41% of complaints about California daycares are substantiated
Anyone can file a complaint about a licensed child care center with California’s Community Care Licensing Division, and the state must investigate. We counted every complaint investigation report at licensed centers since February 2021. Data through Oct 2, 2026; updated daily.
Key findings
California investigated 10,536 complaints about its 13,317 licensed child care centers since February 2021.
41% were substantiated (4,332): the state confirmed the events happened and required action. The rest were found unsubstantiated (unfounded complaints are not published).
2,563 centers (19%) had at least one substantiated complaint.
Among counties with at least 150 complaint investigations, Alameda County had the highest substantiation rate (51%) and San Mateo County the lowest (30%).
Citations issued during complaint investigations most often involved caregiver conduct and supervision.
Share of complaints substantiated, larger counties
Counties with at least 150 complaint investigations at currently licensed centers.
County details
| County | Licensed centers | Complaint investigations | Per 100 centers | Substantiated | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alameda County | 687 | 505 | 74 | 256 | 51% |
| Fresno County | 365 | 169 | 46 | 85 | 50% |
| Contra Costa County | 505 | 451 | 89 | 217 | 48% |
| Solano County | 145 | 197 | 136 | 91 | 46% |
| San Bernardino County | 544 | 502 | 92 | 225 | 45% |
| San Diego County | 1,093 | 1,222 | 112 | 530 | 43% |
| San Joaquin County | 241 | 157 | 65 | 64 | 41% |
| Sacramento County | 609 | 748 | 123 | 304 | 41% |
| Santa Clara County | 716 | 614 | 86 | 247 | 40% |
| Orange County | 1,076 | 997 | 93 | 388 | 39% |
| Riverside County | 537 | 604 | 112 | 233 | 39% |
| Los Angeles County | 3,156 | 2,262 | 72 | 853 | 38% |
| Placer County | 185 | 170 | 92 | 62 | 36% |
| Ventura County | 273 | 238 | 87 | 76 | 32% |
| San Francisco County | 400 | 262 | 66 | 81 | 31% |
| San Mateo County | 397 | 194 | 49 | 58 | 30% |
What the findings mean
Substantiated: the complaint described real events that require action by the center, the state or another agency. Unsubstantiated: the events may have happened, but the evidence was not enough to require action. Unfounded: the complaint was without merit; these reports are not posted publicly (CDSS PIN 19-01-CCLD). To file a complaint, call 1-844-538-8766.
What this does and doesn’t show
How many complaints a county sees depends on how many people file them, not only on how centers perform. On each center’s page, Daycare Record lists every complaint investigation with its finding, and shows the allegations only for substantiated complaints.
Using these numbers: the figures come from public state inspection records and may be quoted with a link to this page (https://daycarerecord.com/reports/california-daycare-complaints/). Every county and center mentioned has its own page on Daycare Record with the underlying records.