Access to childcare in Southeast Iowa is always a concern. On Friday, the Fort Madison YMCA informed families of children under their care at the Donnellson facilities that both facilities will be closing at the end of the workday this coming Friday, August 4th.This includes both The Fort Madison Family YMCA Early Learning Center and the Fort Madison Family YMCA Learning Center.
Ryan Wilson, the Fort Madison YMCA Executive Director, said the YMCA is looking at different avenues for the childcare centers and they have no reopening date set. He said more staff is needed along with necessary training before any reopening could occur.
The center had recently closed an investigation by the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services over a complaint filed with the department on June 23. The complaint is the fifth at the two centers since 2022. The YMCA purchased the centers in the spring of 2020.
The most recent complaint was around a 4-year-old boy who was left unattended for anywhere from three to seven minutes. The boy had been sequestered due to an illness waiting for a parent to pick him up.
According to a report filed by HHS, staff took two different groups for walks and forgot the boy was sleeping at the time. When he awoke, no one was in the building. The center was assessed two violations for not being aware of the children in the center, and not following procedures for a sick child.
Through the investigations, no licensure changes were administered by the state, but the center was cautioned that additional violations could result in licensure status changes.
Wilson said the issue was resolved and staff training was initiated, but the board had already decided to close the centers due to staffing shortages.
Wilson said anyone with questions concerning the closures can contact him at 319-372-2403 ext. 5 or at ryan.wilson@fortmadisony.org.