Small Voices’ Academy
A child day center in Portsmouth, Virginia 23703
5960 Churchland Boulevard, Portsmouth, Virginia 23703. (757) 484-7888.
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
- 15 deficiencies in the last three years
- May 122026 the latest visit on record
- 70 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?
16 inspections on record, the latest on May 12, 2026.
15 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
15 deficiencies in 4 months of the last 36. Last cited May 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.
May 12, 2026: subsidy health and safety inspection5 deficiencies
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22.1-289.036-A
“The center must request repeat background checks every five years. The sworn statement reviewed for Staff #1 was expired and had been expired for five months.”
-
8VAC20-780-130-E
“The center shall obtain documentation of additional immunizations once every six months for children under the age of two years. Immunization documentation for Child #1 was not obtained every six months, as required for children under two years of age.”
-
8VAC20-780-330-B
“Repeat Violation Where playground equipment is provided, resilient surfacing shall comply with minimum safety standards (six inches). On the day of the inspection, the resilient surfacing measured around a stationary car on the outdoor play area was two and a half inches.”
-
8VAC20-790-600-D-1
“All staff who work directly with children shall have within 90 days of the date of employment current certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) appropriate to the ages of children in care. The record for Staff #2 (employed for six months) did not contain a CPR certification.”
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8VAC20-790-600-D-2
“All staff who work directly with children shall have within 90 days of the date of employment current certification in first aid appropriate to the ages of children in care. The record for Staff #2 (employed for six months) did not contain a first aid certification.”
Nov 25, 2025: inspection3 deficiencies
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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. There was no documentation at the center to show that a fire inspection was completed in 2025.”
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8VAC20-780-330-B
“Where playground equipment is provided, resilient surfacing shall comply with minimum safety standards. On the day of the inspection, one inch of resilient surfacing was measured around a stationary car on the outdoor play area.”
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8VAC20-780-550-D
“Repeat Violation The center shall implement a monthly practice evacuation drill. There was no documentation to show that an evacuation drill was completed in September of 2025.”
May 16, 2025: inspection5 deficiencies
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22.1-289.011-F
“The license and any other documents required by the Superintendent shall be posted in a conspicuous place on the licensed premises. The results of the most recent inspection were not posted, which is required.”
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8VAC20-780-150-B
“Each report shall include the date of the physical examination and dates immunizations were received and shall be signed by a physician, his designee, or an official of a local health department. The immunizations for Child #3 (enrolled for one year) was not signed by a physician, his designee, or an official of a local health department.”
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8VAC20-780-420-E-3
“Staff shall request at least annually parent confirmation that the required information in the child’s record is up to date. The records for Child #1 (enrolled for two years) and Child #2 (enrolled for over a year) did not contain parent confirmation that information in the records is up to date.”
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8VAC20-780-550-D
“The center shall implement a monthly practice evacuation drill. The center did not have documentation to show that an evacuation drill was completed in January through April of 2025.”
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8VAC20-780-560-F
“A menu listing foods to be served for meals and snacks during the current one-week period shall be posted in a location conspicuous to parents or given to parents. On the day of the inspection, the menu posted was not for the current week.”
Dec 4, 2024: subsidy health and safety inspection1 deficiency
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8VAC20-790-600-F
“Staff who work directly with children shall, annually attend at least 16 hours of training and staff development activities, to include the department’s health and safety update course. The records for Staff #1, Staff #2, Staff #3, and Staff #4 did not contain documentation that the department’s health and safety update course was completed in 2023.”
Dec 4, 2024: inspection1 deficiency
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22.1-289.035-A
“The center must request a repeat criminal history search every five years. The record for Staff #1 (program director, employed for eighteen years) did not have a five year repeat criminal history search, which is required once expired. Staff #1 was observed working on the day of the inspection.”
Sep 20, 2022: subsidy health and safety inspection1 deficiency
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8VAC20-790-600-D-1
“8VAC20-790-600. Based on record review and interview, it was determined that the center did not ensure that staff have a current certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) appropriate to the ages of children in care. Evidence: 1. Staff #2, (date of hire: 04/30/2018) did not have a current CPR certification. 2. Staff #1 confirmed Staff #2 did not have a current CPR certification.”
Sep 20, 2022: inspection1 deficiency
-
8VAC20-780-60-A
The inspectors’ words, 135 words
“Based on record review and interview, it was determined that the center did not ensure that a record for each child enrolled have the work phone number of each parent who has custody. Evidence: 1. Four of the five records reviewed did not have work phone numbers for their parent or guardian listed in the record. A. Child #1 (date of enrollment 9/10/21) did not have their father’s work phone number. B. Child #2 (date of enrollment 4/20/22) did not have both parents? work numbers. C. Child #3 (date of enrollment 01/03/2022) did not have the mother’s work number. D. Child #4 (date of enrollment 01/03/2022) did not have the mother’s work number. 2. Staff #1 confirmed that four of the five records reviewed did not have parent’s work phone numbers listed in their record.”
Jan 4, 2022: inspection1 deficiency
-
Based on observation the center failed to ensure that outside equipment of the equipment of the center shall be maintained in a safe condition.
“Evidence: 1. One wooden spindle, located between the railing at the third step is missing from the playground play structure. a. The opening is large enough for a child to fall through.”
All 16 visits on record
| Date | Visit | What the record says |
|---|---|---|
| May 12, 2026 | Subsidy health and safety inspection | 5 violations cited |
| Nov 25, 2025 | Subsidy health and safety inspection | No violations cited |
| Nov 25, 2025 | Inspection | 3 violations cited |
| Jun 10, 2025 | Complaint inspection | No violations cited |
| May 16, 2025 | Inspection | 5 violations cited |
| May 16, 2025 | Subsidy health and safety inspection | No violations cited |
| Dec 4, 2024 | Subsidy health and safety inspection | 1 violation cited |
| Dec 4, 2024 | Inspection | 1 violation cited |
| Apr 29, 2024 | Subsidy health and safety inspection | No violations cited |
| Apr 29, 2024 | Inspection | No violations cited |
| Jan 17, 2023 | Subsidy health and safety inspection | No violations cited |
| Jan 17, 2023 | Inspection | No violations cited |
| Sep 20, 2022 | Subsidy health and safety inspection | 1 violation cited |
| Sep 20, 2022 | Inspection | 1 violation cited |
| Jan 4, 2022 | Inspection | 1 violation cited |
| Jan 4, 2022 | Subsidy health and safety inspection | No violations cited |
Is it licensed?
- Child Day Center: Two Year license, expires Feb 3, 2027.
- A current subsidy provider.
- Ages: 1 month - 12 years 11 months.
- Capacity: 70 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?
- 1 complaint inspection 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 15.
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 | 20 |
| Mrs. Sheran Oliver | 12 |
| Christopher Academy | 4 |
| Dana Harris | 15 |
| LaShama Porter | 10 |
| Small Voices’ Academy This child care provider | 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.