MALTA — The New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) suspended the license of the Maple Leaf Childcare Center at 2737 Route 9 in Malta last week due to “evidence that the public health or a child’s safety or welfare is in imminent danger.”
The center can end the suspension one of two ways; either they can resolve the issues cited by OCFS as the reasons for the suspension, or they can successfully challenge the decision to suspend the license. OCFS can also decide to revoke the center’s license completely.
The childcare center’s OCFS inspection history over the last two years contained a number of alleged violations, including the use of corporal punishment, children left without competent supervision, and staff members unable to fulfill their responsibilities. Since April 17, 2023, the OCFS recorded nine substantiated complaints against Maple Leaf in Malta.
In the violations, OCFS defined corporal punishment as “punishment inflicted directly on the body including, but not limited to, physical restraint, spanking, biting, shaking, slapping, twisting or squeezing; demanding excessive physical exercise, prolonged lack of movement or motion, or strenuous or bizarre postures; and compelling a child to eat or have in the child’s mouth soap, foods, hot spices or irritants or the like.”
The company also faced scrutiny in April of this year, when a former employee at their Halfmoon location was arrested and charged with child endangerment and harassment.
Maple Leaf did not respond to requests for comment from Saratoga TODAY.
More details about alleged violations at the Maple Leaf Childcare Center in Malta can be found on the OCFS website at the following address: https://hs.ocfs.ny.gov/DCFS/Profile/Index/633801
