Governor Walz Addresses Backlash Over Viral Daycare Footage

The agency noted that it had visited each mentioned site at least once within the past six months as part of its routine licensing and compliance process. Officials also stated they were performing additional spot checks in light of the public attention.

DCYF spokespersons emphasized that while the video raised questions worth examining, regulators had not found evidence of criminal fraud at the featured centers and that payments had not been paused for any of the providers shown in the video.

They noted that two of the locations in the footage were actually closed — one for several years and another recently — and therefore receiving no funds at the time of the inspections.

Minnesota’s regulators also clarified that the presence or absence of children at the time of an observational visit does not by itself confirm operational status, since centers may be open on specific schedules that do not align with spontaneous visits.

Of the centers that were inspected during the follow‑ups, regulators reported that children were present at most of the visited sites, and the remaining absence could be attributed to hours, holidays, or scheduling differences. Continue reading…