First Step Infant and Toddler Cntr
A child care center in Aurora, Colorado 80017
406 S Chambers RD, Aurora, Colorado 80017.
Watch and the shortlist are kept with a free account, on every device. Your watch list. Colorado’s own record is on coloradoshines.com.
The short answer
Record last released by Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) on Nov 2, 2026.
Each figure’s source sits beside it, in its section below.
What these words mean5
- Inspection (survey)
- A visit by state inspectors, often unannounced, who check a place against the rules it must meet. For nursing homes and other places Medicare pays, CMS calls these visits surveys: a standard survey of a nursing home comes at least every 15 months, and a complaint survey whenever a complaint calls for one. Source: CMS; 42 CFR 488.308.
- Deficiency, citation, violation
- What inspectors write up when a place didn’t meet a rule: the rule, what they saw, and when. CMS calls it a deficiency; states may say citation or violation. It is the inspectors’ finding, not a court’s, and the place is usually asked for a plan to correct it. Source: CMS, statement of deficiencies (Form CMS-2567); each state’s licensing agency.
- Quality rating
- Many states rate child care in a quality rating system that goes past the licensing rules, such as Texas Rising Star or Kentucky All STARS. Taking part is often voluntary, so a program with no rating hasn’t been rated low. Source: Each state’s quality rating system.
- Licence status
- Whether the state’s licence lets the place operate now, in the state’s own words: licensed, on probation (allowed to keep operating on conditions, after problems), provisional, pending or expired. Source: Each state’s licensing agency.
- Capacity
- The most people the licence or certification lets the place care for at once: residents, children, beds or apartments, as the state counts them. It isn’t how many are there now. Source: Each state’s licensing agency.
What did inspectors find?
CDEC’s file lists 4 inspections, investigations and complaints from Jan 1, 2023 to Oct 27, 2026, the latest on Mar 2, 2026 (Supervisory).
30 citations in all.
Where Colorado posts its reports: Colorado Shines.
Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC), Data request 2026-967, delivered Oct 28, 2026 and each month since: licensing inspections, complaints and Stage II investigations from Jan 1, 2023. Released Oct 28, 2026. CDEC sends the previous month’s records in the first week of each month; a person saves each file and loads it.
When those citations happened
30 citations in 2 months of the last 46. Last cited Apr 2025. The last 4 years, to Nov 5, 2026.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| 2024 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| 2025 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| 2026 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct |
Hover or focus a month to read it.
Hearth Record drew this from the dates and levels in the source’s own records.
Each citation, in its source’s words
Grouped by visit, newest first, with the level its source gave it.
Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC), Data request 2026-967, delivered Oct 28, 2026 and each month since: licensing inspections, complaints and Stage II investigations from Jan 1, 2023. Released Oct 28, 2026. CDEC sends the previous month’s records in the first week of each month; a person saves each file and loads it.
Apr 2, 2025: supervisory (case 223595)5 citations
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An admission record must be completed for each child prior to or at the time of the child’s admission. This record must be updated annually and when changes occur. The admission record must include: A dated, written authorization for emergency medical care signed and updated annually by the parent(s)/guardian(s). The authorization must be notarized if required by the local hospital, clinic, or emergency health care facility;
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All staff at the center must demonstrate knowledgeable decision-making, judgment, and concern for the proper care and well-being of children.
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Staff to Child Ratios by ages of children and number of staff- 6 weeks to 18 months (infants):1 staff member to 5 infants; 12 months to 36 months: 1 staff member to 5 toddlers; 24 months to 36 months: 1 staff member to 7 toddlers; 2-1/2 years to 3 years:1 staff member to 8 children; 3 years to 4 years: 1 staff member to 10 children; 4 years to 5 years: 1 staff member to 12 children; 5 years and older: 1 staff member to 15 children; Mixed-age group 2-1/2 yrs to 6 yrs: 1 staff member to 10 children.
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The time a child arrives and leaves the center each day must be recorded. Staff members must complete written attendance verification periodically throughout the day, including during transitions.
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In the infant room, soft bedding or materials that could pose a suffocation hazard are not permitted in cribs, futons approved for infants, or other approved sleep/rest equipment. Soft bedding means, but is not limited to, any soft sleep surface like bumper pads, pillows, blankets, quilts, comforters, sleep positioning devices, sheepskins, blankets, flat sheets, cloth diaper bibs, plush toys, pacifiers with stuffed animals attached, and stuffed animals.
May 22, 2024: supervisory (case 203416)25 citations
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At the time of enrollment, and upon amendments to policies and procedures, the center must give the parent(s)/guardian(s) the center’s policies and procedures and provide the opportunity to ask questions. Written copies must be available either electronically or in hard copy. The center must obtain a signed document stating that the parent(s)/guardian(s) have received the policies and procedures, and by signing the policies and procedures document, the parent(s)/guardian(s) agree to follow, accept the conditions of, and give authorization and approval for the activities described in the policies and procedures.
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The written policies and procedures must be developed, implemented, and followed, and must include at a minimum the following information: The procedures followed when a child is picked up from the center after the center is closed or not picked up at all, and to ensure that all children are picked up before the staff leave for the day;
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The written policies and procedures must be developed, implemented, and followed, and must include at a minimum the following information: The procedure for filing a complaint about child care, including the name, address and telephone number of the Colorado Department of Early Childhood (see rule section 2.125 of the General Rules for Child Care Facilities);
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The written policies and procedures must be developed, implemented, and followed, and must include at a minimum the following information: The procedure for reporting of child abuse, including the name of the county department of social/ human services and phone number of where a child abuse report should be made (see rule section 2.126, of the General Rules for Child Care Facilities);
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The written policies and procedures must be developed, implemented, and followed, and must include at a minimum the following information: The procedure regarding inclement and excessively hot weather;
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The written policies and procedures must be developed, implemented, and followed, and must include at a minimum the following information: An itemized fee schedule;
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The written policies and procedures must be developed, implemented, and followed, and must include at a minimum the following information: How decisions are made and what steps are taken prior to the suspension, expulsion, or request to parents or guardians to withdraw a child from care due to concerns about the child’s behavioral issues. These procedures must be consistent with the center’s policy on guidance and positive instruction, and include documentation of the steps taken to understand and respond to challenging behavior including:
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An admission record must be completed for each child prior to or at the time of the child’s admission. This record must be updated annually and when changes occur. The admission record must include:Parent(s)/guardian(s) names; home and e-mail addresses; telephone numbers, including home, work, and cell numbers; employer name and work address; and, any special instructions as to how the parent(s)/guardian(s) may be reached during the hours that the child is in care at the center;
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An admission record must be completed for each child prior to or at the time of the child’s admission. This record must be updated annually and when changes occur. The admission record must include: A dated, written authorization for emergency medical care signed and updated annually by the parent(s)/guardian(s). The authorization must be notarized if required by the local hospital, clinic, or emergency health care facility;
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The center must maintain and update annually and upon changes, a record on each child that includes: A copy of the child’s health statement completed by a health care provider
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All staff at the center must demonstrate knowledgeable decision-making, judgment, and concern for the proper care and well-being of children.
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When caring for children, staff must refrain from the personal use of electronics including, but not limited to, cell phones and portable electronic devices.
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An early childhood teacher, assigned responsibility for a single group of children and working under the supervision of a director, must be at least eighteen (18) years of age and meet at least one (1) of the following qualifications:
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The infant program must have an infant program supervisor who meets at least one (1) of the following qualifications:
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Staff to Child Ratios by ages of children and number of staff- 6 weeks to 18 months (infants):1 staff member to 5 infants; 12 months to 36 months: 1 staff member to 5 toddlers; 24 months to 36 months: 1 staff member to 7 toddlers; 2-1/2 years to 3 years:1 staff member to 8 children; 3 years to 4 years: 1 staff member to 10 children; 4 years to 5 years: 1 staff member to 12 children; 5 years and older: 1 staff member to 15 children; Mixed-age group 2-1/2 yrs to 6 yrs: 1 staff member to 10 children.
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At the time of admission, the parent(s)/guardian(s) must provide for each child entering the center: Documentation of school-required immunization status or certificate of medical or nonmedical exemption, is required by the Colorado Board of Health. Up-to-date school-required immunizations must be documented as specified on the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment certificate of immunization or on an “approved alternate” Certificate of Immunization, defined in Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment rules located in 6 CCR 1009-2 rule section VI(A), (May 15, 2023), no later editions or amendments are incorporated. These regulations are available from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment at no cost at www.sos.state.co.us/CCR. These regulations are also available for public inspection and copying at the Colorado Department of Early Childhood, 710 S. Ash St., Bldg. C, Denver, CO 80246, during regular business hours. Colorado law requires proof of immunization status or exemption be provided prior to or on the first day of admission.
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Medications must be kept in the original labeled bottle or container. Prescription medications must contain the original pharmacy label.
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Over-the-counter medication must be kept in the originally labeled container and be labeled with the child’s first and last name.
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The time a child arrives and leaves the center each day must be recorded. Staff members must complete written attendance verification periodically throughout the day, including during transitions.
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Each infant up to eighteen (18) months of age and enrolled in the infant program must be provided with an individual crib, futon approved for infants, or other approved sleep/rest equipment meeting Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) standards published by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) at 16 CFR section 1218.2 (April 23, 2015); 16 CFR section 1219.2 (October 28, 2019); 16 CFR section 1220.2 (June 3, 2023); 16 CFR section 1221.2 (January 20, 2020); 16 CFR section 1222.2 (August 5, 2023); 16 C.F.R. section 1236.2 (June 23, 2022); and 16 C.F.R 1241.2 (February 15, 2022) herein incorporated by reference. No later editions or amendments are incorporated. These regulations are available at no cost from the CPSC at https://www.ecfr.gov. These regulations are also available for public inspection and copying at the Colorado Department of Early Childhood, 710 S. Ash St., Bldg. C, Denver, CO 80246, during regular business hours. Individual cribs or futons must provide each infant with sufficient space for the infant’s length, size, and movement.
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In rooms used for napping, the lighting must be dim at nap time to promote an atmosphere conducive to sleep but must be bright enough for supervision of children.
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If using a crib is not designed for emergency evacuation, the crib must be reinforced with a kit manufactured for this purpose.
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Toys, toy parts, furnishings, equipment, and any materials accessible to children under than three (3) years of age must not be a choke hazard or able to be inhaled. Any area of the facility accessible to children less than three (3) years of age must be free of any choke or inhalation hazards.
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Rooms licensed for specific ages of children cannot be used for other ages of children without the prior written approval of the licensing authority.
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Centers must comply with the locally adopted fire code, including but not limited to the following: Every exit must be clearly visible, or the route to reach it must be conspicuously indicated. Each path of escape must be clearly marked.
All 4 visits on record
| Date | Visit | What the record says |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 2, 2026 | Supervisory (case 254892) | No citations; cleared Mar 2, 2026. |
| Apr 2, 2025 | Supervisory (case 223595) | 5 citations; cleared Apr 9, 2025. |
| May 22, 2024 | Supervisory (case 203416) | 25 citations; cleared Jun 22, 2024. |
| Jun 15, 2023 | Supervisory (case 180889) | No citations; cleared Jun 23, 2023. |
Is it licensed?
- Colorado’s service type: Child Care Center; licensed by the Colorado Department of Early Childhood.
- Licensed for 56 children: 9 infants, 7 toddlers, 40 preschoolers.
- Colorado’s licence number: 1694740.
Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC), Colorado Licensed Child Care Facilities Report. Released Nov 2, 2026. Updated monthly.
What did complaints and investigations find?
- CDEC’s file lists no complaints or Stage II investigations for this program from Jan 1, 2023 to Oct 27, 2026.
- Neither CDEC’s roster nor its file of inspections lists enforcement actions, such as fines or the revocation of a licence.
Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC), Data request 2026-967, delivered Oct 28, 2026 and each month since: licensing inspections, complaints and Stage II investigations from Jan 1, 2023. Released Oct 28, 2026. CDEC sends the previous month’s records in the first week of each month; a person saves each file and loads it.
Who does the caring?
- Colorado doesn’t publish staffing levels for individual programs in this dataset.
Who owns it?
- Colorado’s dataset lists its governing body as NA.
Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC), Colorado Licensed Child Care Facilities Report. Released Nov 2, 2026. Updated monthly.
How is it rated?
- Colorado Shines: Level 5 of five, as Colorado rates it (awarded Oct 1, 2026, valid until Sep 30, 2027).
Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC), Colorado Licensed Child Care Facilities Report. Released Nov 2, 2026. Updated monthly.
How does it compare nearby?
- Programs aren’t compared with each other here: CDEC’s file doesn’t grade its citations by how serious they are.
| Place | |
|---|---|
| First Step Infant and Toddler Cntr This child care provider | Not given |
What the record doesn’t say
- Inspections, investigations and complaints are from the file CDEC sent for a data request, from Jan 1, 2023, and the file it sends each month since. CDEC says its file may miss a program licensed during that time that is no longer licensed, and that its records may change as they are updated or finalized.
- CDEC’s file gives each rule cited, its category, and the days set to correct it and to clear the case, but not what the inspector wrote: Colorado Shines has each monitoring report. CDEC doesn’t grade citations by how serious they are.
- This page is built from the dataset of licensed child care facilities CDEC publishes monthly on data.colorado.gov, so a program licensed or closed since may be missing or still shown. It leaves out 24-hour licence types and care that is exempt from licensing.
- Colorado’s roster carries no enforcement actions, hours or staffing levels.
Sources
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Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC), Colorado Licensed Child Care Facilities Report (data.colorado.gov, a9rr-k8mu).
Released Nov 2, 2026 and checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated monthly. Open Data Commons Public Domain Dedication and License (PDDL). data.colorado.gov’s terms ask for this disclaimer: “The data made available here has been modified for use from its original source, which is the State of Colorado. THE STATE OF COLORADO MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTY AS TO THE COMPLETENESS, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS, OR CONTENT OF ANY DATA MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH THIS SITE. THE STATE OF COLORADO EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. The data is subject to change as modifications and updates are complete. It is understood that the information contained in the Web feed is being used at one’s own risk.” Facts are extracted; monitoring reports are not republished.
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Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC), Data request 2026-967, delivered Oct 28, 2026 and each month since: licensing inspections, complaints and Stage II investigations from Jan 1, 2023.
Released Oct 28, 2026 and checked Oct 29, 2026. CDEC sends the previous month’s records in the first week of each month; a person saves each file and loads it. No licence stated: CDEC sent this file for a data request that said it would be shown on a free public website. Its disclaimer says the data “is now subject to open records law”. Shown free, never sold.
If you believe something here is wrong, a correction starts with the agency whose record this copies: Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC). Colorado’s own record is on coloradoshines.com. If Hearth Record copied something wrongly, it will fix it and log the correction publicly, with its date: how corrections work.
This copy of the record was made on Nov 5, 2026.
From the provider
The public record above comes first. Anything the provider adds will appear here, below it, and say who wrote it.
Replies
None. Replies aren’t open yet. When they open, the provider will be able to answer any finding for free, and the reply will show beside that finding, unedited and dated.
Paid listing
None. Paid listings aren’t open yet. When they open, anything paid for will say “Paid by the provider”, and paying will never change a finding, a rating or the order of results.