Palo Alto · Licensed family home

Maria Hernandez Family Child Care

What these mean, and where they come from

Full-size means licensed for 14 children, the most any Bay Area family home holds; 442 of Bay Area’s 466 licensed family homes are. Small is 10 to 13.

Source for who runs it

ccld.dss.ca.gov

Shortlist doesn’t have these yet: cost, hours and late pickup, teaching approach, ratios and staff, a typical day, sick and biting policies.

What the state has found

The state lists 5 visits below. Shortlist has not read the reports behind them, so there is no share of visits that cited something to set beside other providers yet.

State record — California CDSS Community Care Licensing

Last visit
April 23, 2026
On file
5 visits since December 2021 · 3 complaint investigations
Most serious
No finding carrying a severity level in the last 24 months.

California CDSS publishes the full investigation narrative for a complaint, including its disposition, and classifies a citation Type A — an immediate risk to a child — or Type B.

Feb 2026 Complaint Unsubstantiated

Complaint · February 18, 2026

Unsubstantiated

ALLEGATION(S): One (1) allegation: Facility staff is video recording and/or livestreaming daycare children for unclear reasons. INVESTIGATION FINDINGS: On 04/23/2026 at 8:30am, Licensing Program Analysts (LPAs) Jialing “Julianne” Zhu and Christina Uribe conducted an UNANNOUNCED COMPLAINT SITE INSPECTION. LPA met with Licensee M.D. Pilar Hernandez. The purpose of this inspection is to deliver the findings for the complaint with the above allegation. Present during the inspection were two (2) fingerprint-cleared staff (S1 & S2) and one (1) preschool-aged child. Throughout the course of the inspection, LPA requested and obtained a copy of the Facility Roster. LPA also conducted interviews with the Licensee, S1, and S2. LPAs toured the facility inside and outside for a health and safety inspection in the on and off limit areas of the home. Today, LPAs inspected the on-limit areas only. Based on LPA’s observations and information obtained throughout the investigation, although the allegation may have happened or is valid, there is not a preponderance of evidence to prove the alleged violation did or did not occur, therefore the allegation is unsubstantiated. A Notice of Site Visit was given and must remain posted for 30 days. Exit interview was conducted, report was reviewed, and Appeal Rights were provided to Licensee M.D. Pilar Hernandez. Unsubstantiated Estimated Days of Completion: 0

Individual employees are shown by initials. The state’s report, linked above, names them in full.

State report

Feb 2026 Licensing visit report not read
Nov 2025 Complaint Substantiated

Complaint · November 17, 2025

Substantiated

ALLEGATION(S): 1. Staff forced a child to sleep for 3 hours. 2. Staff hit a child with a toy. INVESTIGATION FINDINGS: This is an Amended report dated 12/17/25 to remove a confidential name previously included. All other information remains unchanged. On 12/17/2025 at 1:20 pm, Licensing Program Analysts (LPA) Manel Estoesta and Paulita De La Cruz, conducted a subsequent complaint investigation. LPA met with the Licensee M.D. Pilar Hernandez and explained the nature of the visit. Present on this home were S1 and S2 living in the home, an infant child and a preschool child. The home operates from, Monday to Friday, 8am to 5 pm. Finding was delivered during this visit. LPA Estoesta conducted interviews and observations, and reviewed facility records. The Reporting Party (RP) alleged the above allegation. Substantiated Estimated Days of Completion: 90 *AMENDED REPORT: This report was amended for the purpose of removing confidential names.* On 12/17/2025 at 1:20 pm, Licensing Program Analysts (LPA) Manel Estoesta and Paulita De La Cruz, conducted a subsequent complaint investigation. LPA met with the Licensee M.D. Pilar Hernandez and explained the nature of the visit. Present on this home were S1, S2, an infant child and a preshcool child. The home operates from, Monday to Friday, 8am to 5 pm. Finding was delivered during this visit. LPA Estoesta conducted interviews and observations, and reviewed facility records. The Reporting Party (RP) alleged the above allegation. Based on the interviews and information obtained throughout the investigation, the allegation is unsubstantiated. Although the allegation may have happened or is valid, there is not a preponderance of evidence to prove the alleged violation did or did not occur, therefore the allegation is deemed UNSUBSTANTIATED. A notice of site visit was given and must remain posted for 30 days. Exit interview conducted with the Maria Del Pilar Hernandez. Unsubstantiated Estimated Days of Completion: 90

Substantiated

ALLEGATION(S): 1. Staff forced a child to sleep for 3 hours. 2. Staff hit a child with a toy. INVESTIGATION FINDINGS: This is an Amended report dated 12/17/25 to remove a confidential name previously included. All other information remains unchanged. On 12/17/2025 at 1:20 pm, Licensing Program Analysts (LPA) Manel Estoesta and Paulita De La Cruz, conducted a subsequent complaint investigation. LPA met with the Licensee M.D. Pilar Hernandez and explained the nature of the visit. Present on this home were S1 and S2 living in the home, an infant child and a preschool child. The home operates from, Monday to Friday, 8am to 5 pm. Finding was delivered during this visit. LPA Estoesta conducted interviews and observations, and reviewed facility records. The Reporting Party (RP) alleged the above allegation. Substantiated Estimated Days of Completion: 90 *AMENDED REPORT: This report was amended for the purpose of removing confidential names.* On 12/17/2025 at 1:20 pm, Licensing Program Analysts (LPA) Manel Estoesta and Paulita De La Cruz, conducted a subsequent complaint investigation. LPA met with the Licensee M.D. Pilar Hernandez and explained the nature of the visit. Present on this home were S1, S2, an infant child and a preshcool child. The home operates from, Monday to Friday, 8am to 5 pm. Finding was delivered during this visit. LPA Estoesta conducted interviews and observations, and reviewed facility records. The Reporting Party (RP) alleged the above allegation. Based on the interviews and information obtained throughout the investigation, the allegation is unsubstantiated. Although the allegation may have happened or is valid, there is not a preponderance of evidence to prove the alleged violation did or did not occur, therefore the allegation is deemed UNSUBSTANTIATED. A notice of site visit was given and must remain posted for 30 days. Exit interview conducted with the Maria Del Pilar Hernandez. Unsubstantiated Estimated Days of Completion: 90

Individual employees are shown by initials. The state’s report, linked above, names them in full.

State report

Nov 2025 Complaint Substantiated

Complaint · November 13, 2025

Substantiated

ALLEGATION(S): 1. Licensee did not allow child's authorized person to enter and inspect the family child care home. INVESTIGATION FINDINGS: *AMENDED REPORT: This report was amended for the purpose of removing confidential names.* On 12/17/2025 at 1:20 pm, Licensing Program Analysts (LPA) Manel Estoesta and Paulita De La Cruz, conducted a subsequent complaint investigation. LPA met with the Licensee M.D. Pilar Hernandez and explained the nature of the visit. Present on this home were S1, S2, an infant child and a preshcool child. The home operates from, Monday to Friday, 8am to 5 pm. Finding was delivered during this visit. LPA Estoesta conducted interviews and observations, and reviewed facility records. The Reporting Party (RP) alleged the above allegation. Substantiated Estimated Days of Completion: 90

Substantiated

ALLEGATION(S): 1. Licensee did not allow child's authorized person to enter and inspect the family child care home. INVESTIGATION FINDINGS: *AMENDED REPORT: This report was amended for the purpose of removing confidential names.* On 12/17/2025 at 1:20 pm, Licensing Program Analysts (LPA) Manel Estoesta and Paulita De La Cruz, conducted a subsequent complaint investigation. LPA met with the Licensee M.D. Pilar Hernandez and explained the nature of the visit. Present on this home were S1, S2, an infant child and a preshcool child. The home operates from, Monday to Friday, 8am to 5 pm. Finding was delivered during this visit. LPA Estoesta conducted interviews and observations, and reviewed facility records. The Reporting Party (RP) alleged the above allegation. Substantiated Estimated Days of Completion: 90

Individual employees are shown by initials. The state’s report, linked above, names them in full.

State report

Apr 2025 Licensing visit report not read
Mar 2024 Licensing visit report not read
Oct 2022 Licensing visit 1 finding

Licensing visit · October 6, 2022

CCR 102416(c) · Type B

(c) The licensee and other personnel as specified shall complete training on preventive health practices, including pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation and pediatric first aid, pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 1596.866. This requirement is not met as evidenced by: Based on (record review)], the licensee did not comply with the section cited above in 2 out of 3 persons which poses/posed a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.

State report

Dec 2021 Licensing visit report not read

Details

(408) 475-6102

Area
Palo Alto, 94306
License
434414668, active

Do you run Maria Hernandez Family Child Care? Shortlist has no tuition, hours or ratios for it, because the state does not publish that. Adding it is free and takes about ten minutes.

Add what is missing
Sources and dates

Where every fact on this page came from, and when Shortlist last checked it against that source. Anything Shortlist could not source is named here rather than left blank.

State record

Every state visit and complaint on file, shown in full and never edited. Open a date to read what the state wrote.

Details