Concerns Raised About Kindercare’s Child Safety Practices
Kindercare, known as one of the largest daycare providers in the U.S., has come under scrutiny, as independent journalist Edwin Dorsey reveals troubling information about the company.
Dorsey often utilizes the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to access complaints made to regulatory bodies like the FTC and various state Attorney General offices. His research led him to uncover alarming safety issues at Kindercare.
The issues weren’t just typical childhood scuffles or allergies; they included significant concerns such as children escaping from facilities and being left unsupervised in locked rooms.
In one particular incident, a mother received a call six hours later about her child needing to be dropped off and picked up. Upon taking her child home, she noticed something was very wrong—her child was sick and had bruises. Dorsey recounts how, despite Kindercare’s assurances that nothing was amiss, a hospital drug test later revealed that the two-year-old tested positive for cocaine.
Although police searched the mother’s home, they found nothing. It was later revealed that a staff member at Kindercare had brought cocaine into the facility.
“This is a recurring pattern at Kindercare,” Dorsey states, noting the hundreds of similar cases across the U.S., particularly in Texas. The notable aspect of these cases? Lack of transparency from Kindercare towards parents regarding safety incidents.
Despite these serious allegations, Kindercare has received significant government funding, amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars.
Dorsey explains that Kindercare primarily serves working families, with about 35% of its revenue from taxpayers through the Childcare Development Block Grant, which was established in 1990 under President George H.W. Bush.
He points out that while early childhood education is essential and worth government support, the reality at Kindercare contradicts this premise. Dorsey highlights ongoing safety issues, including drug use among staff and inadequate supervision—often with 20 children per caregiver earning just $12 an hour.
