What to Do If Your Daycare Has a Violation

You looked up your daycare on DaycareCheck and found a violation. Now what? Don't panic. Not all violations are equal. This guide will help you understand what you are looking at, how serious it is, and what to do next.

Step 1: Don't Panic

Most licensed daycare facilities receive at least a few violations over time. A minor paperwork issue or a single missed detail during an inspection does not mean your child is in danger. The existence of a violation means the state is doing its job by checking.

What matters is the type of violation, how severe it is, whether it was corrected, and whether there is a pattern of repeated issues.

Step 2: Read the Violation Carefully

On DaycareCheck, each violation on a facility's profile includes:

• The date of the inspection
• The specific regulation that was violated
• A description of what the inspector found
• The severity level (critical, serious, or minor)
• The category (health, safety, staffing, or compliance)
• Whether the violation was corrected

Read the actual description, not just the headline. "Safety violation" could mean a missing fire extinguisher tag (minor) or unsupervised children near a pool (critical). The details make all the difference.

Step 3: Understand the Severity Levels

DaycareCheck classifies violations into three severity levels, based on our scoring methodology:

Critical Violations

These involve an immediate risk to children's health or safety. Examples:

• Children left unsupervised
• Unsafe sleep practices for infants
• No background check on file for a staff member
• Hazardous materials accessible to children
• Blocked emergency exits

Critical violations are serious. Even one warrants a conversation with the director and careful follow-up.

Serious Violations

These could affect child well-being but do not represent an immediate danger. Examples:

• Staff-to-child ratio exceeded briefly during a transition
• Medication stored improperly but not accessible to children
• Expired first aid supplies
• Outdoor equipment in need of repair

Serious violations need to be corrected promptly. One or two on an otherwise clean record are not alarming. Multiple serious violations suggest a management problem.

Minor Violations

These are administrative or low-risk issues. Examples:

• Missing or incomplete documentation
• A staff training certificate that expired last week
• A minor deviation from posted menu
• A fire drill log entry that was not dated

Minor violations are common and usually reflect paperwork issues, not care quality. They still count toward a facility's safety grade, but they should not keep you up at night.

Step 4: Look for Patterns

A single violation tells you less than the full history. Look at the facility's inspection record over the past 2-3 years on DaycareCheck and ask:

• Is this a one-time issue or a repeat? The same violation showing up on multiple inspections means the facility is not fixing the root cause.
• Are violations getting worse or better over time? A facility that improved from a C to a B is on the right track. One that dropped from a B to a D has a problem.
• Are violations concentrated in one category? Multiple staffing violations suggest chronic understaffing. Multiple health violations suggest poor sanitation practices.
• How quickly were violations corrected? Fast corrections (days) signal a responsive operator. Corrections that take months signal a provider who only fixes things when forced.

Step 5: Talk to the Director

Bring up the violation directly. A good director will:

• Know about the violation without having to look it up
• Explain what happened and why
• Describe what they changed to prevent it from recurring
• Welcome your questions without getting defensive

A bad response looks like: denial ("that's not a big deal"), deflection ("the inspector was being picky"), or hostility ("where did you find that?"). If the director cannot or will not discuss the violation openly, that itself is a red flag.

Step 6: Decide Whether to Stay or Switch

Here is a rough decision framework:

Stay if:

• The violation was minor or a one-time issue
• It was corrected quickly
• The director discussed it openly and explained the fix
• The overall safety grade is still A or B
• You have observed no issues during your own visits

Consider switching if:

• The violation was critical and related to supervision, safe sleep, or abuse prevention
• The same type of violation has appeared on multiple inspections
• The director was defensive or dismissive when asked
• The safety grade is D or F
• You have observed your own concerns that align with the violation

If you decide to switch, use DaycareCheck to compare alternatives in your area. Filter by safety grade to find providers with strong inspection records.

Step 7: File a Complaint If Needed

If you witness something unsafe at your daycare, you have the right to file a complaint with your state's licensing agency. You should file a complaint if:

• You observe children being left unsupervised
• You see unsafe conditions that put children at risk
• You believe the facility is operating without a valid license
• You suspect abuse or neglect
• The provider is ignoring a known safety issue

To file a complaint, contact your state's childcare licensing division. You can find contact information by searching your state's name + "childcare licensing complaint" or by checking your state's page on DaycareCheck.

If you suspect abuse or neglect, also contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453. In an emergency, call 911.

Step 8: Keep Monitoring

Whether you stay or switch, keep checking your provider's inspection record. On DaycareCheck, you can monitor a facility's page for new inspection data. Check back periodically, especially after the time frame when annual inspections typically occur in your state.

Also trust your own eyes. No inspection report replaces your direct observation. Drop in unannounced. Watch how staff interact with children. Notice whether safety practices you asked about are actually being followed.

Frequently Asked Questions