complaint·October 7, 2022

Allegation #1: Teacher inappropriately disciplines children in care. According to the allegation, a teacher was observed to have inappropriately disciplined children while in care by spanking and hitting them. Interviews by LPA revealed the following disclosures: Child #11 stated the teacher grabbed their forearm tightly and pulled it. Child #12 stated they observed this occurring to Child #11. Parent #4 stated Child # 11 and Child #3 were playing and Staff #2 grabbed them and scolded them as opposed to talking to them. Parent #4 stated they brought the incident of Staff #2 grabbing Child #11 to the facility owner, and the facility owner responded, “You are the only person complaining”. When LPA asked the Gateway owner “Has a parent ever come to you and told you Staff #2 grabbed their child’s arm?”, the owner responded “I told the parent, that would not happen here, and Staff #2 did not do that. Staff #2 explained to me that they would just hold the child’s hand if the child needed a break, it’s not grabbing.” Child #1 stated she saw a teacher “slap (Child #2) in the head”. Child #1 additionally stated, “When (Child # 2) slapped the teacher, and the teacher slapped him again, the teacher hit him in the mouth, like this” and then Child #1 mimicked hitting their mouth with an open hand. Child #1 also stated the teacher has hit her as well with an open hand, saying “She hits my chest”. Staff made no disclosures regarding inappropriately disciplining children in care. Allegation #2: Teacher yelled at child in care. Complaint alleges that a teacher was observed yelling several times at children. During interviews with children in care, Child #11 stated Staff #2 “yelled and was mean”; Child #6 stated the teacher yelled, “No”; and Child #1 when asked if she likes her school, stated “It’s a bit scary when Staff #2 gets angry all the time”. Parent interviews revealed the following: Parent #10 reported they heard a teacher yelling “Stop it!” Parent #10 stated, “I was outside, and the door was closed. It was loud!”. Parent #3 stated their child didn’t like the teachers, because their child said, “they yelled and looked mad” and told her daughter to “stop crying”. Parent #4 stated she witnessed Staff #2 yelling at the children. Staff made no disclosures regarding yelling at children in care. Page 2 of 3 Based on the information gathered, and interviews conducted, the preponderance of evidence standard has been met, therefore the above allegations are found to be SUBSTANTIATED. California Code of Regulations, Title 22 Chapter 1 are being cited on the attached 9099D. Deficiencies that are being cited need to be cleared to protect the children’s health and safety. LPA Lilli Babcock informed facility representative, Hewa De Silva, that this report dated 10/7//2022 documents 2 Type A citations which shall be posted for 30 consecutive days as there is immediate risk to the health, safety, or personal rights of children in care. Also, LPA Lilli Babcock informed the facility representative to provide a copy of this licensing report dated 10/7/22 that documents any Type A citation to parents/guardians of all children currently enrolled by the next business day or the next day the children are in care, and to any newly enrolled parents/guardians for 12 months from the date of this report. A signed Acknowledgement of Receipt of Licensing Report (LIC 9224), or other written statement, must be placed in the child's file for verification. 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. Exit interview conducted and report was reviewed with facility owners Hewa De Silva and Pubudu Karalliyadde. Page 3 of 3