198017095-3-7-2023-33-CC-CGUA-CQ4PP2-20230320112847

Community Care Licensing

COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT

Facility Number: 198017095
Report Date: 03/03/2023
Date Signed: 03/07/2023 11:53:09 AM

Unsubstantiated

STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION
CCLD Regional Office, 1000 CORPORATE CNTR DR. 200-B
MONTEREY PARK, CA 91754

This is an official report of an unannounced visit/investigation of a complaint received in our office on
01/09/2023 and conducted by Evaluator Seung Lee

COMPLAINT CONTROL NUMBER: 33-CC-20230109103326

FACILITY NAME:	WALNUT MONTESSORI-PRESCHOOL ACADEMY		FACILITY NUMBER:	198017095
ADMINISTRATOR:	HARVINDERPAL VAGHELA		FACILITY TYPE:	850
ADDRESS:	3457 S. NOGALES STREET		TELEPHONE:	(626) 965-9060
CITY:	WEST COVINA	STATE: CA	ZIP CODE:	91792
CAPACITY:	117	CENSUS: 85	DATE:	03/03/2023
		UNANNOUNCED	TIME BEGAN:	12:30 PM
MET WITH:	Harvinderpal Veghela		TIME COMPLETED:	05:00 PM

ALLEGATION(S):

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Facility staff hit child

INVESTIGATION FINDINGS:

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Licensing Program Analyst (LPA) Seung Lee conducted unannounced complaint inspection. Upon arrival LPA Lee met with Director Harvinderpal Veghela who provied a tour of the facility.

During the course of this investigation, LPA made observations, conducted interviews, and reviewed documents in regards to the above allegation.

The complaint alleges that staff member of the facility (Staff#1) hit a child in care (Child#1) on 01/05/23. The facility denied this allegation and made no disclosure. An incident report from this facility was sent to the Monterey Park regional office on 01/06/23 that addressed this allegation. The complaint stated that Child#1 disclosed to his parent that Staff#1 hit him in the bottom and told him to go to sleep. Staff#1 denied this allegation and made no disclosure during an interview. LPA Lee observed that Staff#1 is 1 of 4 staff members that provided care for children in Room#4 which is where Child#1 was also in. The facility has the children take their nap from 12:30PM until 2:30PM daily.

Unsubstantiated

Estimated Days of Completion:

SUPERVISORS NAME: Guangorena Claudia
LICENSING EVALUATOR NAME: Seung Lee
LICENSING EVALUATOR SIGNATURE:	DATE: 03/03/2023

I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my licensing appeal rights as explained and received.

FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 03/03/2023

This report must be available at Child Care and Group Home facilities for public review for 3 years.

LIC9099 (FAS) - (06/04)

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Control Number 33-CC-20230109103326

STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT (Cont)

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION
CCLD Regional Office, 1000 CORPORATE CNTR DR. 200-B
MONTEREY PARK, CA 91754

FACILITY NAME: WALNUT MONTESSORI-PRESCHOOL ACADEMY	FACILITY NUMBER: 198017095
	VISIT DATE: 03/03/2023

NARRATIVE

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The Director stated that on 01/05/23, Child#1 was moved to the music room during nap time while Staff#1 stayed in Room#4 which was standard protocol for this classroom during nap time The facility provided evidence for this claim by providing what looked like screen shots of a video recording. The images were observed to have a time stamps with the date and time on the bottom right corner. LPA Lee observed a screen shot with Child#1 being in the music room on 01/05/23 at 12:33PM, and another image of Staff#1 being in room#4 at 12:58PM. Although the images provided do indicate that Staff#1 and Child#1 were in different rooms during nap time on 01/05/23, The details of the allegation stated that Staff#1 hit Child#1 on the bottom and told the child go to sleep. Since Staff#1 and Child#1 were still in room#4 together on 01/05/23 before 12:33PM the images provided do not completely refute the allegation. During the investigation, children that are enrolled room#4 and staff members that work in room#4 were interviewed. LPA Lee did not observe any information from these interviews that supported the allegation.

Based on the evidence collected during the investigation, the allegation that facility staff hit child may be valid. However, there is not enough preponderance of evidence to prove the alleged violation(s) did or did not occur, therefore at this time the above allegations is found to be unsubstantiated.

The notice of site inspection must be posted for a period of 30 days during hours of operation. Failure to maintain posting will result in a civil penalty of $100.00 dollars.

Exit interview conducted with Director Harvinderpal Veghela. Appeal rights discussed.

SUPERVISORS NAME: Guangorena Claudia
LICENSING EVALUATOR NAME: Seung Lee
LICENSING EVALUATOR SIGNATURE:	DATE: 03/03/2023

I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my licensing appeal rights as explained and received.

FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 03/03/2023

LIC9099 (FAS) - (06/04)

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