11/24/2008

The license of Sharing and Caring Inc., a child care center at 663 S. Ninth, was suspended by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment Monday over complaints of corporal punishment and force feeding of children.
KDHE and the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services conducted a joint complaint survey of the child care center between Thursday and Monday.
According to the emergency order of suspension: “Corporal punishment such as grabbing and yanking children’s arms, pulling children roughly from seated positions and threatening children were occurring. A lead staff member and the director were force feeding children by holding their mouths open, pinching their faces and pouring milk down their throats. Several times children have vomited by having this done. A lead staff member and the director use threats to make the children eat.”
The facility has been licensed since March 31, 2000, to care for up to 17 children.
Kansas statutes authorize the KDHE secretary to suspend a license before a hearing when, in the opinion of the secretary, the suspension is necessary to protect any child from physical or mental abuse, abandonment or any other substantial threat to health or safety.
The owners of the child care center, who were not named in the complaint, have the right to appeal.