Program Name: EMPOWER    License/Registration ID: 598901


 Program Overview
Contact Name: Rebecca R. Rush Contact Title: Director
Program Type: Day Care Center Status: Open
School District: Niagara-Wheatfield
Site Address: Map
9812 Lockport Road, Niagara Falls, NY 14304
First Licensed/Registration Date: Aug 7, 2012
Current Registration Period: Aug 7, 2022 - Aug 6, 2026
Phone: (716) 297-1478
Fax: (716) 205-0044
Total Capacity: 112
-Infants: 0
-Toddlers: 0
-Preschool: 112
-School-Age: 0
Open Child Care Slots*:
This information was self reported to OCFS on 11/25/2024 1:55:26 PM
-Infants: 0
-Toddlers: 0
-Preschool: 112
-School-Age: 0

*Important Note: This self reported information on open child care slots can quickly change.


Please contact this program for the most current openings.


Care available during non-traditional hours: No
Removed from referral list: No
This facility is approved to administer medications. This program is located in a school.
This facility has Non-Patient Specific Auto Injectors.

For additional information on this program and compliance history, contact
Office: Buffalo Regional Office
Phone: (716) 847-3828
For additional details and to view the checklist used during an inspection, please click on the Inspection ID links below. Inspection checklists are generated per inspection type and reason. Also note, that any regulatory requirement can be assessed and cited during an inspection and as a result, may not be reflected on the inspection checklist. These items would be reflected in the program's compliance history that is posted.

 Inspection History: (Inspections in the past 24 months)

Date Inspection Type Inspection ID Inspection Result  
May 2, 2025 Fire Safety - Alternate Year 2025-I-BRO-037070 No violations cited for this Inspection
Feb 3, 2025 Annual Unannounced 2025-I-BRO-006688 Violations Found
Dec 12, 2024 Self Reported Serious Incident 2024-I-BRO-113086 No violations cited for this Inspection
Dec 10, 2024 Monitoring 2024-I-BRO-099166 No violations cited for this Inspection
Oct 29, 2024 Fire Safety - Alternate Year 2024-I-BRO-103529 Violations Found
Oct 23, 2024 Complaint (Substantiated) 2024-I-BRO-104708 Violations Found
Oct 15, 2024 Self Reported Serious Incident 2024-I-BRO-100567 Violations Found
Aug 19, 2024 Mid-Point 2024-I-BRO-078594 Violations Found
Jun 13, 2024 Serious Injury 2024-I-BRO-051480 No violations cited for this Inspection
Jun 3, 2024 Annual Unannounced 2024-I-BRO-006616 No violations cited for this Inspection
Mar 19, 2024 Other 2024-I-BRO-038389 No violations cited for this Inspection
Mar 12, 2024 Complaint (Unsubstantiated) 2024-I-BRO-037788 No New Violations
Dec 22, 2023 Serious Injury 2023-I-BRO-055760 No violations cited for this Inspection
Nov 15, 2023 Monitoring 2023-I-BRO-049753 Violations Found
Oct 10, 2023 Complaint (Substantiated) 2023-I-BRO-046911 Violations Found
Jul 21, 2023 Self Reported Serious Incident 2023-I-BRO-037171 No violations cited for this Inspection
Jul 19, 2023 Fire Safety - Alternate Year 2023-I-BRO-035220 Violations Found
Jul 11, 2023 Annual Unannounced 2023-I-BRO-006494 No violations cited for this Inspection
Additional Inspection History

*Inspections may be conducted outside of program operating hours and/or off-site(where inspector was not on premises where care is provided) for the following reasons:
-Record/File Review
-Interviewing of Staff
-Or Other Investigative Reasons

 Compliance History
Date of Last Inspection: May 2, 2025 Currently uncorrected violations: None
Date Regulation Description Compliance Status as of last inspection
Feb 3, 2025 418-1.5(b)(4) Each program must hold two shelter-in-place drills annually during which procedures and supplies are reviewed. Parents must be made aware of this drill in advance. Corrected
Oct 29, 2024 418-1.4(h) The director or a designated qualified staff member must conduct monthly inspections of the premises to observe possible fire or safety hazards. Any such hazard must be corrected immediately. Corrected
Oct 29, 2024 418-1.15(c)(33) The program must maintain on file at the child day care center, available for inspection by the Office or its designees at any time, the following records in a current and accurate manner: documentation from the local government authority having jurisdiction for determining compliance with the Fire and Building Code of New York State showing that the facility has been inspected and approved once every 12 months during the current license period for compliance with the applicable fire safety provisions of the Fire and Building Code of New York State; Corrected
Oct 23, 2024 418-1.8(a) Children cannot be left without competent supervision at any time. Competent supervision includes awareness of and responsibility for the ongoing activity of each child. It requires that all children be within a teacher's range of vision and that the teacher be near enough to respond when redirection or intervention strategies are needed. Competent supervision must take into account the child's age emotional, physical, and cognitive development. Corrected
Oct 23, 2024 418-1.13(i) No person other than a director, group teacher or assistant teacher may supervise a group independently even for brief periods of time, except in an emergency. Corrected
Oct 23, 2024 418-1.14(c) Each staff person and volunteer must complete a minimum of thirty (30) hours of training every two years. The required thirty (30) hours of training every two years is subject to the following conditions: Corrected
Oct 23, 2024 418-1.14(c)(1) Each staff person and volunteer must complete a minimum of thirty (30) hours of training every two years. The required thirty (30) hours of training every two years is subject to the following conditions: Fifteen (15) of the required thirty (30) hours of training must be obtained during the person's first six months at the program. Corrected
Oct 23, 2024 418-1.15(c)(12) The program must maintain on file at the child day care center, available for inspection by the Office or its designees at any time, the following records in a current and accurate manner: a current daily schedule documenting the arrival and departure times of each staff person and volunteers; Corrected
Oct 15, 2024 418-1.15(b)(14)(ii) The program must immediately notify the parent and Office upon learning of the following events involving a child which occurred while the child was in care at the program or was being transported by the program: serious incident, Corrected
Aug 19, 2024 418-1.14(c) Each staff person and volunteer must complete a minimum of thirty (30) hours of training every two years. The required thirty (30) hours of training every two years is subject to the following conditions: Corrected
Aug 19, 2024 418-1.14(c)(1) Each staff person and volunteer must complete a minimum of thirty (30) hours of training every two years. The required thirty (30) hours of training every two years is subject to the following conditions: Fifteen (15) of the required thirty (30) hours of training must be obtained during the person's first six months at the program. Corrected
Nov 15, 2023 418-1.4(b)(1) Evacuation drills must be conducted at least monthly during various hours of operation of the child day care center. Corrected
Oct 10, 2023 413.4(d)(6) Pending notification of completion of all required background check components in subdivision (a) of this section, a prospective director, employee or volunteer must always be supervised by an individual who received a qualifying result on the background checks described in paragraph (a) of this section within the past five years. A provisional director, employee or volunteer shall not have unsupervised contact with children in care. Corrected
Oct 10, 2023 418-1.9(d) Behavior management must promote self-esteem in children and guide children in such a way as to help each child develop self-control and assume responsibility for his or her actions through clear and consistent rules and limits appropriate to the ages and development of the children in care. Corrected
Jul 19, 2023 418-1.4(h) The director or a designated qualified staff member must conduct monthly inspections of the premises to observe possible fire or safety hazards. Any such hazard must be corrected immediately. Corrected
*Violations are posted on this web site after the inspection results have been finalized in a report mailed to the provider. Violations are listed here as 'Corrected' after the Office has verified corrections with the provider, and a letter confirming the corrections has been mailed to the provider.
For additional information on this program and compliance history, contact
Office: Buffalo Regional Office
Phone: (716) 847-3828

 Enforcement History
The New York State Office of Children and Family Services uses a range of tools to help bring child care programs into compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements.

The enforcement actions listed on this website only include denial, revocation or suspension of a child care program's license or registration. Fines are not shown on this website. OCFS stops referring families to the program if a program's license or registration is closed, revoked or suspended.

Other enforcement actions such as Corrective action plans and fines are not shown on this website.
Enforcement Actions since June, 2020: None