Inspection records · Georgia
What Georgia daycare inspectors cite
Georgia inspectors cited at least one rule at 89% of the 3,906 daycares they visited since October 2023. Building, playground and safety rules make up the largest share, and the rule cited at the most daycares, 1,126 of them, is about keeping hazardous supplies locked away.
- Daycares visited
- 3,906
- Visits in the records
- 23,902
- Had at least one rule cited
- 89%
How it works
How daycare inspections work in Georgia
The Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, known as DECAL, licenses child care centers and family child care homes and inspects them. Routine visits come without notice, inspectors return for follow-up visits after a problem, and they also look into complaints from parents and the public.
Each visit report lists the rules the inspector found out of compliance at that visit. Georgia lists visits that found nothing as well, so a daycare's record shows its full run of visits, not only the ones with findings.
- Who inspects: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning.
- Routine visits: Georgia reported inspecting licensed centers twice a year, without notice (national survey of state licensing agencies, 2017).
- Visits in the records since October 2023: 17,929 inspections, 2,302 follow-up visits, 1,404 complaint investigations, 2,267 other visits, at 3,906 daycares (3,259 centers and 647 home daycares).
- Records on each listing go back to: 2022.
How common
How often inspectors cite a rule
- of the 3,906 daycares visited had at least one rule cited
- 89%
These figures describe Georgia's own inspection records since October 2023. States write and cite their rules in different ways, so a figure here cannot be compared with another state's. A cited rule is one finding at one visit, not a rating of a daycare.
What gets cited
What Georgia's cited rules are about
Share of the 30,334 rules cited since October 2023, sorted into plain groups.
Building, equipment and play area rules are the largest group in Georgia: 25.7% of all cited rules, reaching 54% of the daycares visited. Many of these are about playgrounds: fences, ground cover under climbing equipment, litter and broken parts. Safety and hazard rules come next, at 14.5% of citations and 49% of daycares.
Staff training and qualification rules make up 13.6% of citations, health rules 8.1% and background checks 7.8%. Supervision and ratio rules are a smaller share of all citations (6.9%), but they reached 30% of the daycares visited, and the second most widely cited rule in Georgia is about watching children.
Most cited
The rule areas Georgia cites most
Ordered by how many daycares had the rule cited since October 2023. The wording is the state's rule; no daycare is named here.
- Safety and hazards1,126 daycares (28.8% of those visited)
Hazardous supplies locked away
The state's rule: Rule .25(13) - Indoor Storage-Hazards: (13) Indoor Storage Areas. Potentially hazardous equipment, materials and supplies shall be stored in a locked area inaccessible to children. Examples of items to be stored include
Cleaning products, chemicals, medicines and tools must be kept in a locked area children cannot reach. A citation means an inspector found something hazardous unlocked or within children's reach.
Ask on a tour: Where do you keep cleaning products and medicines, and are those cabinets locked?
- Supervision and ratios948 daycares (24.3% of those visited)
Watching children at all times
The state's rule: Rule .32(7) - Supervision-Watchful Oversight: (7) Supervision. Children shall be supervised at all times appropriate to the individual age, needs and capabilities of each child. Such supervision must include, but not be
Children must be supervised at all times in a way that fits their age and needs, which means staff know where each child is and what they are doing. A citation means an inspector saw a child or group without the oversight the rule requires.
Ask on a tour: How do teachers keep track of every child on the playground and during transitions between rooms?
- Building, equipment and play areas887 daycares (22.7% of those visited)
A clean playground free of hazards
The state's rule: Rule .26(9) - Playground-Safe/Clean: (9) Safety and Upkeep of Playground. Playgrounds shall be kept clean, free from litter and free of hazards, such as but not limited to rocks, exposed tree roots and exposed sharp edge
Playgrounds must be kept clean, free of litter and free of hazards such as rocks, exposed roots and sharp edges. A citation means the inspector found debris or a hazard in the play area.
Ask on a tour: Who checks the playground for hazards, and how often?
- Building, equipment and play areas795 daycares (20.4% of those visited)
A secure playground fence
The state's rule: Rule .26(4) - Fence-playground: Fence or Approved Barriers. Playgrounds shall be protected from traffic or other hazards by a four (4) foot or higher secure fence or other barrier approved by this Department. Fencing mat
Playgrounds must be enclosed by a secure fence or approved barrier at least 4 feet high to keep children away from traffic and other dangers. A citation can mean a gap, a broken section, a fence too low or a gate that did not close properly.
Ask on a tour: Can I walk the playground fence and see how the gates close?
- Building, equipment and play areas698 daycares (17.9% of those visited)
A clean building in good repair
The state's rule: Rule .25(3) - Clean, free of debris, good repair: (3) Cleanliness. The Center and surrounding premises shall be kept clean, free of debris and in good repair. Hygienic measures such as, but not limited to, screened windo
The center and its grounds must be kept clean, free of debris and in good repair. A citation can cover things like damaged walls or floors, broken fixtures or dirty areas.
Ask on a tour: Can I see the rooms my child would use, including the bathrooms and nap area?
- Building, equipment and play areas672 daycares (17.2% of those visited)
Playground equipment that fits the children's ages
The state's rule: Rule .26(6) - Equipment-outdoor: (6) Equipment. Playground equipment shall provide an opportunity for the children to engage in a variety of experiences and shall be age-appropriate. For example, toddlers shall not be pe
Outdoor equipment must be suited to the ages using it and give children a range of things to do. A citation can mean younger children had access to equipment meant for older ones, or that equipment was unsuitable or damaged.
Ask on a tour: Is there a separate play area or equipment for the youngest children?
- Background checks656 daycares (16.8% of those visited)
A cleared background check on file for every employee
The state's rule: Rule .09(1)(c) - Employee - satisfactory Comprehensive Records Check Determination: (1)(c) A Center must ensure that every Employee has a valid and current satisfactory Comprehensive Records Check Determination on file p
Every employee must have a current, satisfactory comprehensive records check from the state on file before working with children. A citation means a staff file was missing that clearance or it was not current.
Ask on a tour: Has every staff member cleared Georgia's comprehensive records check, and how do you keep those checks current?
- Building, equipment and play areas473 daycares (12.1% of those visited)
Soft ground under climbing and swinging equipment
The state's rule: Rule .26(8) - Fall Zones and Surfacing: (8) Fall Zones and Surfacing. Climbing and swinging equipment shall have a resilient surface beneath the equipment and the fall zone from such equipment must be adequately maintain
Climbing and swinging equipment must have a cushioning surface, such as mulch or rubber, underneath and across the fall zone, kept at the right depth. A citation means the surface was thin, worn or missing.
Ask on a tour: What is under the climbing equipment and swings, and how do you keep it topped up?
On the tour
What to ask when you visit
Because so many Georgia citations are about the play area, walk the playground on your tour: look at the fence, the gates, what is under the climbing equipment and whether there are separate areas for little ones. Then ask where cleaning supplies are kept, since that is the rule Georgia cites at the most daycares.
Ask about supervision too: how many adults are outside with each group, and how staff count children when they come in from the playground. If a daycare's record shows a cited rule that concerns you, ask the director what happened and what changed.
The full tour checklist for Georgia puts these questions on one printable page.
On each listing
How to read a daycare's record
Each Georgia listing on DaycarePal shows the visits DECAL made to that daycare, with the date, the type of visit and each rule the inspector cited. Read the rule itself to judge how much it matters: a missing form is not the same as an unlocked chemical cabinet.
Look for patterns and dates. One playground citation a couple of years ago says little; the same supervision rule cited at several recent visits says more. A follow-up visit soon after a citation is normal, and it usually means the inspector came back to check the fix.
More detail: how to read a daycare inspection report. Find a daycare's record on its listing from daycares in Georgia, or search the state's records.
Questions
Questions about Georgia daycare inspections
How often are Georgia daycares inspected?
Georgia reported inspecting licensed centers twice a year, without notice, in a 2017 national survey of state licensing agencies. Since October 2023, DECAL made 23,902 visits to the 3,906 daycares listed here, including 2,302 follow-ups and 1,404 complaint investigations.
How do I look up a Georgia daycare's inspection report?
Open the daycare's listing on DaycarePal and go to its inspection section, or search DECAL's records for families by the daycare's name or location.
Why are so many Georgia citations about playgrounds?
Building and play area rules make up 25.7% of the rules Georgia inspectors cited, and four of the eight rules cited most often are about playgrounds. Fences, ground cover and litter wear and shift with weather and daily use, which may be one reason they come up often.
Does a cited rule mean a daycare is unsafe?
No. A cited rule is one finding at one visit, and 89% of the Georgia daycares inspectors visited had at least one. Look at which rules were cited, how recently and whether the same one keeps coming back.
Can I compare Georgia's numbers with another state's?
No. Each state writes its own rules and records them in its own way, so a count of citations in Georgia does not line up with a count elsewhere. Compare Georgia daycares with one another instead.
Source: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, inspection records October 2023 to October 2026, for the daycares listed on DaycarePal. Inspection schedule: National Database of Child Care Licensing Regulations (ACF), from a 2017 survey of state licensing agencies.