Daycare RecordChild care inspection records

Kennedy Head Start

17500 South Belshire, Artesia, CA 90701 · Los Angeles County
Child care center (preschool)

Kennedy Head Start is a licensed child care center in Artesia, CA, licensed for up to 38 children and serving preschool-age children. It has held its California license since 1995. Since February 2021, state licensing staff have inspected it 3 times. The state issued 2 citations, 0 of them Type A (the most serious). 1 citation came in the last 12 months. Measured by weighted citations per inspection, it is #3 of 7 centers in Artesia and has more citations per inspection than 55% of California licensed centers.

Inspection record

More citations than 55%of 10,948 California licensed centers, per inspection, weighted by severity. About typical
#3 of 7 centers in Artesia
0Type A citations
2Type B citations
3Inspections
0 of 0Complaints substantiated
2 citations from 5 state visits since Feb 8, 2021 · 1 in the last 12 months · last inspected Sep 4, 2025

Every state visit

20222023202420252026INSPECTIONS (top) · REPORTS & INVESTIGATIONS (bottom)Feb 18, 2026 · Report/investigation · citation foundSep 4, 2025 · Inspection · no citationMay 22, 2023 · Report/investigation · citation foundMar 30, 2023 · Inspection · no citationFeb 3, 2022 · Inspection · no citation
Citation issuedNo citationTop row: inspections · bottom row: complaint investigations and other visits

What inspectors cited most

Supervision2

Citations, newest first

Type BFeb 18, 2026Case management visit (incident)Supervision
Care and supervision §101229(a)(1)
based on interviews, the facility failed to provide adequate supervision for a child in care. 1 Record revealed 02/10/2026 Center Director had met with the staff and reviewed the safety plan regarding to taking children on field. LPA reviewed the training material that was discussed on 2/10/25. Citation was cleared during today's visit. 02/4/2026, C1 wandered away from the group for about 3 minutes then found by the farm staff within the perimeter of farm which poses a potential health and safety risk to children in care.
Plan of correction due Feb 27, 2026
Type BMay 22, 2023Case management visit (incident)Supervision
Care and supervision §101229(a)(1)
based on interviews staff failed to 1 Facility agrees tol conduct a staff training to discuss proper care and supervision during transition time. The copy of the training agenda/materials and the list of attendee's with their signatures submit to CCLD by 06/09/2023 as a plan of correction. provide proper care and supervision for C1. On 5/16/23, about 10:00AM, S1 admitted that she left C1 outside at the enclosed play yard area for about 5 minutes without any adult's supervision, which poses a potential health and safety risk to children in care. 8 Possible informal meeting will be held at the RO office to discuss the level of care and supervision.
Plan of correction due Jun 9, 2023

About this center

Licensed capacity38 children
License typeChild care center (preschool)
License statusLicensed
Licensed sinceApr 24, 1995
LicenseeABC/Usd/Child Development Office/Tom Woodward
AdministratorKim Gaitan
Phone(562) 229-7934
State facility #191570767

Common questions

Does Kennedy Head Start take infants?

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

Has Kennedy Head Start had any serious violations?

No Type A citations since 2021. It has 2 Type B citations, listed above.

How does Kennedy Head Start compare with other daycares in Artesia?

It is #3 of 7 centers in Artesia by weighted citations per inspection, and has more citations per inspection than 55% of California licensed centers with enough inspection history to compare.

When was Kennedy Head Start last inspected?

Sep 4, 2025. No citations were issued during that visit.

How much does Kennedy Head Start cost?

California does not publish individual centers’ prices, so ask Kennedy Head Start for its current tuition. For comparison, the median full-time price at licensed centers in Los Angeles County, which includes Artesia, was $1,087 a month for preschoolers (about $1,370 today) in the state’s 2021 Regional Market Rate Survey.

Who runs Kennedy Head Start?

The licensee is ABC/Usd/Child Development Office/Tom Woodward, and the administrator listed with the state is Kim Gaitan.

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 191570767 on the California Care Facility Search. Data refreshed Oct 2, 2026.