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Department of
SOCIAL SERVICES

Community Care Licensing


COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT

Facility Number: 493009876
Report Date: 10/25/2023
Date Signed: 10/25/2023 04:31:02 PM

Substantiated


STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT		CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION
SANTA ROSA CC RO, 1450 NEOTOMAS AVENUE, STE. 100
SANTA ROSA, CA 95405
This is an official report of an unannounced visit/investigation of a complaint received in our office on
08/03/2023 and conducted by Evaluator Amy Strother
PUBLIC
COMPLAINT CONTROL NUMBER: 01-CC-20230803154001
FACILITY NAME:LITTLE WILDFLOWERS PRESCHOOL, INC.FACILITY NUMBER:
493009876
ADMINISTRATOR:EVELYN CONTRERASFACILITY TYPE:
850
ADDRESS:1275 & 1281 EDWARDS AVENUETELEPHONE:
(707) 308-4282
CITY:SANTA ROSASTATE: CAZIP CODE:
95401
CAPACITY:55CENSUS: 16DATE:
10/25/2023
UNANNOUNCEDTIME BEGAN:
02:40 PM
MET WITH:Evelyn ContrerasTIME COMPLETED:
04:45 PM
ALLEGATION(S):
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Staff punished child in care for not sleeping during nap time
INVESTIGATION FINDINGS:
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Licensing Program Analyst (LPA) Amy Strother made a subsequent complaint investigation inspection for the purpose of delivering the findings, and met with Licensee/Center Director, Evelyn Contreas (S1). It has been alleged that staff punished child in care for not sleeping during nap time, specifically that children need to stay on their cot quietly for 2 hours and if not asleep within 30 minutes will need to be picked up to go home.
During the initial investigation visit to the facility on 08/09/23, LPA Strother met with Licensees Evelyn Contreas (S1) and Maria Jasso (S2) to discuss the allegation. S1 stated during an interview at 11:27am that the expectation at nap time is a nap period for 2 hours, and children must stay on their beds. S1 stated in summary that nap is the time that staff need breaks, they can have one teacher for 24 napping children, so they need 24 napping children. S1 further stated that discipline at nap is a teacher sitting next to a child or calling their parent to ask them to pick up their child if they are being disruptive. LPA qualified and interviewed five children (C2-C6) beginning at 12:15pm.
Continue on LIC9099-C
Substantiated
Estimated Days of Completion:
SUPERVISORS NAME: Alexis Hollon
LICENSING EVALUATOR NAME: Amy Strother
LICENSING EVALUATOR SIGNATURE:

DATE: 10/25/2023
I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my licensing appeal rights as explained and received.
FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 10/25/2023
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 01-CC-20230803154001
STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT (Cont)		CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION
SANTA ROSA CC RO, 1450 NEOTOMAS AVENUE, STE. 100
SANTA ROSA, CA 95405
FACILITY NAME: LITTLE WILDFLOWERS PRESCHOOL, INC.
FACILITY NUMBER: 493009876
VISIT DATE: 10/25/2023
NARRATIVE
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Children interviewed corroborated the allegation giving examples of nap time discipline in the form of intimidation or threat as follows: “Teachers say, “Please kids go to sleep or I’m going to call your mom or dad.”, “They ask me to be quieter and that I might get a thinking time after nap.” and “Teachers say, “You’re not napping, you will get a thinking time.” Thinking time is a time out, outside, or inside. If you don’t make the right choice, they talk to your Mommy or Daddy at pick up. You have to stay quiet on your bed until wake-up time.” S2 stated during an interview at 12:41pm, “We don't have a non-napping program because of staffing. We don't have enough staff. We need to be able to clean the room and keep an eye on them. If children are not quiet for 2 hours, we check in with their parents and ask for their help… If a child has a hard day, we do ask parents to pick them up early because we can't provide one on one care.”
During the investigation, LPA interviewed seven former clients (A1- A7) between 08/09/23 and 10/12/23. Former clients interviewed stated that they were asked to pick up their child on more than one occasion because their child was not resting quietly or not sleeping. A former client stated that she was told by staff that staff needed to take a lunch break, so they needed the children to sleep. It has been corroborated through interviews with children and former clients that staff have used intimidation with children, by way of threats of calling parents or giving children “thinking times” as a form of discipline for not napping. Interviews with staff corroborate that they rely on children napping as a means of meeting staffing ratios so that staff can take lunch breaks. Title 22 states in part states, “The licensee shall ensure that each child is accorded the following personal rights: To be free from corporal or unusual punishment, infliction of pain, humiliation, intimidation, ridicule, coercion, threat, mental abuse or other actions of a punitive nature including but not limited to: interference with functions of daily living including eating, sleeping or toileting; or withholding of shelter, clothing, medication or aids to physical functioning.”

Based on information obtained from interviews during the investigation, the preponderance of evidence standard has been met; therefore, the above allegation is found to be substantiated. California Code of Regulations, Title 22 is cited on the attached LIC 9099-D.

An exit interview was conducted, and this report was read and discussed with the facility’s licensee/director, Evelyn Contreas. Appeal rights were provided.

A notice of site visit was given to licensees and must remain posted on, or immediately adjacent to, the interior side of the main door for 30 days.
SUPERVISORS NAME: Alexis Hollon
LICENSING EVALUATOR NAME: Amy Strother
LICENSING EVALUATOR SIGNATURE:

DATE: 10/25/2023
I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my licensing appeal rights as explained and received.
FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 10/25/2023
LIC9099 (FAS) - (06/04)
Page: 2 of 3
Control Number 01-CC-20230803154001
STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT (Cont)		CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION
SANTA ROSA CC RO, 1450 NEOTOMAS AVENUE, STE. 100
SANTA ROSA, CA 95405

FACILITY NAME: LITTLE WILDFLOWERS PRESCHOOL, INC.
FACILITY NUMBER: 493009876
DEFICIENCY INFORMATION FOR THIS PAGE:
VISIT DATE: 10/25/2023
Deficiency Type
POC Due Date /
Section Number
DEFICIENCIES
PLAN OF CORRECTIONS(POCs)
Type B
11/03/2023
Section Cited
CCR
101223(a)(3)
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101223 Personal Rights (a)The licensee shall ensure that each child is accorded the following personal rights: (3) To be free from...humiliation, intimidation, ridicule, coercion, threat, mental abuse, or other actions of a punitive nature including but not limited to: interference with functions of daily living including eating, sleeping or toileting...

This requirement was not met as evidenced by:
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During today's visit, Licensee (L1) stated that the nap routine was changed as of 08/09/23, allowing children who were not asleep after roughly 30-45 minutes to get up to do a quiet activity in the library area. L1 stated that she and co-Licensee (L2) will submit a detailed plan of how the 2 hour rest period is conducted and how staff will not include threats of dicipline for children not napping. Plan will be submitted LPA Strother by 11/03/23. amy.strother@dss.ca.gov
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Based on interviews conducted, on more than one occasion staff threaten to discipline or did discipline children with “thinking time” or a call to parents if children were not quiet for the 2-hour nap period and in some cases called parents to pick up their children for not sleeping or staying quiet for the 2-hour nap period. This poses a potential health, safety, or personal rights risk to persons in care.
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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.
SUPERVISORS NAME: Alexis Hollon
LICENSING EVALUATOR NAME: Amy Strother
LICENSING EVALUATOR SIGNATURE:

DATE: 10/25/2023
I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my appeal rights as explained and received.
FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 10/25/2023
LIC9099 (FAS) - (06/04)
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