Stepping Stones
Stepping Stones is a licensed child care center in Fullerton, CA, licensed for up to 201 children and serving preschool-age children. It has held its California license since 2013. Since February 2021, state licensing staff have inspected it 5 times and investigated 2 complaints, 1 of them substantiated. The state issued 3 citations, 0 of them Type A (the most serious), most often for caregiver conduct (1 of 3). 1 citation came in the last 12 months. Measured by weighted citations per inspection, it is #24 of 51 centers in Fullerton and better than 45% of licensed centers statewide.
Inspection record
Every state visit
What inspectors cited most
Citations, newest first
Assistant Director stated they will send an action plan to LPA and staff training on personal rights by dues date of 6/5/26. Staff interviewed witnessed staff 1 violated children’s personal rights. Staff witnessing S1 yelling at a child when mad and speaking inappropriately to children and handled children in a rough manner. This poses a potential risk to health, safety or personal rights of children in care.
Based on observation, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above in that the tank cover on the toilet, located in the children's bathroom, in the Olive classroom was missing, which poses a potential safety risk to persons in care.
Based on record review, licensee did not comply with the section cited above in that staff 3 and 5 did not have proof of completion of the Mandated Reporter Training which poses a potential safety risk to persons in care.
Complaint investigations
Staff handled child care child in a rough manner
Staff spoke inappropriately towards child care children.
About this center
Common questions
Does Stepping Stones take infants?
Not under this license, which covers preschool-age children.
Has Stepping Stones had any serious violations?
No Type A citations since 2021. It has 3 Type B citations, listed above.
Have there been complaints about Stepping Stones?
California investigated 2 complaints since 2021 and substantiated 1. Allegations are shown only for substantiated complaints.
How does Stepping Stones compare with other daycares in Fullerton?
It is #24 of 51 centers in Fullerton by weighted citations per inspection, and is better than 45% of licensed centers statewide (out of 10,948 California centers with enough inspection history).
When was Stepping Stones last inspected?
May 5, 2026. No citations were issued during that visit.
How much does Stepping Stones cost?
California does not publish individual centers’ prices, so ask Stepping Stones for its current tuition. For comparison, the median full-time price at licensed centers in Orange County, which includes Fullerton, was $1,098 a month for preschoolers (about $1,390 today) in the state’s 2021 Regional Market Rate Survey.
Who runs Stepping Stones?
The licensee is Stepping Stones Education, INC., and the administrator listed with the state is Esther Kim.
Licensed centers nearby
400 E. Hermosa Drive, Fullerton · 0.3 mi away · 24 spotsNo citationsBousd- Arovista Early Learning Center
900 Eadington Drive, Brea · 1.1 mi away · 23 spotsAbout typicalFullerton School District Beechwood School
780 Beechwood Avenue, Fullerton · 1.1 mi away · 27 spotsNo citationsFullerton Community Nursery School
2050 Youthway, Fullerton · 1.2 mi away · 44 spotsAbout typicalChrist Lutheran Church-preschool
820 W. Imperial Hwy, Brea · 1.3 mi away · 44 spotsNo citationsMontessori Of Brea
701 Mulberry Avenue, Brea · 1.4 mi away · 63 spotsToo few inspections to compare
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 304370822 on the California Care Facility Search. Data refreshed Oct 2, 2026.