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Department of
SOCIAL SERVICES

Community Care Licensing


COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT

Facility Number: 493010150
Report Date: 07/26/2023
Date Signed: 07/26/2023 12:22:17 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, 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
04/27/2023 and conducted by Evaluator Amy Strother
PUBLIC
COMPLAINT CONTROL NUMBER: 01-CC-20230427175822
FACILITY NAME:GNOMIESFACILITY NUMBER:
493010150
ADMINISTRATOR:TARA TATEFACILITY TYPE:
850
ADDRESS:7985 VALENTINE AVENUETELEPHONE:
(415) 515-8178
CITY:SEBASTOPOLSTATE: CAZIP CODE:
95472
CAPACITY:30CENSUS: 13DATE:
07/26/2023
UNANNOUNCEDTIME BEGAN:
09:20 AM
MET WITH:Tara TateTIME COMPLETED:
12:35 PM
ALLEGATION(S):
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Staff do not adequately supervise children in care

Facility electrical outlets are not covered
INVESTIGATION FINDINGS:
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Licensing Program Analysts (LPAs), Amy Strother and Selena Mariani made a subsequent complaint investigation inspection, for the purpose of delivering complaint findings, and met with facility representative, Tara Tate (L1). It has been alleged that staff do not adequately supervise children in care, specifically that staff have walked in and out of the classrooms or the outdoor yard, leaving a group of children unsupervised on more than one occasion. It has also been alleged that the facility electrical outlets are not covered.
During the initial investigation inspection on 05/04/23 LPA Strother toured the facility, received documents, and conducted interviews with Center Director/Licensee (L1) and 2 staff, Staff 1 – Staff 2 (S1-S2) beginning at 10:03am. During the investigation, LPA Strother interviewed three former staff, Adult 1 - Adult 3 (A1- A3) and one current staff S3 between 05/02/23 and 07/25/23 and attempted to interview one additional former staff (A4) on 07/24/23.

Continue on LIC9099-C
Substantiated
Estimated Days of Completion:
SUPERVISORS NAME: Alexis Hollon
LICENSING EVALUATOR NAME: Amy Strother
LICENSING EVALUATOR SIGNATURE:

DATE: 07/26/2023
I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my licensing appeal rights as explained and received.
FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 07/26/2023
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 5
Control Number 01-CC-20230427175822
STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT (Cont)		CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION
CCLD Regional Office, 1450 NEOTOMAS AVENUE, STE. 100
SANTA ROSA, CA 95405
FACILITY NAME: GNOMIES
FACILITY NUMBER: 493010150
VISIT DATE: 07/26/2023
NARRATIVE
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During interviews conducted, it was stated that children have the option of what classroom they wanted to be in or to be outside, moving freely from one space to another. Former and current staff stated examples of how the children in care were not adequately supervised. Examples included looking out from the art room window, a room that looks directly out onto the yard, on more than one occasion, and witnessing children outside without a staff person present, further stating that they witnessed all the staff that are working for the day inside at that time, confirming that no staff were present outside with the children. Former staff interviewed stated that staff were observed walking in and out of classrooms to get something, leaving children unsupervised in a classroom or children walking into a classroom where no staff was present because the door was left open and needing to ask the children to come back into the room or outside where staff were stationed. Interviews with former staff corroborated that a staff person without the required qualifications was left alone to supervise a group of children on more than one occasion. During an interview conducted at the facility on 05/04/23, one staff stated that during the months of November and December 2022 they noticed staff leaving children outside by themselves, but that once they spoke to L1 about the concern, L1 spoke to staff about supervision, and it didn’t happen again. During the tour of the facility on 05/04/23 and during today's visit, LPA(s) did not observe any electrical outlets, that were accessible to children to be uncovered. Interviews conducted indicated that there have been occasions when electrical outlets in the play room were observed to be uncovered and accessible to children in care. Two people interviewed stated specifically that the fairy lights located up in the loft were plugged into a power strip, but the power strip had multiple open outlets on it that were not covered. Another person interviewed stated that on multiple occasions they used an outlet located in the middle room to plug the vacuum in and I did not remove a cover to use the outlet, stating that the outlet was accessible to children in care. Another staff stated that the air purifier was plugged into the wall and up against the wall, but that the other outlet did not have a cover and the air purifier could easily be moved away from the wall.

Based on the evidence obtained, the preponderance of evidence standard has been met; therefore, the above allegations are found to be substantiated. California Code of Regulations, (Title 22), is being cited on the attached LIC 9099D. Appeal rights were provided.

Exit interview conducted, and report was reviewed with the Center Director/Licensee, Tara Tate.

A notice of site visit was given and must remain posted for 30 days. Failure to comply with posting requirements shall result in an immediate civil penalty of $100.

SUPERVISORS NAME: Alexis Hollon
LICENSING EVALUATOR NAME: Amy Strother
LICENSING EVALUATOR SIGNATURE:

DATE: 07/26/2023
I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my licensing appeal rights as explained and received.
FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 07/26/2023
LIC9099 (FAS) - (06/04)
Page: 2 of 5
Control Number 01-CC-20230427175822
STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

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

FACILITY NAME: GNOMIES
FACILITY NUMBER: 493010150
DEFICIENCY INFORMATION FOR THIS PAGE:
VISIT DATE: 07/26/2023
Deficiency Type
POC Due Date /
Section Number
DEFICIENCIES
PLAN OF CORRECTIONS(POCs)
Type B
08/14/2023
Section Cited
CCR
101229(a)(1)
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No child(ren) shall be left without the supervision of a teacher at any time, except as specified in Sections 101216.2(e)(1) and 101230(c)(1). Supervision shall include visual observation.

This requirement was not met as evidenced by:
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Licensee/Center Director (L1) stated she will develop a staff training on supervision and make a plan for how to divide the groups of children. L1 stated she would submit her training notes and plan for dividing up the groups to the Department by 08/14/23 via email to amy.strother@dss.ca.gov and selena.mariani@dss.ca.gov
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Based on interviews with current and former staff conducted between 05/02/23 and 07/25/23, it has been determined that facility staff failed to provide adequate care and supervision to a group of children playing both indoors and outdoors on more than one occasion when a group was let inside or outside without a teacher present, resulting in a lack of supervision which poses a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
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L1 stated she will conduct the staff training 08/29/23 after returning from summer break and have staff sign in to verify the training, submitting sign in sheet to LPA's on 08/30/23.
Type B
07/28/2023
Section Cited
CCR
101238(a)
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(a)The child care center shall be clean, safe, sanitary and in good repair at all times to ensure the safety and well-being of children, employees and visitors.

This requirement was not met as evidenced by:
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L1 stated that she has provided extra outlet covers in each classroom and has spoken to staff about adding an outlet cover when eletrical items have been unplugged from outlets. All outlets were observed to covered during today's visit, meeting the requirement.
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Based on interviews conducted between 05/02/23 and 07/25/23 there were uncovered electrical outlets located in two locations in the middle classroom on more than one occasion, which 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: 07/26/2023
I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my appeal rights as explained and received.
FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 07/26/2023
LIC9099 (FAS) - (06/04)
Page: 5 of 5
STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT		CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION
CCLD Regional Office, 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
04/27/2023 and conducted by Evaluator Amy Strother
PUBLIC
COMPLAINT CONTROL NUMBER: 01-CC-20230427175822

FACILITY NAME:GNOMIESFACILITY NUMBER:
493010150
ADMINISTRATOR:TARA TATEFACILITY TYPE:
850
ADDRESS:7985 VALENTINE AVENUETELEPHONE:
(415) 515-8178
CITY:SEBASTOPOLSTATE: CAZIP CODE:
95472
CAPACITY:30CENSUS: 13DATE:
07/26/2023
UNANNOUNCEDTIME BEGAN:
09:20 AM
MET WITH:Tara TateTIME COMPLETED:
12:35 PM
ALLEGATION(S):
1
2
3
4
5
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9
Staff do not ensure that hazardous items are inaccesible to children in care
INVESTIGATION FINDINGS:
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Licensing Program Analysts (LPAs), Amy Strother and Selena Mariani made a subsequent complaint investigation inspection, for the purpose of delivering complaint findings, and met with Licensee, Tara Tate. It has been alleged that staff do not ensure that hazardous items are inaccessible to children in care, specifically that there is a large hole under the fence that leads directly to a body of water and that there was rusty hardware sticking out of a play kitchen outdoors.

During the initial investigation inspection on 05/04/23 LPA Strother toured the facility, received documents, and conducted interviews with Center Director/Licensee (L1) and 2 staff, Staff 1 – Staff 2 (S1-S2) beginning at 10:03am. L1 denied the allegation, stating that there have not been hazardous items accessible to children.

Continue on LIC9099-C
Unsubstantiated
Estimated Days of Completion:
SUPERVISORS NAME: Alexis Hollon
LICENSING EVALUATOR NAME: Amy Strother
LICENSING EVALUATOR SIGNATURE:

DATE: 07/26/2023
I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my licensing appeal rights as explained and received.
FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 07/26/2023
This report must be available at Child Care and Group Home facilities for public review for 3 years.
LIC9099 (FAS) - (06/04)
Page: 3 of 5
Control Number 01-CC-20230427175822
STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT (Cont)		CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION
CCLD Regional Office, 1450 NEOTOMAS AVENUE, STE. 100
SANTA ROSA, CA 95405
FACILITY NAME: GNOMIES
FACILITY NUMBER: 493010150
VISIT DATE: 07/26/2023
NARRATIVE
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 L1 stated that the outdoor play kitchen did get damaged in the heavy rains, causing the door of the kitchen to come off it’s hinges, but that the door was removed and the kitchen made inaccessible to children as soon as it was discovered by staff. L1 stated that the fencing is just as it was when the facility was licensed. During the tour of the facility LPA did not observe any hazardous items accessible to children, including but not limited to rusty hardware or large holes under fencing. During the investigation, LPA Strother interviewed three former staff, Adult 1 – Adult 3 (A1 – A3) and one current staff (S3) between 05/02/23 and 07/25/23 and attempted to interview one additional former staff on 07/24/23.

Interviews corroborate that the play kitchen in the outdoor play area was observed to have a door hinge that broke away from the main structure, exposing rusty screws. Staff indicated that the screws were immediately thrown away or removed and the play kitchen covered with a large rug to make it inaccessible to children until repaired. Based on interviews conducted between 05/02/23 and 07/24/23 there is not a preponderance of evidence to support that staff did not take the necessary steps to maintain equipment in good condition, free of sharp, loose or pointed parts. Although the allegation may have happened or is valid, there is not a preponderance of evidence to prove that an alleged violation occurred, therefore the allegation is UNSUBSTANTIATED.

This report was reviewed and discussed with Licensee, Tara Tate. Appeal Rights were provided.

Notice of Site Visit shall be posted for 30 days from today's visit. Failure to comply with posting requirements shall result in an immediate civil penalty of $100.
SUPERVISORS NAME: Alexis Hollon
LICENSING EVALUATOR NAME: Amy Strother
LICENSING EVALUATOR SIGNATURE:

DATE: 07/26/2023
I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my licensing appeal rights as explained and received.
FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 07/26/2023
LIC9099 (FAS) - (06/04)
Page: 4 of 5