Daycare RecordChild care inspection records

The Children's Courtyard · Preschool, Lake Forest

21772 Lake Forest Drive, Lake Forest, CA 92630 · Orange County
Child care center (preschool)

The Children's Courtyard is a licensed child care center in Lake Forest, CA, licensed for up to 134 children and serving preschool-age children. It has held its California license since 2021. Since February 2021, state licensing staff have inspected it 3 times and investigated 4 complaints, 0 of them substantiated. The state issued 6 citations, 3 of them Type A (the most serious), most often for staff ratios (3 of 6). 1 citation came in the last 12 months. Measured by weighted citations per inspection, it is tied for #20 of 22 centers in Lake Forest and has more citations per inspection than 92% of California licensed centers.

Inspection record

More citations than 92%of 10,948 California licensed centers, per inspection, weighted by severity. Among the most cited
Tied for #20 of 22 centers in Lake Forest
3Type A citations
3Type B citations
3Inspections
0 of 4Complaints substantiated
6 citations from 16 state visits since Feb 8, 2021 · 1 in the last 12 months · last inspected Apr 20, 2026

Every state visit

20222023202420252026INSPECTIONS (top) · REPORTS & INVESTIGATIONS (bottom)Aug 21, 2026 · Report/investigation · no citationJul 7, 2026 · Report/investigation · no citationApr 20, 2026 · Inspection · citation foundFeb 25, 2026 · Report/investigation · no citationJul 10, 2025 · Report/investigation · no citationJul 10, 2025 · Report/investigation · no citationMay 13, 2025 · Report/investigation · no citationApr 29, 2025 · Inspection · no citationSep 30, 2024 · Report/investigation · no citationSep 10, 2024 · Report/investigation · no citationSep 10, 2024 · Report/investigation · citation foundMar 27, 2024 · Report/investigation · no citationNov 2, 2023 · Report/investigation · citation foundJun 15, 2023 · Report/investigation · citation foundMay 16, 2023 · Inspection · citation foundMay 16, 2023 · Report/investigation · no citation
Citation issuedNo citationTop row: inspections · bottom row: complaint investigations and other visits

What inspectors cited most

Staff ratios3
Health & medication1
Records & paperwork1
Caregiver conduct1

Citations, newest first

Type BApr 20, 2026InspectionHealth & medication
Staff immunizations §1596.7995(a)(1)
Based on observation and record review, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above in 2 counts out of 5 counts staffs' files which poses a potential health, and safety risk to persons in care. Staff # 1, and staff # 4, and staff # 5 were missing the required above immunization on their files.
Plan of correction due Apr 27, 2026
Type BSep 10, 2024Case management visit (deficiencies)Records & paperwork
Reporting requirements §101212(d)(1)(D)
101212 Reporting Requirements (d) Upon the occurrence...during its normal business hours.... (d)(2) below shall be submitted to the Dept within seven days... (1) Events reported... (D) Any suspected physical or psychological abuse of any child. This requirement is not meet by: 1 Director stated they will make sure they report any unusual incident within 24 hours via phone call and submit a written incident report within 7 days. Director submitted LIC624 unusual incident report for this incident on 09/17/2024. Based on interviews conducted by LPA Nguyen, it was determined that the facility did not report the child abuse report to licensing. This is a potential Health and Safety risk to the children in care. 8
Plan of correction due Sep 17, 2024
Type BNov 2, 2023Case management visit (licensee initiated)Staff ratios
Capacity limits §101161(a)
During taking census at 12:05pm LPA observed 9 toddlers from Toddler Option 1 The director, Laura Johnson agreed to rearrange the children's scheduling for toddlers in Toddler Option Room # 7 so there will not be more than 6 toddlers in room # 7 at any time according to the license. Component with 2 staff in Room # 7. The license states 6 toddlers in room # 7 based on the measurement taken on 7/1/2021. The facility failed to comply with the section above. This is potential risk to the health and safety of children in care.
Plan of correction due Nov 6, 2023
Type AJun 15, 2023Case management visit (incident)Caregiver conduct
Personal rights §101223(a)(3)
101223(a)(3) Personal Rights. (a) The licensee shall ensure that each child is accorded the following personal rights: (3) To be free from corporal or unusual punishment, infliction of pain, humiliation….. 1 Director stated they will conduct staff trainings on personal rights and S1 will have have three additional trainings on personal rights. Director will submit proof of trainings to LPA by
Plan of correction due Jun 15, 2023
Type AMay 16, 2023InspectionStaff ratios
Teacher-child ratio §101216.3(a)
Based on observation and interview, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above. While touring the facility at 8:55 am, LPA and Director observed S1 inside classroom #4 caring for 13 preschool age children which poses an immediate health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
Plan of correction due May 16, 2023
Type AMay 16, 2023InspectionStaff ratios
Teacher-child ratio §101216.3(b)
Based on observation and interview, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above. At 8:24 am, LPA observed 17 preschool age children inside classroom #1 along with staff #3 (S3) and staff #4 (S4). LPA observed S2 remove two children from classroom #1 and bring them into classroom #5. in [count] out of [total count] [(objects) (persons)] [identifiers] which poses an immediate health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
Plan of correction due May 16, 2023

Complaint investigations

Not substantiatedAug 21, 2026Complaint investigationreceived Jul 24, 2026
The state did not substantiate this complaint, so its allegations are not shown.
Not substantiatedFeb 25, 2026Complaint investigationreceived Jan 26, 2026
The state did not substantiate this complaint, so its allegations are not shown.
Not substantiatedJul 10, 2025Complaint investigationreceived May 27, 2025
The state did not substantiate this complaint, so its allegations are not shown.
Not substantiatedSep 10, 2024Complaint investigationreceived Jul 31, 2024
The state did not substantiate this complaint, so its allegations are not shown.

How often are complaints about daycares in Orange County substantiated? See the county-by-county report →

About this center

Licensed capacity134 children
License typeChild care center (preschool)
License statusLicensed
Licensed sinceJul 2, 2021
LicenseeChildren's Courtyard, INC., The
AdministratorAthinia Huber
Phone(949) 859-0805
State facility #304371512

Common questions

Does The Children's Courtyard take infants?

Not under this license, which covers preschool-age children.

Has The Children's Courtyard had any serious violations?

California issued 3 Type A citations since 2021, its most serious category. The most recent was on Jun 15, 2023, for personal rights. Each citation is listed in full above.

Have there been complaints about The Children's Courtyard?

California investigated 4 complaints since 2021 and substantiated 0. Allegations are shown only for substantiated complaints.

How does The Children's Courtyard compare with other daycares in Lake Forest?

It is tied for #20 of 22 centers in Lake Forest by weighted citations per inspection, and has more citations per inspection than 92% of California licensed centers with enough inspection history to compare.

When was The Children's Courtyard last inspected?

Apr 20, 2026. The state issued at least one citation during that visit.

How much does The Children's Courtyard cost?

California does not publish individual centers’ prices, so ask The Children's Courtyard for its current tuition. For comparison, the median full-time price at licensed centers in Orange County, which includes Lake Forest, was $1,098 a month for preschoolers (about $1,390 today) in the state’s 2021 Regional Market Rate Survey.

Who runs The Children's Courtyard?

The licensee is Children's Courtyard, INC., The, and the administrator listed with the state is Athinia Huber.

Licensed centers nearby

Citations are quoted from California Department of Social Services inspection and complaint reports. Type A citations are the state’s most serious category (an immediate risk to children’s health, safety or personal rights); Type B citations are a potential risk. A citation is a finding about one rule, not a judgment about a center overall. Complaint allegations appear here only when the state substantiated them.

To read the full state reports, search facility number 304371512 on the California Care Facility Search. Data refreshed Oct 3, 2026.