“To protect babies and young children in childcare settings by strengthening transparency and safety requirements.”
No CRS summary available for this bill.
This section defines terms for purposes of the Act, including (1) “certain child care provider” as a center-based child care provider, family child care provider, sectarian child care provider, or other compensated provider of child care services that receives any federal funding for child care or early learning programs (e.g., Child Care and Development Block Grants or Head Start); (2) “center-based child care provider” as a licensed or authorized provider of child care services for fewer than 24 hours per day per child in a non-residential setting (unless excess hours are due to parents' work); (3) “family child care provider” as one or more individuals providing child care services for fewer than 24 hours per day per child in a private residence other than the child's (unless excess hours are due to parents' work); and (4) “sectarian organization and sectarian child care provider” as a religious organization or provider that engages in religious conduct or activity or maintains a religious identity (with no requirement for clergy management or specific degree of religious control).
This section requires any provider receiving federal funds for child care or early learning programs—including Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) funds or Head Start funding—to develop a parent’s bill of rights that includes (1) contact information for the state child abuse hotline and investigating agency; (2) information on accessing the state’s electronic database of child care monitoring and inspection reports; (3) for Head Start and Early Head Start programs, information on accessing Office of Head Start monitoring reports; (4) parental access to the facility’s written records concerning their child; (5) upon request, the responsible state agency’s inspection reports for the facility and online access to its compliance history; (6) facility compliance with court orders barring another parent or guardian from visiting or removing the child; (7) contact information for the state division regulating the facility; and (8) upon written request, access within two business days to any available video recording of an alleged abuse or neglect incident involving the child (subject to conditions protecting other children’s privacy and notice requirements), a copy of the facility’s policies and procedures, access to review staff training records and in-house training curriculum, and freedom from retaliation for exercising these rights. Providers must furnish parents a written copy of these rights no later than 45 days after the effective date of this section or the child’s first day of services, whichever is later. This section does not limit law enforcement or child protective services agencies’ access to video recordings for investigations.
This section requires the Director of the Department of Health and Human Services, not later than 30 days after the effective date of this Act, to direct the Office of Child Care and the Office of Head Start to notify all current and future potential recipients of Child Care and Development Block Grant and Head Start funding of the new requirements.