Gateway Educare Infant Center and Preschool · Infant Center, Merced
Gateway Educare Infant Center and Preschool is a licensed child care center in Merced, CA, licensed for up to 26 children and serving infants and toddlers. It has held its California license since 2005. Since February 2021, state licensing staff have inspected it 5 times. The state issued 4 citations, none of them Type A. 1 citation came in the last 12 months. Measured by weighted citations per inspection, it is tied for #23 of 36 centers in Merced and has more citations per inspection than 60% of California licensed centers.
Inspection record
Every state visit
What inspectors cited most
Citations, newest first
Based on LPA observations and Director interview, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above. LPA observed in purple room, the designated area for cribs. Bookshelves used are not at least four feet high and does not fully secure a perimeter around the designated crib space which poses/posed a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
Based on observation, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above in the outdoor space, there was a tarp shade structure with a large tear and one pole did not have any cushion, which poses a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
Based on observation. LPA observed four out of five children's files who's infant needs and services plan have not been updated quarterly. This poses a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
LPA observation of children’s files. During inspection LPA observed four children’s files 1 Director stated she will update the four children's infants needs and services plan and provide documentation to Community Care Licensing by 9/14/21. who’s infant needs and services plans have not been updated quarterly. This is a potential risk to the health, safety or personal rights of children in care.
About this center
Other licenses at this address
Common questions
Does Gateway Educare Infant Center and Preschool take infants?
Yes. It is licensed by California as an infant center.
Has Gateway Educare Infant Center and Preschool had any serious violations?
No Type A citations since 2021. It has 4 Type B citations, listed above.
How does Gateway Educare Infant Center and Preschool compare with other daycares in Merced?
It is tied for #23 of 36 centers in Merced by weighted citations per inspection, and has more citations per inspection than 60% of California licensed centers with enough inspection history to compare.
When was Gateway Educare Infant Center and Preschool last inspected?
Dec 9, 2025. The state issued at least one citation during that visit.
How much does Gateway Educare Infant Center and Preschool cost?
California does not publish individual centers’ prices, so ask Gateway Educare Infant Center and Preschool for its current tuition. For comparison, the median full-time price at licensed centers in Merced County, which includes Merced, was $1,177 a month for infants (about $1,490 today) in the state’s 2021 Regional Market Rate Survey.
Who runs Gateway Educare Infant Center and Preschool?
The licensee is Gateway Community Christian Reformed Church, INC., and the administrator listed with the state is Stephanie Dunn.
Licensed centers nearby
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3670 G St, Merced · 0.4 mi away · 121 spots Too few inspections to compare Merced College Child Development Center
3600 M Street, Merced · 0.7 mi away · 120 spots Among the most cited Merced College Child Development Center
3600 M Street, Merced · 0.7 mi away · 30 spots No citations Buhach Preschool
760 Loughborough Dr, Merced · 1.0 mi away · 98 spots More citations than most
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 243808215 on the California Care Facility Search. Data refreshed Oct 3, 2026.
Comparing centers? See how to choose a daycare: 30 questions to ask and a printable checklist.