La Petite Academy #7139
A child day center in Portsmouth, Virginia 23703
3903 Cedar Lane, Portsmouth, Virginia 23703. (757) 483-4325.
Watch and the shortlist are kept with a free account, on every device. Your watch list. Virginia’s own record is on legacy.dss.virginia.gov.
The short answer
- 20 deficiencies in the last three years
- Jun 22026 the latest visit on record
- 115 children, its licensed capacity
Each figure’s source sits beside it, in its section below.
What these words mean4
- Inspection (survey)
- A visit by state inspectors, often unannounced, who check a place against the rules it must meet. For nursing homes and other places Medicare pays, CMS calls these visits surveys: a standard survey of a nursing home comes at least every 15 months, and a complaint survey whenever a complaint calls for one. Source: CMS; 42 CFR 488.308.
- Deficiency, citation, violation
- What inspectors write up when a place didn’t meet a rule: the rule, what they saw, and when. CMS calls it a deficiency; states may say citation or violation. It is the inspectors’ finding, not a court’s, and the place is usually asked for a plan to correct it. Source: CMS, statement of deficiencies (Form CMS-2567); each state’s licensing agency.
- Licence status
- Whether the state’s licence lets the place operate now, in the state’s own words: licensed, on probation (allowed to keep operating on conditions, after problems), provisional, pending or expired. Source: Each state’s licensing agency.
- Capacity
- The most people the licence or certification lets the place care for at once: residents, children, beds or apartments, as the state counts them. It isn’t how many are there now. Source: Each state’s licensing agency.
What did inspectors find?
13 inspections on record, the latest on Jun 2, 2026.
20 violations cited in the last three years.
Virginia Department of Education, Search for Child Day Care: each inspection’s page, with its violations. Checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated weekly.
When those deficiencies happened
20 deficiencies in 5 months of the last 36. Last cited Jun 2026. The last 3 years, to Nov 5, 2026.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Dec | |||||||||||
| 2024 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| 2025 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| 2026 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov |
Hover or focus a month to read it.
Hearth Record drew this from the dates and levels in the source’s own records.
Each deficiency, in its source’s words
Grouped by visit, newest first, with the level its source gave it.
Virginia Department of Education, Search for Child Day Care: each inspection’s page, with its violations. Checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated weekly.
Jun 2, 2026: subsidy health and safety inspection7 deficiencies
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22.1-289.035-B-4
“The center is required to obtain background checks from any state in which the individual has resided in the preceding five years. Staff #1, employed for more than 30 days, did not have documentation of requesting a criminal history check from one state.”
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8VAC20-780-260-A
“The center shall provide to the licensing representative an annual fire inspection report from the appropriate fire official having jurisdiction. The most recent fire inspection available for review was dated 1/10/2025 and therefore past due for update.”
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8VAC20-780-270-A
“Areas and equipment of the center, inside and outside, shall be maintained in a clean, safe and operable condition. 1 - There is an area flashing missing in the infant room where the wall meets floor that is approximately 6 - 8 inches long. There is gap between the two that is large enough for an infants hand to fit in. 2 - On the large climb and slide playground, there are areas of rust peeling and protective vinyl, within reach of children.”
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8VAC20-780-290-2
“Fans, when used, shall be out of reach of children. There was a portable fan within reach of children in the preschool room. The fan was on during the inspection. Multiple fans within reach of children at the onset of the inspection.”
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8VAC20-780-330-B
“Resilient surfacing shall comply with minimum safety standards and be under equipment with moving parts or climbing apparatus to create a fall zone free of hazardous obstacles. There is grass growing in the resilient surface material in the fall zones which negates the resiliency of the surface.”
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8VAC20-780-350-Q
The inspectors’ words, 112 words
“With a parent’s written permission and a written assessment by the program director and program leader, a center may choose to assign a child to a different age group if such age group is more appropriate for the child’s developmental level and the staff-to-children ratio and group size shall be for the established age group. A child who had not yet turned two was a part of the two year old classroom where a 1:8 ratio was in place. However, there was not documentation a an assessment by the program director and program leader that the child was developmentally ready to be apart the two year old classroom with a 1:8 ratio.”
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8VAC20-780-500-A
“Staff shall wash their hands with soap and running water before a diaper change. A staff did not wash her hands before changing the diaper of child in care.”
Nov 25, 2025: inspection3 deficiencies
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22.1-289.011-F
“The license and any other documents required shall be posted in a conspicuous place on the licensed premises. The findings from the most recent inspection were not posted in a conspicuous place on the premises.”
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8VAC20-780-520-C
“Written parent authorization is required if diaper ointment or cream is used. One out of 12 diaper creams/ointments do not have any written parent authorization.”
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8VAC20-780-560-M
“No child shall be allowed to drink or eat while walking around. Children were observed walking around while drinking, outside.”
Feb 28, 2025: inspection3 deficiencies
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22.1-289.035-A
“The center is required to have employees undergo a background check every five years. The most recent central registry check for staff #2 was overdue by fewer than three weeks.”
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8VAC20-780-270-A
“Areas and equipment of the center, inside and outside, shall be maintained in a clean, safe and operable condition. The closet, in the two-year-old classroom, where the furnace is located was unlocked and accessible. Additionally, there were three paper children’s books on the floor of the closet creating a flammable environment. Additionally, in the two-year-old classroom there are two wooden cubbies that are not secured to the wall.”
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8VAC20-780-270-E
“Drinking fountains or individual disposable cups with safe drinking water shall be accessible at all times. Staff #1 denied child #1 access to a cup or fountain when the child requested a drink of water.”
Sep 20, 2024: inspection2 deficiencies
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8VAC20-780-370-3
“Daily activities for infants require outdoor time if weather and air quality allow based upon the Air Quality Color Code Chart as provided by the Department of Environmental Quality. Children in the infant did not go outside at all during the day on 9/20/2024.”
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8VAC20-780-370-5
“Daily activities for infants require infants, who cannot turn themselves over and are awake, shall be placed on their stomachs a total of 30 minutes each day to facilitate upper body strength and to address misshapen head concerns. Child #1, a six month old, did not have documentation of having tummy time during the day on 9/20/2024.”
May 7, 2024: inspection5 deficiencies
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8VAC20-780-270-A
“Based on observation the center failed to ensure that areas are maintained in safe condition. Evidence: The water fountain on the playground has areas of rust and peeling paint within reach of children.”
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8VAC20-780-280-B
“Based on observation the center failed to ensure that hazardous substances are kept in a locked place. Evidence: 1 - In the four year old room there was bleach stored in the unlocked teacher cabinet. 2 - In the toddler room there was 1 spray bottle of bleach solution in the unlocked cabinet . a. Additionally, there was one spray bottle of bleach water solution sitting on a counter top, an unlocked location.”
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8VAC20-780-410-6
“Based on observation the center failed to ensure that verbal remarks which are demeaning to the child are forbidden. Evidence: 1 - Staff #1 was heard using a raised voice while speaking to a child in care saying “That is not nice, You don’t hit, No more books, Sit Down. 2 - The child began to cry and sat down.”
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8VAC20-780-500-B
“Based on observation the center failed to ensure that the diapering surface is used only for diapering or cleaning children. Evidence: Staff repeatedly used the diaper changing table as a storage space during the inspection. The following items were placed on the diaper surface: an electronic tablet, spray bottles and a clip board.”
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8VAC20-780-570-A
“Based on observation the center failed to ensure that when a child is placed in a high chair, the protective belt is fastened securely. Evidence: 1 - Child #1 was observed sitting in a high chair eating without the safety belt engaged.”
Feb 7, 2023: inspection4 deficiencies
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8VAC20-780-160-A
“Based on record review the center failed to ensure that each staff member submit documentation of negative tuberculosis screening at the time of employment and prior to coming into contact with children. Evidence: 1 - The record for Staff #3 does not have any documentation of a completed tuberculosis screening. a. Staff #3 was present providing direct care to children during the inspection. b. Staff #3 had a documented date of hire as November 28, 2022.”
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8VAC20-780-270-A
The inspectors’ words, 278 words
“Based on observation the center failed to maintain areas and equipment of the center inside and outside in clean safe and operable condition. Evidence: Outside: 1 - There was large areas of peeling paint, within reach of children on the building and on the yellow support poles of the shade structure. 2 - The bottom of the down spout on the toddler playground had a large area where the plastic tube has broken off leaving a jagged edge within reach of children. Inside 1 - Throughout the building the dark wood molding around door frames, windows and baseboards had areas of chipped and peeling finish. 2 - Throughout the building the flooring is discolored appearing to be unclean. 3 - Additionally, the corners and along the baseboards there is a heavy build-up of black grit and dirt. 4 - Furthermore, there areas of flooring that were cracked and or separating from the floor and baseboards where black and dirt had built up. 5 - There was a sink cabinet in the preschool room appears to have had areas of water damage. One side panel is discolored and the Venere is raised, buckling and chipped. Also there was a black substance growing within reach of children on this sink cabinet. a. Additionally on the same sink there was missing a piece of Venere where a section, approximately four - five inches, had broken off exposing an area of particle board that also has a black substance growing in the area of missing piece. 6 - There was areas of peeling paint round the sink in the preschool room. This location also had areas of rust within reach of children.”
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8VAC20-780-570-I
“Based on interview the center failed to ensure that a one-day’s emergency supply of formulas appropriate for the children in care is maintained at the center. Evidence: Infant room staff report that the emergency supply of formula maintained by the center has an expiration date of September 2022. Therefore, the formula has expired and in the event of an emergency cannot be fed to infants in care.”
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8VAC20-780-70
“Based on record review the center failed to ensure that staff records are kept for each staff person. Evidence: There was not any staff record available for review for Staff #1 who was present working alone in the three-four year old room classroom during the inspection.”
Jun 1, 2022: inspection5 deficiencies
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8VAC20-770-60-C-2
The inspectors’ words, 113 words
“Based on record review the center failed to obtain a central registry finding within 30 days of employment. Evidence: 1 - The record for staff 2 does not have any documentation of a central registry finding. a. Staff 2 has a documented date of hire as May 16, 2022. b. Staff 2 was observed providing to children in care during the inspection. c. There is not documentation of the date the request was sent nor of follow-up after 30 days and there not being any results. 2 - Staff 1 confirmed that there were not central registry finding in the file for staff 2 who had been employed for more than 30 days.”
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8VAC20-780-270-A
The inspectors’ words, 123 words
“Based on observation and interview the failed to ensure that areas are maintained in safe condition. Evidence: 1 - In the two year old room there were two small toys on the floor where children were playing that measured less than 1 inch in diameter. These items posed a choking hazard. 2 - Staff present in the classroom were unaware of the items until they were pointed out to by a third party. 3 - In the four/five year old room there is a carpet on floor in area where children play and walk that is frayed creating a trip hazard. 4 - Railroad ties used edge the playground and hold resilient surface in place had areas of rotting, deteriorating and splitting wood.”
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8VAC20-780-330-B
“Based on observation the center failed to ensure resilient surfacing complies with safety standards underneath and surrounding climbing and equipment with moving parts. Evidence: There was less than six inches of resilient surface under around and in the fall/use zone of equipment that children climb on.”
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8VAC20-780-440-L
“Based on observation the center failed to ensure that pillows and filled comforters are not used by children under two years of age. Evidence: 1 - Child 1 was observed napping under a filled comforter. 2 - Staff present stated that child 1 was not yet two years old.”
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8VAC20-780-500-B
“Based on observation the center failed to ensure that disposable diapers are disposed in a leakproof or plastic-lined storage system that is foot-operated in such a way that neither the staff member’s hand nor the soiled diaper touches an exterior surface of the storage system during disposal. Evidence: The diaper in use in the infant room has a swinging lid which the diaper, the surface of which is touched by the soiled diaper during disposal.”
Apr 8, 2021: inspection3 deficiencies
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8VAC20-780-340-F
The inspectors’ words, 167 words
“Based on review of video footage, staff interviews and written documentation the center failed to ensure that children under 10 years of age are always within actual sight and sound supervision of staff. Evidence: 1 - On April 20th, for approximately two to four minutes children 2, 3 and 4 were alone on the center property, outside the fenced toddler playground, on the grassy area near the center dumpster. The three children exited the fenced toddler playground through a gate which did not have the child proof latches engaged. 2 - While inside the two year old classroom staff 3 observed a parent looking at something outside the classroom window. Upon opening the door staff 3 observed children 2, 3, 4 and parent 1 in the grassy area near the center dumpster. 3 - Staff 1, 2 and 3 confirm that there was not a staff member with children 2, 3 and 4 when the children were found near the dumpster by staff 3 and parent 1.”
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8VAC20-780-350-B
The inspectors’ words, 104 words
“Based on interviews and review of video footage the center failed to ensure that ratios are maintained as required. Evidence: 1 - Staff 1 and 2 report that on April 20, 2021, nine children in the toddler room ages,18 months to 23 months went outside with one staff member where two staff members are required. 2 - Video footage shows staff 6 exiting the building to go to the outside play space with nine children ages 18 - 23 months of age. 3 - Video footage shows that staff 6 was alone on the playground with nine children for approximately two to four minutes.”
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8VAC20-780-410-1
The inspectors’ words, 149 words
“Based on video footage review, interviews and statements, the center failed to ensure that roughly handling children is a forbidden action. Evidence: 1- In verbal and written statements Staff 1, 2 and 3 report that staff 4 was observed picking up child 2 and putting him on the ground in a ?hard? manner. 2 -Review of video footage shows staff 4 picking child 2 up and forcefully put him on the floor. Later staff 4 picked up child 1, the child’s feet were dangling off the floor, the staff walked approximately 6 to 10 ft, suddenly released child1 who landed on the floor. Staff 4 then crouched down in front of child 1 and held the child’s face between both her hands for several seconds then walked away. 3 - Staff 3 stated that she observed staff 4 “plop” child 2 down on the floor and squeeze his cheeks.”
All 13 visits on record
| Date | Visit | What the record says |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 2, 2026 | Subsidy health and safety inspection | 7 violations cited |
| Nov 25, 2025 | Inspection | 3 violations cited |
| Apr 21, 2025 | Complaint inspection | No violations cited |
| Feb 28, 2025 | Inspection | 2 violations cited |
| Feb 28, 2025 | Inspection | 1 violation cited |
| Feb 7, 2025 | Complaint inspection | No violations cited |
| Sep 20, 2024 | Complaint inspection | No violations cited |
| Sep 20, 2024 | Inspection | 2 violations cited |
| May 7, 2024 | Inspection | 5 violations cited |
| May 7, 2024 | Complaint inspection | No violations cited |
| Feb 7, 2023 | Inspection | 4 violations cited |
| Jun 1, 2022 | Inspection | 5 violations cited |
| Apr 8, 2021 | Inspection | 3 violations cited |
Is it licensed?
- Child Day Center: Two Year license, expires Jan 12, 2027.
- A current subsidy provider.
- Ages: 1 month - 12 years 11 months.
- Capacity: 115 children.
Virginia Department of Education, Search for Child Day Care: each facility’s page. Checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated weekly.
Has Virginia acted against it?
- 4 complaint inspections on record.
- No complaint allegations published with findings.
Virginia Department of Education, Search for Child Day Care: each inspection’s page, with its violations and Search for Child Day Care: each complaint’s page, with its allegations and findings. Checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated weekly.
Who does the caring?
- Virginia doesn’t publish staffing levels for individual providers. State rules set staff-to-child ratios by age.
Who owns it?
- Virginia’s search doesn’t list owners.
How is it rated?
- Virginia’s search doesn’t show a quality rating.
How does it compare nearby?
- Among 88 child care providers in the City of Portsmouth, the middle value for violations cited in the last three years was 12; this one had 20.
Virginia Department of Education, Search for Child Day Care: each inspection’s page, with its violations. Checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated weekly.
| Place | Violations cited in the last three years |
|---|---|
| La Petite Academy #7139 This child care provider | 20 |
| Mrs. Sheran Oliver | 12 |
| Christopher Academy | 4 |
| Dana Harris | 15 |
| LaShama Porter | 10 |
| Small Voices’ Academy | 15 |
| Raquel Owens | 42 |
| Sweethaven Baptist Church | 0 |
| Ms. Sonitha Blizzard | 5 |
| Scharlese Hicks | 12 |
| YMCA Child Care at Portsmouth YMCA | 47 |
| Ms. Clara Robinson | 5 |
What the record doesn’t say
- Virginia doesn’t grade how serious a violation is, so no severity is shown.
- Virginia publishes a complaint’s allegations and findings only when its inspection found a violation and the records are linked.
- Virginia doesn’t publish staffing levels or owners for individual providers.
- A plan of correction sent late, or not at all, isn’t online: Virginia says to ask the inspector.
- Virginia’s pages show about the last five years of inspections; for older ones, Virginia says to contact the licensing inspector.
- Virginia says this information may not be accurate, up to date or complete, and shouldn’t be the only source in choosing care.
Sources
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Virginia Department of Education, Search for Child Day Care: each facility’s page.
Checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated weekly. No open licence; Virginia allows non-commercial use, so Care Ledger shows it free.
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Virginia Department of Education, Search for Child Day Care: each inspection’s page, with its violations.
Checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated weekly. No open licence; Virginia allows non-commercial use, so Care Ledger shows it free.
-
Virginia Department of Education, Search for Child Day Care: each complaint’s page, with its allegations and findings.
Checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated weekly. No open licence; Virginia allows non-commercial use, so Care Ledger shows it free.
If you believe something here is wrong, a correction starts with the agency whose record this copies: Virginia Department of Education. Virginia’s own record is on legacy.dss.virginia.gov. If Hearth Record copied something wrongly, it will fix it and log the correction publicly, with its date: how corrections work.
This copy of the record was made on Nov 5, 2026.
From the provider
The public record above comes first. Anything the provider adds will appear here, below it, and say who wrote it.
Replies
None. Replies aren’t open yet. When they open, the provider will be able to answer any finding for free, and the reply will show beside that finding, unedited and dated.
Paid listing
None. Paid listings aren’t open yet. When they open, anything paid for will say “Paid by the provider”, and paying will never change a finding, a rating or the order of results.