Huckleberry’s Friends Preschool and Child Care

Rule violated (DCDEE’s description below)

“A safe indoor and outdoor environment was not provided for the children. on playground #2, I observed raised wooden planter boxes and the end pieces are decayed and splintering. As a result of the boards falling off and being removed, it left nails exposed which are hazardous to the children. The raised beds will need to be repaired or removed ASAP.”

Rule Rule violated (DCDEE’s description below). Correction date, as North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE) recorded it: Jun 2, 2026. Correction verified: by a letter from the provider.

Caregivers did not document compliance with visually checking on sleeping infants aged 12 months or younger and/or the documents were not maintained for a minimum of one month.

“There was no documentation on file for the infant who was observed napping during my visit today. There was also no documentation of sleep checks on file for any of the Infants age 0-12 months on file for 1-27-25.”

Rule Caregivers did not document compliance with visually checking on sleeping infants aged 12 months or younger and/or the documents were not maintained for a minimum of one month.. Correction date, as North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE) recorded it: Feb 11, 2025. Correction verified: by a letter from the provider.

Human milk, formula and other bottled beverages including sippy cups, sent from child’s home were not fully prepared, dated, and labeled for the appropriate child.

“Two bottles of milk were labeled but not dated which were located in one of the infant room refrigerators.”

Rule Human milk, formula and other bottled beverages including sippy cups, sent from child's home were not fully prepared, dated, and labeled for the appropriate child.. Correction date, as North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE) recorded it: Feb 11, 2025. Correction verified: by a letter from the provider.

Plastic bags, materials that could be torn apart and toy parts small enough to be swallowed were accessible to children under three years of age.

“There was a cabinet in one of the infant rooms which had a broken lock in which plastic bags and gloves were being stored.”

Rule Plastic bags, materials that could be torn apart and toy parts small enough to be swallowed were accessible to children under three years of age.. Correction date, as North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE) recorded it: Feb 11, 2025. Correction verified: by a letter from the provider.

A child was restrained as a form of discipline and the child’s safety or the safety of others was not at risk.

“A staff member put their leg across a child’s legs to prevent the child from getting up from a chair.”

Rule A child was restrained as a form of discipline and the child's safety or the safety of others was not at risk.. Corrected during the inspection.

A safe indoor and outdoor environment was not provided for the children.

“On July, 3, 2024, a staff member held a bottle in the mouth of a crying infant. On July 29, 2024, a staff member failed to secure an infant in a highchair and the tray on the highchair resulting in the infant falling from the highchair to the floor. In September 2024, a child injured their hand on a nail sticking from the fence on the playground.”

Rule A safe indoor and outdoor environment was not provided for the children.. Corrected during the inspection.

Appropriate discipline practices were not followed.

“A staff member put a five-year-old child in time out for an extended period of time.”

Rule Appropriate discipline practices were not followed.. Corrected during the inspection.

Child care providers scheduled to work in the infant room, did not complete ITS-SIDS training within two months of employment or did not complete the training every three years.

“Child care administrators did not complete the ITS-SIDS training within 90 days of employment and every three years thereafter. A staff member caring for infants failed to maintain a valid ITS-SIDS training certification.”

Rule Child care providers scheduled to work in the infant room, did not complete ITS-SIDS training within two months of employment or did not complete the training every three years.. Corrected during the inspection.

Child was handled roughly.

“On July 3, 2024, a staff member lifted a six-month old infant from the floor by the arm and carried the infant to another area in the classroom. A staff member grabbed a three-year-old child by the arm resulting in a scratch to the child’s arm. A staff member sat a five-year-old child in a chair in an aggressive manner.”

Rule Child was handled roughly.. Corrected during the inspection.

Each child was not attended to in a nurturing and appropriate manner, or in keeping with the child’s developmental needs.

“On January 24, 2024, two staff members engaged in a verbal altercation and used profanity in the presence of children. A staff member failed to respond appropriately to a crying child.”

Rule Each child was not attended to in a nurturing and appropriate manner, or in keeping with the child's developmental needs.. Corrected during the inspection.

There was a substantiation of child maltreatment.

“On December 3, 2024, the Division substantiated maltreatment based on the failure to meet the physical needs of children.”

Rule There was a substantiation of child maltreatment.. Corrected during the inspection.

Outdoor play area was not enclosed by fence with a minimum height of 4 feet.

“The top of the fence, less than six feet, was not free from protrusions. During today’s visit, I observed the portion of the fence that was missing on 6-18-24 still has not been repaired. This is a repeat violation.”

Rule Outdoor play area was not enclosed by fence with a minimum height of 4 feet.. Correction date, as North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE) recorded it: Jul 15, 2024. Correction verified: by a letter from the provider.

The depth of the loose surfacing was not based on critical height of the equipment.

“I observed during today’s visit that the surfacing which was observed out of compliance on 6-18-24 still has not been corrected. This is a repeat violation.”

Rule The depth of the loose surfacing was not based on critical height of the equipment.. Correction date, as North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE) recorded it: Jul 15, 2024. Correction verified: by a letter from the provider.

Activities and allotted times reflected in the schedule were not developmentally appropriate for the children in care.

“The four and five year old class went on a field trip to the movies to see the movie “Teenage Mutant Teenage Turtles” which is rated PG and considered not developmentally appropriate for the age group involved. Permission from each child’s parent/guardian was not on file.”

Rule Activities and allotted times reflected in the schedule were not developmentally appropriate for the children in care.. Correction date, as North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE) recorded it: Jul 3, 2024. Correction verified: by a letter from the provider.

Outdoor play area was not enclosed by fence with a minimum height of 4 feet.

“The top of the fence, less than six feet, was not free from protrusions. A portion of the back side of the fence facing Lawndale Street on playground #1 was observed missing during my visit today.”

Rule Outdoor play area was not enclosed by fence with a minimum height of 4 feet.. Corrected during the inspection.

The child care center premises, including the outdoor learning environment, was not clean, drained to minimize standing water, free of litter and hazards, and/or maintained in a manner which does not create conditions that attract or harbor pests.

“Water was standing on a large plastic couch on playground #2 during my visit today.”

Rule The child care center premises, including the outdoor learning environment, was not clean, drained to minimize standing water, free of litter and hazards, and/or maintained in a manner which does not create conditions that attract or harbor pests.. Correction date, as North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE) recorded it: Jul 3, 2024. Correction verified: by a letter from the provider.

The depth of the loose surfacing was not based on critical height of the equipment.

“The mulch surfacing underneath the large climber on playground #2 did not meet the required depth.”

Rule The depth of the loose surfacing was not based on critical height of the equipment.. Corrected during the inspection.

A child’s hands were not washed after each diaper change.

“Two children’s hands were not washed after diaper changes in the Infant Room.”

Rule A child's hands were not washed after each diaper change.. Correction date, as North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE) recorded it: Mar 12, 2024. Correction verified: by a letter from the provider.

A safe indoor and outdoor environment was not provided for the children.

“Cleaning solution was sprayed on a high chair while a child was in a crib located right beside the chair being cleaned.”

Rule A safe indoor and outdoor environment was not provided for the children.. Correction date, as North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE) recorded it: Mar 12, 2024. Correction verified: by a letter from the provider.

All staff did not wash their hands thoroughly after diapering each child.

“I observed three occurrences of staff not washing their hands in the Infant Room during my visit.”

Rule All staff did not wash their hands thoroughly after diapering each child.. Correction date, as North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE) recorded it: Mar 12, 2024. Correction verified: by a letter from the provider.

Diaper changing surfaces were not cleaned with a detergent solution and disinfected after each use.

“Two instances of diaper changing procedures were observed out of compliance in the Infant classroom.”

Rule Diaper changing surfaces were not cleaned with a detergent solution and disinfected after each use.. Correction date, as North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE) recorded it: Mar 12, 2024. Correction verified: by a letter from the provider.

Toys and other mouth-contact surfaces were not cleaned and sanitized daily when used or cleaned more frequently if visibly dirty.

“I observed a pink/purple rattle and green plastic grapes mouthed at least by two children in the Infant Room but were not removed from the play area.”

Rule Toys and other mouth-contact surfaces were not cleaned and sanitized daily when used or cleaned more frequently if visibly dirty.. Correction date, as North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE) recorded it: Mar 12, 2024. Correction verified: by a letter from the provider.

For children 2 years of age and older, a minimum of 60 minutes of outdoor time throughout the day was not provided.

“Children ages 0-12 in care for less than five hours per day was not provided at least 30 minutes of outdoor time throughout the day. On January 30, 2024, staff members in a classroom for three-year-old children did not provide outdoor time for the children.”

Rule For children 2 years of age and older, a minimum of 60 minutes of outdoor time throughout the day was not provided.. Correction date, as North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE) recorded it: Apr 17, 2024. Correction verified: by a letter from the provider.