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Health & Fitness

Closing Unsafe Child Care Centers

Each week I write information to help you in your parenting role.  But today, I am sharing my outrage with the Kidz in Action Child Care Center on Palm Street.  Monday's Post Dispatch front page article described an intolerable situation for licensing agents, but most of all for children!  The center having had a history of licensing abuse (keep in mind that state child care licensing standards are minimum in nature), continued to operate through appeals in a cumbersome administrative process.   Only by the having the property condemned, did the center have to close.

As reported, the infractions were:

1.      No soap at diapering areas and employee bathroom

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2.      No hot water in the kitchen

3.      Leaky roof

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4.      Problems with 2 water heaters, including one sealed behind a wall without ventilation.  Gas water heater converted with a heating element from an electric stove, plugged into an extension cord, and ‘fed into a lighting fixture’

5.      ‘Major rubbish’ outside the center and broken window

6.      Front door unable to close properly, allowing free access

7.      Misreporting of attendance and food subsidy claims

The Department of Health & Human Services asked the St. Louis City Building Division to make an inspection—resulting in the commendation.  There are other problems with unpaid back taxes.  Now the tuition and food subsidy programs have stopped.

None of us want children in an environment like this!!!!  We need to voice our opinion giving the Department of Health and Senior Services (child care regulatory agency) more ‘teeth’ in what they are able to do, and the timeliness of closing a center.  The operator of the center has a hearing on Thursday, July 18th with the city to ‘seek to regain her occupancy permit—a key step toward potentially opening’. 

 

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