There were 40 preschool children being supervised by 14 staff. LPA inspected the outside play yard. During the inspection of the outside play yard, LPA took photographs and reviewed work invoices for items on the outside play yard.

During today’s inspection, LPA addressed the upright electrical wooden stands. Per associate director, these items have been present when facility was licensed. These items have been inspected by professional electricians and found to be inoperative. Licensee, Fresno State Programs for Children, Inc., has placed a work order to remove these inoperative electrical stands. To assist in ensuring children do not trip over the electrical stands, licensee has placed plastic trash cans and plastic bins over the electrical stands. Per Associate Director, the first step of process to removing these stands, has been completed. The next step is to receive at least three bids and review with the Board members, to approval removal of the electrical stands. The Department is requesting for the inoperative electrical stands to be removed by the first week in August 2024. Licensing will conduct follow up inspections to ensure the removal of these electrical stands are on track.

The turtle pond fencing is adjacent to the school age play yard. The fencing meets Title 22 standards. The fencing height is 5 ft, the chain link fence openings are 1 ¼”. The gate has a lock that is at the top of the gate pole and another lock further down. The gate swings away from the pond and is self-latching. The turtle pond is maintained by Fresno State and is not part of the licensed area. The turtle pond is used by licensee to allow children on field trip to look at the pond wildlife, such as turtles, dragonflies, butterflies, and plant life.

(Continued on LIC809-C).

There is an area that is fenced, behind the stucco building. This area is directly adjacent to the preschool outside play yard. This area is made inaccessible to children in care by chain link fencing and lock on gate. This area is not licensed for children in care to use. One side of this area is adjacent to the turtle pond. Licensee utilizes this area as storage for their equipment, such as wooden tables, wooden benches, PVC pipes and broken equipment that should not be left in children’s play area. Licensee utilizes this area to ensure children’s safety is met and to have the equipment safely stored until licensee can throw away unsafe items.

On the play yard, LPA observed a plant, with wooden limbs, that is no longer green. Facility was working on removing the dead plant. The dead plant has been removed during today’s inspection.

On the play yard, there is a shade umbrella that is used to assist in providing shade in the area children are playing. Recently, there has been strong winds, thereby causing the umbrella to fall. Staff is aware that the shade umbrella fell and picked up the umbrella before the children were allowed to go outside to play. Per Associate Director, staff arrives before children and will inspect the inside and outside of facility. Items are picked up and put in their proper area to ensure the health and safety of children in care.

Per Associate Director, children play outside and are supervised by staff. This is a Title V facility, with a ratio of 1:8. The children are supervised when playing in the different areas. One area has a wooden climbing structure with the highest platform at 3 ft 9”. Licensee installed black rubber pour under the climbing equipment to provide adequate cushioning. The black rubber pour is in the fall zones and goes under the bridge, to ensure if a child falls, there is cushioning. There are sand areas under the bridge and platform. The sand areas are adjacent to the black rubber pour. From a distance, the black rubber pour appears to be a black top. The bridge has several railings. There is a bottom horizontal slate at the lowest part of hanging bridge, to ensure children do not slip, and there is handrail for children, to prevent children from falling off hanging bridge and to assist when crossing the bridge.

Per Associate Director, there are toys out in the play yard after hours. There have been times when staff has not collected all the toy items, such as children sized plastic pails and child sized plastic rakes. Children use these items when playing in the sand areas.

(Continued on LIC809-C).

Per Title 22, Division 12, Chapter 1, of the California Code of Regulations, no deficiency is being cited during today’s inspection.