Early Connections/City Center

The operator reported an incident occurring on 6/20/25. At approximately 11:00, the facility conducted a lockdown drill. During the drill, Facility Persons #1 and #2 were supervising a group of children in a staff restroom with the lights off. According to staff statements, Child #1 stated they were touched inappropriately by another unknown child while the lights were off. Staff state they were unable to see the children during this time to determine what occurred.

There was no documentation of completion of approved pediatric first aid/CPR training on file for Facility Person # 6, who was observed to be caring for children unsupervised.

The following noncompliance with CPSL was observed: The most recent child abuse and NSOR clearances on file for Facility Person #1 were completed more than 60 months prior. There were no clearances, or applications for these clearances, on file for Facility Person #2 from a state in which the facility person resided in the previous 5 years. There was no child abuse clearance on file for Facility Person #5 from a state in which the facility person resided in the previous 5 years. The proof of application on file for this clearance was dated after their start date. The criminal history clearance on file for Facility Person #6 was completed after their start date, with no proof of application for this clearance on file. The most recent NSOR clearance on file for Facility Person #9 was completed more than 60 months prior. The most recent mandated reporter training documented and on file for Facility Person #8 was completed more than 60 months prior.

The letter to the parents to explain the emergency plan does not provide information regarding the facility's plan for a lockdown or accommodations in the event of an emergency.

In the schoolage room, there was an uncovered outlet on the wall in reach of 5 year olds who receive care in the room.

There were toxics accessible in unlocked cabinets in the Giraffe room (Clorox and lavender cleaners) and in the Schoolage room (Swiffer wet jet pads and hand sanitizer)

There was no first aid kit in the Ladybugs room.

The first aid kit in the Grasshopper room was hanging on a hook, low enough to be in reach of children.

There were two small areas of peeling paint on the wall in the schoolage room, one behind the door, and the other behind a refrigerator.

There were empty plastic bags in an unlocked cabinet under the sink in the Giraffe room, accessible to toddlers in care in the room.

The most recent health assessment on file for child #4, a preschooler, was completed on 9/5/23.

There was no written parental consent for administration of a child's abuterol in the Zebra room.

The health assessment on file for Facility Person #3 was completed more than 12 months prior to their start date. The TB test on file for Facility Person #5 was not dated.

There was an infant's bottle in the Elephant room not labeled with the child's name.

Facility Person #2 was classified as an assistant group supervisor. The documentation of the education required for this position on file was an international degree that was not accompanied by an evaluation of U.S. equivalency from an accredited agency. Facility Person #3 was classified as a group supervisor without the required education documented and on file. Facility Person #4 was classified as an assistant group supervisor. The documentation of previous child care experience on file for Facility Person #4 did not include sufficient information to determine that the required number of years/hours of child care experience for the classification was completed.

There was no daily activity schedule posted in the Elephants room. The daily activity schedules posted in the Grasshopper and Butterfly rooms did not cover activities during the morning hours the rooms are under DHS certification.

The arrival and departure times were not listed on the agreements on file for child #1.

The emergency contact form on file for child #2 did not include the address of all release persons listed. The emergency contact forms on file for children # 4 & #5 did not include the release persons information that was listed on the agreements for children #4 and #5.

There were no emergency contact forms in the Giraffe room for three of the children receiving care in that space.

The current emergency contact forms and agreements on file for children #3, #4 and #5 were reviewed and updated by a parent in writing more than 6 month after they were previously reviewed.

The criminal history clearance on file for Facility Person # 1, employed at the facility more than 45 days, was incomplete.

The letter to the families explaining the emergency plan did not include information regarding the lockdown plan, accommodations in an emergency or annual drills.

There were two uncovered outlets in the Ladybugs room.

The current immunization record on file for child #2 indicated the child had insufficient doses of the DTAP and pneumococcal vaccines as recommended for a child of their age by the ACIP.

There was an unlabeled bottle in the infant (Elephant) room.

The documentation of the annual emergency drill did not include all required information.

The initial health assessment on file for child #5 was completed more than 60 days after their first day of attendance at the facility.

Facility Person #2 and #4 were classified as and AGS and a GS, respectively, without documentation of sufficient education and/or child care experience required for their respective classifications.

The most recent approved assessment completed, and a copy given to the parents, on file for child #5 was completed more than 6 months prior.

Emergency contact forms on file for children # 1 and #4 did not include the complete names, addresses and phone numbers of all release persons.

The most recent documented parental review of emergency contact forms and agreements on file for children #1, #3, and #4 were completed more than 6 months after the previous reviews.

There was only one written, nonfamily reference on file for Facility Person #3.

The most recent fire drill documented was conducted on 5/5/23, more than 60 days prior.

The most recent test of the facility's smoke detectors documented was conducted on 5/26/23, more than 30 days prior.

The most recent FBI clearance on file for Facility Person #3 was completed more than 60 months prior. At approximately 11:15 AM on 2/10/23, Facility Person #3 was observed caring for 4 older toddlers in the restroom unsupervised. There was no child abuse clearance from a state in which Facility Person #4 lived in the last 5 years on file.

The disclosure statments on file for Facility Persons #1, #4, #6, #8, #9, #10, and #11 were not signed by a witness.

The facility's emergency plan did not include a plan for continuity of operations, as required by federal regulation.

The most recent date the emergency plan was reviewed and potentially updated was not documented.

The current emergency plan training documented and on file as completed by Facility Person #3 was completed more than 12 months after the previous emergency plan training.

The facility's emergency plan was not posted in a conspicuous location.

There were cleaning supplies, including a disinfectant spray and Lysol spray in an unlocked cabinet under a sink in the Grasshopper room.

The first aid kit in the Grasshopper room was in a backpack hung low enough that it was in reach of children in the room.

There were small areas of peeling paint on walls in the Rainbow Fish and Bumblebee rooms. There was damaged plaster on the ceiling in the stairwell.

The immunization record on file indicate that child #1 did not have sufficient doses of the DTAP, pneumococcal, and Hepatitis A vaccines according to the ACIP recommendations for the age of the child. There was no documentation of annual flu vaccines (recommended by the ACIP) on file for children #1, #3 and #4.

The current health assessment on file for Facility Person #3 was not completed within 24 months after the prior health assessment on file.

The TB test on file for Facility Person #8 was completed more than12 months prior to their start date.

The only emergency drill documented was conducted on 12/21/22, more than 1 year after the effective date of the regulation (12/19/20). The documentation of the emergency drill did not include all required components.

There was no proof of purchase of the interconnected fire alarm system on file at the facility.

The health assessment on file for child #3, enrolled more than 60 days, was not dated.

The most recent firesafety training documented and on file for Facility Person #3 was completed more than 12 months after the previous firesafety training documented.

The most recent staff evaluations on file for Facility Person #3 and #7 were dated "2022," with no further details to the date documented. Previous staff evaluations on file were dated November 2021.

There was no documentation of child care experience on file for Facility Person #2, classified as the program's director.

Facility Person #10 was classified as an assistant group supervisor with documentation of high school graduation and less than 2 years of experience on file.

There was no agreement completed for child #2 when most recently enrolled. The agreement on file for child #1 was not signed by the operator.

The most recent assessment completed, on file, and shared with the parent of child #1 was dated May 2022 more than 6 months prior.

The arrival and departure times were not specified on the agreement on file for child #4.

The agreements on file for children #1 and #4 did not specify the admission date.

The agreements on file for children #1, #3, #4, and #5 were the originals.

There was no current emergency contact form completed at enrollment on file for child #2.

The address of the physician was not included on the emergency contact form on file for child #3.

The addresses of some listed release persons were not included on the emergency contact form on file for child #1.

There were two children in the Rainbow Fish room and one in the Kangaroo room without emergency contacts for them present in that room.

The emergency contact forms on file for children #1 and #4 were reviewed and updated by a parent in writing more than 6 months after the prior review. The agreements on file for children #1 and #4 were not reviewed and updated by a parent in writing in the previous 6 months.

At approximately 12:40 in the Kangaroo room, Facility Person #1 was observed caring for 5 older toddlers who were all resting on rest equipment. Facility Person #1 was seated in a chair at one end of the napping area. From this seated position, Facility Person #1 was unable to see one of the children (Child #1) who was resting, due to the placement of furniture obstructing the view of the child.

According to staff statements, at times the classroom floors in the morning are visibly dirty and not yet cleaned from the day prior.

According to staff statements, the operator did not notify parents of children potentially exposed to covid when a child in care subsequently tested positive for the illness.

The program administration reported the following incident that was also observed via video recordings from the classrooms: On 5/26/22 at approximately 3:00, Child #1, a young schoolager, was seated at a table when Facility Person #1, in response to the child's behavior, abruptly pulled out the chair he was sitting on, causing him to fall onto the floor. Facility Person #1 then dragged the child out of the room and into an empty classroom. When the child shoved a table in that classroom, Facility Person #1 pushed the child into a chair and stood about 1-2 inches in front of him, making it difficult for him to move, and twice pushing him back down on the chair when he tried to get up. Then she carried him to the floor, and sitting behind him, wrapped her arms around him and held him for approximately 5 minutes while he struggled to get up. She released him after about 9 minutes.

The file for Staff #3, who has not resided in PA for the last 5 years, was lacking out of state clearances. The file for Staff #5 contained two mandated reporter trainings that were more than 60 months apart. The file for Staff #4 contained a disclosure statement that was lacking a date. Staff #4 contained an FBI clearance with a record that was lacking the rap sheet. The file for Staff #5, with a hire date of 9/3/21, requested NSOR certificate on 10/28/21, after their start date. The file for Staff #6, with a hire date of 6/23/21, requested NSOR certificate on 8/2/21, after their start date. The file for Staff #7, with a hire date of 6/28/21, contained an NSOR certificate dated 9/2/21, which is more than the 45 day provisional hire period.

The file for Staff #1 was lacking annual emergency plan training. Staff #2, and #5 both contained initial emergency plan training that was conducted more than 7 days after start date.

The first aid kit in the rainbow fish classroom was lacking gloves.

In the Rainbow Fish Room the toy washer had a crack in the lid that could cause a pinch point for the children.

In the Koala Room there was smart sand, small rocks, and pom poms that were all under 1 inch in diameter and accessible to young toddlers still placing objects in their mouths.

The refrigerator in the Butterflies Room was lacking a thermometer to ensure that the refrigerator was maintaining food at 45 degrees or below.

The file for Child #1 contained an immunization record that was lacking one dose of Hepatitis B, one dose of Rotavirus, 2 doses of DTAP, one dose HIB, 2 doses Pneumococcal, and 1 dose Polio. The file for Child #2 contained an immunization record that was lacking one dose DTAP, one dose Varicella, and two doses Hepatitis B.

The file for Staff #2 contained two health assessments that were more than 24 months apart.

The facility was lacking proof of purchase of the interconnected fire detection system.