Two staffers at a Concord day care center illegally restrained children and one of them was fired in January after pulling a child by the shirt and yelling at them, according to a report released by the state Child Care Licensing Unit.
The report, released Monday, found the Woodside School violated a state regulation that says staffers shall not use corporal punishment, and another saying that they should not attempt to control children’s behavior “by actions which are damaging to children,” including yelling.
The two staffers were seen bear-hugging or holding children in an attempt to control their behavior, the report said.
“The Woodside School places the utmost importance on the safety and well-being of children in our care. We take the findings of this report very seriously,” the school’s board of directors said in a statement Friday. “We took immediate action, with agreement from the state, to address the situation that prompted the investigation. We are looking at every possible opportunity to ensure that we continue to offer a safe and nurturing learning environment for children.”
Woodside takes care of children from infancy through preschool, and has an afterschool program for older children. It has two locations in Concord. The report said the violations occurred at the center on the campus of St. Paul’s School.
The Woodside School leases its building on St. Paul’s campus and operates independently from St. Paul’s School.
Among the corrective action plan measures mentioned, the report says a child psychologist will visit the program to consult with the staff regarding trauma-sensitive interventions, and that there will be additional staff training on mandated reporting and identifying abuse and neglect.