Incident investigation·July 19, 2023

On 7/19/2023 at 9:30 am, Licensing Program Analyst (LPA) Carolyn Tuba conducted an unannounced case management inspection to follow up on an Unusual Incident reported on 5/19/2023. LPA met with Andrea Uribe, Site Director who provided a tour of the facility to gain the census. There were 10 children and 5 staff present during the inspection. During the inspection Site Director called Education Coordinator (EC), Vinia Casuga who met LPA at the facility at approximately 10:30 am. The incident that occurred on 05/19/2023 was reported to the Department on 05/19/2023 via email on a written Unusual Incident Report (UIR) provided to Community Care Licensing. The facility reported the incident in a timely manner. LPA conducted interviews with Education Coordinator, Staff #1 (S1) and #2 (S2). An additional staff member who was present during the incident was not available to interview, as they are currently at another facility and was subbing that day. The Unusual Incident reported concerns of a child wandering away from the facility at approximately around 10:50 am and wandered off onto a field of a school located next door to the facility. After LPA conducted interviews with Education Coordinator, S1, and S2, it was disclosed that child wandered away from a back gate that is typically locked but on that day was left open by an unidentified person. Based on EC, S1 and S2 child was gone no longer then 3 to 5 minutes and was found by a staff member from the school next door. EC, S1 and S2 stated that there is a protocol to count children during transitions, to count every 10 to 15 minutes inside/outside, to document on a white board the ratio of children and a count is taken when a staff member leaves the area. On that day S2 left the playground area where children were playing, and the facility was in staff to children ratio, confirmed by a second staff member, but when S2 returned the ratio of children had changed. When staff realized the a child was missing, the staff member from the school next door notified staff of the child who had wandered away. Both EC and S1 confirmed that S2 was not present and that the child was approximately gone for 5 minutes based on the events of that morning. Principal of the school next door informed EC of the event that occurred. Parent of the child was notified of the incident. page 1 of 2 Child was not interviewed due to age of the child. EC conducted their own internal investigation. According to EC, S1 and S2 protocols of supervision have changed due to the incident. Children now play in enclosed playground instead of the open playground where children played previously, all staff check to make sure gates are locked in the morning and before taking children out to play, additional training of Care and Supervision have been given and head count protocols (counting before and after outside play, every 15 minutes head count and log on head count log sheet and counting when staff leave and staff return to the area. When staff enters the classroom, they announce that the door is open and count the children. The following deficiency listed on the attached LIC 809 (deficiency page) are being cited in accordance with California Code of Regulations Title 22. Deficiency that are being cited need to be cleared to protect the children\342\200\231s health & safety. One (1) Type A - A copy of this report shall be provided to the parent/guardian of children currently enrolled by the next business day or immediately upon return. A copy of this report shall also be provided to the parent/guardian of any newly enrolled children for the next 12 months (1 year). The Acknowledgement form must be maintained in each child\342\200\231s file immediately upon receipt from parent. Licensee/Director was provided with a copy of the parent Acknowledgement of Receipt of Licensing Reports Form during this visit. The Notice of Site Visit (LIC 9213) \342\200\223 must remain posted for 30 days during the hours of operation after each site visit by a licensing representative. Failure to maintain posting as required will result in a civil penalty of $100.00. Exit interview conducted, appeal rights given, and a copy of the report was reviewed and given to Education Coordinator, Vinia Casuga page 2 of 2