Little Bears Tender Care · Preschool, Vista
Little Bears Tender Care is a licensed child care center in Vista, CA, licensed for up to 33 children and serving preschool-age children. It has held its California license since 2022. Since February 2021, state licensing staff have inspected it 4 times and investigated 2 complaints, 1 of them substantiated. The state issued 8 citations, 0 of them Type A (the most serious), most often for building & playground safety (4 of 8). 2 citations came in the last 12 months. Measured by weighted citations per inspection, it is tied for #39 of 53 centers in Vista and has more citations per inspection than 79% of California licensed centers.
Inspection record
Every state visit
What inspectors cited most
Citations, newest first
Based on interview and record review, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above where facility tested over the Action Level Exceedance. Where the kitchen faucet was not retested after 9/5/23. This poses a potential health, safety, or personal rights risk to the children in care.
Based on observation, interview and record review, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above in one of four staff files. Where S4 was employed and present, prior to being appropriately associated. Which poses a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
101223(a)(1) Personal Rights – (a) The licensee shall ensure that each child is accorded the following personal rights: (1) To be accorded dignity in his/her personal relationships with staff and other persons. This requirement was not met as evidence by: 1 Director stated, they will hold a meeting regarding personal rights during the staff meeting and go over the correct type of care when having difficult situations. Based on interviews and observations LPA Peebles observed the video footage showing the Director extending their arm and pushing C1 back while saying “no” when C1 kicked the Director which poses a potential risk to children in care. 8
Based on observation and interview, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above where Lysol cleaning products were stored in a drawer that was not locked and accessible to daycare children. Additionally, bug spray was observed in a storage space that was not locked. Which poses a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
Based on observation and interview, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above where more then twenty, six inch nails, were observed on the preschool playground, sticking out from renovated artifical turf. Nails were all sharp and rusty, stored in a pile next to the playground fence where children walk and play. Which poses a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
Based onobservation, interview and record review, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above where the preschool playground was under construction to renovate the artifical turf and inacessible to daycare children. Director stated that this has been under construction for two months and did not submit a UIR. Which poses a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
Based on observation and interview, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above. It was observed and confirmed through interview that the preschool stairs to the loft are cracked and splintered, exposing a sharp surface. Which poses a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
Based on record review, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above as two staff (Ref#2& 3) did not have TN test results within the required time period which poses a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
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Complaint investigations
Staff inappropriately pushed a daycare child while in care
How often are complaints about daycares in San Diego County substantiated? See the county-by-county report →
About this center
Other licenses at this address
Common questions
Does Little Bears Tender Care take infants?
Not under this license, which covers preschool-age children. An infant center is licensed separately at the same address (listed below).
Has Little Bears Tender Care had any serious violations?
No Type A citations since 2021. It has 8 Type B citations, listed above.
Have there been complaints about Little Bears Tender Care?
California investigated 2 complaints since 2021 and substantiated 1. Allegations are shown only for substantiated complaints.
How does Little Bears Tender Care compare with other daycares in Vista?
It is tied for #39 of 53 centers in Vista by weighted citations per inspection, and has more citations per inspection than 79% of California licensed centers with enough inspection history to compare.
When was Little Bears Tender Care last inspected?
Mar 3, 2026. The state issued at least one citation during that visit.
How much does Little Bears Tender Care cost?
California does not publish individual centers’ prices, so ask Little Bears Tender Care for its current tuition. For comparison, the median full-time price at licensed centers in San Diego County, which includes Vista, was $1,013 a month for preschoolers (about $1,280 today) in the state’s 2021 Regional Market Rate Survey.
Who runs Little Bears Tender Care?
The licensee is Maribel Hadnot, and the administrator listed with the state is Carol Hadnot.
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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 376300424 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.