First Start Childcare Academy South
Day Care Center · Licensed · Licensed since 2010
GoldiCheck · State record
Uncorrected past deadline: 407350C (Soft bedding or prohibited objects in infant sleep area (suffocation/SIDS risk)) from 2024-12-02
Category check
1 safety area flagged serious — see red below.
Safety
can be flagged seriousKey findings
Most recent or most severe violations based on your filters.
Discipline violation (review sub-code for severity)
This citation family covers discipline violations. Severity depends on the sub-code — some cover prohibited physical punishment. Check the full citation code and the status shown with this finding.
WATER SAFETY violation — required certified lifeguard, fencing, or supervision not in place
Soft bedding or prohibited objects in infant sleep area (suffocation/SIDS risk)
Illinois requires infants to sleep on a firm, flat, bare surface. This citation is recorded when soft objects — pillows, bumper pads, stuffed animals, or loose blankets — are documented in an infant's sleep space. The rule exists because such objects raise the risk of suffocation and SIDS.
DCFS has not recorded a verified correction. The facility may have fixed this independently — ask for the inspector sign-off.
All violations
75 violations shown (29 outside lookback window)
Background checks(1)
Staff member with NON-WAIVABLE disqualifying criminal record working with children (Health Care Worker Background Check Act §25-I)
This citation category applies when a background check identifies a Category I record — the offense classes Illinois never permits a waiver for. Under the Act, a person with such a record cannot work with children. Check the status shown with this finding: a Category I citation most often reflects the screening system doing its job — the check surfaced a record and the facility acted on it — rather than a continuing situation.
Discipline(3)
Discipline violation (review sub-code for severity)
This citation family covers discipline violations. Severity depends on the sub-code — some cover prohibited physical punishment. Check the full citation code and the status shown with this finding.
Discipline violation (review sub-code for severity)
This citation family covers discipline violations. Severity depends on the sub-code — some cover prohibited physical punishment. Check the full citation code and the status shown with this finding.
Discipline violation (review sub-code for severity)
This citation family covers discipline violations. Severity depends on the sub-code — some cover prohibited physical punishment. Check the full citation code and the status shown with this finding.
Health & sanitation(19)
Animal in facility — health or safety requirement not met
Child health record or immunization requirement not met
Hand washing or hygiene requirement not met
Nutrition or meal service requirement not met
Diapering or toileting requirement not met
Safe sleep practice requirement not met
Medication handling requirement not met
Soft bedding or prohibited objects in infant sleep area (suffocation/SIDS risk)
Illinois requires infants to sleep on a firm, flat, bare surface. This citation is recorded when soft objects — pillows, bumper pads, stuffed animals, or loose blankets — are documented in an infant's sleep space. The rule exists because such objects raise the risk of suffocation and SIDS.
DCFS has not recorded a verified correction. The facility may have fixed this independently — ask for the inspector sign-off.
Animal in facility — health or safety requirement not met
Child health record or immunization requirement not met
Hand washing or hygiene requirement not met
Nutrition or meal service requirement not met
Animal in facility — health or safety requirement not met
Child health record or immunization requirement not met
Hand washing or hygiene requirement not met
Nutrition or meal service requirement not met
Diapering or toileting requirement not met
Safe sleep practice requirement not met
Medication handling requirement not met
Building safety(12)
Transportation safety requirement not met
WATER SAFETY violation — required certified lifeguard, fencing, or supervision not in place
Indoor facility or space safety requirement not met
Equipment or toy safety requirement not met
Outdoor playground safety requirement not met
Transportation safety requirement not met
WATER SAFETY violation — required certified lifeguard, fencing, or supervision not in place
Transportation safety requirement not met
WATER SAFETY violation — required certified lifeguard, fencing, or supervision not in place
Indoor facility or space safety requirement not met
Equipment or toy safety requirement not met
Outdoor playground safety requirement not met
Staff-to-child ratios(4)
Required staff-to-child ratio was not maintained
Required staff-to-child ratio was not maintained
Required staff-to-child ratio was not maintained
Required staff-to-child ratio was not maintained
Staff training(11)
Early childhood teacher qualification not met
Early childhood assistant qualification not met
Student or youth aide requirement not met
Required pre-service or early in-service training not completed (mandated reporter, life safety, emergency plan, communicable disease)
Biennial staff physical re-examination not completed
Pre-employment physical exam or TB screening missing
Organization and administration requirement not met (§407.70 general)
Annual 15-clock-hour in-service training requirement not met
Early childhood teacher qualification not met
Early childhood assistant qualification not met
Student or youth aide requirement not met
Paperwork / records(8)
Enrollment or discharge procedure not followed
Daily arrival or departure procedure not followed
Enrollment or discharge procedure not followed
Confidentiality of records requirement not met
Daily arrival or departure procedure not followed
Personnel records or documentation requirement not met
Enrollment or discharge procedure not followed
Daily arrival or departure procedure not followed
Operations(17)
Substitute staff requirement not met
Volunteer requirement not met
Program operations requirement not met
Infant & toddler special requirement not met
School-age program requirement not met
Intergenerational program requirement not met
Evening/night/weekend/holiday care requirement not met
Infant & toddler special requirement not met
DCFS has not recorded a verified correction. The facility may have fixed this independently — ask for the inspector sign-off.
License provision not met
Staffing structure requirement not met (director oversight or on-site presence)
Substitute staff requirement not met
Volunteer requirement not met
Program operations requirement not met
Infant & toddler special requirement not met
School-age program requirement not met
Intergenerational program requirement not met
Evening/night/weekend/holiday care requirement not met
How we rate this daycareIllinois DCFS records›
DCFS doesn't grade violations, so we classify each citation by the rule it cites: rules tied to immediate child safety (supervision, background checks, discipline, and the higher-risk building and health rules) are red; administrative rules (ratios, training, paperwork) are yellow. Classification is per citation, so two findings in the same category can differ.
🔴 Serious concerns — any of:
- A child-safety (red) violation is still unresolved — past its correction deadline, or cited again as a repeat
- DCFS issued a Protective Plan — a formal finding of an active risk to a child
- 2 or more violations are past their correction deadline
🟡 Watch carefully — any of:
- A child-safety (red) violation was corrected or is being corrected
- 3 or more administrative (yellow) violations
- 1 violation is past its correction deadline
- An active corrective plan — DCFS formally required a fix
🟢 Clean
Actively licensed, with no violations (or only minor, corrected ones) in your lookback window.
Data sourced from Illinois DCFS (DCFS Sunshine). Last updated: Aug 7, 2026. GoldiCheck is not affiliated with DCFS. Always verify with the DCFS Sunshine record (search Provider #502548).