Harwood Montessori School

• C2.1 - Are written policies and procedures in place to guide employees in all matters regarding the care and supervision of children?Non-critical

  Observation. - The fire drill for February 2026 is not documented. Fire drills must be practiced monthly and a current record must be maintained to ensure transparency. Submit a response with evidence of compliance by April 20, 2026. - The annual practice of the emergency evacuation plan for 2025 is not recorded. Keeping record of practiced emergency evacuation drills is important to evaluate the effectiveness of procedures, identify gaps, helps maintain accountability and preparedness for real emergencies. Submit a response with evidence of compliance by April 20, 2026.

No violations recorded at this inspection.

• C3.2 - Are persons qualified and appropriately replaced?Critical

  Observation. There was no evidence observed reflecting that educator's and assistant's certificates are verified with the Early Childhood Educator Registry. Ensure a person must not be employed as an educator or assistant unless they hold a certificate which must be verified by the Licensee using a system established and maintained by the director of the Early Childhood Educator Registry.

• C7.1 - Is the facility safe, sanitary, free from hazards, in good repair, and appropriate for the age and development of children?Non-critical

  Observation. - There was a cleaner found accessible to children in the program space that indicated "Keep out of children's reach". Ensure children do not have access to any hazardous items. - The hot water in the lower level bathroom was tested and measured 55 degrees Celsius. Ensure any heated water accessible to children is heated to no more than 49° Celsius. This is a repeated contravention.

• C3.1 - Does the facility have sufficient employees who possess adequate training and experience to meet the care, supervision, and needs of the children?Non-critical

  Observation. The Licensing Officer observed two incomplete employee files which were missing criminal record check clearance letters, and immunization status. Ensure a person is not employed until the manager has obtained the required records. This is a repeated contravention.

• C7.1 - Is the facility safe, sanitary, free from hazards, in good repair, and appropriate for the age and development of children?Non-critical

  Observation. Sharped knives are stored in a kitchen drawer that is accessible to children. The hot water in the lower level bathroom was tested and found to be 57 degrees Celsius.

• C4.1 - Are facility records current and complete?Non-critical

  Observation. The child registration form did not allow for people not permitted to access the child to be recorded. The child registration form does not record the enrollment date and withdrawal date.

• C10.1 - Are children provided with a healthy and safe environment, and protected from harmful actions?Non-critical

  Observation. The complaint outlined concerns that new employees were not provided with a copy of the behavioral guidance policy. The Licensee confirmed she did not provide the last two employees with the behaviour guidance policy. Therefore, it is substantiated that the Licensee did not provide employees with a copy of the behaviour guidance policy. The complaint outlined concerns that an employee had put a hoop around a child’s neck to show them “how it felt”, and would pull children's arms to get them to line up. This Licensing Officer spoke with the Licensee and employees regarding the allegations. Both the Licensee and employees stated they had not observed inappropriate behaviour guidance from the employee. There was no evidence to indicate the allegations occurred. Therefore, the allegation that an employee used inappropriate behaviour guidance is unable to be substantiated.

• C3.1 - Does the facility have sufficient employees who possess adequate training and experience to meet the care, supervision, and needs of the children?Non-critical

  Observation. The complaint outlined concerns that the employee responsible for the opening and closing shift was not a qualified educator or assistant. This Licensing Officer interviewed employees who confirmed a responsible adult was typically the only person working from 8.00am-8.15am each morning. Therefore, it is substantiated that children were not being supervised by an educator or assistant from 8.00am-8.15am.

No violations recorded at this inspection.

• C1.1 - Does the licensee continually inform licensing of any significant changes to the structure or operation of the facility?Critical

  Observation. New contravention identified during the inspection: Some educator and assistant certificates on display are for employees who no longer work at the facility.

• C3.2 - Are persons qualified and appropriately replaced?Critical

  Observation. On 01-Jun-2022 - There was no proof that certificates to practice had been validated through the BC ECE Registry. At the follow-up inspection conducted on 09-Mar-2023 this Licensing Officer confirmed there was there was no proof that certificates to practice had been validated.

• C3.1 - Does the facility have sufficient employees who possess adequate training and experience to meet the care, supervision, and needs of the children?Non-critical

  Observation. On 01-Jun-2022 - Some employee records were missing required information including criminal record checks, work history, reference checks, and immunization status. At the follow-up inspection conducted on 09-Mar-2023 this Licensing Officer confirmed some employee records were still missing criminal record checks, and reference checks.

• C4.1 - Are facility records current and complete?Non-critical

  Observation. New contravention identified during the inspection: An employee's staffing records were not available at the facility to be inspected.

• C3.2 - Are persons qualified and appropriately replaced?Critical

  Observation. There was no record of Early Childhood Educator certificates being validated.

• C10.2 - Are children supervised, and are employee to children ratios maintained?Critical

  Observation. A staff person did not hold a certificate to practice.

• C7.1 - Is the facility safe, sanitary, free from hazards, in good repair, and appropriate for the age and development of children?Non-critical

  Observation. Some wood on the outdoor picnic tables were in poor repair.

• C4.1 - Are facility records current and complete?Non-critical

  Observation. All child files were missing the start and finish dates, and a space to record the names of persons who are not permitted access to the child. A child's records were missing information such as immunization status, and medical insurance number. Child absences were not consistently recorded.

• C3.1 - Does the facility have sufficient employees who possess adequate training and experience to meet the care, supervision, and needs of the children?Non-critical

  Observation. Some staff files were missing criminal record checks, work history, reference checks, and immunization status.

• C10.2 - Are children supervised, and are employee to children ratios maintained?Critical

  Observation. 06-May-2021 - The children were being cared for by staff who did not hold the required qualifications. 06-May-2021 - The staff to child ratio was incorrect. 12-May-2021 - The Licensee applied for an exemption to section 34 (2)(b). This is still pending review. 25-May-2021 - The children were being cared for by staff who did not hold the required qualification.

• C4.1 - Are facility records current and complete?Non-critical

  Observation. 06-May-2021 - Licensing inspected several child registration files and found some records to be incomplete. 25-May-2021 - Licensing conducted a random review of child registration files, and found several files missing immunization information.

• C3.1 - Does the facility have sufficient employees who possess adequate training and experience to meet the care, supervision, and needs of the children?Non-critical

  Observation. 06-May-2021 - Staff files were inspected and found to be incomplete. 25-May-2021 - Staff files were inspected and some information was still missing. The Licensee is still waiting for criminal record check results for all employees.

• Has the facility been tested for radon gas?Non-critical

  Observation. Radon results have not been provided to Licensing for this facility.

• C1.1 - Does the licensee continually inform licensing of any significant changes to the structure or operation of the facility?Critical

  Observation. Contraventions identified during the investigation: - The Licensee is displaying the educator certificate of an employee who no longer works at the facility. The Licensee confirmed the employee stopped working at the facility 7 weeks earlier.

• C10.2 - Are children supervised, and are employee to children ratios maintained?Critical

  Observation. The complaint states: - The children were being cared for by staff who did not hold the required qualifications. - The staff to child ratio was incorrect. It was confirmed that children were not supervised by qualified employees, and the staff to child ratio was being exceeded. At 8.40am, 19 children were in the care of an Early Childhood Educator Assistant and another adult with no early childhood certificate. At 9.30am, there were 25 children in the care of the Early Childhood Assistant and the adult with no early childhood certificate. The Early Childhood Educator arrived at 9.30am.

• C4.1 - Are facility records current and complete?Non-critical

  Observation. Contravention identified during the investigation: - Licensing inspected several child registration files and found some records to be incomplete. One child’s file was missing the name and phone number of the child's doctor. Another child's registration information and emergency information were different. Some enrolments dates were missing. Contravention identified during the investigation: - Some digital images were missing from the children’s “emergency” records. Contravention identified during the investigation: - A staff member's file was not at the facility and available to be inspected by a Licensing Officer.

• C3.1 - Does the facility have sufficient employees who possess adequate training and experience to meet the care, supervision, and needs of the children?Non-critical

  Observation. Contravention identified during the investigation: - Staff files were inspected and found to be incomplete. All staff were missing a valid criminal record check completed by the organization. One staff member did not have a staff file.