California Code § 102417(g): Food Service Standards

📋Type A Violation🏢Affects: Family Child Care Homes

What Is California Code § 102417(g): Food Service Standards?

California Code § 102417(g)

The home shall be free from defects or conditions which might endanger a child. Safety precautions shall include but not be limited to:

💡Insider's Tips

Inspectors walk the entire property looking for hazards, and they get low to see things from a child's height. They open cabinets, check under sinks for unsecured cleaning products, test outlet covers, and verify that gates and locks actually work. Pool and spa barriers get special attention. They look for gaps in fencing, self-closing gate mechanisms that stick, and door alarms that have dead batteries. The difference between a verbal heads-up and a written deficiency often comes down to severity: a slightly loose cabinet handle gets mentioned, but an unlocked gate near a pool gets documented immediately as a serious safety hazard. Fix anything related to water, toxic substances, or fall risks before they ever visit.

23
facilities cited recently
That's 1 in 1667 facilities
10
counties affected
33
most common citation
Stable
Last 90 days vs. previous 90 days
23 facilities (was 24)1 facility

Source: California CCLD inspection records | Data: last 90 days as of Feb 16, 2026

How to Avoid Food Service Standards Citations

✓ Prevention Checklist

❌ Common Mistakes

  • Storing cleaning products in unlocked cabinets below counter height. Providers assume childproof latches are enough, but inspectors test whether a determined toddler could defeat them, and cheap magnetic locks often fail the test.
  • Letting pool or spa barrier maintenance lapse between inspection cycles. Self-closing gates lose tension over time, door alarms run out of batteries, and fence sections develop gaps. Inspectors check water hazard protections first because violations carry the highest severity.
  • Overlooking hazards in rooms not typically used for childcare, like garages or utility areas. If a child can physically access the space, it must meet safety standards. Unlocked doors to hazardous areas are frequently cited.
  • Assuming that passing a fire inspection covers all safety requirements under this regulation. Fire safety and CCLD safety standards overlap but are not identical. Inspectors check for trip hazards, sharp edges, unstable furniture, and other conditions the fire marshal doesn't evaluate.

What's Being Cited in Each Region Over the Past 90 Days

Based on facility inspection reports filed with California's Community Care Licensing Division, here's how this citation appears across different regions in the past 90 days.

Los Angeles County

8 citations

Riverside County

4 citations

San Joaquin County

3 citations

San Diego County

2 citations

Kern County

1 citations

Tehama County

1 citations

Alameda County

1 citations

Sacramento County

1 citations

Stanislaus County

1 citations

Santa Barbara County

1 citations

Data updated weekly from CCLD public records. Last update: 2/16/2026

See California Code § 102417(g): Food Service Standards Citations in Your County

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Food Service Standards?
California Code 102417(g) requires that your family child care home be free from any defects or conditions that could endanger a child, with specific safety precautions that go well beyond basic housekeeping. This covers everything from secured cleaning products and functioning safety gates to pool barriers and hazard-free access throughout the entire property. For your facility, this means every space a child could physically reach, including garages, utility rooms, and outdoor areas, must meet CCLD safety standards at all times.
How common is this citation?
According to California CCLD inspection records as of February 08, 2026, 23 facilities have been cited for this violation in the past 90 days across 12 California counties. That's roughly 1 in 1,739 inspected facilities. Los Angeles leads with 6 citations, followed by San Joaquin and Riverside with 3 each, and San Diego and Tulare with 2 each. Because this regulation covers a broad range of physical hazards, the specific deficiency varies widely from site to site.
What triggers this citation during an inspection?
Inspectors walk the entire property and get down to a child's eye level to spot hazards you might miss standing up. Based on CCLD inspection patterns, the most frequently documented issues are unsecured cleaning products in unlocked cabinets below counter height, pool or spa gates with worn self-closing mechanisms, unlocked doors to garages or utility areas, and cheap childproof latches that a determined toddler can defeat. Anything involving water access, toxic substances, or fall risks gets documented immediately as a serious deficiency rather than a verbal warning.
How can I prevent this citation?
Do a monthly safety walk of your entire property at child height, checking every room a child could access, not just your main care areas. Test all cabinet locks, gate mechanisms, and door alarms yourself. Replace batteries in pool door alarms on a set schedule, not when they die. Verify that cleaning products are in locked cabinets that actually resist a toddler's attempts, and keep hazardous storage areas locked with hardware children cannot reach.
What should I do if I receive this citation?
Fix the specific hazard immediately and photograph the correction with a date stamp. If the citation involves pool barriers or toxic substance access, address it the same day since these carry the highest severity. Document what failed, what you replaced or repaired, and add the item to your regular safety check routine. Submit your Plan of Correction with photos and your updated inspection schedule. For complex situations, consider consulting a licensed childcare compliance specialist.

Related Violations

This information is educational and does not constitute legal advice. Consult a licensed childcare compliance consultant for guidance specific to your facility. Citation data is sourced from California Community Care Licensing Division public records and is refreshed regularly.