Description: LITTLE STEPS ACADEMY is a Child Care Center in CHAMBERSBURG PA, with a maximum capacity of 34 children. The provider also participates in a subsidized child care program.
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 |
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| 2020-06-22 | Renewal | 3270.102(c) - Outdoor equip.- protective surfacing | Compliant - Finalized |
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Noncompliance Area: On 06/24/2020, observed the embedded playground equipment had approximately 6-7" of wood mulch; the US Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends a minimum of 9" of wood mulch. 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. |
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Provider Response: (Contact the State Licensing Office for more information.) The playground was not in use at the time of inspection. Wood mulch will be added to ensure a minimum depth of 9 inches. In future, mulch measuring 9" will be put around play equipment. Inspector was informed ahead of time that the playground was under repairs and not in use. |
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| 2020-06-22 | Renewal | 3270.131(e)(1) - Exemption documentation from parent/guardian | Compliant - Finalized |
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Noncompliance Area: On 06/29/2020, the file for child #1, a 2 year old, included a record of the child's immunization status which lacked a 3rd dose of Hep B, a 4th dose of PCV13, and a 1st and 2nd dose of Hep A immunization. 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. |
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Provider Response: (Contact the State Licensing Office for more information.) Child is no longer in care. In future, all parents will be asked to provide updated immunization records every 6 months. This request will also be part of enrollment packet. |
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| 2020-06-22 | Renewal | 3270.182(2) - Application, admission, withdrawal dates | Compliant - Finalized |
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Noncompliance Area: On 06/29/2020, the file for child #1 lacked the date of withdrawal of the child on the agreement form. Correction Required: A child's record shall contain the dates of application, admission and withdrawal of the child. |
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Provider Response: (Contact the State Licensing Office for more information.) Withdrawal date was included on the form in presence of inspector. In future, a procedure will be developed in a child is absent for more than 10 days the file will be closed and a withdrawal date will be included. |
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| 2020-06-22 | Renewal | 3270.192(2)(iv) - Transcript, diploma and letters | Compliant - Finalized |
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Noncompliance Area: On 06/24/2020, observed staff person #1, who was working alone in the toddler classroom, lacked acceptable verification of experience and education to work as an assistant group supervisor. The file for staff person #1 lacked proof of education and lacked documentation of 2 years of experience working with children. The file contained documentation of approximately 2300 hours of experience working with children. Correction Required: A facility person's record shall include acceptable verification of experience, education or training is a transcript or a diploma or a letter signed by a representative of the experiential, educational or training entity. |
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Provider Response: (Contact the State Licensing Office for more information.) All missing documentation was submitted to inspector. In future, the new hire checklist will be used for all new hires. No one will be hired unless certain documents are check marked. |
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| 2020-06-22 | Renewal | 3270.32(a)/3270.192(4) - Comply with CPSL/CPSL information | Compliant - Finalized |
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Noncompliance Area: On 06/24/2020, observed staff person #1, a provisional hire with a start date of 06/23/2020, working alone with children in the toddler classroom. The file for staff person #1 contained a disclosure statement that lacked the date it was signed and witnessed. The file for staff person #1 contained the request for the NSOR clearance dated 06/22/2020, the clearance results were not yet on file. Correction Required: The operator shall comply with the CPSL and with Chapter 3490 (relating to protective services). PROVISIONAL HIRE UNSUPERVISED: A provisional employee may not be permitted to work alone with children and must work within the vicinity of a permanent employee. A facility person's record shall include a copy of requests for the criminal history record and child abuse registry clearance information, a copy of the disclosure statement and a copy of the completed clearance information required under the CPSL. |
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Provider Response: (Contact the State Licensing Office for more information.) In the future, staff will be retrained and furniture rearranged in a way that all children in care remain in the same space (that capacity allows) so that provisional hires are always in full view and under supervision of permanent staff. The disclosure statement, which was signed on 06/22/2020 was dated. In future, new hires will be given a check list (attached) which will give a vivid reminder of all new hire requirements. |
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| 2020-06-22 | Renewal | 3270.33(a) - Each staff person meets quals | Compliant - Finalized |
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Noncompliance Area: On 06/24/2020, observed staff person #1 working alone in the toddler classroom as an assistant group supervisor. The operator lacked documentation of education and experience for staff person #1 to qualify as an assistant group supervisor. Correction Required: A staff person or a substitute staff person shall meet one of the applicable staff qualifications for the position in which the person is performing. |
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Provider Response: (Contact the State Licensing Office for more information.) Proof of education and experience are in file. Copies submitted to inspector. In future, new hires will be given a checklist (attached) which will give a vivid reminder of all new hire requirements. |
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| 2020-06-22 | Renewal | 3270.34(a)(6) - Staff evaluations | Compliant - Finalized |
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Noncompliance Area: On 06/29/2020, the director did not provide a written evaluation for staff person #2 on a regular basis. The file for staff person #2, with an initial hire date of 07/05/2017 did not contain any written evaluations. Correction Required: A director is responsible for written evaluation of staff persons on a regular basis, a minimum of one evaluation every 12 months. |
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Provider Response: (Contact the State Licensing Office for more information.) Written evaluation completed and signed on 06/30/2020. In future, a reminder will be put on calendar to complete written evaluations annually. |
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| 2020-06-22 | Renewal | 3270.66(a) - Locked or inaccessible | Compliant - Finalized |
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Noncompliance Area: On 06/24/2020, observed the child safety lock on the cabinet under the kitchen sink was not tightly secured. The safety lock was able to easily be removed from the knobs on the cabinet, allowing children access to Borax and Oxyclean labeled "Keep out of Reach of children". Correction Required: Cleaning materials and other toxic materials shall be kept in an area or container that is locked or made inaccessible to children. |
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Provider Response: (Contact the State Licensing Office for more information.) New safety locks will be ordered and placed on cabinet doors. In future, "checking safety locks" will be added to the daily checklist to ensure all safety locks are securing cabinets. |
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| 2020-06-22 | Renewal | 3270.66(b) - Original container | Compliant - Finalized |
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Noncompliance Area: On 06/24/2020, observed Borax and Oxyclean stored next to sugar, salt and flour in the cabinet under the kitchen sink . Correction Required: Cleaning materials and other toxic materials shall be stored in an original labeled container or in a container that specifies the content. Toxics shall be stored away from food, food preparation areas and child care spaces. |
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Provider Response: (Contact the State Licensing Office for more information.) All items listed above were put in a container labeled "for craft use only. In future, all food items to be used for crafts will be labeled, "to be used for craft/experiments only". |
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| 2020-06-22 | Renewal | 3270.76 - Building Surfaces | Compliant - Finalized |
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Noncompliance Area: On 06/24/2020, observed a bolt facing inside the fence with a missing cover on the far left corner of the fence located in the outdoor play space. Observed the front left corner of the fence was detached from the top rail and leaning outward. Correction Required: Floors, walls, ceilings and other surfaces, including the facility's outdoor play space surfaces shall be kept clean, in good repair and free from visible hazards. |
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Provider Response: (Contact the State Licensing Office for more information.) All bolts and screws were covered on June on June 26th. The outdoor play space was not being used as a play space at the time of inspection due to an accident. In future, "check playground for uncovered bolts" will be added to daily morning checklist to ensure any uncovered screws/bolts are capped. |
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| 2020-03-06 | Unannounced Monitoring | 3270.32(a)/3270.192(4) - Comply with CPSL/CPSL information | Compliant - Finalized |
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Noncompliance Area: The file for staff person #1 lacked valid PA criminal history, child abuse and FBI clearances; the file contained an expired PA criminal history clearance dated 02/12/2015, an expired child abuse clearance dated 03/02/2015 and an expired FBI clearance dated 02/11/2015. Staff person #1 was working in a child care position at the facility after the clearances expired; hours were documented on their time sheet the week of 02/24 - 02/28/2020 and on 03/02. 03/03/2020 . Correction Required: The operator shall comply with the CPSL and with Chapter 3490 (relating to protective services). A facility person's record shall include a copy of requests for the criminal history record and child abuse registry clearance information, a copy of the disclosure statement and a copy of the completed clearance information required under the CPSL. Facility Person #1 may not work in a child care position at the facility. |
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Provider Response: (Contact the State Licensing Office for more information.) Staff person #1 has not worked at the facility since 03/03/2020 and will no longer be working at this facility. In future, director of Little Steps Academy will apply and pay for employees whose clearances will expire in 6 months. |
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| 2020-03-06 | Unannounced Monitoring | 3270.54(a) - Two facility persons present in facility | Compliant - Finalized |
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Noncompliance Area: On 03/06/2020, it was observed that 2 children were documented as arriving for care at 5:30 am. According to staff time sheets, staff person #2 was the only staff person present at the facility with 2 children in care from 5:30 am - 5:40 am when staff person #3 arrived. Correction Required: At least two facility persons shall be present in the facility when two or more children are in care. At a minimum, one of the facility persons shall be a staff person. |
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Provider Response: (Contact the State Licensing Office for more information.) Staff person #2 will contact director at 5:00 am to confirm that she is on her way to the center. In future, security cameras will be installed so director can monitor staff entering the facility and instruct staff accordingly if any issues arise. |
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| 2020-03-06 | Unannounced Monitoring | 3270.91(a) - Stairs, exits, etc. unobstructed | Compliant - Finalized |
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Noncompliance Area: On 03/06/2020, observed a ladder partially blocking the exit door from the storage room off of the toddler classroom; the door serves as an emergency exit from the classroom through the storage room. Observed a plastic Little Tykes slide behind the door leading into the storage room, which serves as an emergency exit from the toddler classroom, blocking the door from opening completely. Observed rest mats leaning up against the wall next to the door leading into the storage room, which serves as an emergency exit from the toddler classroom, partially blocking the exit door. Observed plastic crates and a parachute on the floor blocking the exit door in the small classroom to the right of the preschool classroom, which serves as an emergency exit from the preschool classroom. Correction Required: Stairways, hallways, exits from rooms, exits from the facility and other means of egress serving as an exit shall be unobstructed. |
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Provider Response: (Contact the State Licensing Office for more information.) The items were removed from the doorway. In future, "checking doorways and exits" will be included in the daily checklist so that errors such as this are not overlooked in future. |
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| 2020-01-31 | Unannounced Monitoring | 3270.192(2)(ii) - Exp, educ., training prior to facility | Compliant - Finalized |
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Noncompliance Area: The file for staff person #1 lacked verification of child care experience, education and training prior to service at the facility as an Aide. Correction Required: A facility person's record shall include verification of child care experience, education and training prior to service at the facility. |
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Provider Response: (Contact the State Licensing Office for more information.) Will obtain proof of education and verified child care experience for staff person #1. New staff will provide proof of education, verification of child care experience and training at the time of initial hire. |
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| 2020-01-08 | Unannounced Monitoring | 3270.123(a)(3) - Services proceeded | Compliant - Finalized |
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Noncompliance Area: 2nd CITATION: The files for child #1 and #2 lacked a child service report including information about the child's growth and development. The file for child #1 has a child service report completed on 11/23/2018 and 06/19/2019 with no subsequent child service report on file. PREVIOUSLY CITED ON 10/17/2019. Correction Required: The services to be provided to the family and the child, including the Department's approved form to provide information to the family about the child's growth and development in the context of the services being provided. The operator shall complete and update the form and provide a copy to the family in accordance with the updates regarding emergency contact information in 3270.124(f) (relating to emergency contact information). |
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Provider Response: (Contact the State Licensing Office for more information.) Child service reports for child #1 was completed and placed in their files. In future, child service reports will be done in January and July of each year. |
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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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Very clean daycare. I love this daycare. Not to big. Very caring Staff. Seems to enjoy the kids.