Incident investigation·April 3, 2023

On April 3, 2023 Licensing Program Analyst (LPA) Zirbes met with Facility Representative Edna Day for the purpose of conducting an unannounced Case Management incident inspection. The self reported incident occurred at the facility on March 23, 2023. Upon entry to the facility, LPA Zirbes verified twenty one children in care with five staff providing care. On Thursday, March 23, 2023, the facility, reported Child 1 (C1) (four years of age) wandered from the facility unnoticed by climbing over the facility fence. The facility reported C1 was found on the east side of the field and reported the child did not sustain any injuries. During the inspection today, LPA interviewed staff, reviewed staff and child files and reviewed video evidence of the incident. At the time of the incident, C1 was in the enclosed outdoor activity space and was under the supervision of Staff 1 (S1) and Staff 2 (S2). According to interviews and video evidence, C1 pushed a approximately three foot high outdoor egg shaped chair against the five foot seven inch cinder block wall that encloses the outdoor activity space. C1 then climbed on top of the chair and over the block wall which allowed C1 to wander away from the Center unsupervised. Video evidence revealed S1 and S2 did not observe C1 climb over the block wall. C1 was found by staff 3 (S3) approximately ten to fifteen minutes later in a driveway of a home located on Palm Ave. C1 file documented that C1 "sometimes elopes". Based on interviews conducted with staff, record review, and video evidence, the facility failed to provide the care and supervision necessary to met C1 needs when C1 wandered away from the facility on March 23, 2023 and was without staff supervision for ten to fifteen minutes. Therefore, California Code of Regulations, Title 22, Division 12, Chapter 1, regulation 101229(a)(1) Responsibility for Providing Care and Supervision , is being cited on the attached LIC 809D. Report continued on page two Report continued from page one The licensee is being cited a Type A citation for Responsibility for Providing Care and Supervision. Upon receipt of a Type A deficiency licensee shall post the report for 30 days in addition to the Notice of Site Visit and provide copies of the licensing report to parents/guardians of children in care at the facility. This report must be provided to parents/guardians of children newly enrolled at the facility during the next 12 months and the licensee will obtain a signed acknowledgment of Licensing Reports (LIC9224) from the parent/guardian and place it in each child's file. If these requirements are not met, civil penalties will be assessed. An exit Interview was conducted, and a copy of the report and Notice of the Site Visit were read and provided to the Facility representative, Edna Day.