The owner of a Trenton daycare ordered closed by a Hancock County judge says the state’s action is not simply about childcare licensing violations.

Betsey Grant says it is retaliation.

Grant, the longtime owner of Tiny Tikes Day Care, spoke with The Maine Wire Sunday morning in an extensive Messenger exchange about the shutdown, her years-long battle with the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, and her allegations that state officials have targeted her after she publicly accused the agency of mishandling foster children, ignoring reports of child endangerment and improperly administering taxpayer-funded programs.

“This is a complete attack on me, the whistleblower,” Grant said.

A Hancock County District Court judge signed an emergency 30-day suspension of Tiny Tikes’ license on Aug. 28 after DHHS sought court intervention.

According to the court’s findings, state investigators and a licensing specialist went to the facility on Aug. 18 to investigate allegations of child abuse or neglect and licensing violations. The court found that investigators were initially denied access.

Once an inspection was conducted, state officials alleged Tiny Tikes was violating staff-to-child ratio requirements, lacked required records for six children, employed staff members without completed comprehensive background checks, had no staff member on site certified in CPR or first aid, and had failed to conduct or document required monthly fire drills during the previous five months....

Read Full Story: https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi6gFBVV95cUxPS0Fxb1o4ZzktQkxkdEFHd09S...