Choosing childcare is one of the most anxious decisions a parent makes. They are handing over the most important person in their life, and they want to know what it is really like at drop-off on a rainy Tuesday. Reviews from other parents carry a lot of weight.
Your reviews also sit in a difficult spot. You cannot discuss a child in public, even when a parent has. Here is how daycares, preschools and home childcare providers can collect more honest reviews, and reply in a way that protects every family.
This is general information, not legal advice. Childcare licensing and privacy rules vary by state and country, so check yours.
What parents look for
Read reviews for almost any childcare center and the same themes come up:
- Warmth. Whether staff know each child and whether children are happy to go in.
- Safety and cleanliness. Doors, outdoor areas, illness policies and hygiene.
- Communication. Daily updates, photos, and being told about incidents promptly.
- Staff turnover. Parents notice when a favorite teacher leaves.
- Fees and policies. Late fees, sick days, closures and waitlists.
In the BrightLocal Local Consumer Review Survey 2026, 97% of consumers said they read reviews, and 74% said they want reviews from the last 3 months. A center with glowing reviews from three years ago looks less reassuring than one with steady, recent feedback.
When to ask families
Do not ask on the first day. Parents have nothing to go on yet, and they are often still nervous. Better moments include:
- After the first month or two, once a child has settled in.
- At a milestone, such as moving up a room or finishing the preschool year.
- After a parent says something kind at pickup.
- When a family leaves, if they had a good experience and are moving on.
Example message:
Hi Amara, it has been lovely having Leo in the toddler room this term. If you have a couple of minutes, an honest review helps other parents who are trying to make this decision. Here is the link: [review link]
A QR code on the sign-in desk or in your newsletter makes it easy. Our guide to QR code review cards shows how, and how to ask for reviews by text and email has more scripts.
Send the same request to every family. Do not pick only the parents who seem happy.
The rules to keep in mind
- No rewards. No tuition discount, gift card or free late pickup in exchange for a review. Google prohibits review incentives.
- No gating. Do not ask parents how they feel first and send only happy ones to Google. Google prohibits this too.
- Yelp is different. Yelp asks businesses not to solicit reviews.
- Staff should not review their own center. That includes staff who are also parents. Google's Maps content policy treats current or former employment as a conflict of interest.
- Fake reviews carry real penalties. The FTC consumer reviews rule, in force since October 2024, allows civil penalties up to $51,744 per violation (2024 figure). See our FTC rule guide.
The golden rule for replies
Never confirm that a child attends or attended your center, and never share anything about a child or family. That covers names, ages, behavior, health, allergies, incidents, custody arrangements and attendance. It still applies when the parent has already shared those details in their review, because their choice to share does not give you permission to add to it.
Your public reply can do three things: show you care, explain your general policy, and invite the parent to talk privately.
Example replies for common complaints
A complaint about an incident or injury
Thank you for raising this. We take the safety of every child in our care seriously, and we cannot discuss any individual child in a public forum. I would like to speak with you directly. Please call me, Dana, on 555-0100.
Do not say what happened, even to defend your staff. Keep a private record of what you did.
"Teachers keep leaving"
Thank you for this feedback. We know how much consistency matters to children and parents, and we are working on it. If you would like to talk it through, please call me on 555-0100.
Only mention specific plans that are real, and never discuss why a staff member left.
"They charged me for days we were sick"
Thanks for telling us. Our fee policy is set out in our parent handbook, and I can see why it felt frustrating. I would be glad to go through this with you. Please email director@example.com.
"We were on the waitlist forever"
Thank you for your patience, and I am sorry the wait was so long. We try to give families realistic timing, and clearly we could do better. Please contact me if you would like an update.
"Poor communication"
Thanks for letting us know. Parents should never feel left in the dark. I would like to hear what happened and how we can do better. Please call me on 555-0100.
A positive review
Say something specific, without personal details about the child. In the BrightLocal survey, 50% of consumers said templated replies put them off.
Thank you so much. The team in the toddler room will be delighted to read this, and it means a lot to know families feel looked after.
When a review alleges something serious
If a review describes possible abuse, neglect or a safety failure, treat it as a safeguarding matter first and a reputation matter second.
- Tell your director or owner immediately.
- Follow your safeguarding policy and your licensing requirements. Depending on where you are, you may have a legal duty to report suspected abuse or neglect, and to notify your licensing agency of certain incidents.
- Do not investigate in public or argue in the comments.
- Keep records of what was reported and what you did.
- Get advice from your licensing agency or a lawyer before you reply if anything is unclear.
A short, neutral reply is usually best:
We take any concern about a child's safety extremely seriously. We cannot discuss individual families publicly, but we would like to speak with you directly. Please call me on 555-0100.
Reporting a review
You can report a review on Google if it breaks the content policy, for example if it contains harassment, shares someone's personal information, or comes from a person with a conflict of interest. Reporting a review just because you disagree with it will not work. Our guide to spotting and removing fake reviews explains the process.
Be careful with threats. Telling a parent you will sue, or threatening to end their place unless a review comes down, can backfire legally and in front of every other family. See can you sue over a bad review.
A monthly check
| Theme | What it may mean | What to look at |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | Parents do not hear enough during the day | Daily updates and how incidents are shared |
| Turnover | Staff are leaving, or parents are not told | Staffing plans and how changes are announced |
| Fees | Charges feel like a surprise | Your handbook and enrollment conversation |
| Cleanliness | Checks are being missed | Your cleaning schedule and who signs it off |
| Waitlist | Families feel forgotten | How often you send updates |
Reply promptly too. In the same survey, 89% of consumers said they expect businesses to respond, and 19% expected a same-day reply, up from 6% a year earlier.
How Reputfy helps childcare providers
Reputfy keeps replies under your control. AI drafts each reply and you approve it before it goes anywhere, so you can take out anything that touches a child or family. Review requests go out the same way to every family, with a record kept, and your review link works as a QR code at the front desk. Sealed reviews and the Reputfy seal let parents check that your reviews are genuine. See our plans.
