I have never felt more compelled to write a detailed review than after my brief but deeply…read moredisappointing experience with this center.
My daughter is two and a half. My husband and I were excited to find a nearby program that seemed to align with our values. During our tour on October 24, we met with the center's director, Ashley, and explained how important those values were to our family. I mentioned that I preferred to pack my daughter's lunch, but she assured us that the school accommodates dietary restrictions and provided the official forms for me to complete. I left that meeting feeling confident and reassured.
More than a week before my daughter's first day, I submitted the signed paperwork clearly stating: "She is a vegetarian and eats dairy, but no meat, gelatin, or honey." The school had this information well in advance of her start date.
On her very first day, November 4, I arrived around 12:30 and saw my daughter sitting alone at a table with a basket of toys, quietly playing in the dark while the other children rested. Her teachers were on the floor attending to the resting students and were not interacting with her. If I had known this was how part-day children were handled, I would have arrived sooner, and I had planned to ask about it before leaving.
Before I even had the chance, an administrative assistant who had walked me to the classroom without mentioning any issues when I arrived casually told me that my daughter had been served and had eaten meat at lunch. I was shocked, upset, and left immediately. The assistant explained she did not learn about my daughter's documented dietary restriction until after the meal, though she never clarified who had informed her of it. This made it clear that Director Ashley failed to communicate or post my daughter's restriction in the classroom as required by South Carolina licensing standards. This was not a small mistake but a complete systems failure that should never have occurred. The information was clearly documented, signed, and available.
Despite Ashley later calling it a "mistake," this was an avoidable administrative failure and a serious breach of trust. The responsibility lies entirely with Director Ashley, who failed to ensure that staff were informed and that procedures were followed. The required paperwork was submitted eight days before my daughter attended.
After I left and returned home, Ashley called from a blocked number three times. When I answered once to say I would not be speaking further, she addressed me by the wrong name and later left a voicemail attempting to minimize the situation by saying footage showed my daughter "only took one bite." That completely missed the point. She should never have been served meat at all. I took every possible step to prevent this, and it still occurred under her direction. Her response showed a lack of accountability and understanding of the seriousness of the situation.
In response to my email formally withdrawing my daughter, Ashley wrote that "we have addressed this issue internally with our staff, and we are implementing additional checks to ensure accuracy and prevent this from happening again." This statement offered no transparency or clear explanation for how the incident occurred. As the director who had the required paperwork well in advance, it was her responsibility to ensure my daughter's restriction was communicated and followed. Instead, it read as an attempt to move past the issue rather than take responsibility.
As an educator who studied child development and understands childcare licensing requirements, I recognize this as a serious violation rather than a minor oversight. I have retained all documentation to support the accuracy of what I have described and have taken appropriate steps through the proper channels to ensure it is formally reviewed in hopes that no other family experiences this kind of negligence.
This experience was deeply upsetting for our family. It was entirely avoidable and made worse by how poorly it was handled afterward. Our family's values and beliefs, which we clearly communicated and trusted would be respected, were disregarded. This was not simply a dietary mistake but a violation of trust and a dismissal of the ethical principles we are raising our daughter to have. This failure of leadership and communication is unacceptable, and families deserve to know.
I would not recommend this center to any parent who expects competence, accountability, transparency, and genuine respect for the families they serve, along with adherence to both state and internal childcare policies.
TL;DR: Serious failure in communication and leadership. My two-year-old daughter, a documented vegetarian, was served and ate meat on her very first day despite clear, signed paperwork and multiple verbal discussions with the director. The situation was mishandled, minimized, and revealed a complete lack of accountability. I would not recommend this center to anyone
