California Code § 101238(a): Daily Facility Maintenance

Daily Facility Maintenance (California Code 101238(a)) requires your child care center to be clean, safe, sanitary, and in good repair at all times. This is an every-single-day standard, not just a requirement before inspections. It covers everything from cleanliness and sanitation in food prep and diaper changing areas to addressing safety hazards immediately and maintaining outdoor play areas. The regulation ensures that children, employees, and visitors are protected from health and safety risks throughout each operating day.

As of November 23, 2025, 45 facilities have been cited for Daily Facility Maintenance violations in the past 90 days across 15 California counties. This represents approximately 1 in 889 facilities statewide (0.60% of the 7,551 facilities inspected during this period). The counties with the most citations are Los Angeles (14 facilities), Orange (4 facilities), and Riverside (4 facilities). While this citation isn't among the most frequent, it's serious enough that licensing officers actively look for maintenance issues during every visit.

Inspectors cite facilities for visible maintenance issues like peeling paint, broken fence slats, wobbly gate latches, cracked flooring, or damaged playground equipment. Common triggers include accumulated dirt or grime in high-traffic areas, unsanitary conditions in bathrooms or diaper changing stations, food preparation areas that aren't properly cleaned, safety hazards like exposed electrical outlets or sharp edges, and outdoor play areas with broken equipment or debris. Inspectors are trained to notice details that providers might overlook because they see them every day - that 'wobbly gate latch you've been meaning to fix' becomes a citation if left unaddressed.

Create a simple daily checklist for opening and closing procedures that includes a quick safety scan of your entire facility. Walk through each area with fresh eyes, looking for hazards, cleanliness issues, or items needing repair. Fix small problems immediately before they become big citations - a $5 repair today beats a citation and potential closure. Establish a maintenance log to track repairs and ensure nothing falls through the cracks. Address safety hazards the same day they're identified, and don't let maintenance issues pile up. Pay special attention to high-touch areas like bathrooms, diaper changing stations, and food prep areas, ensuring they're cleaned and sanitized daily.

Immediately address every specific deficiency listed in the citation report. Take photos of the issues before and after repairs to document your corrections. Create a written action plan showing how you'll prevent these problems in the future, including your new daily inspection checklist and maintenance tracking system. Submit your Plan of Correction (POC) to licensing within the required timeframe, typically 30 days. If repairs require contractors or significant work, document that you've scheduled the work and provide estimated completion dates. For ongoing maintenance, implement a preventive maintenance schedule so inspectors see you're taking a proactive approach rather than just fixing cited items. If you're unsure about any deficiency, contact your local licensing office for clarification before the POC deadline.