CPCD's Response to National Report on Head Start Centers' Safety Violations
On Dec. 12, 2011, the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released a report on health and safety violations in 21 of 24 Head Start grantees (out of more than 1,600 grantees throughout the country), which was recounted in “Safety Violations Found at Head Start Centers,” December 13, 2011. While some Head Start centers in Colorado were visited as part of the study, Community Partnership for Child Development's (CPCD) Head Start and Early Head Start classrooms in El Paso County were not.
CPCD is a nonprofit agency that administers the Head Start and Early Head Start grants in El Paso County. It serves more than 1,200 children from birth to age five in these two programs and an additional 670 children in the state-funded Colorado Preschool Program. Most of CPCD's 68 preschool classrooms are located within elementary schools in six local school districts, with a small number situated in partner childcare centers and family childcare homes.
CPCD staff, board members and parents take the health and safety of our children very seriously. Our staff is trained extensively in the dos and don’ts of child health and safety and is very conscientious in maintaining the best possible educational and healthy environments for all children.
In addition to monthly internal monitoring by CPCD's Health staff based on a detailed health and safety checklist for classrooms and playgrounds, CPCD is subject to at least annual monitoring for compliance with the Colorado Child Care Licensing Standards and the Head Start regulations. CPCD classrooms have been found to be in compliance with all health and safety regulations since formal internal and external monitoring began in 1998. In January 2011, a federal team of investigators conducted an extensive federal review of CPCD programs and classrooms, which were found 100 percent in compliance.
We are saddened by the number of violations found at other centers across the country. However, we hope that these findings will help improve the awareness and observance of health and safety regulations at all Head Start agencies for the health and wellbeing of our children.
The public is invited to visit CPCD Headquarters (2330 Robinson St., 80904) or any of CPCD’s classrooms to observe the Head Start program in action. Those interested in arranging a visit with us are encouraged to contact CPCD’s Community Relations Team at 884-1403.
Noreen Landis-Tyson
CPCD President and CEO
