the daughter of Marva and Lew Haynes and a graduate of the Penn Hills School system.

Four years ago, the family opened a second daycare center, Happy Trails 2 U, in the city of Duquesne. The center was modeled after the Penn Hills location having many of the same features. The Duquesne Center is actually the home Marva grew up in that has been totally remodeled to provide the necessary components of a first class day care center. The center is Marva’s way of showing her dedication to her home town. As a matter of fact, even though she has lived in Penn Hills for the last 35 years, she still attends church at Jerusalem Baptist Church in Duquesne where she is a Deaconess and Director of the Mass Choir.

As a family we are completely dedicated to working with children. That is our passion. We consider the daycares an extension of our family and we want to do everything within our power to see that the children have every opportunity to have a good successful experience and a great start at life. We believe that is our purpose in life. It’s personal with us.

Program and Licensing Details

  • License Number: CER-00174690
  • Capacity: 61
  • Enrolled in Subsidized Child Care Program: Yes
  • District Office: Early Learning Resource Center for Region 5
  • District Office Phone: (412) 261-2273 (Note: This is not the facility phone number.)

Location Map

Inspection/Report History

Where possible, ChildcareCenter provides inspection reports as a service to families. This information is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed. We encourage families to contact the daycare provider directly with any questions or concerns, as the provider may have already addressed some or all issues. Reports can also be verified with your local daycare licensing office.

Inspection Date Reason Description Status
2020-07-07 Renewal 3270.102(a) - Clean and good repair Needs Verification

Noncompliance Area: There was a crack in the seat of a plastic chair in the Creativity Room, and a crack in a plastic toy bin in the older toddler room, both creating potential pinch points. On the front yard outdoor play space, there was a basketball hoop laying down on the ground leaning on the rim that had rust in multiple areas with black paint flaking and coming apart. On the backyard outdoor play space, the small swing set had splintering wood in multiple areas and two bolts that were protruding out from the side wooden beams. On the backyard outdoor play space, the steps on the large swing set had the bottom two boards on the steps that were loose and unstable and the railings had splintering wood in multiple areas.

Correction Required: Toys, play equipment and other indoor and outdoor equipment used by the children shall be clean, in good repair and free from rough edges, sharp corners, pinch and crush points, splinters and exposed bolts.

Provider Response: (Contact the State Licensing Office for more information.)
The basketball hoop has been removed from the property. The out door play equipment, the two bolts have been screwed in to be flush with the wood and one was removed altogether. The two boards on the steps of the larger equipment have been secured with additional screws and is now firmly attached.. The rails have been sanded and then painted to cover any possible splinters. Both of the cracked items were corrected (taped) during the inspection. The indoor items were corrected on 08/18/2020. The outside items were corrected/fixed on 09/12/2020. I will email pictures of the corrections to certification representative. In the future, the equipment will be inspected regularly to make sure it is in good repair.
2020-07-07 Renewal 3270.102(c) - Outdoor equip.- protective surfacing Needs Verification

Noncompliance Area: On the front yard outdoor play space, there was embedded equipment with swings that had less than 9 inches of mulch under and around the swings to meet the recommendations of the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Correction Required: Outdoor equipment that requires embedded mounting must be mounted over a loose-fill or unitary playground protective surface covering that meets the recommendations of the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission. The equipment must be anchored firmly and be in good repair.

Provider Response: (Contact the State Licensing Office for more information.)
The playground area in question has been raked and new and additional mulch has been added to the area. A picture of the area was emailed to certification representative on 09/22/2020. In the future, mulch under embedded equipment will have the requirement of at least 9 inches.
2020-07-07 Renewal 3270.103 - Small Toys and Objects Needs Verification

Noncompliance Area: There were two rest mats in the school-age room that were torn, exposing foam. There was an older toddler receiving care in the room.

Correction Required: Toys and objects with a diameter of less than 1 inch, objects with removable parts that have a diameter of less than 1 inch, plastic bags and styrofoam objects may not be accessible to children who are still placing objects in their mouths.

Provider Response: (Contact the State Licensing Office for more information.)
The equipment mentioned in this citation as damaged has been thrown away. We will ensure going forward, by regular inspection, that all items are in good condition.
2020-07-07 Renewal 3270.111(b) - Posted in group space Needs Verification

Noncompliance Area: The daily activity schedule posted in the school-age room only indicated the plan for days where children are in care before and after school. However, the room is currently used to care for preschoolers and school-agers all day.

Correction Required: The written plan of daily activities shall be posted in the group space.

Provider Response: (Contact the State Licensing Office for more information.)
This correction was made during the inspection and will continue to remain in place going forward.
2020-07-07 Renewal 3270.113(a) - Supervised at all times Needs Verification

Noncompliance Area: * * * * At approximately 9:40 AM, child #5, a young school-age child, was observed in the Study room adjacent to the school age room. There was no staff person present in the Study room to supervise child #5. At approximately 12:45 PM, child #6, a preschool child, was observed returning to the school-age room after walking to the bathroom alone without staff supervision. The bathroom is located down the hallway around the corner and is out of sight from the doorway in the school-age room.

Correction Required: The legal entity must arrange for all facility staff to receive a minimum of two hours of interactive virtual training regarding supervision and ratio of children. The legal entity must receive DHS approval of the training content prior to scheduling the training.

Provider Response: (Contact the State Licensing Office for more information.)
A second staff person will walk the children to the bathroom as needed during naptime to maintain supervision and ratio. In the future, children will be supervised at all times on the facility premises. We are enrolled in interactive virtual training regarding supervision and ratio of children.
2020-07-07 Renewal 3270.124(b)(7) - Name/address/phone release person Needs Verification

Noncompliance Area: The file for child #4 had an emergency contact form that lacked the address of the individual designated by the parent to whom the child may be released.

Correction Required: Emergency contact information must include the name, address and telephone number of the individual designated by the parent to whom the child may be released.

Provider Response: (Contact the State Licensing Office for more information.)
The emergency form for this client has been updated to include all necessary information including the address of the individual designated by the parent to whom the child may be released. A copy of the updated emergency form was emailed to certification representative. Going forward we will do a second check is done on all emergency form to include all information.
2020-07-07 Renewal 3270.124(c) - Each child care space Needs Verification

Noncompliance Area: There was no emergency contact form in the school age room for child #1 when the child was receiving care in that room.

Correction Required: When children are in the facility, emergency contact information shall be present in a child care space for children receiving care in the space.

Provider Response: (Contact the State Licensing Office for more information.)
We will ensure that a copy of the emergency form for all children will be located in the room in which they are receiving care. We will also do periodic check on all emergency forms going forward.
2020-07-07 Renewal 3270.131(a) - Within 60 days Needs Verification

Noncompliance Area: The file for child #3, with a start date of 2-18-20, had an initial health assessment dated 7-27-20 that was over 90 days after the child's start date. (As of 3-6-20 according to the suspended regulations, an initial health assessment is required within 90 days of the child's first day of attendance at the facility.)

Correction Required: The operator shall require the parent of an enrolled child, including a child, a foster child and a relative of an operator or a facility person, to provide an initial health report no later than 60 days following the first day of attendance at the facility.

Provider Response: (Contact the State Licensing Office for more information.)
The child now has an updated health assessment. In the future we will ensure that all initial health assessments will be completed within the required period. We will have a second check on all files done on all new clients.
2020-07-07 Renewal 3270.131(e)(1) - Exemption documentation from parent/guardian Needs Verification

Noncompliance Area: The file for child #1, a 5 year old, and child #2, a 2 year old, had an immunization record that lacked verification of the Influenza vaccination being administered within the last year in accordance with the schedule recommended by the ACIP.

Correction Required: The facility shall require the parent to provide updated written verification from a physician, physician's assistant, CRNP, the Department of Health or a local health department of ongoing vaccines administered to an infant, toddler or preschool child in accordance with the schedule recommended by the ACIP.

Provider Response: (Contact the State Licensing Office for more information.)
The parent chooses not to have the children have a flu shot at this point in time. We emailed a copy of the signed exemption form from influenza/flu shots to certification representative. Certification representative acknowledged receipt of the email. In the future, children will have updated immunization records in accordance with the schedule recommended by the ACIP.
2020-07-07 Renewal 3270.135(a)(3) - Disposable diapers Needs Verification

Noncompliance Area: Staff in the older toddler room stated soiled diapers are sometimes placed in individual bags prior to discarding them in the (plastic-lined, hands-free, lidded) trash can. The hands-free function (the foot pedal) on the trash can used for diaper disposal in the infant room was not functional.

Correction Required: If disposable diapers are provided by a parent or by a facility, a soiled diaper shall be discarded by immediately placing the diaper into a plastic-lined, hands-free covered can.

Provider Response: (Contact the State Licensing Office for more information.)
This item was corrected on the day of the inspection, 08/18/2020. Staff will no longer place diapers in plastic bags before putting them in the garbage. Additionally, we purchased three new hands-free function trash cans and replaced the cans in question and we are retaining one can for back-up. A picture of the new cans will be emailed to certification representative. In the future, we will no longer place diapers in a plastic bag, and we will have a hands-free can to place diapers.
2020-07-07 Renewal 3270.151(c)(3) - Exam communicable disease Needs Verification

Noncompliance Area: The file for staff person #1 had a health assessment that answered "Yes" to having any communicable diseases and did not have an explanation to describe the conditions.

Correction Required: An adult health assessment must include an examination for communicable diseases and the results of that examination.

Provider Response: (Contact the State Licensing Office for more information.)
Yes entered in error by the doctor's staff. The form was corrected by the doctor to "no" on 08/31/2020. A copy of the corrected form was emailed to and acknowledged by certification representative. In the future, a health assessment will include an examination for communicable diseases and the results of that examination.
2020-07-07 Renewal 3270.166(1) - Written statement Needs Verification

Noncompliance Area: There was no written feeding schedule from the parent for child #4, an enrolled infant.

Correction Required: A written statement giving the formula and feeding schedule for an infant shall be obtained from the parent.

Provider Response: (Contact the State Licensing Office for more information.)
The plan was obtained from the parent on 08/21/2020. I copy was emailed to certification representative on 09/08/2020. In the future, a parent of an infant will provide a written statement giving the formula and feeding schedule.
2020-07-07 Renewal 3270.27(a)(2) - Evacuation Needs Verification

Noncompliance Area: The facility's emergency plan lacked a plan that provides for evacuation of children to a location away from the facility premises.

Correction Required: The facility shall have an emergency plan that provides for evacuation of children from the facility building and evacuation of children to a location away from the facility premises. The evacuation routes and evacuation plans to exit the building may be the same as those required by 3270.94 (f) and (g) (relating to fire drills).

Provider Response: (Contact the State Licensing Office for more information.)
Our emergency plan was updated during the inspection to include directions to our evacuation site. The site is .3 of a mile from the front of our building. Directions are, from the front of our building turn right, northwest, onto Duff Rd, go .3 of a mile and the Penn Hills Government Center will be on the left. That is our evacuation site. In the future, the emergency plan will have the directions to the evacuation site.
2020-07-07 Renewal 3270.32(a) - Comply with CPSL Needs Verification

Noncompliance Area: Staff person #1 had mandated reporter training dated 5-21-15 and lacked current mandated reporter training completed within the last 5 years.

Correction Required: The operator shall comply with the CPSL and with Chapter 3490 (relating to protective services).

Provider Response: (Contact the State Licensing Office for more information.)
This training was completed on 8/28/2020. A copy of the Certificate of Completion was emailed to certification representative. In the future, mandated reporter training will be updated to comply with the CPSL.
2020-07-07 Renewal 3270.51 - Similar Age Level Needs Verification

Noncompliance Area: At approximately 9:40 AM, child #5, a young school-age child, was observed in the Study room adjacent to the school age room. There was no staff person present in the Study room to supervise child #5. At approximately 12:45 PM, child #6, a preschool child, was observed returning to the school-age room after walking to the bathroom alone without staff supervision. The bathroom is located down the hallway around the corner and is out of sight from the doorway in the school-age room.

Correction Required: When children are grouped in similar age levels, the following maximum child group sizes and ratios of staff persons apply: Infants 1:4 with a maximum group size of 8; Young toddlers 1:5 with a maximum group size of 10; Older toddlers 1:6 with a maximum group size of 12; Preschool children 1:10 with a maximum group size of 20; Young school-age children 1:12 with a maximum group size of 24; Older school-age children 1:15 with a maximum group size of 30.

Provider Response: (Contact the State Licensing Office for more information.)
We will continue to work to ensure that all ratios are adhered to. We also have training schedule that will re-enforce this area. Staff will remain in the rooms at all times with the children to maintain supervision and ratio.

If you are a provider and you believe any information is incorrect, please contact us. We will research your concern and make corrections accordingly.

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Providers in ZIP Code 15235