Audits flag childcare inspection gaps in Connecticut, N.W.T.

A Connecticut audit found the Office of Early Childhood missed required annual unannounced inspections of hundreds of licensed child care providers, with 581 providers not inspected in fiscal 2025 after the total fell to 213 in 2024. Auditors attributed gaps to staffing shortages, heavy workloads and competing responsibilities; licensing specialists handled caseloads far above the 50-to-60 facilities recommended by national experts, and the audit also flagged inconsistent monitoring of corrective actions and incomplete records. The auditors recommended stronger procedures to ensure timely inspections and clearer documentation of exceptions. OEC said many providers were closed for part of the period or were inspected near the fiscal-year boundary, arguing calendar-year tracking better reflects compliance, and said it is testing system changes and improving monitoring practices.