Step By Step Child Care

I enjoyed it, the field trips were fun and I made some friends when I was there but if im being honest, I felt like an outcast at times, I felt inferior to the other kids because sometimes the teachers made me feel that way. I felt like I was made fun of and even bullied for being my authentic self and as a person with autism and ADHD I felt like I was almost treated like an animal and that I was unworthy of love, acceptance, respect and care. sometimes I watched the other teachers show favoritism and more loving behavior to the kids and not always me. one time I even remember how I was on a field trip and me and these other kids were sitting down and having lunch and one of the teachers started talking bad about me right in front of me and talking about the type of clothes I wear and how I would purposely try to show off and get male validation and it was front of other teachers that were grown men which made me feel self conscious and extremely uncomfortable. I felt like I as disgusted in myself because of how the teachers sometimes treated me thinking that the way they treated me was my fault and that I was much more inferior to the other kids, I looked at myself such as ugly , eccentric an unworthy and unlovable and not good enough for anyone, not even friends or a single best friend and every time I look back on my memories at Step by Step I feel like I can move on and look at the positive memories but I will never forget how I was treated and how Step By Step made me feel especially about myself and especially as a person with mental illness and disability.

My daughter went here for Pre-K and had a good experience following her time at another Step by Step location. She enjoyed her teacher and her friends during her time here. She had a teacher that was just hired, Ms Melissa, and she was very pleasant always willing to share updates about my daughter or how she was doing her class. The year started with 3 classes but a teacher left and her room was absorbed into the other two classes. During the day the kids did the normal learning and playing. For recess on nice days then would go to some of the nearby parks on the facility buses or vans. Since this location lacks a true playground on the premises. They would also go to some plays at Upper Darby High School as well as field trips every so often as well. Drop off and pick up can be hectic at times thanks to Garrett Road being busy and the parking lot being full at the prime times.

This daycare is ran by prejudice Karens that treat young children like animals. They force the elder children to work within the daycare by cleaning and taking out trash due to their inability to staff suitable teachers. The teachers are verbally abusive to the children and bully them into following directions. On many occasions I have dropped my daughter off to overhear how brutal the teachers discuss one another. This is not a safe or conducive environment for childcare. Please consider taking your babies elsewhere it’s not worth it.

Our son had been attending their school since birth. We felt like they were family and had worked with us and us with them. Our son started having some behavior issues at first we were told it was a phase. Even our family doctor thought it was a normal development phase. When the Daycare finally told us they felt his behavior wasn't a phase and needed professional help we started the process to get him an assessed and behavioral help from professionals. Literally the day we informed him that he had been approved for, and would be getting assistance they kicked him out because they felt he was a safety risk. however curiously during that phone conversation where we were telling them he was approved the admin stated that if the assistance was full wrap around coverage then it wasn't good enough (note wrap around is only for 2.5 hours a day and only given if the rarest of situations.) The professionals that had assessed him in their school was stunned when we informed them and literally put in writing she didn't believe he was a safety risk at all. We even tried talking to the teacher and she just told us she couldn't get involved. There was no meetings, no conversations, no warnings, there was no documentation to prove their claim. there was just a letter in his folder that day saying as of that Friday he was no longer allowed to attend. this was on a Wednesday He literally cried all night and then everyday for the next couple weeks when he couldn't go back and see his friends. We have struggled since then because he just wants to go back and doesn't want anything to do with his new daycare and it has made working on his issues even more difficult. Even now several months later we are still stunned and confused. And why we still don't know because the administrator of the site and the owner have refused to communicate with us in any fashion.

My first impression of step by step on Garrett Road wasnt good & I’ve always felt there was something strange going on. Upon entering the very first time no one took proper precautions for the safety of children. I entered the building after being buzzed in, by whom ever, to find two teachers in one classroom both on their cell phones while children played & a stranger (me) watched at the door. However, I still decided to give them a chance. I strongly believe the expectations of these teachers are laughable. Be quiet, sit down, speak when spoken to. If I could sum up the way these people treat children I would say like animals. Trained animals. If you have a child that’s timid/shy you’ll never know what harm is being done because they are taught to simply obey. Writing a child’s name on the board.. singling them out. That’s foul. I encourage parents to sit in & watch these people. Unfortunately my child isn’t ok with being told “I don’t care” by his teacher because he & I both know that’s wrong. I strongly suggest avoiding this animal shelter of a daycare. I immediately knew this wouldn’t last & I’m glad it didn’t. My child is now safe. I hope they learn to keep the handsoap stocked inside the children bathrooms because that’s a health violation & could be the reason for hand, foot & mouth disease spreading throughout the school. - I’m a parent, first.