The Director stated that she has never observed or disciplined any staff member for roughly handling a child or speaking to a child inappropriately. The Director stated that the facility never uses any form of corporal or unusual punishment, humiliation, intimidation, ridicule, coercion, threat, mental abuse, or other actions of a punitive nature. The Director stated that staff may raise their voice or yell out to a child to get a child’s or the group’s attention but never to threaten or intimidate a child. The Director stated that she is aware of one incident involving staff S2 in which it was reported to her that S2 yelled out to a child to stop swing a plastic ruler and then grabbed the ruler out of a child’s hands. Staff S2 was interviewed regarding this incident and stated that the child was putting other children at risk by swinging the ruler. S2 stated that she first yelled out to the child to stop swinging the ruler and then walked over to the child and grabbed the ruler from the child’s hands and reminded the child that rulers are not toys. S2 stated that at no time did she roughly grab or handle the child or yell in the child’s face. Furthermore, S2 stated that she denies that she ever spoke inappropriately to any child in care.

During the complaint investigation, interviews were conducted with facility staff (S2-S7) beginning on 09/23/22 at 01:06pm and on 10/19/22 at 11:17am. The staff that were interviewed all stated that they have not observed any staff member roughly handling, speaking inappropriately, or yelling directly at a child, or withholding food from a child as a form of punishment.

Continued on LIC9099-C

Interviews were also conducted with the childcare facility’s clients and children. The clients that were interviewed all stated that they did not have health and safety concerns regarding the center and have not observed any instance where a child’s personal rights were violated by a staff member. Clients that were interviewed stated that they have not heard any staff member(s) yelling or making inappropriate statements to children or other staff members. The children that were interviewed during the complaint investigation all stated that they felt safe while attending the center and did not have any concerns about any staff member. The children that were interviewed all stated that they did not recall any instance where a staff member yelled at them or a classmate or made them feel unsafe. The children interviewed stated that they are provided meals and snacks while at the center and have never had food withheld as a form of punishment.

The LPA made a total of three unannounced investigation visits to the facility to conduct interviews and make observations. During the site visits to the facility, the LPA did not observe any staff members roughly handling or yelling at children or hear any inappropriate comments made to daycare children. The LPA observed that all children were provided lunch and/or snacks; no child was observed without any food during a mealtime. No personal rights violations were observed during any of the LPA’s site visits.

Although it was corroborated that staff S2 has raised their voice with children, there is not a preponderance of evidence to suggest that S2 or any other staff member spoke inappropriately to a daycare child or roughly handled a child. Based on available information, although the allegations may have happened or are valid, there is not a preponderance of the evidence to prove that the alleged violations occurred, therefore the allegations are unsubstantiated. All Licensing reports are public information and must be made available upon request for at least three years. This report was read and reviewed with Center Director Jamie Poma. There were no Title 22 deficiencies cited during today's inspection. Appeal rights were provided. The Notice of Site Visit shall be posted for at least 30 days.