Little Explorers Preschool & Child Care

AAC R9-5-502.B.3. B. A licensee providing child care services for infants shall not: 3. Permit an infant to use a walker; or

“Findings: Based on the Compliance Officer’s observations, it was determined that there was a walker in the Infant classroom.”

AAC R9-5-605.B.6. B. A licensee shall ensure that: 6. Except for a room used only for an enrolled school-age child, each unused electrical outlet is covered with a safety plug cover or insert;

“Findings: Based on the Compliance Officer’s observations, it was determined that there was an uncovered outlet in the 3’s classroom and 3 uncovered outlets in the 4’s/5’s classroom.”

AAC R9-5-303.B. B. A licensee shall ensure that the licensed capacity of each indoor activity area or room is posted in that activity area or room.

“Findings: Based on the Compliance Officer's observation, the licensed capacity of the infant room was incorrectly posted as 9. The licensed capacity of the room is 5, since there were only 5 cribs in the room at the time of the February 2026 modification inspection.”

AAC R9-5-502.C.1.i. C. A licensee shall ensure that: 1. A staff member providing child care services in an infant room: i. Changes each crib sheet and blanket before use by another enrolled child, when soiled, or at least once every 24 hours;

“Findings: Based on the Compliance Officer's review of the written infant feeding instructions and on a discussion with the infant room staff, staff stated Child 1 was fed food but the form lacked the amount and frequency of the feedings of food.”

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

“Findings: Based on the Compliance Officer's observation and on a discussion with the Director, the Director acknowledged that the written medication permission form had not been obtained for child #1’s over-the-counter medication.”

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 Rubber mulch measured the following depths in the fall zones in the outdoor activity area: *2-3 inches of the required 6 inches at the base of the toddler slide and under the toddler structure’s stairs; and *4 inches of the required 6 inches under the faux rock climbing wall in the Preschool playground area.”

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 the Compliance Officer's observation and on a discussion with the Director, a ratio of 1:14 was observed in the 3-year-old room. The Director stated that the second staff had stepped out of the room to serve food in another classroom.”

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 depth of the rubber mulch measured the following in the fall zones: *2 inches of the required 6 inches at the base of the toddler slide and around the toddler structure stairs; and *3 inches of the required 6 inches around the preschool structure steps and under the green frog climber.”

AAC R9-5-403.A. A. Within 10 calendar days of the starting date of employment or volunteer service, a licensee shall provide, and each staff member who provides child care services shall complete, training for new staff members that includes all of the following:1. Facility philosophy and goals; 2. Names and ages of and developmental expectations for enrolled children for whom the staff member will provide child care services; 3. Health needs, nutritional requirements, any known allergies, and information about adaptive devices of enrolled children for whom the staff member will provide child care services; 4. Lesson plans; 5. Child guidance and methods of discipline; 6. Hand washing techniques; 7. Diapering techniques and toileting, if assigned to diaper changing duties; 8. Food preparation, service, sanitation, and storage, if assigned to food preparation; 9. If a staff member is assigned to feeding infants, the preparation, handling, and storage of infant formula and breast milk; 10. Recognition of signs of illness and infestation; 11. Child abuse or neglect detection, prevention, and reporting; 12. Accident and emergency procedures; 13. Staff responsibilities as required by A.R.S. Title 36, Chapter 7.1, Article 1 and this Chapter; 14. Sun safety policies and procedures; 15. Safety in outdoor activity areas; 16. Transportation procedures, if applicable; and 17. Field trip procedures, if applicable.

“Findings: Based on the Compliance Officer's review of staff files, the following was determined regarding the new staff training: *Staff #3 (DOE 8/18/23)- The new staff training was not completed until 9/6/23, rather than within 10 calendar days of the staff’s employment date; and *Staff #4 DOE (7/13/23)- The new staff training was not completed until 8/9/23, rather than within 10 calendar days of the staff’s employment date.”

AAC R9-5-203.E. E. If a staff member possesses a fingerprint clearance card that was issued before the staff member became a staff member at the facility, a licensee shall:1. Contact the Department of Public Safety before the individual becomes a staff member to determine whether the fingerprint clearance card is valid; and 2. Document this determination, including the name of the staff member, the date of contact with the Department of Public Safety, and whether the fingerprint clearance card is valid.

“Findings: Based on the Compliance Officer's review of staff files, the following was determined regarding the verification of validity of the fingerprint clearance cards: 1) Staff #3 (DOE 8/18/2023)-Documentation indicated DPS was not contacted until 8/25/23 to verify the fingerprint clearance card’s validity, rather than before the staff's employment date; and 2) Staff #4 (DOE 7/13/23)- Documentation indicated DPS was not contacted until 7/27/23 to verify the fingerprint clearance card’s validity, rather than before the staff's employment date.”

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;

“Findings: Based on the Compliance Officer's observation, water was not accessible in the 2 year old room. The jug of water and the paper cups were stored on a high shelf that could not be reached by the children in the 2 year old room.”

AAC R9-5-605.B.6. B. A licensee shall ensure that: 6. Except for a room used only for an enrolled school-age child, each unused electrical outlet is covered with a safety plug cover or insert;

“Findings: Based on the Compliance Officer's observations, the following unused outlets were not covered with safety plugs: *An electrical outlet in the 2 year old room by the stack of mats; and *Two electrical outlets in the 3 year old room near the exterior window.”

AAC R9-5-501.C.9. C. A licensee shall ensure that a staff member:9. Does the following when a parent permits or asks a staff member to apply personal products on an enrolled child, such as petroleum jelly, diaper rash ointments, sun screen or sun block preparations, toothpaste, and baby diapering preparations: a. Obtains the enrolled child’s personal products from the enrolled child’s parent or, if the licensee provides the personal products for use by the enrolled child, obtains written approval for use of the products from the enrolled child’s parent; b. Labels the personal products with the enrolled child’s name; and c. Keeps the personal products inaccessible to enrolled children;

“Findings: Based on the Compliance Officer's observations, 1 tube of diapering cream and 1 container of diaper wipes not labeled with the child’s first and last name in the One year old room.”

AAC R9-5-516.B.1. B. If prescription or nonprescription medications are administered, a licensee shall ensure that:1. A facility director, or a staff member designated in writing by the facility director, is responsible for the administration of all medications in the facility, including storing, supervising an enrolled child’s ingestion of a medication, and documenting all medications administered to an enrolled child;

“Findings: Based on a discussion with the Director, the Director acknowledged the chain of command for the staff responsible for administering medications was not designated in writing, as required by rule.”

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 a Department-provided Emergency, Information, and Immunization Record card that is signed by the enrolled child’s parent containing: 1. The child’s name, home address, city, state, zip code, home telephone number, sex, and date of birth; 2. The date of the child’s enrollment; 3. The name, home address, city, state, zip code, and contact 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 nutritional and dietary needs of the child including, if applicable, the request in R9-5-509(C)(9); 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 review of 20 Child Emergency and Information cards, 4 of the cards lacked the following required information: *Child #1- The child’s health care provider’s phone number; *Child #2- The name and phone number of the child’s health care provider; *Child #3- The name of the second emergency contact (only a phone number was listed); and *Child #4- The name and phone number of the child’s health care provider.”

AAC R9-5-301.F. F. A licensee shall ensure that a staff member submits, on or before the starting date of employment or volunteer services, one of the following as evidence of freedom from infectious active tuberculosis: 1. Documentation of a negative Mantoux skin test or other tuberculosis screening test recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, administered within 12 months before the starting date of employment or volunteer service, that includes the date and the type of tuberculosis screening test; or 2. If the staff member has had a positive Mantoux skin test or other tuberculosis screening test, a written statement that the staff member is free from infectious active tuberculosis that is signed and dated by a health care provider within six months before the starting date of employment or volunteer service.

“Findings: Based on the Compliance Officer's review of Staff #4's file (DOE 7/13/23), the documentation of the staff’s TB test was not completed until 7/20/23, rather than on or before the staff’s date of employment.”