Little Friends Learning Center

AAC R9-5-404.C.3. C. A licensee shall ensure that when there are: 3. Six or more enrolled children are present in a facility, an infant is not placed for supervision with a child who is not an infant.

“Per allegation findings: Based on the Compliance Officer's observations, review of facility documentation and information provided by the staff, it was determined that Child #1 was placed with children that were not infants when there were more than six enrolled children present at the facility. Information provided by staff in reference to Child #1: Child #1 was placed with the One's prior to pick-up on July 23, 2026. This has only happened a few times at the end of the day when children are getting picked up. Child #1 has been in the One's room 2 or 3 times.”

AAC R9-5-502.C.1.l. C. A licensee shall ensure that: 1. A staff member providing child care services in an infant room: l. Posts the current written dietary instructions in the infant room and the kitchen and maintains the instructions on facility premises for 12 months after the date of the instructions; and

“Findings: The Compliance Officer 1 reviewed the infant feeding instructions for Child 1 and Child 2 and observed that they have not been updated. Staff acknowledged that dietary instructions for Child 1 and Child 2 were lacking updates on current dietary instructions and foods.”

AAC R9-5-514. C. C. A licensee shall: 1. Prepare and date a written fire and emergency plan that contains: a. The location of the first aid kit; b. The names of staff members who have adult and pediatric first aid and CPR certification, as required by R9-5-403(E); c. The directions for: i. Initiating verbal notification of an enrolled child’s parent by telephone or other equally expeditious means within 30 minutes of a fire or emergency; and ii. Providing written notification to the enrolled child’s parent within 24 hours; and d. The facility’s street address and the emergency telephone numbers for the local fire department, police department, ambulance service, and poison control center; e. The procedures for evacuation, relocation, shelter-in-place and lockdown, staff and volunteer emergency preparedness training and practice drills, communication and reunification with families, continuity of operations, and accommodation of infants, children with disabilities, and children with chronic medical conditions, as specified in R9-5-301; 2. Maintain the plan required in subsection (C)(1) in a location on facility premises that has an operable telephone service or two-way voice communication system that connects the facility with an individual who has direct access to an in-and-out operable telephone service; 3. Post the plan required in subsection (C)(1) in any indoor activity area that does not have an operable telephone service or two-way voice communication system that connects the indoor activity area with an individual who has direct access to an in-and-out operable telephone services; and 4. Update the plan in subsection (C)(1) every 12 months after the date of initial preparation of the plan or when any information changes.

“Findings: The Compliance Officer 2 observed that the emergency plan is not current. The last time it was updated was 06/24/2024.”

AAC R9-5-301.B. B. A licensee shall ensure that a facility director: 1. Designates, in writing, an individual who meets the requirements of R9-5-401(2) to act on behalf of the facility director when the facility director is not present in the facility; 2. Supervises or assigns a child educator to supervise each staff member who does not meet the qualifications of R9-5-401(3); 3. Prepares a dated attendance record for each day and ensures that each staff member documents on the attendance record the time of each arrival and departure of the staff member; and 4. Maintains on the facility premises, the dated attendance record required in subsection (B)(3) for 12 months after the date on the attendance record.

“Findings: The Compliance Officer 1 observed that the postings in the front desk area were not reflecting current information on the facility director designee.”

AAC R9-5-203.A. A. A licensee shall ensure that a staff member completes, signs, dates, and submits to the licensee, before the staff member’s starting date of employment or volunteer service:1. The form required in A.R.S. § 36-883.02(C); and 2. If required by A.R.S. § 8-804, the form in A.R.S. § 8-804(I).

“Upon review of staff files, Compliance Officer 2 found that Staff 1 did not have the Central Registry Background Check.”

AAC R9-5-502.C.3.a. C. A licensee shall ensure that: 3. When preparing, using, or caring for an infant's feeding bottles, a staff member: a. Labels each bottle received from the parent with the infant's name;

“Compliance Officer 1 observed bottles on the counter in the infant room that were labeled with only first names.”

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;

“Compliance Officer 1 observed that the caulking on the diaper table in the one year old classroom was cracking.”

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;

“Compliance Officer 1 measured the water temperature in the diapering sink of the Infant room at 80 degrees.”

AAC R9-5-503.A.4. A. A licensee shall ensure that each diaper changing area required in R9-5-601(4) contains:4. At least one waterproof, sanitizable container with a waterproof liner and a tight fitting lid for soiled clothing.

“Compliance Officer 1 observed that the soiled clothing container was by the classroom door and not in the diaper area in the 2 year old classroom.”

AAC R9-5-518.A.1. A. A licensee providing a field trip for an enrolled child shall:1. Obtain written permission from a parent before the enrolled child participates in a field trip including: a. The date and description of the field trip; b. The times of departure from and return to the facility; and c. The name, street address, and telephone number, if any, of the field trip destination;

“The 7/24/24 field trip to Harkins Theater had Child 5 documented in the attendance but there was no parent signature giving permission.”

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.

“Compliance Officer 1 measured the mulch at 3 to 4 inches in the fall zones of the toddler playground. Compliance Officer 1 observed that there was turf in the fall zones of the preschool/school age program and no documentation was provided to show it meets the 6 inches of resilient surfacing.”

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;

“Compliance Officer 1 observed outlets that not covered in the one year old and three year old classrooms.”

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.

“Upon review of staff files, Compliance Officer 2 found that Staff 1 started employment on 7/29/24 and their TB test was done on 9/16/24.”

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.

“Compliance Officer 2 reviewed 15 Emergency Information and Immunization Record cards and found the following: Child 1 was missing the health care provider's name and phone number. Child 2 was missing the date of enrollment and 1 emergency contact's name and phone number. Child 3 was missing answers to the questions on the back of the form.”

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;

“Compliance Officer 1 observed that the water was not accessible in the ones and twos classrooms. The water cups were on a table the children cannot reach.”

AAC R9-5-501.C.5. C. A licensee shall ensure that a staff member:5. Except as provided in subsection (D), prepares and posts a dated lesson plan in each indoor activity area for each calendar week, which is maintained on facility premises for 12 months after the lesson plan date and provides opportunities for each child to: a. Gain a positive self-concept; b. Develop and practice social skills; c. Think, reason, question, and experiment; d. Acquire language skills; e. Develop physical coordination skills; f. Participate in structured large muscle physical activity; g. Develop habits that meet health, safety, and nutritional needs; h. Express creativity; i. Learn to respect cultural diversity of children and staff; j. Learn self-help skills; and k. Develop a sense of responsibility and independence;

“Compliance Officer 1 observed that the lesson plan for the two year old classroom was the last week's lesson plan and not for the current week.”

AAC R9-5-504.5.d. A licensee providing child care services for 1-year-old and 2-year-old children shall:5. Ensure that: d. If a parent brings a sippy cup for the parent’s enrolled child, the sippy cup is labeled with the enrolled child’s name.

“Compliance Officer 1 observed sippy cups in the 2 year old classroom that were labeled with a first name and last initial.”

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 medications and found that the medication consent form for Child 4 was missing the end date for the medication.”

AAC R9-5-518.A.2. A. A licensee providing a field trip for an enrolled child shall:2. Prepare a written field trip plan including: a. The name of each participating enrolled child, staff member, and other individuals on the field trip; b. The times of departure from and return to the facility; c. If applicable, license plate number of any motor vehicle used on the field trip; and d. The name, street address, and telephone number, if any, of the field trip destination; and

“Compliance Officer 2 reviewed the field trip forms and found the following: The 7/5/24 field trip to Harkins Theater did not have attendance documented for hour 1 for 6 children. The 7/22/24 to Peter Piper Pizza did not have attendance documented when leaving the location and returning to the facility. The 7/22/24 form was also missing the return time.”

AAC R9-5-301.B. B. A licensee shall ensure that a facility director: 1. Designates, in writing, an individual who meets the requirements of R9-5-401(2) to act on behalf of the facility director when the facility director is not present in the facility; 2. Supervises or assigns a teacher-caregiver to supervise each staff member who does not meet the qualifications of R9-5-401(3); 3. Prepares a dated attendance record for each day and ensures that each staff member documents on the attendance record the time of each arrival and departure of the staff member; and 4. Maintains on the facility premises, the dated attendance record required in subsection (B)(3) for 12 months after the date on the attendance record.

“Staff 1 is not qualified and was not being supervised while alone with the enrolled children.”

AAC R9-5-404.C.3. C. A licensee shall ensure that:3. When six or more enrolled children are present in a facility, an infant is not placed for supervision with a child who is not an infant.

“Compliance Officer and Compliance Officer Supervisor observed Infant 1 and 2 placed for care in 1 year old classroom.”

AAC R9-5-501.A.1. A. A licensee shall ensure that:1. In addition to complying with the requirements in this Chapter, the health, safety, or welfare of an enrolled child is not placed at risk of harm;

“Per Allegation: Based on staff interviews and photos, it was determined that the one year old children were placed at risk of harm after a group of children were taken outside during the morning hours without jackets. The temperature at the time was registered at 56 degrees. Jackets were put on the children after a period of time.”

AAC R9-5-503.E. E. A licensee shall ensure that the written diaper changing procedure in subsection (D) states that an enrolled child’s diaper is changed as soon as it is soiled, and that a staff member, when diapering:1. Uses a separate washcloth and towel only once for each enrolled child; 2. Washes and dries the enrolled child using the enrolled child’s individual personal products labeled with the enrolled child’s name; 3. Uses single-use non-porous gloves; 4. Washes the staff member’s own hands with soap and running water between 86° F and 110° F before and after each diaper change; 5. Washes each enrolled child’s hands with soap and running water between 86° F and 110° F after each diaper change; 6. Cleans, sanitizes, and dries the diaper changing surface following each diaper change; and 7. Uses single-use paper towels from a dispenser to dry the diaper changing surface or the hands of the enrolled child or staff member.

“Senior Compliance Officer and Compliance Officer Supervisor observed a child in the one year old classroom being diapered. The child’s hands were not washed after the diapering was complete.”

AAC R9-5-510.B.1. B. A licensee shall ensure that a staff member does not use or permit: 1. A method of discipline that could cause harm to the health, safety, or welfare of an enrolled child;

“Per Allegation: Based on staff interviews, it was determined that Staff 1 grabbed Child 3's arm in a manner that could cause harm to the health, safety or welfare of the child.”

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.

“Senior Compliance Officer reviewed the roster in the three year old classroom and observed 11 children listed. There were 13 children present.”

AAC R9-5-401.3. A licensee shall ensure that staff members meet the following qualifications for employment or volunteer service at a facility:3. A teacher-caregiver is 18 years of age or older and provides the licensee with documentation of one of the following: a. Six months of child care experience and: i. A high school diploma or high school equivalency diploma; or ii. At least 12 credit hours from an accredited college or university, including at least six credit hours in early childhood, child development, or a closely-related field; b. Associate or bachelor degree from an accredited college or university in early childhood, child development, or a closely-related field; or c. N.A.C., C.D.A., or C.C.P. credential;

“Staff 1 acts in the capacity of a teacher caregiver. Upon review of their file, it was determined that they do not have enough qualifying childcare experience.”

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

“Instead of using the "clicker" to open the front door, a staff member from the school age classroom left the classroom to open the door for the Compliance Officer and Compliance Officer Supervisor; leaving the other staff alone with 31 children.”

AAC R9-5-404.B. B. A licensee shall:1. Determine and maintain the required staff-to-children ratio for each group of enrolled children based on the age of the youngest child in the group; 2. Allow a volunteer qualified as a director, teacher-caregiver, or an assistant-teacher caregiver to be counted as staff in staff-to-children ratios; and 3. Not allow a student-aide or an individual qualified as a teacher-caregiver-aide to be counted as staff in staff-to-children ratios.

“Compliance Officer and Compliance Officer Supervisor observed (14), three and four year children in the four year old classroom. The correct ratio is 1:13, based on the age of the youngest child.”

AAC R9-5-605.B.1. B. A licensee shall ensure that:1. All designated exits, corridors, and passageways that provide escape from the building are unobstructed and unlocked during hours of operation;

“Compliance Officer 2 observed that the designated exit door that leads outside from the infant room was locked. Upon unlocking the door, the Compliance Officer observed that the door would not stay closed.”

AAC R9-5-502.C.1.d. C. A licensee shall ensure that:1. A staff member providing child care services in an infant room: d. Keeps dated, daily, documentation of each infant including: i. A description of any activities the infant participated in, ii. The infant’s food consumption, iii. Diaper changes, and iv. Tummy time;

“Based on a review of the tablet in the infant room, Compliance Officer 1 observed that the staff were not listing daily activities for each child.”

AAC R9-5-509.C.22. C. A licensee shall ensure that:22. A refrigerator at the child care facility maintains a temperature of 41° F or below, as shown by a thermometer kept in the refrigerator at all times;

“Compliance Officer 1 observed that there was no thermometer in the refrigerator in the infant room.”

AAC R9-5-605.B.13. B. A licensee shall ensure that: 13. A smoke detector is installed in each indoor activity area and kitchen;

“During the inspection of the toddler two’s room, Compliance Officer 2 was unable to find a smoke detector installed in the room.”

AAC R9-5-502.A.8.c. A. A licensee providing child care services for infants shall: 8. Provide a crib for each infant that: c. Is furnished with clean, sanitized, crib-size bedding, including a fitted sheet and top sheet or a blanket;

“During the inspection of the infant room, the Compliance Officers observed that four of the 15 cribs had an orange bed sheet on them that were not fitted sheets as they had extra material that was easily pulled away from the mattress.”

AAC R9-5-518.A.2. A. A licensee providing a field trip for an enrolled child shall:2. Prepare a written field trip plan including: a. The name of each participating enrolled child, staff member, and other individuals on the field trip; b. The times of departure from and return to the facility; c. If applicable, license plate number of any motor vehicle used on the field trip; and d. The name, street address, and telephone number, if any, of the field trip destination; and

“Compliance Officer 1 reviewed the field trip forms and observed the following: * The form for 06/02/23 to Reid Park Zoo did not include the return time, the vehicle license plate number, or the staff names that attended. * The form for 06/02/23 to [name] Adaptive Rec Center did not include the departure and return time, the vehicle license plate number, or the staff names that attended. * The form for 06/06/23 to Pima Air and Space Museum did not include the return time, the vehicle license plate number, or the staff names that attended. * The form for 06/09/23 to Hawkins Movie Theater did not include the description of the trip (what movie), the vehicle license plate number, or the staff names that attended.”

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.

“The staff were unable to produce current documentation of a fire inspection. The last one documented was dated 12/13/22.”

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

“* Compliance Officer 2 observed that there was a broken outlet cover in the toddler two’s room. * Compliance Officer 2 observed that the door that leads outside from the infant room does not stay closed. There was a visible gap between the door frame and the door and it was also noted that you can visibly see the light from outside.”

AAC R9-5-501.C.5. C. A licensee shall ensure that a staff member:5. Except as provided in subsection (D), prepares and posts a dated lesson plan in each indoor activity area for each calendar week, which is maintained on facility premises for 12 months after the lesson plan date and provides opportunities for each child to: a. Gain a positive self-concept; b. Develop and practice social skills; c. Think, reason, question, and experiment; d. Acquire language skills; e. Develop physical coordination skills; f. Participate in structured large muscle physical activity; g. Develop habits that meet health, safety, and nutritional needs; h. Express creativity; i. Learn to respect cultural diversity of children and staff; j. Learn self-help skills; and k. Develop a sense of responsibility and independence;

“Compliance Officer 1 observed that the lesson plan posted in the pre-k room was dated for 02/14-02/19/22 and did not align with the current week of 02/12-02/16/24.”

AAC R9-5-518.C. C. A staff member shall verify the presence of each enrolled child and place a checkmark next to the enrolled child’s name on the list required in subsection (B)(3) for each enrolled child who is present at the following times:1. At the beginning of the field trip or when boarding the motor vehicle, 2. Upon arrival and each hour while at the field trip destination, 3. When preparing to leave the field trip destination or when boarding the motor vehicle to return to the facility, and 4. When reentering the facility at the conclusion of the field trip.

“Compliance Officer 1 reviewed the field trip forms and observed the following: * The form for 06/06/23 to the Pima Air and Space Museum did not show that attendance was checked for 11 of 11 children at the arrival, when leaving, and at the end when returning to the facility.”