9.1 Parental Complaint Process

Lead Agencies must maintain a record of substantiated parental complaints against child care providers and make information regarding such complaints available to the public on request. Lead Agencies must also provide a detailed description of the hotline or similar reporting process for parents to submit complaints about child care providers; the process for substantiating complaints; the manner in which the Lead Agency maintains a record of substantiated parental complaints; and ways that the Lead Agency makes information on such parental complaints available to the public on request. Lead Agencies are not required to limit the complaint process to parents. 9.1.1 Parental complaint process a. Describe the Lead Agency’s hotline or similar reporting process through which parents can submit complaints about child care providers, including a link if it is a Web-based process: Parents, families, and concerned community members can submit child care complaints via email (careline@dhw.idaho.gov), fax (208-334-5531), or telephone by contacting 2-1-1 Idaho CareLine (1-800-926-2588). An online complaint form is available at the following web address: https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/services- programs/children-families/file-child-care-complaint b. Describe how the parental complaint process ensures broad access to services for families that speak languages other than English: Language assistance services are available pre request for families that speak languages other than English. c. Describe how the parental complaint process ensures broad access to services for persons with disabilities: The Idaho CareLine (211) phone line offers a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) phone line and accepts text messages. Complaints can also be made in writing, by fax, or electronically. d. For complaints about providers, including CCDF providers and non-CCDF providers, does the Lead Agency have a process and timeline for screening, substantiating, and responding to complaints, including information about whether the process includes monitoring? [x] Yes. If yes, describe: The complaint process is the same for all child care providers in Idaho. Parents, families, and concerned community members can submit child care complaints via email(careline@dhw.idaho.gov), fax (208-334-5531), or telephone by contacting 2-1-1 IdahoCareLine (1-800-926- 2588). Once received, the complaints are entered into a single database called the Idaho Child Care Incident Tracker. Every complaint is reviewed by the state Child Care Program specialist or the State Daycare Licensing specialist to determine the correct resources and agencies for referral. Complaints involving health and safety violations, the operation of a facility without a required license, and ratio/supervision violations may all result in an unannounced health and safety inspection. Complaints related to business practices, professionalism, billing, toilet training, meals, and activities are referred to voluntary consultation through the Child Care Resource Center. Allegations of fraud are forwarded to an Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (DHW)’s Integrity Unit that specializes in the review of child care facilities. Any complaint alleging any type of abuse or illegal activity is forwarded to local law enforcement agencies, and a follow up report is requested from the responding agency within 30 days. [ ] No. e. For substantiated parental complaints, who maintains the record for CCDF and non-CCDF providers? Records of substantiated complaints against licensed and/or providers participating with the Idaho Child Care Program and all supporting documentation are maintained indefinitely in the Idaho Child Care Concern Tracker, and summaries of substantiated complaints are published for three years on IdahoChildCareCheck.org. f. Describe how information about substantiated parental complaints is made available to the public; this information can include the consumer education website discussed in subsection 9.2: Summaries of all substantiated complaints, and the response to each complaint, are published for three years on IdahoChildCareCheck.org.