Reports of bruised child, sex claims shut down day care

SPOKANE — The Department of Early Learning summarily suspended the child care license for the Academy of Little Bears in Spokane after claims of children with bruising went un-reported and kids at the day care reported there was sexual contact between other children and nothing was done to stop it.

The Academy of Little Bears, located at 1104 W. Heroy, received the suspension notice on Wednesday.The suspension came as a result of several allegations leveled against the day care. Last October the Department of Early Learning issues a “revocation licensing action” against the academy “due to chronic licensing violations, failure to protect children in your care and failure to report child abuse and / or neglect.”

Then in late December the DEL received a complaint that a two-year-old was taken to the academy with bruising on her face and when asked what happened the toddler replied “mom did it.” The day care, which had an obligation to report the incident immediately, did not do so. The inaction to report possible abuse was listed as being “of grave concern” to the Department of Early Learning.

Earlier this week the DEL received another complaint that a four-year-old child “disclosed significant sexual activity between other children” at the day care. The DEL indicated that the day care staff were not only aware that this was happening but were not reported to the children’s parents.The Academy of Little Bears, which is run by Lori Sayman, issued a one-paragraph statement Thursday which read:”A four year old child enrolled here told her mother that she had been touched inappropriately by a four year old boy, also enrolled here. We appreciate that the agencies charged with the oversight of children in childcare settings must investigate. We are confident that a thorough investigation will result in the Center being re-opened.”The statement did not address previous concerns made by the Department of Early Learning nor did it mention whether or not the academy would appeal the DEL’s decision to immediately suspend the Academy of Little Bear’s license to operate.Mindy Strom had been taking her two year old son, Chase to the Academy of Little Bears for three months. Strom has a hard time believing the state’s allegations.”The teachers are amazing, they obviously care about my kid and I would never put my kid in a situation that I felt was unsafe for him,” said Strom.Strom says she was shocked when she got the news her son wouldn’t be going to the daycare tomorrow.”I just hope that this gets resolved and they do get to reopen, because I would put my kid back in there,” said Strom.Prior to being shut down on Wednesday the Academy of Little Bears, which could accommodate up to 201 children, has had 26 valid complaints filed against the day care between 2005 and 2008.
RELATED DOCUMENT: Department of Early Learning – Notice of Suspension (PDF)

SOURCE:  http://www.kxly.com/news/22240732/detail.html