Vermont's State Auditor found 11 of 40 sampled child care violations should have been cited as serious, and background checks for child care staff ran well past the federal 45-day limit
Subject of this story
Also named
What happened
Vermont State Auditor Doug Hoffer's March 4, 2026 audit of the Department for Children and Families' Child Development Division reviewed how serious violations at licensed child care programs were handled in 2022-2024. It found inconsistent citing of serious violations (11 of 40 sampled violations should have been cited as serious under state statute), inconsistent follow-up on corrective actions, and unmet federal requirements, including allowing prospective staff to work with children before required fingerprint checks were complete and background checks that did not finish within the 45-day federal limit. The division said in its response that agencies are working to fix the background check system. The auditor noted potential federal funding forfeiture of up to $505,731.
Sources (2)
Response
Contacted and responded — exact wording not on record.
What happened next (0)
No outcome recorded yet.