HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 10162012 - C.106RECOMMENDATION(S):
ACCEPT the Employment & Human Services Department, Community Services Bureau's Corrective Action Plan
and AUTHORIZE submission of this report to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration
for Children and Families, as recommended by Employment & Human Services Interim Director.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None
BACKGROUND:
From September 4, 2012 through September 6, 2012 the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) conducted
a review of the Contra Costa County Head Start and Early Head Start programs as a result of an August 7, 2012
incident around lack of supervision at the Balboa Childcare Center. Based on information gathered during the review,
at least one area of deficiency was identified. When a deficiency of this nature is identified the Office of Head Start
directs the grantee to take immediate corrective action. The Department has prepared a correction action plan This
board order is to seek approval to submit the plan to ACF.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If not approved, the Corrective Action Plan cannot be submmitted to ACF which will delay the process of getting
license clearance.
APPROVE OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
Action of Board On: 10/16/2012 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER
Clerks Notes:
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
AYE:John Gioia, District I
Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II
Supervisor
Mary N. Piepho, District III
Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV
Supervisor
ABSENT:Federal D. Glover, District V
Supervisor
Contact: C. Youngblood, 313-1712
I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the
Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: October 16, 2012
David Twa, County Administrator and Clerk of the Board of Supervisors
By: Carrie Del Bonta, Deputy
cc:
C.106
To:Board of Supervisors
From:Theresa Speiker, Employment & Human Services
Date:October 16, 2012
Contra
Costa
County
Subject:Child Safety Corrective Action Plan for Administration for Children and Families
CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:
The Community Services Bureau of the Employment & Human Services Department’s Early Head Start program
supports three of Contra Costa County’s community outcomes - Outcome 1: “Children Ready for and Succeeding
in School,” Outcome 3: “Families that are Economically Self-sufficient,” and, Outcome 4: “Families that are Safe,
Stable, and Nurturing.” These outcomes are achieved by offering comprehensive services, including high quality
early childhood education, nutrition, and health services to low-income children throughout Contra Costa County.
ATTACHMENTS
Corrective Action Plan
1
Updated 9/25/12
Child Security Corrective Action Plan
September 28, 2012
In response to the August 6, 2012 incident at Balboa Center in which a child was left unattended for approximately 5 minutes between 2:40 and
2:45PM, CSB has implemented the following corrective action plan. The goal of this action plan is to ensure an incident of this nature does not
occur again, while maintaining a transparent method of reporting and communicating to parents, staff, governing bodies and the general public.
Response/Action Responsible Party Timeline Follow-up Supporting
Documentation
Balboa Specific
Facility safety enhancements Director and Division
Manager (DM)
8/7 All completed; resulted in list
of enhanced security measures
– work orders placed on 8/8
1. secure back gate as
staff entrance/exit
only;
2. add alarm/chime to
lobby door to corridor;
3. equip site with front
door camera, doorbell
and buzzer at staff
workstations so door
can remain locked
from exterior;
4. install mirror in lobby
so front desk staff can
see the ½ door
Photos of each area
specified
Immediate reassignment of staff
members pending investigation
Assistant Director (AD) 8/7 Staff members reassigned to
administrative duties pending
full investigation
Reassignment Letter s
Termination of one staff person
responsible for the incident and
disciplinary actions towards three
CSB Personnel Analyst
(PSA)
Effective
10/1
Investigation Report,
Termination
Documentation and
2
Updated 9/25/12
Response/Action Responsible Party Timeline Follow-up Supporting
Documentation
additional staff for their contribution to
its occurrence
Letters of Reprimand
Held Balboa Lead Teacher meeting to
reiterate child safety policies and
directed them to review policies with
their teaching teams.
Site Supervisors (SS) I
and III
8/7 Completed Agenda and Sign-in
sheet
Met individually or in pairs with all
teaching staff to inform them that a child
had been left unattended and to
reiterate child safety policies, including
headcount and transition count.
SSIII and SSI 8/8 Completed Agenda and Sign-in
sheet
Held parent meeting to review child
safety policies, including how to
arm/disarm classroom door alarms and
open/close the alarmed ½ door. SSs used
verbal and visual instruction (through
pictures and demonstration). Touched
bases with all parents who were unable
to attend parent meeting to share
information.
SSIII and SSI 8/8 and 8/9 Completed Agenda, Minutes and
Sign-in sheets
Letter given to all parents informing
them of the nature of the incident, CSB’s
response and to enlist their support as
partners in keeping children safe. SS III
met individually with parents to discuss.
SSIII and SSI 8/10 Completed Letter to Parents
Held follow-up staff meeting to reiterate
child safety policies, discuss procedures,
and hear feedback.
DM 8/16 Completed Agenda, Minutes and
Sign-in Sheets
County-wide response
Facilities staff visited every center to
ensure staff are trained and understand
Business Systems Unit 8/17 Completed List of Centers Visited
with Dates
3
Updated 9/25/12
Response/Action Responsible Party Timeline Follow-up Supporting
Documentation
alarm arming and reset functions.
Meetings
Held county-wide parent meetings at all
centers to discuss child safety and
parents as partners in keeping children
safe.
All SSs
8/24 Completed by 09/18 at all
centers, including part-
day/part-year, which began
9/04.
Sample Agenda and
Minutes
Ensured that all Health & Safety (H&S)
Officers, responsible for monthly H&S
monitoring at CSB centers, test alarms in
addition to looking for red light/on
indicator as part of regular ongoing
monitoring.
DM 8/14 Discussion at monthly health
and safety meeting 8/14
Revised Health and
Safety Checklist ,
sample; Agenda,
Minutes and Sign-in
sheet from Health and
Safety Officer Meeting
Training
Conducted staff training at all sites to
ensure all staff responsible for arming
half doors is clear on the procedure to
ensure doors are properly armed.
All SSs 8/13 Completed List of Training and
Sample Small Group
Conferences
Agency-wide: staff review and training
on:
1. Hourly and transitions head
count checklist,
2. Standard of Conduct ( last done
8/19/11 and 3/1/12),
3. The importance of small
caregiver groups immediately at
the beginning of the school year,
and
4. Safety Tips for Transitioning New
Children into the Classroom.
DM, Assistant Directors
(AD), Education team and
SSs
10/01 Completed Sample Signed
Acknowledgements
Sample Small Group
Conference form and
Supporting
Documentation
Policy/Protocol Enhancements
Policies and procedures updates to 2012
manual:
Education staff and
Facilities Staff
9/30 Additions are complete.
Policies and procedures are
Revised Policies
4
Updated 9/25/12
Response/Action Responsible Party Timeline Follow-up Supporting
Documentation
1. Alarm arming, testing and
reporting procedures.
2. Small caregiver groups assigned
immediately at beginning of
school year.
3. CLOUDS & Headcounts sheet
match: supervisor checks head
counts twice a day.
updated annually in
September and approved in
October
Action Team monitoring reports:
Each Sr. Manager asked to visit two
centers, unannounced, to review security
measures, including alarm tests and
headcount sheet review. Policy Council
Chair, Dawn Miguel joined staff on
several visits.
Senior Management 8/8-9/18 All Action Team site visits
completed. Results shared
with SS to take appropriate
corrective action, including
staff accountability as needed.
Results summarize and shared
with Senior Administrative
Managers 09/21 for further
action. Monthly visits by
Senior Managers incorporated
into monitoring system.
Monitoring Protocol
and Sample Visit with
Follow-up
Enhance “Ready to Learn Curriculum” to
incorporate keeping children safe by
ensuring they understand the rules of
classroom safety (RTL is the beginning of
year 8-week curriculum)
ADs/ Education Managers 10/1 Completed curriculum
enhancement and reviewed
with all teaching staff.
Revised RTL Curriculum
excerpt
Sample Training Agenda