Lehigh Valley Childrens Centers/South Mount
Lehigh Valley Childrens Centers/South Mount is a certified child care center in Allentown, PA, with capacity for 232 children. It holds a Keystone STAR 4 rating. Since August 2021, Pennsylvania certification staff have inspected it 6 times. The state cited 37 violations, 3 of them core-safety (supervision, staff ratios, discipline, background checks, child protection or safe sleep), most often for building & playground safety (14 of 37). 4 citations came in the last 12 months, including 1 on a core-safety topic. Measured by topic-weighted citations per inspection, it is tied for #54 of 82 centers in Allentown and has more citations per inspection than 65% of Pennsylvania certified centers.
Inspection record
Every state visit
What inspectors cited most
Citations, newest first
On 3/26/27 Staff person #1 left child #1 unsupervised in the preschool room for 5 minutes. Staff person was terminated on 3/31/26.
Cert Rep observed 2 water stained ceiling tiles in the hallway near the office. Cert Rep observed several holes in the drywall near the preschool sinks.
Staff person #1 has not completed mandated reporter training within the last 60 months. This is evidenced by the previously documented mandated reporter training on file being dated 6/26/20. Staff person #2 has not completed mandated reporter training within the last 60 months. This is evidenced by the previously documented mandated reporter training on file being dated 8/31/20. Staff person #3 has not completed mandated reporter training within the last 60 months. This is evidenced by the previously documented mandated reporter training on file being dated 6/13/20. Staff person #4 has not completed mandated reporter training within the last 60 months. This is evidenced by the previously documented mandated reporter training on file being dated 9/27/20. Staff person #5 has not completed mandated reporter training within the last 60 months. This is evidenced by the previously documented mandated reporter training on file being dated 9/20/20. Staff person #6 has not completed mandated reporter training within the last 60 months. This is evidenced by the previously documented mandated reporter training on file being dated 8/31/20.
Staff person #4 is missing two written nonfamily references.
The fire drill log reflects the last fire drill conducted was on 6/7/24, which exceeds the requirement of conducting a fire drill every 60 days.
The fire system check log reflects the last system check was conducted on 6/7/24, which exceeds the requirement of testing the fire system every 30 days.
Staff person #2 is missing proof of the required 1 hour health and safety training.
Staff person #4 has not completed the following required pre service training within 90 days of their date of hire.
Staff person #1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, & 7 do not have annual written evaluations on file.
Staff 3 had a volunteer child abuse clearance on file.
Show 27 older citations
In the downstairs infant/toddler area, there were cleaning supplies accessible to children in an unlocked cabinet.
In the back downstairs toddler room, the hot water temperature measured at 112 degrees.
In the upstairs school age bathroom and the gross motor room, plaster was crumbling.
Children 3 and 6 did not have an updated fu shot or exemption letter on file.
Staff person #2 and 4 did not complete the required one-hour 2022 update to the health and safety training by 12/30/2022.
Child 3 had an outdated child service report. The child service report was last updated 4/21/2022. Children 7 and 8 did not have child service reports on file. Please see LIS for dates of admission.
Child 2 did not have a health insurance policy number on file.
Children 1 and 2 currently have updated emergency forms on file. There was previously more than 6 months between between. Children 1 and 2 had updates in 09/2022 and not again until 09/2023. Children 4, 5 and 7 currently need updated emergency forms. Child 4 last had the emergency form updated 11/4/2022, child 5's emergency form was updated 7/7/2022 and child 7's emergency form was last updated 3/9/2023.
Staff 1 did not have proof of child care experience on file.
Staff 1 did not have an approved pediatric first aid/cpr training curriculum or trainer on file during the annual renewal inspection on 10/18/2023.
Staff 1 had a DOE clearance on file, which is no longer accepted by DHS. Staff 1 also lived in New York within the past 5 years and did not have out of state clearances on file.
There was an uncovered outlet in the gross motor room.
In the infant room, both sinks measured at 112 degrees.
There was exposed foam from a mat in the school age classroom.
Child 1 and 3 need updated health assessments and immunizations (See LIS code sheet for date of birth (DOB) and date of admission (DOA). Child 1's updated health assessment was on 4/11/2022 and did not have updated Rotavirus, DTAP, HIB, Pneumococcal, Polio, MMR and Varicella vaccines. Child 3's last updated health assessment was on 7/27/2021 and did not have MMR, Varicella and Hepatitis A updated.
Child 2 (See LIS code sheet for date of birth (DOB) and date of admission (DOA) had a physical that was last updated on 1/25/2021, making it more than 12 months since the last update.
Staff 2 (see LIS code sheet for date of hire (DOH), did not have a health assessment on file that was within 12 months of hire.
During the annual renewal inspection on 10/14/2022, the fire alarm testing was last completed on 9/6/2022, making it more than 30 days since the last fire alarm test.
Child 7 did not have the health insurance policy number on file.
Children 4 and 5 did not have updated fee agreements on file. Child 4's fee agreement was last dated 3/4/2022 and child 5's was last dated 3/21/2022.
Child 6 did not have updated consent for emergency medical care and minor first aid on file.
Staff person #1 completed the pre-service health and safety training on 7/6/2016, which is before 9/30/2016. If the "Health & Safety Basics: Requirements for Certification", which is the training staff 1 took, was taken before 9/30/2016 or after 6/30/2018, it is considered not acceptable.
In the first floor play area, there was a missing outlet cover against the back wall.
In the infant room, the temperature of the sink was 114 degrees.
The first aid kit in the upstairs preschool room, behind the school age room, was missing tweezers.
The mixed tods classroom had peeling paint on the right wall. The first floor gym had peeling paint by the exit door.
Facility did not have proof of purchase on file for the fire alarm system.
“Core safety” marks citations about supervision and staff ratios, discipline and caregiver conduct, background checks, child protection and safe sleep, the topics our score weights most. Pennsylvania’s records don’t grade violations by severity. “Follow-up” marks a violation re-cited at a follow-up visit, counted once. How scores work.
Complaint investigations and reported incidents
Pennsylvania’s search lists complaint investigations in which the state found at least one violation (“verified complaints”). It does not say what a complaint alleged, or whether every violation relates to it. Incident investigations look into something that happened at the center; self-reported violations are ones the center reported to the state itself.
Daily rates
| Age group | Full time, per day | Part time, per day |
|---|---|---|
| Newborn (Under 6 Weeks) | $54.80 | $44.40 |
| Infant (6 Weeks-12 mos.) | $54.80 | $44.40 |
| Young Toddler (13-24 mos.) | $50.80 | $42.60 |
| Older Toddler (25-36 mos.) | $49.60 | $40.80 |
| Preschool (37 mos.- Entering K) | $46.20 | $38.00 |
| Young School-Age (K-3rd gr.) | $38.40 | $31.20 |
| Older School-Age (4th gr.-15 yrs.) | $38.40 | $31.20 |
The daily price the center lists in Pennsylvania’s COMPASS search for families paying privately. The state notes that rates are subject to change and programs don’t have to share them, so confirm with the center. See what daycare costs in Pennsylvania.
About this center
Common questions
Has Lehigh Valley Childrens Centers/South Mount had any serious violations?
Pennsylvania cited 3 violations since 2021 on the topics Daycare Record treats as core safety (supervision, staff ratios, discipline, background checks, child protection or safe sleep). The most recent, on Apr 6, 2026 (supervision): “On 3/26/27 Staff person #1 left child #1 unsupervised in the preschool room for 5 minutes. Staff person was terminated on 3/31/26.” Pennsylvania’s records don’t grade violations by severity; each citation is listed in full above.
Have there been complaints about Lehigh Valley Childrens Centers/South Mount?
Pennsylvania lists no complaint investigation that found a violation at Lehigh Valley Childrens Centers/South Mount since 2021. Its search shows these “verified complaints” but not what a complaint alleged, or whether every violation relates to it.
What is Lehigh Valley Childrens Centers/South Mount’s Keystone STARS rating?
STAR 4, effective Jan 6, 2026. Keystone STARS is Pennsylvania’s quality rating program for child care, from STAR 1 to STAR 4. It measures program quality, not inspection results, so read both.
How does Lehigh Valley Childrens Centers/South Mount compare with other daycares in Allentown?
It is tied for #54 of 82 centers in Allentown by topic-weighted citations per inspection, and has more citations per inspection than 65% of Pennsylvania certified centers with enough inspection history to compare.
When was Lehigh Valley Childrens Centers/South Mount last inspected?
Oct 16, 2025 (renewal). The state cited at least one violation during that visit.
How much does Lehigh Valley Childrens Centers/South Mount cost?
It reported full-time daily rates of $54.80 for newborn, $54.80 for infant, $50.80 for young toddler, $49.60 for older toddler in Pennsylvania’s COMPASS search. Rates can change; confirm with the center.
Who runs Lehigh Valley Childrens Centers/South Mount?
The legal entity on its Pennsylvania certificate is Lehigh Valley Childrens Centers INC.
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Citations are quoted from Pennsylvania Department of Human Services inspection records (Office of Child Development and Early Learning, Bureau of Certification Services), including each finding and the center’s plan of correction. Rule numbers refer mostly to 55 Pa. Code Chapter 3270, the rules for child care centers; a few cite Chapter 20, which covers every certified facility. Pennsylvania’s records don’t grade violations by severity; the “core safety” label and the score are Daycare Record’s.
To check the state’s own record, search the center’s name on COMPASS Child Care Provider Search and open its inspection history. Data refreshed Oct 16, 2026.
Comparing centers? See how to choose a daycare: 30 questions to ask and a printable checklist.
Concerned about this center? See how to report a daycare: which state line to call, what to write down and what happens next.