Little Castle Childcare & Preschool

AAC R9-5-603.D. D. 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 observations, the resilient material in all of the fall zones in the outdoor playground measured between 0 and 3 inches of the required 6 inches of resilient material.”

AAC R9-5-309.C. C. A licensee shall maintain on facility premises: 1. A current fire inspection report including documentation of any repairs or corrections required by the fire inspection report; and 2. If there are gas pipes that run from a gas meter to an appliance or location on the facility premises, a current gas inspection report including documentation of any repairs or corrections required by the gas inspection report.

“Findings: Based on the Compliance Officer's observations and documentation reviewed, the fire inspection report expired on August 02, 2025.”

AAC R9-5-306.A. A. A licensee shall: 1. Maintain a dated attendance form containing an enrolled child’s name with the time of each admission and release, and the parent or staff member's signature or other unique identifier. 2. If an electronic signature is used to admit or release the enrolled child, adopt policies and procedures to ensure that the individual whose signature the electronic or digital method of identification represents is accountable for the use of the electronic or digital method; 3. Develop, document, and implement policies and procedures to ensure that the identity of an individual is known to the staff member or is verified with picture identification before releasing an enrolled child to the individual. 4. Not release the enrolled child to an individual other than the enrolled child’s parent or other individual designated in writing by the enrolled child’s parent except when the enrolled child’s parent is unable to collect the enrolled child and authorizes the licensee by telephone to release the enrolled child to an individual not so designated. 5. Not permit the self-admission or self-release of an enrolled child unless the enrolled child is of school-age and the licensee has obtained and verified written permission from the enrolled child’s parent. 6. Maintain the attendance form on facility premises for 12 months after the date of attendance.

“Findings: Based on the Secondary Compliance Officer's observations, 3 of 15 reviewed enrolled children's sign in and sign out records lacked the following: Child 3- Sign out on 2/20/2026. Child 4- Sign out on 2/12/2026. Child 5- Sign out on 2/10/2026.”

AAC R9-5-304.B. B. Except as required in A.R.S. § 36-3009, before an enrolled child receives child care services, a licensee shall require the enrolled child’s parent to complete an Emergency, Information, and Immunization Record that is no more than a two-page written notice, and is signed by the enrolled child’s parent containing: 1. The child’s name, home address, sex, and date of birth; 2. The date of the child’s enrollment; 3. The name, home address, email address, and telephone number of each parent of the child; 4. The name and contact telephone number of at least two individuals authorized by the child’s parent to collect the child from the facility in case of emergency, or if the child’s parent cannot be contacted; 5. The name and contact telephone number of the child’s health care provider; 6. The written authorization for emergency medical care of the enrolled child when the parent cannot be contacted at the time of the emergency; 7. The name of the individual to be contacted in case of injury or sudden illness of the child; 8. The written instructions of a child’s parent or health care provider for the nutritional and dietary needs of the child including, if applicable, the request in R9-5-509(C)(14); and 9. A written record completed by the child’s parent or health care provider noting the child’s susceptibility to illness, physical conditions of which a staff member should be aware, and any individual requirements for health maintenance.

“Findings: Based on the Compliance Officer's observation and facility documentation, 2 of 12 reviewed Emergency, Information, and Immunization Records lacked the following required information: Child 1- A full Emergency, Information, and Immunization Record. Child 2- The name and contact telephone number of the child’s health care provider and the written authorization for emergency medical care of the enrolled child when the parent cannot be contacted at the time of the emergency.”

AAC R9-5-503.A.2. A. A licensee shall ensure that each diaper changing area required in R9-5-601(4) contains: 2. A hand-washing sink next to the diaper changing surface for staff use when changing diapers and for washing an enrolled child during or after diapering that provides: a. Running water between 86° F and 110° F, b. Soap from a dispenser, and c. Single-use paper hand towels from a dispenser;

“Findings: Based on the Compliance Officer's observations, the water temperature of the diapering sink in the 2's classroom measured 129° F.”

AAC R9-5-512.F.1. 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;

“Findings: Based on the Compliance Officer's observations, the mounted paper towel dispenser in the Pre-Kindergarten classroom was not operable at the time of the inspection.”

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.

“The Compliance Officer measured the depth of the rubber chips in the fall zones of the playground equipment as follows: 3" in the fall zone of the slide in the 3s/4s playground; 3" in the fall zones of the off white colored step ladder and the triangle monkey bars in the After School playground; 4" in the fall zones of the short wavy slide and the tall wavy slide.”

AAC R9-5-514. D. D. A licensee shall post, near an activity area or a room's designated exit, a building evacuation plan that details the designated exits from the activity area or room and the facility.

“The Compliance Officer noted that there was no evacuation map posted in One Year old classroom. Facility staff acknowledged that it was not posted.”

AAC R9-5-306.A. A. A licensee shall maintain a dated attendance form containing an enrolled child’s name with the time of each admission and release of the enrolled child. 1. Except as provided in subsection (A)(2), a licensee shall ensure that the attendance form is signed with at least a first initial of an individual’s first name and the individual’s last name by each enrolled child’s parent or individual designated by the enrolled child’s parent, each time the enrolled child is admitted or released. 2. An electronic fingerprint verification or an electronic signature may be used in place of a signature of the enrolled child’s parent or designated individual to admit or release the enrolled child. 3. If an electronic signature is used to admit or release the enrolled child, the licensee shall adopt policies and procedures to ensure that the individual whose signature the electronic or digital method of identification represents is accountable for the use of the electronic or digital method; 4. A licensee shall develop, document, and implement policies and procedures to ensure that the identity of an individual is known to the staff member or is verified with picture identification before releasing an enrolled child to the individual. 5. A licensee shall not release the enrolled child to an individual other than the enrolled child’s parent or other individual designated in writing by the enrolled child’s parent except when the enrolled child’s parent is unable to collect the enrolled child and authorizes the licensee by telephone to release the enrolled child to an individual not so designated. a. The licensee shall verify the telephone authorization using a means of verification that has been agreed upon between the licensee and the enrolled child’s parent at the time of enrollment. b. The licensee shall document the means of verification in subsection (A)(5)(a) on the enrolled child’s Emergency, Information, and Immunization Record card. 6. A licensee shall not permit the self-admission or self-release of an enrolled child unless the enrolled child is of school age and the licensee has obtained and verified written permission from the enrolled child’s parent. 7. A licensee shall maintain the attendance form on facility premises for 12 months after the date of attendance.

“Upon review of the facility's sign in/out documentation, the following was observed: Child 1 has been signed in and out with a first name and last initial during the first week of March, 2025; Child 2 was signed out with only a first name on 3/3/25; Child 3 was signed in and out with only first and last initials for the first week of March, 2025.”

AAC R9-5-501.A.2. A. A licensee shall ensure that: 2. Except for an enrolled school-age child, drinking water is provided sufficient for the needs of and accessible to each enrolled child in both indoor and outdoor activity areas;

“The Compliance Officer observed that the water cooler that contained drinking water and the cups were on a high shelf that was inaccessible to children in the One Year old classroom.”

AAC R9-5-501.A.19. A. A licensee shall ensure that:19. Except as provided in subsection (A)(20), the following are stored separate from food storage areas and are inaccessible to an enrolled child: a. All materials and chemicals labeled as a toxic or flammable substance; b. All substances that have a child warning label and may be a hazard to a child; and c. Lawn mowers, ladders, toilet brushes, plungers, and other facility equipment that may be a hazard to a child;

“The Compliance Officer observed a plunger in the corner of the bathroom, next to the sink, in the older two’s classroom.”

AAC R9-5-503.A.2. A. A licensee shall ensure that each diaper changing area required in R9-5-601(4) contains:2. A hand-washing sink next to the diaper changing surface for staff use when changing diapers and for washing an enrolled child during or after diapering that provides: a. Running water between 86° F and 110° F, b. Soap from a dispenser, and c. Single-use paper hand towels from a dispenser;

“The Compliance Officer that inspected classrooms, measured the water temperature of the hand washing sink in the diaper changing area in the One Year old classroom to be 120°F.”

AAC R9-5-516.B.3. B. If prescription or nonprescription medications are administered, a licensee shall ensure that:3. A facility director, or a staff member designated in writing by the facility director, does not administer a medication to an enrolled child unless the facility receives written authorization signed by the enrolled child’s parent or health care provider that includes the: a. Name of the enrolled child; b. Type of the medication; c. Prescription number, if any; d. Instructions for administration specifying the: i. Dosage and route of administration; ii. If indicated, starting and ending dates of the dosage period; and iii. Times and frequency of administration; e. Reason for the medication; and f. Date of authorization; and

“Compliance Officer 2 reviewed the children’s medications and observed that the medication form for Child 1 was missing an end date.”

AAC R9-5-516.B.4. B. If prescription or nonprescription medications are administered, a licensee shall ensure that:4. A staff member : a. Administers a prescription medication provided by a parent only from a container dispensed by a pharmacy; b. Administers a nonprescription medication provided by a parent for an enrolled child only from a container prepackaged and labeled for use by the manufacturer and labeled with the enrolled child’s name; c. Does not administer any medication that has been transferred from one container to another; and d. Does not administer a nonprescription medication to an enrolled child inconsistent with the instructions on the nonprescription medication’s label, unless the facility receives written authorization from the enrolled child’s health care provider.

“Compliance Officer 2 reviewed the medication form with the medication for Child 2 and observed that there was only one of two medications in the prescription box. The staff acknowledged that they did not have a note from the physician to allow the pack to be separated.”

AAC R9-5-503.A.2. A. A licensee shall ensure that each diaper changing area required in R9-5-601(4) contains:2. A hand-washing sink next to the diaper changing surface for staff use when changing diapers and for washing an enrolled child during or after diapering that provides: a. Running water between 86° F and 110° F, b. Soap from a dispenser, and c. Single-use paper hand towels from a dispenser;

“During the inspection of the diaper changing area in the one year-old and two year-old rooms, Compliance Officer 1 measured the water temperature at 120 degrees.”

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.

“During the inspection of the outdoor activity areas, Compliance Officer 1 observed the following: * Preschool playground area: the rubber chips measured 2.0 inches under the curved blue slide and 4.0 inches under the straight blue slide. * School-age playground area: the sand measured 4.0 inches under the swings and dome climber.”

AAC R9-5-503.F.1. F. A licensee shall ensure that in an activity area with a diaper changing area: 1. The containers required in subsections (A)(3) and (4) are inaccessible, and

“During the inspection off the diaper changing area in the early two year-old room, Compliance Officer 1 observed that the soiled clothing container was located behind the diapering area and accessible to children.”