243810250-7-11-2024-04-CC-JPAO-D73QBQ-20240711120156

Community Care Licensing

FACILITY EVALUATION REPORT

Facility Number: 243810250
Report Date: 07/11/2024
Date Signed: 07/11/2024 12:02:08 PM

Document Has Been Signed on 07/11/2024 12:02 PM - It Cannot Be Edited

STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

FACILITY EVALUATION REPORT

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION
FRESNO CC RO, 1310 E. SHAW AVE,
FRESNO, CA 93710

FACILITY NAME:	MERCED EARLY LEARNING CENTER		FACILITY NUMBER:	243810250
ADMINISTRATOR/ DIRECTOR:	VANESSA MININGER		FACILITY TYPE:	860
ADDRESS:	1850 WARDROBE AVE		TELEPHONE:	(209) 381-4005
CITY:	MERCED	STATE: CA	ZIP CODE:	95341
CAPACITY: 41	TOTAL ENROLLED CHILDREN: 41	CENSUS: 0	DATE:	07/11/2024
TYPE OF VISIT:	Prelicensing	ANNOUNCED	TIME VISIT/ INSPECTION BEGAN:	09:00 AM
MET WITH:	Vanessa Mininger - Director		TIME VISIT/ INSPECTION COMPLETED:	12:30 PM

NARRATIVE
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25	On 7/11/24 at 9:00 am, Licensing Program Analyst (LPA), Joseph Pacheco conducted an announced Pre-Licensing inspection for a new license. Upon arrival, LPA met with Facility Representative and Director, Vanessa Mininger. Also present was Assistant Head Start Director, Paula Smith. Licensee will be Merced County Office of Education. Applicant is requesting to be licensed for 20 preschoolers ages 2-5 in classroom H4 (Classroom 3); 21 infants ages 0-2 in classrooms H1 (Classroom 1) and H2 (Classroom 2) in Building H. This facility will operate year round. Hours of operation will be Monday – Friday, 7:00 am – 6:00 pm. All indoor and outdoor activity space utilized for the children was inspected today. LPA informed Director that staff are required to maintain direct visual supervision of the children at all times during indoor and outdoor activities. When medications are on site, Director stated that they will be in a lock box in the child’s classroom. The lock box will be in the kitchenette in Classroom 1 and in the staff office in Classrooms 2 and 3. A fully equipped first aid kit is located in each classroom. There is an operational carbon monoxide detector on site located in each classroom. All required licensing documents were observed posted near the front door in each classroom. Children will be signed in and out at the front door in each classroom. Facility will utilize an electronic sign in and sign out. LPA continued to tour the facility and measured all indoor and outdoor activity space. Total indoor activity space for the preschool classroom measured to an approximate 712 square feet which is sufficient to accommodate the requested overall capacity of 20 preschool children. The total indoor activity space for the infant classrooms measured to an approximate 1,111 square feet which will accommodate the requested overall capacity of 21 infants. LPA observed all indoor activity space to be complete with safe, age-appropriate furniture and equipment, including tables, chairs, cubbies, napping mats/cots, cribs, bookshelves, and other activity supplies for the children. Infant toys are safe with no sharp edges, splinters, or points, nor made of small parts that can present a choking hazard. Drinking water is available in the classrooms via a water vendor service. Staff will fill igloo jugs from the water service and utilize the igloo jugs to provide water during indoor activities. Facility will provide paper cups from a paper cup dispenser. LPA observed all hazardous items to be inaccessible to children. CONTINUED ON LIC809-C

SUPERVISORS NAME: Deborah Lowe
LICENSING EVALUATOR NAME: Joseph Pacheco
LICENSING EVALUATOR SIGNATURE:	DATE: 07/11/2024

I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my licensing appeal rights as explained and received.

FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 07/11/2024

This report must be available at Child Care and Group Home facilities for public review for 3 years.

LIC809 (FAS) - (06/04)

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STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

FACILITY EVALUATION REPORT (Cont)

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION
FRESNO CC RO, 1310 E. SHAW AVE,
FRESNO, CA 93710

FACILITY NAME: MERCED EARLY LEARNING CENTER	FACILITY NUMBER: 243810250
	VISIT DATE: 07/11/2024

NARRATIVE

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There are no bodies of water or weapons on the property. Fire clearance was granted by the City of Merced Fire Department on 4/9/24.
In the infant room(s) high chairs and feeding tables have broad-based legs, plastic seats are in good repair and trays lock onto chairs. High chairs are made of washable, moisture-resistant material. Changing tables have at least 1” padding covered with moisture-resistant, washable material. Sides of the changing table are at least 3” high and the changing table is within arm’s reach of a sink. Diapering sink is not used for meal preparation or dishwashing. Cribs meet regulatory requirements. Crib area is located in Classroom 1 and is separated from activity space via a see through partition. This barrier is at least four feet high, made of sound absorbing material and allows for supervision of napping children. Sleep logs are kept in the crib area in Classroom 1. Needs and Services Plans and Sleep Plans are kept in the child’s file.
LPA observed a total of 3 sinks and 3 toilets available for children’s use in the preschool area. Facility will not be providing potty training services for infants or preschool. These are sufficient to accommodate the requested overall capacity of 20 preschool children. LPA observed a total of 3 sinks and 3 toilets available for children’s use in the infant area. These are sufficient to accommodate the requested overall capacity of 21 infant children. There is a separate staff restroom equipped with a toilet and a sink in Classroom 1. The isolation area for children who are ill will be the staff office in each classroom and will use the staff bathroom.
Facility will provide lunch, AM snack and PM snack. The kitchenette area currently includes a refrigerator and freezer. Food is prepared offsite at the Merced County Office of Education centralized kitchen and delivered to the facility daily. The kitchen area and food storage areas were observed to be free of rodents and/or vermin. Food was observed to be properly stored separate from cleaning materials. Hazardous items in kitchen are inaccessible to children via being locked.
The facility currently does not have a fully fenced playground area for each component. Applicant has submitted a waiver to allow the infant children and preschool children to share the playground area at separate times. Chain link fencing is at least four feet high. The outdoor activity space is located adjacent to Building I just to the south of Building H. The total square footage for the outdoor activity space is approximately 10,800 square feet which is sufficient to accommodate the requested capacity of 21 infants and 20 preschool children. Shade is provided via pop up canopies that are anchored. There are sufficient outdoor age-appropriate toys and play equipment available on the playground(s). No high climbing play equipment was observed in the outdoor playground. Drinking water is available via Igloo jugs which staff will bring out during outdoor activities. Children will use paper cups from a cup dispenser to consume water. LPA observed all hazardous items on the playground(s) to be inaccessible to children. Director was reminded that any changes to the facility must be reported to and approved by Community Care Licensing.
CONTINUED ON LIC809-C

SUPERVISORS NAME: Deborah Lowe
LICENSING EVALUATOR NAME: Joseph Pacheco
LICENSING EVALUATOR SIGNATURE:	DATE: 07/11/2024

I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my licensing appeal rights as explained and received.

FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 07/11/2024

LIC809 (FAS) - (06/04)

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STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

FACILITY EVALUATION REPORT (Cont)

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION
FRESNO CC RO, 1310 E. SHAW AVE,
FRESNO, CA 93710

FACILITY NAME: MERCED EARLY LEARNING CENTER	FACILITY NUMBER: 243810250
	VISIT DATE: 07/11/2024

NARRATIVE

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LPA discussed the safe sleep regulations with Director and discussed the Child Care Licensing Safe Sleep webpage at: https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/child-care-licensing/public-information-and-resources/safe-sleep, as an additional resource. LPA also informed Director of the importance of checking for recalled infant devices on the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) website at: https://www.cpsc.gov/, and recommended they register all infant devices with the CPSC to be notified of any recalls on their purchased equipment.

For child care center licenses issued after July 1, 2022, the licensee shall test their water for lead within 180 days of licensure pursuant to Written Directives section 101700 (PIN 21-21.1- CCP).

Director was reminded that all adults 18 and over responsible for administration or direct supervision of staff, persons who provides care and supervision to children, and staff who have contact with children, including employees and volunteers, except as specified in Health and Safety Code section 1596.871, must obtain a criminal record clearance or exemption, or transfer their existing clearance or exemption, prior to initial presence in a Child Care Center. A civil penalty of $100.00 minimum/day for a maximum of 5-days or, if the penalty is for a repeat violation, for a maximum of 30-days per person will be assessed if this regulation is violated.

This facility plans to provide Incidental Medical Services – IMS. For IMS information, see PIN 22-02-CCP. Applicant has an IMS plan on file with the Fresno Regional Office. The following information regarding ADA was provided: US Department of Justice (USDOJ) toll-free ADA Information Line at (800) 514-0301 (voice) or (800) 514-0383 (TTY) and link to publication: Commonly Asked Questions about Child Care Centers and the ADA, available at: http://www.ada.gov/childqanda.htm

LPA reviewed with Director the LIC 311A, Records to Be Maintained at The Facility, for child’s records, personnel records, administrative records, and documents to be posted.

Director was informed of the MyChildCarePlan.org site, a consumer education website that helps families obtain child care by connecting them to child care providers and Resource and Referral Agencies (R&Rs) throughout California.
CONTINUED ON LIC809-C

SUPERVISORS NAME: Deborah Lowe
LICENSING EVALUATOR NAME: Joseph Pacheco
LICENSING EVALUATOR SIGNATURE:	DATE: 07/11/2024

I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my licensing appeal rights as explained and received.

FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 07/11/2024

LIC809 (FAS) - (06/04)

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STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

FACILITY EVALUATION REPORT (Cont)

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION
FRESNO CC RO, 1310 E. SHAW AVE,
FRESNO, CA 93710

FACILITY NAME: MERCED EARLY LEARNING CENTER	FACILITY NUMBER: 243810250
	VISIT DATE: 07/11/2024

NARRATIVE

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Community Care Licensing Division (CCLD) regularly sends information to licensed facilities, providers, and stakeholders by way of Provider Information Notices (PIN), Program Quarterly Update Newsletters and other important information communication platforms. To receive important licensed related information to licensed facilities, visit the CCLD Important Information website at https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/community-care-licensing/subscribe and select the Child Care option to receive email communication.

Pending a final file review, and approval of the requested waiver to have preschool and infant children share the outdoor activity space at separate times, a recommendation will be made to license the above facility for 20 preschool children and 21 infant children.

Exit interview conducted and report was reviewed with Director, Vanessa Mininger. A copy of this report is to remain in the facility for public review. This report shall be made available to the public upon request.

SUPERVISORS NAME: Deborah Lowe
LICENSING EVALUATOR NAME: Joseph Pacheco
LICENSING EVALUATOR SIGNATURE:	DATE: 07/11/2024

I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my licensing appeal rights as explained and received.

FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 07/11/2024

LIC809 (FAS) - (06/04)

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