Why We Built This
Childcare inspection data is public in every state. But accessing it is another story. Some states bury reports behind clunky government portals that require you to know the facility's exact license number. Others publish data in PDFs that are difficult to search or compare. A few still require in-person requests.
The result is that most parents choose daycare based on word of mouth, proximity, and cost — with almost no visibility into the safety record of the facility where they're leaving their children for 8+ hours a day.
What We Do
Aggregate inspection data
From state licensing agencies across the country into a single, searchable directory.
Standardize violations
Across states into four categories and three severity levels for apples-to-apples comparison.
Compute safety grades
From A to F using a transparent, weighted formula that accounts for severity, category, and recency.
Provide cost data
County-level figures from the U.S. Department of Labor so parents can understand local childcare costs.
Send inspection alerts
Parents are notified when new inspection data is published for their child’s facility.
Our Data Sources
We draw from multiple public data sources to build the most complete picture of each facility:
State Licensing Agencies
Inspection records, violations, inspection dates, and license status.
Updated weekly
HIFLD
Homeland Infrastructure Foundation-Level Data for facility location and cross-referencing.
On publish
U.S. Department of Labor
National Database of Childcare Prices with county-level cost data by age group and care type.
Updated annually
State Open Data Portals
Additional data on facility capacity, age ranges served, and operational details where available.
Varies by state
How Grading Works
Every facility starts with a score of 100. Points are deducted for violations based on their severity and category. Recent violations are weighted more heavily than older ones. The result is a letter grade from A to F.
Read the full methodologyWhat We Are Not
DaycareCheck is an informational tool, not a regulatory body. We do not conduct inspections, issue licenses, or certify facilities. Our grades are computed from publicly available data and are intended to supplement — not replace — your own research, facility visits, and conversations with providers.
We also do not accept payment from facilities for favorable ratings. Our grades are computed algorithmically from public inspection data and cannot be influenced by facility owners.
Independence matters. Our grades are algorithmically computed from public data. No facility can pay for a better score.