Kids, parents left scrambling after Brooklyn daycare shuts down
BROOKLYN HEIGHTS, Brooklyn (WABC) -- A daycare in Brooklyn suddenly shut down, leaving kids and parents in a lurch.
Michelle Walsh sent all three of her daughters to 'Seedlings' in Brooklyn Heights, where her youngest is now enrolled. However, last week, city inspectors suddenly told Seedlings it could no longer operate.
"There was no transition. There was no ability to prep your kid for what's coming. There was no ability to talk them through for what's ahead," Walsh said.
Every preschool requires a state-certified education director. The school had one - or so it thought.
A spokesperson said in a statement,
"The NYC Health Department is entrusted with the health and safety of the littlest New Yorkers. The Education Director at this childcare program did not have the proper clearance at the time of inspection."
Owner Alice Chiu says the state lost the paperwork.
"For whatever reason, I guess they were updating their systems and her receipt never printed out," Chiu said. "Our education director has been a licensed teacher for years. She's retired from the Department of Education. She's received her clearances may times. Gotten fingerprinted many times. This is all just a technicality."
So, their director re-applied, but it could take three months to clear.
Jonathan Combs is worried about his daughter.
"We're almost robbing her of this thing that not only does she love, but at this part in her life she so desperately needs. It's the socialization. It's the learning. It's the love that she feels here," Combs said.
"It really affects a lot of people in the community of Brooklyn Heights. You can't go shutting down schools with no end in sight over minor paperwork," added father, Tiernan Walsh.
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