First Steps Preschool

AAC R9-5-512.B. B. A licensee shall maintain facility premises and furnishings: 1. In a clean condition, and 2. Free from odor.

“Findings: Based on the Compliance Officer’s observation, in Classroom #3 (4-5 year-old children), the refrigerator had a dried yellow substance and dried food on the bottom shelf”

AAC R9-5-503.A.1. A. A licensee shall ensure that each diaper changing area required in R9-5-601(4) contains: 1. A nonabsorbent, sanitizable diaper changing surface that is: a. Seamless and smooth, and b. Kept clear of items not required for diaper changing;

“Findings: Based on the Compliance Officer’s observation, the Infant Room diaper changing surface was not seamless and smooth. The hand-washing sink lacked clean caulking between the cabinet (behind the faucet) and the wall.”

AAC R9-5-502.C.1.m. C. A licensee shall ensure that: 1. A staff member providing child care services in an infant room: m. Follows the current written dietary instructions of a parent when feeding the infant;

“Findings: Based on Compliance Officer#1's observation, three infant feeding instructions lacked the back page.”

AAC R9-5-501.A.3. A. A licensee shall ensure that: 3. For enrolled infants and children five-years or younger, drinking water is available to meet the needs of each enrolled child;

“Findings: Based on the Compliance Officer’s observation, Classroom #7 (1-year-old children) lacked available drinking water and cups for enrolled children.”

AAC R9-5-501.A.20. A. A licensee shall ensure that: 20. Except when used as part of an activity, the following are stored in an area inaccessible to an enrolled child: a. Garden tools, such as a rake, trowel, and shovel; and b. Cleaning equipment and supplies, such as a mop and mop bucket.

“Findings: Based on the Compliance Officer’s observation, in Classroom #3 (4-5 year-old children), there were three brooms and a dust pan accessible to enrolled children.”

AAC R9-5-512.F. F. A licensee shall ensure that:1. Each toilet room in a facility contains, within easy reach of enrolled children: a. Mounted toilet tissue; and b. Except as provided in subsection (G): i. A sink with running water; ii. Soap contained in a dispenser; and iii. Disposable, single-use paper towels in a mounted dispenser, or a mechanical air hand dryer; 2. Staff members wash their hands with soap and running water after toileting; 3. An enrolled child’s hands are washed with soap and running water after toileting; 4. Except for a cup or receptacle used only for water, food waste is stored in a covered container and the container is clean and lined with a plastic bag; 5. Food waste and other refuse is removed from the facility building at least once every 24 hours or more often as necessary to maintain a clean condition and avoid odors; 6. A staff member or an enrolled child does not draw water for human consumption from a toilet room handwashing sink; 7. Toys, materials, and equipment are maintained in a clean condition; 8. Plumbing fixtures are maintained in a clean and working condition; and 9. Chipped or cracked sinks and toilets are replaced or repaired.

“Findings: Based on the Compliance Officer's observations, the following toilet rooms were not maintained in a clean condition: Outside Boy's Toilet Room: *There was no running water from Sink #2.”

AAC R9-5-605.B.9. B. A licensee shall ensure that: 9. Fans are mounted and inaccessible to an enrolled child;

“Findings: Based on the Compliance Officer's observation, in Classroom #1 (2-year-olds), there was a fan on the cubbie shelf that was not mounted.”

AAC R9-5-603.C. C. Except as provided in subsection (D), a licensee shall ensure that an outdoor activity area:1. Is enclosed by a fence: a. A minimum of 4 feet high; b. Secured to the ground; and c. With either vertical or horizontal open spaces on the fence or gate that do not exceed 4.0 inches; 2. Is maintained free from hazards, such as exposed concrete footings and broken toys; and 3. Has gates that are kept closed while an enrolled child is in the outdoor activity area

“Findings: Based on the Compliance Officer's observation, in the outdoor activity area, the following hazard was accessible to enrolled children: *There were large pieces of paint and a wood paneling peeling with exposed wood located next to the gate leading into the playground.”

AAC R9-5-501.A.12. A. A licensee shall ensure that: 12. The facility premises, including the buildings, are maintained free from hazards;

“Findings: Based on the Compliance Officer’s observations, the following hazards were accessible to enrolled children: Classroom #6 (2's) *There was peeling vinyl with sharp edges along the second and third shelves of a three-cabinet shelf located near the diaper changing station. Outside Boy's Toilet Room: *There was a loose toilet seat in Stall #1. Outside Girl's Toilet Room: *There was a loose toilet seat in Stall #2.”

AAC R9-5-512.B. B. A licensee shall maintain facility premises and furnishings:1. In a clean condition, and 2. Free from odor.

“Findings: Based on the Compliance Officer's observations, the following classrooms were not maintained in a clean condition: Infant Classroom: *There was black sticky residue on all the personal cupboard doors for the children. *There was sticky residue on the outside of the cribs on two ends. *There was black sticky residue on the exit door. 1's Classroom: *There was dust and dirt build-up on the air vent, diaper cream box, and diapering gloves container located near the front window. *The was black sticky residue all over the exit door. *There was black sticky residue build-up on a small shelf near the kitchen. 2's Classroom: *There are several small and large brown spots of dirt and grime located on the two large floor carpets.”

AAC R9-5-512.C. C. A licensee shall ensure that floor coverings are:1. Clean; and 2. Free from: a. Dampness, b. Odors, and c. Hazards.

“Findings: Based on the Compliance Officer's observation, in the following activity areas, the floor was not maintained: Classroom #6 (2-year-olds): The two large carpets in the classroom had several large brown, and black spots along with a lot of debris.”

AAC R9-5-603.E. E. A licensee shall ensure that the following is provided and maintained within the fall zones of swings and climbing equipment in an outdoor activity area:1. A shock-absorbing unitary surfacing material manufactured for such use in outdoor activity areas; or 2. A minimum depth of 6 inches of a non-hazardous, resilient material such as fine loose sand or wood chips.

“Findings: Based on the Compliance Officer’s observation, the outdoor activity areas lacked the following resilient surfacing: 2's and 3/4's Playground: *The shock-absorbing unitary surfacing material was hard throughout the playground and under all climbing equipment.”

AAC R9-5-404.A. A. A licensee shall ensure that at least the following staff-to-children ratios are maintained at all times when providing child care services to enrolled children: Age Group/Staff: Children - Infants/1:5 or 2:11; 1-year-old children/1:6 or 2:13; 2-year-old children/1:8; 3-year-old children/1:13; 4-year-old children/1:15; 5-year-old children not school-age/1:20; School-age children/1:20

“Findings: Based on Compliance Officer #2’s observation, the staff-to-child ratio in the 1’s room was 1:8, with one-year-olds present. A second staff member was needed to maintain the required ratio.”

AAC R9-5-503.A.1. A. A licensee shall ensure that each diaper changing area required in R9-5-601(4) contains:1. A nonabsorbent, sanitizable diaper changing surface that is: a. Seamless and smooth, and b. Kept clear of items not required for diaper changing;

“Findings: Based on Compliance Officer #2’s observation, in the 1’s room, on the counter of the diaper changing hand washing sink were 4 sippy cups, a stack of diapers, a can of Redbull, and a tote bag.”

AAC R9-5-501.C.1. C. A licensee shall ensure that a staff member: 1. Supervises each enrolled child at all times;

“Findings: Per Allegation and based on facility documentation and staff interview, Child #1 was not supervised at all times on 1/11/24 when Child #1 sustained an injury while on the facility premises. Staff #1 stated Child #1 belly-flopped into the soft object area (ball pit filled with various soft objects) and no longer wanted to move or use their arm. Staff #1 stated they were in the ball pit area but did not see what happened to Child #1’s arm. Per facility incident report via ProCare: "Hurt left arm" and "While playing in classroom (Child #1) went into ball pit (belly flops into it) when (the child) left the ball pit (the child) was no wanting to use (their) arm! (Staff) checked (the child) over (they) seemed ok about 30 minutes later she noticed (the child) was still not wanting to use (their) arm so call office to report by phone call at this point seemed a bit uncomfortable when touch or move left arm."”

AAC R9-5-514. G. G. If an enrolled child’s parent informs a staff member at the facility that the enrolled child’s parent obtained medical treatment from a health care provider for an accident, injury, or emergency the enrolled child had while attending the facility, a licensee shall ensure that a staff member:1. Documents any information about the enrolled child’s accident, injury, or emergency received from the enrolled child’s parent; and 2. Maintains documentation required in subsection (G)(1) on facility premises for 12 months after the date of the child’s disenrollment.

“Findings: Based on facility documentation, staff statements, and Compliance Officer’s #1 observation, staff members failed to document information received from an enrolled child’s parent regarding an injury that happened at the facility and subsequent medical attention. Staff #2 stated they were not aware the information needed to be documented.”

AAC R9-5-306.B. B. A licensee shall: 1. Develop, document, and implement policies and procedures to ensure that a staff member maintains daily documentation of the presence of an enrolled child in an activity area that includes a method to account for any temporary absences of the enrolled child from the activity area, and 2. Maintain the documentation of the presence of enrolled children in an activity area required in subsection (B)(1) on facility premises for 12 months after the date of the documentation.

“Findings: Based on facility documentation and Compliance Officer #2’s observation, eight children were present, but only six children were on the roster in the Young 2’s room.”