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Department of
SOCIAL SERVICES

Community Care Licensing


COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT

Facility Number: 480104414
Report Date: 12/30/2024
Date Signed: 12/30/2024 01:37:11 PM

Unsubstantiated


STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT		CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION
SANTA ROSA CC RO, 1450 NEOTOMAS AVENUE, STE. 100
SANTA ROSA, CA 95405
This is an official report of an unannounced visit/investigation of a complaint received in our office on
09/16/2024 and conducted by Evaluator Yang Yang
PUBLIC
COMPLAINT CONTROL NUMBER: 01-CC-20240916115908
FACILITY NAME:VACAVILLE CHRISTIAN EARLY EDUCATION PRESCHOOLFACILITY NUMBER:
480104414
ADMINISTRATOR:STEPHANIE YAMATOFACILITY TYPE:
850
ADDRESS:1117 DAVIS STREETTELEPHONE:
(707) 446-1776
CITY:VACAVILLESTATE: CAZIP CODE:
95687
CAPACITY:170CENSUS: 54DATE:
12/30/2024
UNANNOUNCEDTIME BEGAN:
10:24 AM
MET WITH:Stephanie Yamato, Center DirectorTIME COMPLETED:
12:10 PM
ALLEGATION(S):
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-Staff hit child
-Staff forced child to take naps
-Staff do not follow reporting requirements
INVESTIGATION FINDINGS:
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An unannounced follow-up complaint investigation visit to the facility was made today by Licensing Program Analyst (LPA), Y. Yang to deliver complaint investigation findings. This complaint also involved the Department’s Investigation Bureau investigator, A. Blatnick, who participated in the investigation regarding personal rights violation allegations. It's been alleged that staff hit a child in care, that staff forced a child to take naps while in care, and that staff are not following reporting requirements. Specifically, child, C1, reported that staff S8 hit or grabbed their hand and/or roughly handled them while in care resulting in C1 crying and another child, C2, stated S8 hit or slapped them in the face over the eye when S8 stated “do not touch my stuff.” Also, it was specifically alleged that staff S8 hurt child C1’s wrist by holding them down against their will during nap time and that the facility did not report these alleged personal rights violations to the respective enforcement agencies.
The LPA met with the facility’s center director, Stephanie Yamato today to discuss the investigation findings. The facility was toured inside and out. On 09/25/24, LPA M. Augustin initiated the complaint investigation, notified the center of the complaint, and obtained record(s). Investigator A. Blatnick conducted interviews and attempted interviews from 10/10/24 to 11/12/24. LPA Y. Yang made a follow up visit on 11/19/24 to conduct interviews and obtain documents pertinent to the investigation. (Continued on LIC 9099-C)
Unsubstantiated
Estimated Days of Completion:
SUPERVISORS NAME: Megan Aviles
LICENSING EVALUATOR NAME: Yang Yang
LICENSING EVALUATOR SIGNATURE:

DATE: 12/30/2024
I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my licensing appeal rights as explained and received.
FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 12/30/2024
This report must be available at Child Care and Group Home facilities for public review for 3 years.
LIC9099 (FAS) - (06/04)
Page: 1 of 3
Control Number 01-CC-20240916115908
STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT (Cont)		CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION
SANTA ROSA CC RO, 1450 NEOTOMAS AVENUE, STE. 100
SANTA ROSA, CA 95405
FACILITY NAME: VACAVILLE CHRISTIAN EARLY EDUCATION PRESCHOOL
FACILITY NUMBER: 480104414
VISIT DATE: 12/30/2024
NARRATIVE
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The LPA interviewed Center Director Yamato (staff S1) who stated that upon learning of the allegations made against staff member S8, S8 was placed on administrative leave while an internal investigation was conducted. Director Yamato stated that S8 was interviewed regarding the alleged personal rights violation and denied the allegations. Director Yamato stated that as part of the investigation, staff members who worked with S8 were interviewed in addition to several daycare clients. While some interviews revealed that S8 may have been mean or yelled, specific examples could not be provided, and Director Yamato stated her investigation did not produce any corroborating evidence to support the allegations against S8. Director Yamato further stated that S8 was permitted to return to work at the conclusion of the investigation, however, S8 resigned from her position and is no longer affiliated with the facility. During the Department’s investigation, S8 did not make herself available for a full interview. Additionally, the Department did not receive authorization to interview child C1 or a further interview of C2. Director Yamato stated that she is not aware of any other incident, misconduct allegation, or personal rights violation raised against S8.

Director Yamato stated that the center has a daily scheduled nap period between the hours of 12:30pm to 02:30pm and the center expects children to nap during this time but never forces a child to nap if they choose not to. Director Yamato further stated in certain situations, a staff member may sit on the floor next to a child and rub or pat the child’s back or chest to comfort or relax the child and that the children typically fall asleep shortly thereafter, but if a child still chooses not to nap, an alternate activity is provided to the child. The child then may choose to return to the nap area or continue with their alternate activity. Director Yamato stated that she never observed S8 or any other staff member force a child to nap.

Director Yamato stated that staff are required to notify a child’s authorized representative of any unusual incidents and/or accidents and that the facility uses the “Class Dojo” app to communicate electronically with families. Director Yamato further stated that teachers can send direct messages to a child’s authorized representative through the app. Director Yamato stated that this incident involving S8 was not reported to the respective enforcement agencies (law enforcement, child protective services (CPS), and Community Care Licensing Division (CCLD)) because the incident was investigated by the facility and no evidence was found that would have warranted a report to these agencies.

(Continued on LIC 9099-C)

SUPERVISORS NAME: Megan Aviles
LICENSING EVALUATOR NAME: Yang Yang
LICENSING EVALUATOR SIGNATURE:

DATE: 12/30/2024
I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my licensing appeal rights as explained and received.
FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 12/30/2024
LIC9099 (FAS) - (06/04)
Page: 2 of 3
Control Number 01-CC-20240916115908
STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT (Cont)		CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION
SANTA ROSA CC RO, 1450 NEOTOMAS AVENUE, STE. 100
SANTA ROSA, CA 95405
FACILITY NAME: VACAVILLE CHRISTIAN EARLY EDUCATION PRESCHOOL
FACILITY NUMBER: 480104414
VISIT DATE: 12/30/2024
NARRATIVE
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During the investigation, further interviews were conducted with the facility’s staff members S2-S7 on 11/19/24, which did not provide any corroborating information regarding the allegations. Staff stated that they have never observed S8 hitting a child, although S4 did confirm an incident in which C1 was crying hard after being with S8 in the bathroom but S4 did not observe the incident. Staff also describe S8 as structured, firm, or strict but loving and has a tone of voice that can be considered loud. One staff, S5, did state S8 received a verbal warning regarding her tone of voice with other staff but did not observe any personal rights violations against children. In addition, S5 stated children are encouraged to nap and some staff confirmed that children are asked to lay down, tucked in with a blanket and/or rubbed or patted on their backs to relax them for napping but they have not observed staff forcing a child to nap. However, one staff member, S4, stated they observed one instance when S8 placed C1 on their sleeping mat “against their will” and telling C1 that they needed to relax their body and go to sleep, which resulted in C1 becoming upset. The LPA was unable to corroborate this during any interviews. Director Yamato also stated she was aware of this alleged incident but was unable to corroborate the statement after interviewing staff members and S8 claimed she wasn’t being forceful with the child. Lastly, staff members corroborated Center Director Yamato’s statements regarding unusual incidents, illness, and injury reporting procedures.

Interviews were also conducted with children in care who did not reveal any concerns with any staff members. C2 initially stated they got hurt in the eye but associated it to another child, not S8. Childcare clients did not reveal any corroborating information to support the allegations, although one client stated they believed staff S8 was “mean.” According to one client, their child claimed S8 raised her voice or was mean to them and forced them to nap by asking them to “relax his body” but that S8 was never physical with them.

During the LPA’s visits to the facility, the LPA observed staff interacting with the children. The LPA did not observe any evidence of a staff member violating child(ren)’s personal rights. Additionally, current records from the local law enforcement agency and an interview of a medical professional did not produce evidence to support any allegation of staff misconduct for incidents included in this investigation.

Based on available information and interviews conducted, although the allegations may have happened or are valid, there is not a preponderance of evidence to prove the alleged violations did or did not occur. Therefore, the allegations are determined to be unsubstantiated at this time. There were no Title 22 deficiencies cited. This report was reviewed and discussed with the Center Director, Stephanie Yamato. Appeal rights were provided. Notice of Site Visit shall be posted for 30 days from today's visit.

SUPERVISORS NAME: Megan Aviles
LICENSING EVALUATOR NAME: Yang Yang
LICENSING EVALUATOR SIGNATURE:

DATE: 12/30/2024
I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my licensing appeal rights as explained and received.
FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 12/30/2024
LIC9099 (FAS) - (06/04)
Page: 3 of 3