For Parent · Child care
10 Questions to Ask Your Daycare About Their Inspection Record
10 questions every parent should ask their daycare about inspection history, citations, and safety. Includes what good and bad answers sound like.
Before enrolling, or at your next parent conference, ask these 10 questions. They're based on what California state inspectors actually check during licensing visits. Each question includes what a good answer sounds like and what should concern you.
Before You Ask: Do Your Homework
Look up your daycare's inspection record before the conversation. You'll be better prepared, and you'll know if their answers match the public record.
The 10 Questions
1. "Can I see your most recent inspection report?"
Why it matters: Licensed daycares are required to make inspection reports available to parents. Willingness to share is itself a signal.
Good answer: "Of course. Here's our most recent report. We had one item about [specific issue] and here's how we addressed it."
Concerning answer: "We don't have that available" or "You'd have to contact the state for that."
2. "How many inspections have you had in the past two years?"
Why it matters: More inspections mean more data points. Complaint-triggered inspections (beyond the annual one) may indicate reported concerns.
Good answer: "We've had our annual inspections, two in the last two years, with no complaints."
Concerning answer: "I'm not sure" or a number significantly higher than expected (5+ visits in 2 years could indicate complaint investigations).
3. "Have you received any Type A citations?"
Why it matters: Type A citations involve health or safety risks. Zero Type A citations across multiple inspections is a strong record.
Good answer: "No, we've never had a Type A citation" or "We had one three years ago for [specific issue]. Here's what we changed."
Concerning answer: Vague responses, not knowing what Type A means, or dismissing citations as "just the inspector being picky."
4. "What's your staff-to-child ratio, and how do you maintain it during transitions?"
Why it matters: Ratio violations are among the most common Type A citations. The tricky moments are transitions: arrival, departure, nap time, outdoor play, when ratios can slip.
Good answer: "We're at [specific ratio]. During transitions, we stagger activities so at least [number] staff are always with children. We have a substitute list for when someone calls in sick."
Concerning answer: Citing only the minimum required ratio with no mention of how they handle staffing gaps.
5. "How do you handle background checks for new staff?"
Why it matters: Background check violations are the #1 most common citation type across California, found at 17% of all facilities. Staff cannot work with children until clearances are complete.
Good answer: "No new hire has contact with children until we receive their clearance letter from DOJ. We track expiration dates in [specific system]."
Concerning answer: "We start the process when they're hired" without clarifying that they don't work with children until it's complete.
6. "What happens when someone files a complaint?"
Why it matters: Understanding their response process tells you about their culture. CCLD investigates every complaint, and the daycare should know this.
Good answer: "We take it seriously. CCLD investigates, and we cooperate fully. We had one complaint about [topic]. The investigation found [result]."
Concerning answer: "That's never happened" (unlikely for established facilities) or "Parents sometimes complain about things that aren't real issues."
7. "Are all your staff current on mandated reporter training?"
Why it matters: Every childcare worker in California is a mandated reporter, required to report suspected child abuse or neglect. Mandated reporter training violations are common and easy to prevent.
Good answer: "Yes, everyone completes it within 90 days of hire and renews every two years. We track it in [specific system]."
Concerning answer: "I think so" or "We're working on getting everyone caught up."
8. "How do you handle medication administration?"
Why it matters: Giving a child the wrong medication, or any medication without parental authorization, is a serious safety issue and a common Type A citation category.
Good answer: "We require a signed authorization form from parents for every medication. Only designated staff can administer, and we log every dose with time, amount, and who gave it."
Concerning answer: "We just follow the parents' instructions" without mentioning written authorization or logging.
9. "When was your last fire drill, and how often do you do them?"
Why it matters: Emergency procedure violations are regularly cited. Fire drills should happen monthly, and the daycare should document them.
Good answer: "Last month. We do them monthly and keep a log with the date, time, evacuation time, and number of children present."
Concerning answer: "We haven't done one recently" or unable to provide a specific date.
10. "What's changed since your last inspection?"
Why it matters: This open-ended question reveals whether they view inspections as opportunities to improve or annoyances to endure.
Good answer: Specific improvements: "We reorganized our medication storage after the inspector suggested it" or "We updated our emergency posting with the new numbers."
Concerning answer: "Nothing needed to change" (even facilities with clean inspections usually learn something) or "The inspector didn't know what they were talking about."
Bringing These Questions to a Tour
Print this list or save it on your phone. The best time to ask is:
- During a tour: before enrollment, when you're evaluating options
- At a parent conference: during your regular check-in with the director
- After checking their record: if you found something on ReadyRule that you want to understand
You don't need to ask all 10 at once. Pick 3-4 that matter most to you and see how the conversation goes.
Compare Daycares Side by Side
The most powerful use of inspection records is comparison. Look up multiple daycares you're considering and compare:
- Total citations vs. total inspections
- Type A citations (serious) across facilities
- How quickly issues were corrected
Search and compare daycares on ReadyRule →
Frequently Asked Questions
Won't asking these questions seem confrontational?
No. Good daycares welcome informed parents. If asking about their inspection record makes them uncomfortable, that's itself a red flag.
What if my daycare has a perfect record?
That's great! These questions are still worth asking; they show the daycare you're engaged and paying attention to safety, which is positive for everyone.
Should I check inspection records for daycares I'm already enrolled in?
Absolutely. Look up your current daycare and check periodically. Inspection records are updated after each visit.