Maricopa County Human Services - Lowell Head Start

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 facility documentation and the Compliance Officers' observations, the ratio in the Preschool classroom was 1:15 instead of 2:15 as required for 3-year-old children.”

AAC R9-5-303.A. A. A licensee shall post in a place that can be conspicuously viewed by individuals entering or leaving the facility or activity area, the: 1. Facility’s license; 2. Name of the facility director; 3. Name of the individual designated to act on behalf of the facility director when the facility director is not present in the facility, as prescribed by R9-5-301(B)(1); 4. Schedule of child care services fees and policy for refunding fees as prescribed by A.R.S. § 36-882(P); 5. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack menus for each calendar week at the beginning of the calendar week; 6. Notice of the presence of any communicable disease or infestation listed in 9 A.A.C. 6, Article 2, Table 2.2, from the date of discovery through the incubation period of the communicable disease or infestation; 7. Notice of the Department’s intent to deny, revoke, or suspend as prescribed by A.R.S. § 36-888 at the expiration of time in the notice for the licensee to respond; 8. Notice of an intermediate sanction imposed as prescribed by A.R.S. § 36-891.01 within 10 calendar days after the licensee received notice of the intermediate sanction; 9. Notice of a legal injunction imposed as prescribed by A.R.S. § 36-886.01 when the licensee receives the legal injunction; and 10. Notice of the availability of facility inspection reports for public viewing at the facility premises.

“Findings: Based on facility documentation and the Compliance Officer’s observation, it was determined that the main posting board lacked the name of the facility director.”

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 facility documentation and the Compliance Officer’s observation, it was determined that the Licensee lacked documentation of a current violation-free fire inspection and a current violation-free gas inspection reports as required.”

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 facility documentation and the Compliance Officers' observations, the Licensee lacked documentation of a current violation-free fire inspection report as required. Expired 7-31-2024”

AAC R9-5-308.B. B. A licensee shall maintain documentation of the insurance coverage required in subsection (A) on facility premises.

“Findings: Based on facility documentation and the Compliance Officers' observations, the Licensee lacked documentation of a current Certificate of Liability as required. Expired 12-22-24”

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.

“Findings: Based on facility documentation and the Compliance Officer’s observations, it was determined that 5 out of 19 enrolled children's attendance forms lacked the following information: Child #1: An admission and release signature for 1/3-11/2024. Child #2: An admission and release signature for 1/4/2024 and 1/8-11/2024. Child #3: An admission and release signature for 1/3-5/2024 and 1/11/2024. Child #4: An admission and release signature 1/3-5/2024, 1/8/2024 and 1/10-11/2024. Child #5: An admission and release signature 1/3-4/2024,1/9/2024 and 1/11/2024.”

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 the Compliance Officer's observation, the licensee lacked in writing a designated staff member to administer all medications at the facility.”

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 hazards were accessible to enrolled children: *There were weeds on the ground and hanging down the fence on the Northwest corner of the playground.”

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 facility documentation and the Compliance Officer’s observation, the following medication forms were incomplete: Child #3: The times and frequency of administration and lacked 1 of the 2 prescribed medications.”