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25 | On 6/26/2024 Licensing Program Analyst (LPA) A. Silva conducted an unannounced investigation inspection. This is a continuation of the investigation initiated on 5/22/2024. Upon arrival, the LPA met with School Education Manager (SEM) Deepal Parikh and informed her the of the purpose of the visit. A review of the Facility Personnel Report Summary shows all facility staff or individuals who require caregiver background checks have received a criminal record clearance and a child abuse index clearance or an exemption clearance. The census at the time of the visit was 66 children.
The Department received an incident report on 5/17/2024 alleging that staff squeezed Child 1’s (C1) hand tightly.
On 5/22/2024, the LPA interviewed five staff at the facility. When asked why the child would make such an allegation, Staff #2 (S2) said, “I grabbed [C1] by the hand and held [C1] from behind… I picked [C1] up and carried [C1].” The rest of the staff said that it is not their practice to touch children. S5 disclosed that they were planning on disenrolling the child from the school due to the challenging behavior.
During an incident investigation, an anonymous party disclosed that Staff 4 (S4) engaged in coercion and carried out threats against Child 1 (C1) in an attempt to control C1’s challenging behavior. The LPA interviewed S4 about the allegations. S4 was asked to describe the incident when she/he tore C1’s artwork. S4 disclosed that the artwork in question did not belong to C1 but looked like C1’s drawing. During the interview, S4 recalled, “I told [C1] if you are not listening, I’m going to tear it” referring to the drawing, which C1 believed was hers/his. When asked “Did you tear it?”, S4 replied, No, not C1’s. I tore my own. S4 admitted she/he carried out the threat in an attempt to coerce C1 into compliance.
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