Nessas Small Steps Child Care LLC

A renewal inspection occurred at the facility. A review of staff files was conducted. See the code sheet for the date of hire. Staff #3 was not hired correctly as required by the CPSL. Staff #3 did not obtain their NSOR clearance until 12/11/25. Staff #5 was hired using a volunteer child abuse clearance dated 9/18/23 for a child care role at the facility. Staff #5 was working at the time of this inspection, did not have the correct child abuse clearance on file, and was not hired correctly as required by the CPSL.

A renewal inspection occurred at the facility. A physical site review was conducted. Regulation requires a thermometer in refrigerators to ensure the refrigerator is 45 degrees or less. The refrigerator in the far-right unit's kitchen did not contain a thermometer.

A renewal inspection occurred at the facility. A review of children's files was conducted. Regulation requires children to have an updated health report in the file at least every 12 months for an older toddler or preschool child. The following preschool aged children did not have updated health assessments in their files: Child #2 (previous 8/23/24, no current) and Child #4 (previous 6/25/24, current 1/6/26).

A renewal inspection occurred at the facility. A review of children's files was conducted. Regulation requires written parental consent for administration of medication. The following children require medication, and this medication was viewed at the facility, but the facility did not have written parental consent to administer the medication: Child #6 (EpiPen) and Child #7 (EpiPen and Benadryl).

A renewal inspection occurred at the facility. A review of staff files was conducted. Regulation requires staff to participate in fire safety training on an annual basis. The following staff did not participate in annual fire safety training: Staff #1 (previous 9/19/24, no current) and Staff #2 (previous 3/21/24, no current).

An unannounced inspection occurred at the facility on 10/11/24. A review of staff files was conducted. See the code sheet for the date of hire. Staff #2 was hired using an expired FBI clearance (dated 7/12/18). Staff #2 did not have documentation of applying for a new FBI clearance prior to working in a child care role at the facility. Staff #2 was also observed to be unsupervised and to be caring for a group of children at the time of this inspection. Staff #3 was hired incorrectly as a provisional hire in regard to the CPSL. Staff #3 did not obtain a state police clearance until 10/15/24. Staff #3 applied for an FBI clearance prior to working in a child care role at the facility, but the file did not contain the FBI clearance at the time of this inspection.

An unannounced inspection occurred at the facility on 10/11/24. A review of staff files was conducted. See the code sheet for the date of hire. Regulation requires staff to provide two letters of written reference attesting to the person's suitability to work in a child care role. At the time of the inspection, Staff #3 was working, and the file did not contain two letters of written reference.

The emergency plan on file did not include a continuity of operations.

Child #2 (see code sheet for birthdate) does not have documentation for the pneumococcal and varicella vaccines for the previous year, and no letter of exemption for these vaccinations is on file.

Staff person #2 (see code sheet for date of hire) had health assessments on file dated 2/23/21 and 1/22/24. Staff person #6 (see code sheet for date of hire) had health assessments on file dated 10/26/21 and 2/12/24. More than 24 months had lapsed between the health assessments.