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Department of
SOCIAL SERVICES

Community Care Licensing


COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT

Facility Number: 313608538
Report Date: 09/23/2022
Date Signed: 09/23/2022 12:23:03 PM

Substantiated


STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT		CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION
CCLD Regional Office, 2525 NATOMAS PARK DR. STE.250
SACRAMENTO, CA 95833
This is an official report of an unannounced visit/investigation of a complaint received in our office on
08/08/2022 and conducted by Evaluator Lea Habtom
PUBLIC
COMPLAINT CONTROL NUMBER: 03-CC-20220808102003
FACILITY NAME:HUGS-N-SMILES PRESCHOOL AND DAYCAREFACILITY NUMBER:
313608538
ADMINISTRATOR:ADE, BERNADETTEFACILITY TYPE:
850
ADDRESS:1273 HIGH STREETTELEPHONE:
(530) 823-6385
CITY:AUBURNSTATE: CAZIP CODE:
95603
CAPACITY:30CENSUS: 4DATE:
09/23/2022
UNANNOUNCEDTIME BEGAN:
11:30 AM
MET WITH:Bernadette AdeTIME COMPLETED:
12:45 PM
ALLEGATION(S):
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Facility staff uses inappropriate forms of punishment
INVESTIGATION FINDINGS:
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On September 23, 2022 Licensing Program Analysts (LPAs) Lea Habtom and Katrina Owens met with director Bernadette Ade to deliver the findings for the above allegations. Today's census consisted of 4 preschool children being supervised by licensee and her assistant.

Facility staff uses inappropriate forms of punishment

During the investigation, LPA Habtom toured the facility, conducted observation, and interviewed those pertinent to the investigation. It was alleged that staff use inappropriate forms of punishment. LPA L. Habtom learned from interviews that children are told that hot sauce would be put in their mouth for using profanity or vulgar language. LPA L. Habtom was unable to conclude that the punishment was ever followed through. Based on the corroborating statements taken the department has found that a personal rights violation occurred when staff used inappropriate forms of punishment such as threats to punish children to be SUBSTANTIATED: meaning that the allegation is valid because the preponderance of the evidence standard has been met.
Substantiated
Estimated Days of Completion:
SUPERVISOR'S NAME: Keven PetersTELEPHONE: (916) 263-5728
LICENSING EVALUATOR NAME: Lea HabtomTELEPHONE: (916) 208-2538
LICENSING EVALUATOR SIGNATURE:

DATE: 09/23/2022
I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my licensing appeal rights as explained and received.
FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 09/23/2022
This report must be available at Child Care and Group Home facilities for public review for 3 years.
LIC9099 (FAS) - (06/04)
Page: 1 of 3
Control Number 03-CC-20220808102003
STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT (Cont)		CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION
CCLD Regional Office, 2525 NATOMAS PARK DR. STE.250
SACRAMENTO, CA 95833

FACILITY NAME: HUGS-N-SMILES PRESCHOOL AND DAYCARE
FACILITY NUMBER: 313608538
DEFICIENCY INFORMATION FOR THIS PAGE:
VISIT DATE: 09/23/2022
Deficiency Type
POC Due Date /
Section Number
DEFICIENCIES
PLAN OF CORRECTIONS(POCs)
Type A
09/26/2022
Section Cited
CCR
101223(a)(3)
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101223 (a)(3) Personal Rights: (a)The licensee shall ensure that each child is accorded the following personal rights: (3) To be free from corporal or unusual punishment, infliction of pain, humiliation, intimidation, ridicule, coercion, threat....
This requirement was not met as evidenced by:
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Licensee states she will not threaten the children with putting hot sauce in their mouth and will notify parents if the behavior continues that the child will have a conversation with the parent and the child would need to be picked up.
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Interviews which revealed that staff warned children that hot sauce would be put in their mouth for using vulgar language. This is an immediate risk to the health and safety of children.
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Failure to correct the cited deficiency(ies), on or before the Plan of Correction (POC) due date, may result in a civil penalty assessment.
SUPERVISOR'S NAME: Keven PetersTELEPHONE: (916) 263-5728
LICENSING EVALUATOR NAME: Lea HabtomTELEPHONE: (916) 208-2538
LICENSING EVALUATOR SIGNATURE:

DATE: 09/23/2022
I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my appeal rights as explained and received.
FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 09/23/2022
LIC9099 (FAS) - (06/04)
Page: 2 of 3