Daycare Facilities are Too Relaxed on the Rules

05 Nov Daycare Facilities are Too Relaxed on the Rules

The Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services is soon expected to release a report on the lax child care requirements of many U.S. states.

As a parent coincerned about daycare abuse and neglect, you may think that your daycare center has passed inspection and that the workers have passed background checks — but you may be dead wrong. A new report expected to be released by the HHS Inspector General shows glaring issues with child care facilities in many states, including Texas.

Did you know? – 21 states do not require an annual unannounced inspection of all licensed child care providers.

The report shows that there tend to be more strict requirements for center-based child care, as opposed to home-based child care – which may be news to families who use a home-based child care provider and check that they follow the requirements. 7 states unbelievably do not require a background check of family members living in the house. 23 states allow self-reported compliance for family home providers. Most frightening of all is that in 29 states, these providers are not required to report serious injuries!

Even when it comes to daycare centers, 18 states don’t require background checks of janitorial staff; eight don’t require it for drivers; and seven don’t require it for owners! The HHS IG report calls for more rigorous standards, safety training, better reporting, and better enforcement as a condition for states to participate in the Child Care and Development Fund.

Did you know? – Only 15 states require background checks considered comprehensive by the agency’s Administration for Children and Families.

I think agency official Linda Smith said it best when she testified last year before a congressional committee that “lack of accountability leads to tragedy.”