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Department of
SOCIAL SERVICES

Community Care Licensing


COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT

Facility Number: 483009817
Report Date: 08/22/2025
Date Signed: 08/22/2025 01:06:44 PM

Unsubstantiated


STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION
SANTA ROSA 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
06/16/2025 and conducted by Evaluator Melinda Mohr
PUBLIC
COMPLAINT CONTROL NUMBER: 01-CC-20250616092543
FACILITY NAME:GROWING HEARTS EARLY LEARNING CENTERFACILITY NUMBER:
483009817
ADMINISTRATOR:ALEXADRA BOWERSFACILITY TYPE:
850
ADDRESS:1830 WEST TEXAS AVENUETELEPHONE:
(707) 399-8113
CITY:FAIRFIELDSTATE: CAZIP CODE:
94533
CAPACITY:114CENSUS: 34DATE:
08/22/2025
UNANNOUNCEDTIME BEGAN:
12:50 PM
MET WITH:Candy Hunsucker TIME COMPLETED:
01:05 PM
ALLEGATION(S):
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Staff handled day-care children in a rough manner
Staff yells at children in care
Staff shoved a child in care
INVESTIGATION FINDINGS:
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Licensing Program Analyst (LPA) Mindy Mohr made an unannounced complaint investigation visit today and met with Facility Representative Candy Hunsucker for the purpose of delivering the findings for the above allegations. LPA Mohr previously met with Director Alexandria Bowers on 06/25/2025 to open the complaint. A subsequent visit was made on 07/17/2025 to further investigate the complaint.
During the course of the investigation, LPA Mohr conducted interviews, received documents, and made observations. From 06/25/2025 through 07/29/2025, interviews were conducted with Director (D1), staff (S1-S7), children (C1-C5) and adults (A1-A4).
Continued on LIC9099-C
Unsubstantiated
Estimated Days of Completion:
SUPERVISORS NAME: Leslie Lepori
LICENSING EVALUATOR NAME: Melinda Mohr
LICENSING EVALUATOR SIGNATURE:

DATE: 08/22/2025
I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my licensing appeal rights as explained and received.
FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 08/22/2025
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 01-CC-20250616092543
STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT (Cont)
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION
SANTA ROSA RO, 1450 NEOTOMAS AVENUE, STE. 100
SANTA ROSA, CA 95405
FACILITY NAME: GROWING HEARTS EARLY LEARNING CENTER
FACILITY NUMBER: 483009817
VISIT DATE: 08/22/2025
NARRATIVE
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Director denied the allegations stating staff do not yell at the children and staff do not handle children in a rough manner. D1 further stated staff will raise their voice in a non-aggressive way so the children can hear them. According to staff interviews (S1, S4-S6) all state they do not yell or raise their voice at the children while S4 specifically stated staff do not yell at the children, but they will raise their voices to get the children’s attention. S4 further stated staff are not verbally abusive towards the children. S5 stated staff do not raise their voices at the children, however they do talk over the children so it could sound like yelling.

S1-S7 all state they have never seen another staff member handle a child in a rough manner. S1 stated teachers get overwhelmed day to day, but they never handle the children in a rough manner, while S2 stated they have never seen a teacher shove a child. S4 stated teachers will grab a child if they are about to fall, and if teachers are having a hard time, they use a walkie talkie to ask for help from another teacher. S4 further stated the teachers support each other when needed. S5 stated teachers do take the children’s hand sometimes, not in a rough way, but as a way to guide the child.

According to adult interviews, staff have been heard raising their voices at the children. A1 stated they have heard certain staff raise their voice to the children, one staff member was yelling at the children as if they were in trouble, while the other staff member has a loud voice so they are unsure if that would be considered yelling. A3 stated they have heard staff raise their voices to get the children’s attention as sometimes there are many children in the room at one time. A1 stated they have seen staff holding a child’s hand and the child falls to the ground, but unsure if it was rough or inappropriate handling of the child. A2 stated they have observed staff grab a child’s hand to have the child follow the teacher, while A3 stated they have never seen staff grab a child.

Based on the information gathered during this investigation, although the allegation may have happened or is valid, there is not a preponderance of evidence to prove that the allegation occurred and therefore is determined to be unsubstantiated. There were no Title 22 deficiencies cited. This report was reviewed and discussed with the Facility Representative Candy Hunsucker. Appeal rights were provided. Notice of Site Visit shall be posted for 30 days from today's visit. Failure to comply with posting requirements shall result in an immediate civil penalty of $100.

SUPERVISORS NAME: Leslie Lepori
LICENSING EVALUATOR NAME: Melinda Mohr
LICENSING EVALUATOR SIGNATURE:

DATE: 08/22/2025
I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my licensing appeal rights as explained and received.
FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 08/22/2025
LIC9099 (FAS) - (06/04)
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