Incident investigation·August 21, 2024

On 08/21/2024, A case management inspection was conducted today by Licensing Program Analyst (LPA) Jose Penate. LPA met with Director, Josefa Martin to discuss incident which occurred on 03/27/24. LPA toured facility inside and outside. A census was taken. Due to the incident that occurred Community Care Licensing conducted an investigation to ensure that the Health and Safety of children in care were met. During the investigation LPA worked alongside the Tulare County of Education while they were conducting their own internal investigation. During the investigation it was determined that staff were forcing a child to sleep. Staff were enclosing children in an area that was within the classroom that allowed them to spread their arms and not allow children to exit the area where the sleeping cot was located. Staff did not give the child a quite time activity when he/she was not napping. The facility is to offer quite time activities to all children in care if they are unable to nap at the facility. The quite time activity allows the other children to sleep while the child that is not able to nap is not forced to sleep. Due to the staff not giving the child a quite time activity as an option and barricading a child in an area to force him/her to sleep, violates the Personal Rights of the children in care. During the investigation it was also determined that the food plan for a child in care was altered without prior approval from Administrator/Director. Staff in the classroom were withholding the amount of food being given to a child in care while all other children were given the same amount. Staff were feeding the child but only offering him/her a smaller portion than was being given to the other children in care. Due to the staff not following the food plan and withholding food to a child in care, violates the Personal Rights of children in care. Continued on LIC809-C After conducting investigation, it has been determined that the Personal Rights of a child in care were violated. LPA discussed with Director that an all-staff meeting shall be held to ensure that staff do not make any changes to a child\342\200\231s food program without prior approval from Administrator or medical approval. LPA advised to also speak to staff and remind them that if a child is having difficulty sleeping/napping that they can assist a child to nap but not force a child, once staff has tried all measures to assist a child to sleep, they are to offer a quite time activity to ensure that the Personal Rights to all children in care are being followed. Exit interview conducted with the Director, Josefa Martin. Per California Code of Regulations Title 22, Division 12, deficiency cited during today's visit (See LIC809-D). LIC 9213 NOTICE OF SITE VISIT FORM IS REQUIRED TO BE POSTED FOR 30 DAYS.