Troutman · Licensed center
Little Tots #3 Early Learning Center
- Small center, licensed for 45 children.
- Run by a for-profit business, which holds the license.
- Shortlist has found no website for it yet.
What the state has found
The state cited rules at 5 of its 11 licensing inspections since August 2023.
Of the 256 Charlotte-area centers with 10 or more licensing inspections, more than 99% had rules cited at some but not all of them, as this center did. Fewer than 1% had rules cited at all of them.
Licensing inspections
Jan 8, 20262 citations
“All equipment and furnishings were not in good repair. Outside play toys need to be cleaned.”
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 1/20/2026
“Outdoor play area was not enclosed by fence with a minimum height of 4 feet. The top of the fence, less than six feet, was not free from protrusions. Fencing on the back wall of the playground area has areas with protrusions. The fencing needs to be reattached to the pole at the top of the fencing.”
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 1/20/2026
Jul 22, 20252 citations
“All staff did not wash their hands thoroughly after diapering each child. During the diaper changing process the staff did not follow proper procedures by removing gloves and washing hands before washing the hands of the student.”
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 8/4/2025
“At least one person who meets qualifications for lead teacher was not responsible for each group for at least two-thirds of the total daily hours of operation. In space 1 and 2 there was not a lead teacher assigned or in the classroom for two-thirds of the day.”
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 8/4/2025
Feb 3, 20256 citations
“Staff did not wash their hands thoroughly before beginning work, before/after handling food, before bottle feeding or serving to other children, after toileting or handling body fluids, after diaper changing and after handling soiled items. Teacher did not wash hand between diaper changing.”
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 2/17/2025
“Caregivers did not document compliance with visually checking on sleeping infants aged 12 months or younger and/or the documents were not maintained for a minimum of one month. Documentation was not maintained for one child when sleeping. The week of 1/27-1/31 was not recorded.”
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 2/17/2025
“Minimum staff/child ratios and group sizes for the number and ages of children in care were not met. In space one staff child ratio was not maintained from 9:45 to 10:15. The ratio was one teacher to eleven children. The ratio for this classroom is 1/10. The youngest child was 2 year of age.”
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 2/17/2025
“A current activity plan was not posted for each group of children for reference. A current activity plan was not posted in the infant classroom.”
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 2/17/2025
2 more from this inspection
“All floors and floor coverings were not constructed of nonabsorbent material and/or were not kept clean and in good repair. Floors were not kept clean through out the building.”
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 2/17/2025
“Plastic bags, materials that could be torn apart and toy parts small enough to be swallowed were accessible to children under three years of age. In space 3 plastic bags were stored in a cabinet that was not lock under the sink.”
Violation corrected during visit
Mar 1, 20243 citations
“All equipment and furnishings were not in good repair. Shelter needs to be painted and wood needs to be replaced in some areas. Outdoor equipment needs to be cleaned and power washed.”
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 3/15/2024
“The EPR Plan did not include the date of the last revision of the plan. The ERP Plan needs to be updated with current information.”
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 3/15/2024
“The operator did not notify the parent of each child enrolled in writing of the smoking and tobacco restriction. Two children files monitored did not have a signed notification to parents of the smoking policy and tobacco restrictions.”
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 3/14/2024
Aug 31, 20233 citations
“Caregivers did not document compliance with visually checking on sleeping infants aged 12 months or younger and/or the documents were not maintained for a minimum of one month. 2 sleep chart logs were not completed for 8/30/23.”
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 9/13/2023
“All staff did not successfully complete certification in First Aid appropriate to the age of children in care. Verification of staff completion of First Aid training from an approved training organization was not in the staff file. One staff member does not have the First Aid training required with-in 90 days of hire.”
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 9/14/2023
“All staff did not successfully complete certification in CPR training appropriate to the age of the children in care. Verification of staff completion of the CPR course from an approved training organization was not in the staff file. One staff member did not have the required CPR training with-in the first 90days of hire.”
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 9/14/2023
Read every record and the state’s reports
State record — North Carolina DCDEE
- Last visit
- June 15, 2026
- On file
- 11 visits since August 2023 — 6 cited nothing, 6 of those unannounced
- Fixed?
- All 16 record a correction, in the licensor’s own words.
- Most serious
- North Carolina DCDEE does not publish a severity level for a citation, so there is no most-serious to name.
North Carolina DCDEE describes every citation in the licensor’s own words and records the correction in that same text — the only one of the six states that publishes whether a violation was fixed. It attaches no rule number and no report document.
Jan 2026 Unannounced visit 2 findings
Unannounced visit · January 8, 2026
All equipment and furnishings were not in good repair. Outside play toys need to be cleaned.
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 1/20/2026
Outdoor play area was not enclosed by fence with a minimum height of 4 feet. The top of the fence, less than six feet, was not free from protrusions. Fencing on the back wall of the playground area has areas with protrusions. The fencing needs to be reattached to the pole at the top of the fencing.
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 1/20/2026
DCDEE facility lookup On that page, enter license number 49000529 in the License Number box, choose Search and open the result; the record is listed under Visits.
Jul 2025 Unannounced visit 2 findings
Unannounced visit · July 22, 2025
All staff did not wash their hands thoroughly after diapering each child. During the diaper changing process the staff did not follow proper procedures by removing gloves and washing hands before washing the hands of the student.
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 8/4/2025
At least one person who meets qualifications for lead teacher was not responsible for each group for at least two-thirds of the total daily hours of operation. In space 1 and 2 there was not a lead teacher assigned or in the classroom for two-thirds of the day.
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 8/4/2025
DCDEE facility lookup On that page, enter license number 49000529 in the License Number box, choose Search and open the result; the record is listed under Visits.
Feb 2025 Unannounced visit 6 findings
Unannounced visit · February 3, 2025
Staff did not wash their hands thoroughly before beginning work, before/after handling food, before bottle feeding or serving to other children, after toileting or handling body fluids, after diaper changing and after handling soiled items. Teacher did not wash hand between diaper changing.
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 2/17/2025
Caregivers did not document compliance with visually checking on sleeping infants aged 12 months or younger and/or the documents were not maintained for a minimum of one month. Documentation was not maintained for one child when sleeping. The week of 1/27-1/31 was not recorded.
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 2/17/2025
Minimum staff/child ratios and group sizes for the number and ages of children in care were not met. In space one staff child ratio was not maintained from 9:45 to 10:15. The ratio was one teacher to eleven children. The ratio for this classroom is 1/10. The youngest child was 2 year of age.
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 2/17/2025
A current activity plan was not posted for each group of children for reference. A current activity plan was not posted in the infant classroom.
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 2/17/2025
All floors and floor coverings were not constructed of nonabsorbent material and/or were not kept clean and in good repair. Floors were not kept clean through out the building.
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 2/17/2025
Plastic bags, materials that could be torn apart and toy parts small enough to be swallowed were accessible to children under three years of age. In space 3 plastic bags were stored in a cabinet that was not lock under the sink.
Violation corrected during visit
DCDEE facility lookup On that page, enter license number 49000529 in the License Number box, choose Search and open the result; the record is listed under Visits.
Mar 2024 Unannounced visit 3 findings
Unannounced visit · March 1, 2024
All equipment and furnishings were not in good repair. Shelter needs to be painted and wood needs to be replaced in some areas. Outdoor equipment needs to be cleaned and power washed.
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 3/15/2024
The EPR Plan did not include the date of the last revision of the plan. The ERP Plan needs to be updated with current information.
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 3/15/2024
The operator did not notify the parent of each child enrolled in writing of the smoking and tobacco restriction. Two children files monitored did not have a signed notification to parents of the smoking policy and tobacco restrictions.
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 3/14/2024
DCDEE facility lookup On that page, enter license number 49000529 in the License Number box, choose Search and open the result; the record is listed under Visits.
Aug 2023 Unannounced visit 3 findings
Unannounced visit · August 31, 2023
No longer on the state’s site as of September 25, 2026
Caregivers did not document compliance with visually checking on sleeping infants aged 12 months or younger and/or the documents were not maintained for a minimum of one month. 2 sleep chart logs were not completed for 8/30/23.
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 9/13/2023
No longer on the state’s site as of September 25, 2026
All staff did not successfully complete certification in First Aid appropriate to the age of children in care. Verification of staff completion of First Aid training from an approved training organization was not in the staff file. One staff member does not have the First Aid training required with-in 90 days of hire.
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 9/14/2023
No longer on the state’s site as of September 25, 2026
All staff did not successfully complete certification in CPR training appropriate to the age of the children in care. Verification of staff completion of the CPR course from an approved training organization was not in the staff file. One staff member did not have the required CPR training with-in the first 90days of hire.
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 9/14/2023
DCDEE facility lookup On that page, enter license number 49000529 in the License Number box, choose Search and open the result; the record is listed under Visits.
Shortlist replaces people’s names in the state’s text with initials. This is done by rule, not by hand, so it can miss a name or shorten a word that isn’t one. The state’s report, linked on each row, has the original.
Openings, child care subsidies, cost, hours and late pickup, teaching approach, ratios and staff, a typical day, and sick and biting policies aren’t on this page.
Details
- Address
- 135 Elder Lane
- License
- 49000529, active
- Quality program
- Three Star License
Run Little Tots #3 Early Learning Center? Correct or add anything here, free.
Add what is missingSources and dates
Where every fact on this page came from, and when Shortlist last checked it against that source. Anything Shortlist could not source is named here rather than left blank.
State record
From North Carolina DCDEE’s published reports, last checked October 10, 2026.
Details
- Phone, Address, License, Quality program — Checked July 2026 ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov. To check it, open ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/childcaresearch, enter licence 49000529 under License Number, and open the result.
- Who runs it — Checked September 2026 ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov. To check it, open ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/childcaresearch, enter licence 49000529 under License Number, open the result and expand Owner Information: the licensee is listed as Primary Owner.
Small means the smallest quarter of Charlotte-area’s 591 licensed centers by state-licensed capacity: 11 to 50 children. Medium is 51 to 162; large is 163 to 528.