Florida's DCF inspection database is public. Anyone can search it at caressearch.myflfamilies.com and see every citation ever issued to a licensed childcare facility in the state. After reviewing hundreds of inspection records, the same violations come up over and over. Here are the five most common — and how to make sure they don't happen to you.
1. Missing or Outdated Posted Signs This is the most common citation by a wide margin. Facilities are cited for missing capacity signs, outdated employer posters, missing handwashing instructions, and evacuation diagrams that are either absent or posted in the wrong location. The fix is straightforward — do a full posted sign audit of your facility and make sure every required sign is current, visible, and in the correct location.
2. Incomplete Staff Records Background screening documentation is one of the first things inspectors check. Facilities are frequently cited for missing screening records, expired screenings, or records that aren't properly organized and accessible. Every staff member must have a current background screening on file before they work with children, and those records must be maintained and available.
3. Missing or Incomplete Child Records Enrollment forms, emergency medical consent forms, and immunization records are required for every enrolled child. Facilities get cited when a child's file is incomplete, when forms are missing required signatures, or when immunization records aren't up to date. A well-organized child records system makes this easy to maintain.
4. Outdated or Missing Policy Documents Written policies aren't optional. Your discipline and expulsion policy, emergency preparedness plan, and sanitizing schedule must be written, current, and available for review. Facilities are cited when these documents don't exist, when they're outdated, or when staff can't locate them during an inspection.
5. Logbook Gaps Attendance logs, medication logs, and fire drill logs are reviewed during every inspection. Common citations include missing entries, incomplete medication administration records, and fire drills that weren't conducted monthly as required. Keeping your logbooks current as part of your daily and monthly routine is the easiest way to avoid these citations.
If all five of these sound familiar, our Signature Binder Kit has everything you need — posted signs, logbooks, and policy documents organized and ready to go before your next inspection.