The Kairo Act of 2025 would require any child care provider that receives federal funding (including Child Care Development Block Grants and Head Start) to adopt a comprehensive Parents’ Bill of Rights for child care. This bill would give parents or guardians: direct access to essential information about the provider and its monitoring history; access to the facility’s written records and inspection reports; the ability to review the facility’s policies, training records, and in-house training materials; and access to video recordings of alleged child abuse or neglect (under specified conditions) within two business days. Providers must deliver a written copy of these rights to families within 45 days of enactment or by the child’s first day of service after enactment. The act also requires federal agencies to notify current and future recipients about these new requirements within 30 days of enactment. The goal is to increase transparency and safety for babies and young children in federally funded childcare settings.
Key Points
- 1Definitions expand who qualifies as a “certain child care provider” to include center-based, family, and sectarian providers that receive any federal funding for child care or early learning (e.g., CCDBG, Head Start).
- 2Parental rights as a condition of funding require providers to offer a written Parents’ Bill of Rights detailing how to access abuse hotlines, state monitoring databases, Head Start monitoring reports, and the provider’s own records and compliance history.
- 3Parents must be able to obtain: (a) the provider’s written rights; (b) access to inspection reports and compliance history; (c) the facility’s policies, staff training records, and in-house training curricula; (d) a copy of any state agency’s inspection reports; (e) information on how to access the facility’s compliance history online.
- 4Access to video recordings: within two business days, a parent may view an alleged abuse/neglect video if certain conditions apply (no retention of non-parent’s minor parts by the requesting parent; other children depicted receive notice; and the provider’s policies and training materials are provided). Providers must ensure no retaliatory action against a parent for exercising these rights.
- 5Implementation timeline: providers must give the written rights within 45 days after enactment or by the child’s first day of service after enactment; the Department of Health and Human Services must notify recipients of the new requirements within 30 days of enactment.
- 6Limitations: law enforcement and child protective services retain their access to video recordings as part of investigations.