New Kairo Act Mandates Video Access for Parents in Federally Funded Daycares, Effective in 30 Days

The Kairo Act of 2025 is here to bring a serious dose of transparency to child care facilities that take federal money, like those funded by Head Start or the Child Care Development Block Grants (CCDBG). If your kid is in a federally funded program, this bill is essentially creating a mandatory “Parents Bill of Rights” that every provider must hand out, giving you clear lines of sight into how that facility operates.

The Fine Print: Who’s Covered and What’s Changing

This isn’t about just a few big centers; the Act defines a “certain child care provider” as anyone—centers, family providers, even religious organizations—who receives any federal money for child care. If they take the government coin, they have to follow the new rules. This includes handing over a written copy of the new rights to every parent within 45 days of the law taking effect, or on the child’s first day of service, whichever comes later. The whole thing kicks in 30 days after the President signs the bill.

Your New Right to Know: Facility Transparency

The core of the Kairo Act (Sec. 3) is forcing facilities to stop playing hide-the-ball with crucial information. If this passes, your provider must clearly spell out how you can access things that were previously opaque. For instance, they must provide the state child abuse hotline number and the contact info for the agency that investigates them. If your state maintains an electronic database of inspection reports (as required under CCDBG), the provider must tell you exactly how to find it. You also gain the right to review your child’s specific written records and ask for copies of the facility’s inspection reports. For the busy parent, this means less time hunting through bureaucracy and more direct access to safety records.

The Game Changer: Video Access After an Incident

Perhaps the most significant change is the provision addressing alleged incidents of abuse or neglect. If you suspect something happened to your child, you can now make a written request for any existing video recording of the alleged incident. The provider must grant access within two business days. This is huge for accountability, giving parents a direct tool for confirming or denying allegations quickly. However, there’s a necessary catch: the provider must first notify the parents of any other child captured in that video before showing it to you. While this protects the privacy of other kids, it’s also the likely choke point where delays could happen, even with the two-day deadline. Law enforcement, naturally, is exempt from this notification requirement if they need the video for an official investigation.

Policies, Training, and No Retaliation

Beyond safety records, the Act gives parents access to the internal workings of the facility. You get to see the provider’s written policies, procedures, and even the internal staff training records and curriculum they use. If you’ve ever wondered exactly what your kid is learning or how the staff is trained to handle emergencies, this opens the door. Crucially, the mandatory Bill of Rights must include a guarantee that the provider cannot retaliate against you for exercising any of these new rights. For parents, this means greater peace of mind and significantly more leverage in ensuring the safety and quality of their child’s care.