mcgregor Child Care Centre (0 - 3 Gdc)

The facility, the furniture, equipment, fixtures and supplies are of sturdy and safe construction.  They are easy to clean, and are clean and in good repair and free from hazards. [CCLR Sec. 13(2) and Sec. 15(1)(a)]

Observation. There is a clear and present difference between the wear and cleanliness between the Under 3 room and Over 3 rooms. That said, there is some evidence of wear in the toddler room including the tape stains on the panel wall next to the eating / wet messy craft area near the entry to the kitchen. See photo. Lead staff remarked that areas of the program space could benefit from repainting. Suggested that Manager investigate the next painting cycle and share this with staff. Observed the handle of the fridge is loose, likely just needs to be tightened with a screw driver. Observed the marked difference in the main activity room from my last visit. The large storage unit next to the full length glass wall of the gross motor/ nap room has been moved. There is now more light and an "open feeling" to the room. Children can observe activity in each room. Observed the floor play mats in the gross motor room are in poor condition, thin, cracked and fraying at the edges.

Furniture or equipment for sleeping is used by only one child at a time, is clean and comfortable, and is appropriate for the size, age and development of the children intended to use it. [CCLR Sec. 15(2)]

Observation. Bedding is washed on site once a week. There is a rotation chart on the wall. Mats are cleaned and sanitized weekly or as needed. Mats and bedding are stored in the slots of purpose built closed storage in gross motor / nap room. Reviewed the state of the current nap mats for children. The foam has completely lost all cushion and is not adequate to support children's bodies. Discussed with lead staff who noted the mats from the other rooms have been replaced with better quality product. Post inspection - discussed with Manager who agreed that all mats need replacement and will follow up.

The entire outdoor play area is enclosed and constructed in a manner that is suitable for the age and development of children, and ensures that children are free of harm. [CCLR Sec. 16(3)(a)(b)]

Observation. Similar issues were highlighted by Under 3 staff team. Staff were concerned about the slime build up on the wood elements in the yard. Manager reported that pressure washing did occur. Checked and pressure washing appears to have been effective in removing worst of slime. Noted the top up of fibar and sand. Sand pit is full to overflowing. Quality of sand is coarse and not conducive to molding with water. River washed fine sand should be sourced next time the pit requires a refill. Rather than top up, would strongly advise removing all sand and then replacing to ensure quality throughout. Play structure was in satisfactory condition today (one exception). Observed small chunk was loose near the entry to the deck under the play structure. See photo. Observed slate tiles stacked in corner. Tiles used to be embedded in earth in planting area. Manager explained that when the earth was topped up, facilities staff placed tiles on top (rather than embedding them in soil) and children were tripping. Manager required the tiles be removed until such time as facilities could embed them. This has been done in infant / swing yard but has not yet been done in 3-5 and Toddler yards. The tiles sitting there are a safety hazard. Lead staff reported a child tried to test their strength by lifting the tile. Could crush toes. The poured in place rubber surfacing throughout the playground is covered with sand and earth. (See photos attached.) Remarked to Manager that a big part of child play at this age is fill, carry and dump. Noted that manufacturers and installers caution against placing rubber surfacing next to sand and earth play areas as the sand / dirt gets into the pours of the rubber surfacing and prevents drainage. Manager said he asked about this during plan reviews and was told this would not be an issue. I reminded the issue had been raised by CCFL during planning (as well as issues re heat). Noted that PIP should be used sparingly under elevated equipment requiring resilient ground cover where other options such as fibar may not be feasible (e.g. podium builds that cannot carry the load of fibar or depth of sand required for resilient ground cover). Noted the information re sand and PIP is on Marathon web site and has been shared by Marathon Surfacing with CCFL and other applicants. ( Note - No point in dwelling on this as the PIP is there. Best thing to do is not to police the play but focus on sweeping the areas post play and involving the children in clean up as much as possible. In addition to all discussed,leaving sand out on PIP can be a slipping hazard even when dry. ) *Later staff in both the Under 3 and Over 3 rooms remarked that drainage has been an issue particularly on heavy rainy days.*

The facility, the furniture, equipment, fixtures and supplies are of sturdy and safe construction.  They are easy to clean, and are clean and in good repair and free from hazards. [CCLR Sec. 13(2) and Sec. 15(1)(a)]

Observation. Observed a small crack in the vinyl of the child sofa seat cushion in the cubby area - staff team can monitor. Noted the molding where the carpet abuts the wall is coming off in the southwest corner of the small / quiet room. (The room directly across from the washroom.) Observed the small table in the pretend area is showing wear, finish has worn to the point that patches of particle board can be seen. This makes it difficult to clean and sanitize properly. The child sized mirror with the green frame above the child art sink is coated with paint. Great to see painting happening. Time to give the frame a scrub. There are some small chips in the paint throughout the toddler spaces. Staff are monitoring. Cords are kept out of the reach of the children in all rooms. Noted the restrictors are still present and working on windows tested today. Discussed earthquake proof storage with Manager. Noted that some heavier items are stored on top of millwork cabinets on wall. If there is an earthquake, items may fall on children or staff. Discussed options for earthquake proof storage, including installing a lip, storing items in containers with a secure elastic bungy, etc. Noted that most people prefer use of installed lip as hooks may pull out of dry wall and create damage.

The entire outdoor play area is enclosed and constructed in a manner that is suitable for the age and development of children, and ensures that children are free of harm. [CCLR Sec. 16(3)(a)(b)]

Observation. Toddler staff share their love of gardening with the toddlers. Noted the tomatoes, sweet peas and other spring plantings. Climber and other elements are in satisfactory condition. Discussed the timing of topping up of sand, likely to be needed by end of summer. Observed that discarded toys and debris have accumulated in the space between the play yard fence and the skylight panels again. See July 2024 - Routine Inspection Report.

The facility, the furniture, equipment, fixtures and supplies are of sturdy and safe construction.  They are easy to clean, and are clean and in good repair and free from hazards. [CCLR Sec. 13(2) and Sec. 15(1)(a)]

Observation. The paint & dry wall is starting to show wear. This will be monitored and reassessed at next inspection. Discussed the condition of the small vinyl couch in the quiet room. Couch has been repaired and duct taped in the past but has reached end of life. Discussed options for replacement with team lead.

The entire outdoor play area is enclosed and constructed in a manner that is suitable for the age and development of children, and ensures that children are free of harm. [CCLR Sec. 16(3)(a)(b)]

Observation. Between the play yard fence and the skylight panels on the east side, there is a graveyard of (many) discarded toys and other debris. Under 3 Lead staff and Manager stated that VCC facilities have lost the key to the lock on the gate to this area. Children of this age are working on many schemas including experimenting with trajectory, cause and effect. It is common for children to toss or poke items through a fence. Staff must be able to retrieve the toys and the debris must be cleared out at regular and frequent intervals, i.e. once a month. The garden is flourishing with growing sunflowers and other plantings. Team lead said the children are enjoying caring for the garden.

There is an emergency plan that sets out procedures to prepare for, mitigate, respond to and recover from any emergency. [CCLR Sec. 22(1)(b)]

Observation. Each room has a grab & go back pack and or field trip back pack with first aid kits. There are emergency supplies in two marked containers stored in the 3-5 outdoor shed. However, the containers are not accessible without having to remove many outdoor play items. Staff team members reported that there had been discussions re conducting an inventory of the contents but this has not yet taken place.

The facility, the furniture, equipment, fixtures and supplies are of sturdy and safe construction.  They are easy to clean, and are clean and in good repair and free from hazards. [CCLR Sec. 13(2) and Sec. 15(1)(a)]

Observation. The under 3 staff had communicated concern regarding the state of the caulking around the art and kitchen sinks. Inspected caulking throughout centre. Noted the multi coloured vinyl love seat in the quiet room is showing wear (cracked edges and fraying seams). Noted the farmyard area carpet appears stained in places. Other area carpets are satisfactorily maintained. Staff and Manager confirmed that seasonal carpet cleaning occurs but Manager stated he would try to spot wash the stains prior to taking further action. Manager reported the blinds in the gross motor / nap room will be replaced in the near future.

The facility, the furniture, equipment, fixtures and supplies are of sturdy and safe construction.  They are easy to clean, and are clean and in good repair and free from hazards. [CCLR Sec. 13(2) and Sec. 15(1)(a)]

Observation. Staff called attention to the flooring to the right (west) of the west toilet in the washroom. Where the original flooring meets the patched flooring, the caulking has worn away such that the original flooring has lifted exposing the area to water and urine. CCFL inquired about when the flooring is to be attended to. Flooring requires cleaning and re-waxing. Manager reported that the flooring throughout the facility is scheduled to be stripped, cleaned and re-waxed during the Xmas break.

The entire outdoor play area is enclosed and constructed in a manner that is suitable for the age and development of children, and ensures that children are free of harm. [CCLR Sec. 16(3)(a)(b)]

Observation. The playground is newly renovated. Staff reported that they removed some of the plantings due to concern re the number of bees the plantings attracted. Staff reported the garden they planted did well. Discussed the importance of hand watering to ensure any vegetation survives the change in our climate (longer hotter drier spring and summers and drier fall and winters). Noted the grasses appear to have done well over time. Discussed and strongly recommend expanding on the vegetation to include more hard wearing grasses that offer fun through prospect and refuge. Noted that the tarps are not yet in use but have been purchased for the yard. Strongly recommend the tarps be used to expand of shelter from rainy season. Of concern to staff and CCFL is the metal plate cap over the concrete retaining wall. There is one section at the end of the wall that is currently covered with duct tape to prevent children from knocking into the sharp edge. I observed that the metal cap extends beyond the wall on the north end, leaving it a hazard for children to bang into as they pass. This may be the reason that this particular section is loose. CCFL finds the current condition of the metal plate to be a safety risk.

All indoor and outdoor play materials and equipment accessible to children are suitable for the age and development of the children, safely constructed, free from hazards and in good repair. [CCLR Sec. 16(4)]

Observation. Noted the tape / CD player in the small quiet room. The cord hung down against the wall and was plugged into the outlet. Discussed this with staff who noted that children in this room are always supervised. I noted the cord was at child height and they could potentially pull on the cord and have the player fall. I suggested attaching the cord in some way to prevent this from happening. Also noted that other programs have secure shelves on the wall/ in corners where wireless or battery operated music player/speakers are placed. Staff I spoke with said she would discuss this with the team. One of the highlights of the toddler room is the amazing view. There was a set of steps with a railing in the main activity room, one set of steps along the west window and a combination of the hardwood blocks along the north window in the nap room. Discussed the placement of the blocks along the north window. Lead staff stated usually the blocks are at a lower height. For me, the issue was not the height the blocks had been stacked to, it was the loose one or two blocks to step up on the top wider blocks. I wondered if the program would benefit from one additional set of steps with a hand railing or a moveable secure platform so more than one child could look out at the north view. Lead staff said she would discuss this with the team. Noted the chunks out of the paint and dry wall along the north window sill. It is an indication of how much the children enjoy looking out this window. Lead staff stated the Manager was aware and had put in a work order for this to be repaired. Noted the counters in the washroom are starting to show wear. There is a chunk out of the flooring next to the toilet on the east side of the washroom.

Maintenance of Equipment: A log is kept of all inspections, maintenance and repairs. [Director of Licensing Standard of Practice - Safe Play Space]

Observation. Staff teams and Manager will discuss a method for recording daily playground inspections.