Complaint Review: KinderCare Learning Center

Dear Cameo and others who have had bad experiences in KinderCare, My advice is this; I have been employed in the administrative field of Child Care for over 15 years, now retired, but ALL parents and employees MUST be made more aware of the "Parents Rights and Responsibiities" according to the California Dept. of Social Services Title 22.

A good Child Care Center will encourage parents to read this handout, which is required by law at time of enrollment, encourage parental involvement, openly allow the parents to drop in and/or inspect any part of the facility when their child is enrolled in Center and during business hours. They also have the right to observe any and all activities while their child is enrolled.

Yes, as a former preschool teacher I know it can be disruptive, but a good Director should allow for the time and use the visitations as opportunities to monitor teacher/child and parent/teacher/child interactions. There are many other rights parents/employees should be made aware of. They should ask the Center for the handout, read it, and don't hesitate to be your child's advocate. Who else will be?

I have unfortunately been personally affected by the KinderCare @ 9945 Slater Ave., Fountain Valley, CA. The "behind the scenes" Directors' decisions make a mockery out of Directorship. The Corporate policies are altered at whim. Scheduling is critical to running a good center, however, their scheduling continuously disrupts the classrooms, moving teachers, sometimes several times a day, interrupting learning, causing undue fear and anxiety when their structure is routinely changed. This is paramount and all GOOD Directors know this.

A Child needs structure and stability to feel secure. Teachers too, are disrupted, moving from one class to another at a moments' notice, trying in instantly familiarize themselves with the children and vice versa, which is very emotional and confusing for a young 1, 2, 3, or 4-5 year old. KinderCare is stripping the children of a proper days' learning and fun, as their motto says. They are cheating the parents, by taking their money, but not giving what has been promised.

The illnesses are exceedingly out of hand and again, the Directors' do not follow the policies as set forth by Corporate. Policies are only as good as the employees who enforce them. At KinderCare, they are applied incongrously to their policies. And to Title 22 Licensing Rqmnts.

Over ratio, under ratio, weakly enforced child well-check and illness policies, Directors ( I say Directors, plural, because they have managed to maintain a extreme high-turnover in employees and directors) coming and going, never encouraged nor monitored by Corporate to supervise the Directors' lack of involvement when ratios are low, very little positive feedback to employees, highly innappropriate comments made in front of subhordinates in front of other co-teachers or parents. The facility looks good from the outside, but inside is another story.

It is only because of the intrinsic devotion the teachers have to the children that the teachers stay, and the low pay and bennies, which are not quite what was promised. Parents, Employees, Call the California Dept. of Social Services! Keep documentation, take notes on ratios, dates, times, names, all occurences of concern and report, report, report.

Child Care Advocate
Garden Grove, Ca.

Child care advocate
Gardnerville, Nevada
U.S.A.