Newsroom

False Records, Inadequate Supervision Result in Loss of Baton Rouge Area Child Care License

November 22, 2011

BATON ROUGE - The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) has revoked the child care license of Children of the Future, a child care center in Baton Rouge, based on falsified attendance records and inadequate supervision.

"So many licensed child care centers in our state are providing safe, nurturing care for the children they enroll in accordance with child care regulations, but when a center fails to take steps to ensure that children are properly supervised, accounted for and protected, the regulations require that we put the safety of children first and take action," said DCFS Secretary Ruth Johnson.

Johnson said that Louisiana Revised Statute 46:1419, as amended by Acts 2009, No. 194, gives DCFS sole authority to deny or revoke a license when a center fails to comply with the provisions of the Child Care Facilities and Child Placing Agencies Licensing Act or any published rules governing child care.

DCFS issued the revocation notice due to noncompliance with the statues and with the Child Day Care Class A minimum standards.

Violations for Children of the Future include falsifying children's daily attendance records on 19 occasions in one month. DCFS inspectors found records that falsely indicated that children were present at the facility, which conflicted with staff attendance records that indicated all staff had left the premises for the day or the facility had closed.

In addition, the center failed to maintain proper child to staff supervisory ratios seven times between October 1 and November 1. Upon inspection, DCFS found that during these times as many as 13 children aged infant to age eight were left under the supervision of a single staff person for up to eight hours at a time.

The center also was cited for failure to maintain liability insurance to ensure medical coverage.

The center was notified of their right to contest the decision by submitting a written request for a fair hearing before an administrative law judge within 15 days of receipt of the notice and citing specific reasons why the facility believes the Department's decision was reached in error. Centers can remain open until the 15 days has passed or the appeal process is complete.

DCFS will terminate the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) for the center pending the outcome of the appeals process. CCAP provides funding to child care centers to help low-income families pay for child care. DCFS will notify all parents with children enrolled at the center who received CCAP to inform them of the termination and to offer them assistance in securing other child care arrangements.

Parents can view online inspection reports for child care facilities licensed by DCFS at www.dcfs.la.gov/ChildCareFacilities.

-30-