Grace Christian Academy
A religious exempt child day center in Atkins, Virginia 24311
418 Freedom Tabernacle Ln., Atkins, Virginia 24311. (276) 247-0384.
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
- Aug 172026 the latest visit on record
- 100 children, its capacity in the state’s list
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?
6 inspections on record, the latest on Aug 17, 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 2, 2026. Updated weekly.
When those deficiencies happened
20 deficiencies in 5 months of the last 36. Last cited Aug 2026. The last 3 years, to Nov 2, 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 2, 2026. Updated weekly.
Aug 17, 2026: subsidy health and safety inspection6 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. The center did not request a search of the child abuse and neglect registry from one state for staff #4, who has been employed for more than one year and was working with children at the time of the inspection.”
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8VAC20-790-630-A
“Areas and equipment of the center, inside and outside, shall be maintained in a clean, safe, and operable condition. Two outlet covers in the toddler room were broken, exposing wiring. These outlets were accessible to the children.”
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8VAC20-790-640-A
“Hazardous substances such as cleaning materials, insecticides, and pesticides shall be kept in a locked place using a safe locking method that prevents access by children. The men’s bathroom used by the children in care had a deodorizer in the urinal. This was accessible to the children.”
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8VAC20-790-660
“The vendor shall ensure that all areas of the premises accessible to children are free of obvious injury hazards, including providing and maintaining sand or other cushioning material under playground equipment. The playground equipment on the new play area, used by the daycare children, does not have cushioning material.”
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8VAC20-790-760-B-3-c
“A nonabsorbent surface for diapering or changing shall be used. The changing pad in the infant room had tears, causing the surface to be absorbent.”
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8VAC20-790-800-A-1
“Evacuation procedures shall be practiced at least monthly. There was no documentation for evacuation procedures being practiced from 1/1/26-7/31/26.”
Dec 15, 2025: subsidy health and safety inspection4 deficiencies
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8VAC20-790-640-A
“Hazardous substances such as cleaning materials shall be kept in a locked place using a safe locking method that prevents access by children. A can of disinfectant spray and a bottle of sanitizing spray was on the paper towel dispenser which was above the changing table, within reach of children.”
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8VAC20-790-730-F
“Cribs shall be provided for children during the designated rest periods. The infant room had two playpens being used to sleep in by the children.”
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8VAC20-790-760-A-3
“Staff shall wash their hands with soap and running water before and after helping a child use the toilet or changing a diaper. Staff #8 changed a diaper and did not wash hands after.”
-
8VAC20-790-760-B-6
“Disposable diapers shall be disposed in a leak-proof or plastic-lined storage system that is either foot-operated or used 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. The trash can in the bathroom was not foot-operated”
Oct 7, 2025: inspection1 deficiency
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22.1-289.035-B-2
“REPEAT VIOLATION Providers must obtain a completed national criminal background check prior to the employee’s first day of employment. Caregiver #2, who had been employed for three months, did not have a completed national criminal background check. Caregiver #2 was working with children.”
Jul 17, 2025: complaint inspection5 deficiencies
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22.1-289.031-A-3
“Staff members under 18 years of age shall be under the supervision of an adult staff member. Staff #1, who has been actively working at the center for the past two months, was not under the supervision of an adult staff member.”
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22.1-289.031-A-4
“Each person in a supervisory position has been certified by a practicing physician or physician assistant to be free from any disability which would prevent him from caring for children under his supervision. Staff #1, who has been working at the center for two months and staff #2, who has been working at the center for one month did not have a completed Staff Health Report.”
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22.1-289.035-B-1
“The center is required to obtain a completed sworn statement prior to the employee’s first day of employment. Staff #1, who had been employed for two months and Staff #2, who has been employed for one month, did not have a completed sworn statement on file.”
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22.1-289.035-B-2
“REPEAT VIOLATION Providers must obtain a completed national criminal background check prior to the employee’s first day of employment. Staff #1, who had been employed for two months; Staff #2, who had been employed for one month, did not have a completed national criminal background check. Both staff were working with children.”
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22.1-289.035-B-3
“REPEAT VIOLATION The center must request a search of the central registry prior to the employee’s first day of employment. Staff #1, who had been employed for two months; and staff #2, who had been employed for one month, did not have proof of central registry search requests .”
Oct 29, 2024: inspection4 deficiencies
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22.1-289.031-B-4
“REPEAT VIOLATION The regulated child day program ensures that all children are in compliance with the immunization provisions. Child #1-4, have been in care five to six months, do not have immunizations on file.”
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22.1-289.035-B-2
“REPEAT VIOLATION Providers must obtain a completed national criminal background check prior to the employee’s first day of employment. Staff #5, who had been employed one month; staff #6, who had been employed two months; staff #8, who had been employed eight months, did not have a completed national criminal background check. Staff 5 & 8 were working alone with children.”
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22.1-289.035-B-3
“REPEAT VIOLATION The center must request a search of the central registry prior to the employee’s first day of employment. Staff # 5, 9, who had been employed one month; staff #3, 6, 7, 10, 12, who had been employed two months; staff # 4, who had been employed five months, staff #11, who had been employed seven months and staff #8, who had been employed eight months, did not have a central registry search requested. Staff #4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10 were working alone with children.”
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22.1-289.049-A
“REPEAT VIOLATION The regulated child day program shall require the person enrolling the child present the regulated child day program with the proof of child’s identity and age. Child #1-4, have been in care five to six months, do not have proof of child’s identity and age on file.”
Sep 7, 2023: inspection4 deficiencies
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22.1-289.031-B-4
“Based on record reviews the center failed to establish and implement procedures that ensure that all children in the center are in compliance with the provisions of ? 32.1-46 regarding the immunization of children against certain diseases. Evidence: The 24 children present did not have documentation of immunizations.”
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22.1-289.035-B-2
“Based on record reviews the center failed to ensure that all staff have a fingerprint-based criminal history determination letter prior to the first day of employment. Evidence: Staff # 2-5 do not have a fingerprint-based criminal history letter prior to the first day of employment. All three staff were working on 9/7/23.”
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22.1-289.049-A
The inspectors’ words, 92 words
“Based on record reviews the center failed to ensure that upon enrollment of a child in a regulated child day program, such child day program shall require information from the person enrolling the child regarding previous child day care and schools attended by the child. The regulated child day program shall also require that the person enrolling the child present the regulated child day program with the proof of the child’s identity and age. Evidence: The 24 children present on 9/7/23 did not have documentation of proof of child’s identity and age.”
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8VAC20-770-40-D-2
The inspectors’ words, 117 words
“Based on observation the center failed to ensure that prospective employee, volunteer, or any other person who is expected to be alone with one or more children enrolled in the religious exempt child day center except a parent-volunteer, or a parent or guardian who may be left alone with his or her own child have a: Sworn statement or affirmation before employment or commencement of service at the facility a search of central registry and criminal history record check, as requested by the individual, within 30 days of employment or commencement of service. Evidence: 1. Staff # 1-4 do not have Central Registry checks on file. 2. Staff #1-4 do not have a sworn statement on file.”
All 6 visits on record
| Date | Visit | What the record says |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 17, 2026 | Subsidy health and safety inspection | 6 violations cited |
| Dec 15, 2025 | Subsidy health and safety inspection | 4 violations cited |
| Oct 7, 2025 | Inspection | 1 violation cited |
| Jul 17, 2025 | Complaint inspection | 5 violations cited |
| Oct 29, 2024 | Inspection | 4 violations cited |
| Sep 7, 2023 | Inspection | 4 violations cited |
Is it licensed?
- Religious Exempt Child Day Center: Exempt from licensure, expires Sep 12, 2027.
- A current subsidy provider.
- Ages: 1 month - 12 years 11 months.
- Capacity: 100 children.
Virginia Department of Education, Search for Child Day Care: each facility’s page. Checked Nov 2, 2026. Updated weekly.
Has Virginia acted against it?
- 1 complaint inspection on record.
- 1 complaint allegation published with Virginia’s findings, 1 of them found valid.
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 2, 2026. Updated weekly.
| Date | What | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 7, 2025 | Complaint | Allegation: Supervision. Virginia’s finding: Reported/Valid. |
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 8 child care providers in Smyth County, the middle value for violations cited in the last three years was 2.5; this one had 20.
Virginia Department of Education, Search for Child Day Care: each inspection’s page, with its violations. Checked Nov 2, 2026. Updated weekly.
| Place | Violations cited in the last three years |
|---|---|
| Grace Christian Academy This child care provider | 20 |
| Marion Baptist Church Child Development Program | 2 |
| Lifetime Wellness Center, LLC | 3 |
| Chilhowie Church of God | 4 |
| Clinch Valley Community Action, Inc. @ Chilhowie | 0 |
| Clinch Valley Community Action, Inc. @McCready | 1 |
| First United Methodist Church Preschool of Marion | 2 |
| Tender Tots Learning Academy LLC | 22 |
| Rebecca Thomas | Not given |
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 2, 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 2, 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 2, 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 2, 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.