What Other Parents Say Matters: How Reviews and References Can Help You Choose a Safe Daycare

Why Reviews and References Matter When Choosing a Daycare

When searching for a daycare, many parents rely heavily on first impressions from facility tours. Clean classrooms, friendly staff, and organized schedules all play an important role in assessing a childcare center. However, those observations only offer a snapshot. To truly understand how a daycare operates day-to-day, it’s essential to dig deeper—and that’s where reviews and references come in.

Tip #7 from our 10 Tips for Finding a Safe Daycare guide focuses on the importance of learning from other parents’ experiences. Their feedback, both online and in-person, can provide the kind of honest insight you won’t get from a brochure or a tour.

Why Reviews and References Matter

Talking to other parents is one of the most effective ways to evaluate a daycare. Parents who currently have children enrolled—or had them enrolled in the past—can speak openly about what the daycare does well and where it may fall short. Their stories might confirm what you’ve seen during a visit or reveal issues that weren’t obvious at first glance.

A daycare may seem great on paper, but that perception can quickly change if you learn about consistent concerns from other families, such as poor communication, understaffing, or safety violations. References and reviews add valuable context and can help you make a more informed decision.

Speaking with Other Parents

If possible, contact parents in your network or ask the daycare for a list of references. Reputable childcare centers should be happy to connect you with families with positive experiences. Consider it a potential red flag if the daycare hesitates or avoids giving you this information.

When speaking with parents, ask direct questions about their child’s experience. Was their child happy and well cared for? Were staff responsive to concerns? How did the center handle emergencies or injuries? These conversations can give you real-world perspectives that aren’t always obvious during a brief visit.

What to Look for in Online Reviews

Online platforms such as Google, Facebook, and local parenting forums are also helpful tools in your research. These sites allow parents to leave detailed feedback that can shed light on a daycare’s daily operations.

Look for patterns in both positive and negative reviews. Are multiple parents mentioning the same concerns, like high staff turnover, cleanliness issues, or lack of supervision? Also, pay attention to how the daycare responds to criticism. A thoughtful, professional response is usually a good sign. Dismissive or aggressive replies may signal poor communication or defensiveness.

Even a few detailed reviews can help you better understand how the daycare manages its responsibilities and treats families.

Be Cautious of Daycares with No Online Presence

While not every daycare will have hundreds of reviews, a lack of online feedback or social media presence is worth questioning. In today’s digital world, most childcare centers maintain a profile for visibility and communication with parents. If a center appears to be avoiding public feedback, it’s reasonable to ask why.

No reviews don’t automatically mean a daycare is unsafe, but it does mean you’ll need to do a little more digging to find out why that feedback is missing.

Verifying Your Impressions

Reading reviews and speaking with other parents helps verify whether your initial impressions of a daycare are accurate. A polished facility and a friendly tour are important, but they shouldn’t be the only deciding factors. Understanding the daycare’s reputation and how it supports the families it serves is critical.

Taking this extra step can help you avoid unsafe environments and give you peace of mind knowing that other parents have trusted—and been satisfied with—the same care provider.

We’re Here to Help

At The Button Law Firm, we’ve seen the consequences that can result from negligent daycare care. That’s why we offer resources like our 10 Tips for Finding a Safe Daycare guide—to empower families with the information they need to make safe, confident choices.

If you’re in the process of choosing a daycare or if your child has already experienced an injury at a childcare facility, our team is here to support you. We work with families across Texas to hold negligent daycares accountable and help children get the care they need. You can give us a call at (214) 699-4409 or email us at [email protected].