Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning Review

Nobody wants to talk to you and they transfer you to automatic system and you still get no help. Nobody return phone calls or emails!!

Bright From the Start takes no responsibility for atrocious actions of daycare owners and how they treat their employees. Owners are notoriously stealing funds from the state and Bright from the Start just looks the other way. Their consultants don't respond to any emails when teachers need assistance.

Your quality rated program is as good as your 1.5 star rating . How can a 1.5 star rated program like Bright From The Start rate a 5 star customer rated programs. Nonsense... it is not your business to rate preschools when you yourself are a substandard bureaucracy. Further customers know better in a free market enterprise. Your quality rated program is a waste of public money and unnecessary increase in bureaucracy.

Can anyone help me if I go into the office downtown ? I've been trying to speak with someone for a month now.

Our experience has been nothing but excellent. From the beginning of our approval process to opening our doors, we have had a team of workers that were always available to help and answer questions.

They do not enough employees and not good trainings for them. Some of people do not know what they are doing and state rules and regulations. Whole system is wrong.

I am very dissatisfied with how the case worker handled my sons case at his daycare. I thought the this was for our children and to me my child s case got dismissed without properly investigating. He was the victim, and yet no one took the time to thoroughly investigate. I m extremely disappointed how everything was handled. Do better

pitiful.... they really make it harder for a working mother out here and it s sad!!

My caps renewal interview was to happen on 2/25/18 and that day came and went with no phone. My caps case expired on the 1st of April due to no review being done. I have called the 833 number numerous times and other than one time have I got a live person. I have left numerous voice mails with NO call back. The one time I got a live person I was told it would take up to 90 days for a renewal to happen and that was at the end of March. I would really like to know what is going on with my renewal and when I am finally going to hear if I am renewed or not. It doesn't matter if you call at 8:00 am on the dot you still get that everyone is busy and to leave a message that will be returned in 24 to 48 hours. Boy it sure has been a long 48 hours.

This office is placed in the same building and on the same floor next to the sex offender office. Parents aren t notified of this.

I've been calling to get a simple question asked. No one has returned by calls or left a message. I have repeatedly left messages . I constantly got transferred knowing that no ones in this office to help. This is so frustrating when you're trying to get something done.

Honestly they were not worth a lengthy negative review. I will say that change comes from the top. These children in the state of Georgia deserve better. I pray Bright from the start gets someone that cares about children up there. They are our future, how we care for them and educate them, may determine the life they design for us as we get older.

It would be nice if Bright From The Start could make life a little easier by allowing us to search for new childcare facilities, not only by the name of the provider. Most daycares are not on main streets. So displaying thirty old, run down, "quality rated", unorganized, negligent childcare facilities with "recent reports" does nothing for the parents that want and deserve better! What happens after 3 years? Do you delete the reports?

I called Bright from the Start in the past to sign up for a LOM class. I had spoken to a lady by the name of Stephanie Newberry. She was very kind and helpful! I called the company to get Stephanie's supervisor information so that I could tell her about the service that i had received. Well I am happy to say her supervisor (Laura Davis) called me and thank me for the nice message that I left. Thank you Bright from the Start for the line of communication that you provide.

Carmen Allen

I received an email stating that someone tried to reach out to me. The email contained a number and extension to call back. Your toll-free (833) number is disconnected. I had to google the company to get the direct office number. Was immediately transferred to the woman I needed to speak to, but there was no answer and the voicemail is not set up. So how do you expect to communicate or receive call backs with no working numbers or voicemail boxes?

My experience with this organization has been terribly disappointing and frustrating.

On 3 separate occasions I attempted to acquire information and assistance regarding the Pre-K deserts in Georgia. I am researching Pre-K Deserts to determine the areas of greatest need for Pre-K classes in Georgia, to determine where I could facilitate the need as a non-profit. Using the BFTS website is vague in some respects and just plain confusing in others, with regards to where Pre-K s are needed. 3 weeks or so ago I emailed a BFTS Representative with questions that I could not find on the BFTS site, and stating that I could not find specific information. Their response was emailing me a link to the BFTS website. After searching around the web with no luck I Sent another email to a different rep, I received the same response; an email with the BFTS website link. Frustrated, I responded to that email that I had already searched on the BFTS website. I received a response with a number to call the consultant of the day. Guess what? I spoke to the consultant of the day, who was able to help me identify the level one cities which are also indicated on the application, but she could offer NO other information as to what areas in those cities were deserts or how best to figure that out. She apologized for not being familiar with the new site and offered some suggestions for searching the board of education that also ended with no results.

I have to wonder how anyone gets the help they need from this organization to startup a Pre-K facility. I am terribly frustrated and disappointed. With another week passed with no results I have decided to try to contact the state office governing this program .

Literally about to lose my job because No one answers the phone. I just need to add my newborn to my current case I have uploaded all the documents and still no call back or live person to talk too.

Marie Ayala has been nothing but great for the past year or 2 I ve dealt with her on my CAPS recertifications. She returns my emails promptly & is always helpful to me. The people I ve dealt with in the past where definitely not as friendly & helpful as she has been. Very thankful for her!!

Whoever answers the phone isn't friendly. I understand ya'll are busy but you don't have to be rude. It's takes you guys a while to answer the phone. Maybe Bright from the Start should hire more people to answer the phones. I have worked in customer service and I am really shocked Bright from the Start isn't customer friendly to the public.

This programs goals need to reach all children
The benefit of. infant through preschool quality programs are the key to making our schools better right from the start

So far my daughter has been kicked out of 2 in home daycare facilities because we are not on Medicaid and we do not receive food stamps. Both daycares are part of the CAPS program and while I have no issue at all with providing quality daycare to those kids that are part of the CAPS program, it is totally unfair that those of us who aren't must be kicked out! My daughter deserves to attend a quality bi-lingual in home daycare just as much as any of the other children and the way the program is set up it discriminates against those of us who aren't receiving some type of government assistance! I work hard to provide for my kids, but I also can't afford to send them to a private high end daycare either even though I also don't qualify for assistance. Literally was given 1 day notice in both situations to remove my daughter from a daycare provider she had grown to know, trust and love in order to make room for another child on the CAPS program. The system should be based on first come first serve! This is not right!

Never recieve call back or respond back email regarding status of redetermantion for my current caps case. When my sons current certificate is scheduled to expire in a few days. This mess so unprofessional.

I can never get anyone to contact me back. My daycare provider has decided to stop accepting caps due to people never returning calls or emails. The lady said she would update my case over a month ago and yet to do it. This new program is an absolute NIGHTMARE. I have documented records of every time I call and try to get a hold of someone and leave messages and no one calls back. I've even tried to reach out to the lady that said she would update my case that day on March 15th at 4:30 and never has or answered my emails or my calls. Is this really fair? My daycare can never get through to anyone either. Its really disappointing.

They lady that answered the phone today was very rude

I ve been trying to get child care all year !! 1st I don t understand how you have to work at least 20 hours a week or you ll get denied? If I m looking for child care to help me work how is it a requirement that I m already working do make sense ! So I was getting denied cus I did work enough hours which was because I did have a sitter THEN I finally came up with the hours just for the to deny me cus the say I make too much money UNBELIEVABLE!

Last years renewal was very speedy, easy, and smooth...This year NOT nearly! My certificate end date is the 23rd of this month, today is now the 18th! I haven't heard a single thing from anyone. I have uploaded all documents a month ago, filled out all required forms, faxed, emailed, and called SEVERAL times. Now i can just sit and stress about weather or not I'm gone have a job next Monday when i cant afford daycare for six of my kids. THANKS GREAT JOB

They are horrible!!!!! No call back , you waste money to go to the department they still don t see you! It s always a extra excuse to why you can t speak to management or anything! These ppl are sorry & the state need to do better PERIOD ! It s a simple job you not doing no hard work besides sitting at a desk & gossiping about nothing y all sit on ya butts all day it shouldn t be no reason why you cnt get your job done ! SWITCH PROFESSIONS simple it s shouldn t take TWO MONTHS GOING ON THREE TO PROCESS NOTHING

They never answer the phone called three times in the morning and decided to go up to the office instead . Friendly and very informative . Mr.A.Jenkins was very helpful and friendly and took care of my matter and even called me to reassured that the matter was handled. Thank you again Mr. A. Jenkins for your help

This is Crazy I applied for childcare back in august of 2017 when I go on the Georgia gateway all it says is processed. I literally have an alarm on my phone to call the the childcare office everyday twice a day and I get the same response all there agents are busy and leave a voicemail I cant even explain how many voicemails I have left and have yet to get an call back I have even emailed them and still no response
this is just ridiculous they get paid to do nothing .

Very unclear that changes to childcare provider and income must be submitted through CAPS Contact Us form and not Gateway. My niece found out the hard way after submitting change after change through Gateway account which prompts you to do everything through the site.

We finally took a trip into Atl to the main CAPS office and hopefully will have everything resolved. Workers within the building are very nice though.

I ve called the office more than 5 times & left a voicemail and have yet to receive a call back or an answer. This is ridiculous.

I have called them trying to get information on what I believe is a scam company that claims to work through them called WeSUB and I have yet to get anyone in the phone or to return my call. Do better DECAL.

Customer service worker are very rude and unprofessional need more training. Why if you do your renewal before the due and upload your documents why do your case still get closed. You try to call only to get transferred several times with still no results. Caps to Bright from the start still rude unprofessional worker and unorganized so changing the program didn t do anything

Everyone you talk to is very rude for no reason on both the phone and email. When you try to ask a question they send you to another department which then send you back to the same department. They really need to work on their customer service.

never pick up the phone, and when they do- they dont wanht to answer any question. this is the priblem with public workers...

I think they deserve less than a one star but since this is the lowest I can give them so be it. No one (investigator) ever answers the phone or return calls.This agency is a big DISGRACE!!! A complete waste of time...I feel so sorry for our poor children if this is the agency that is mandated to help create a safe and healthy environment for them....TOTAL DISGRACE!!!

Numerous times I try to make a report concerning the safety and well being of our children in Georgia in these preschools and it sickens me to say how hard it is to just get in contact with someone to address these issues and take action. This agency never has someone I can file a complaint with or I will get forward to voicemail. I have worked at various preschools throughout Atlanta area and the stuff that goes on in some of these schools are unacceptable. All I asked as a concerned resident of Georgia, auntie, and social worker is to have support from the higher ups and do your dam jobs.

The reviews are accurate! I ve been trying to report a facility and switch by using the childcare provider rate sheet. It s been ten business days and still no calls back ! I used the contact us submission on the site and still no response . I ve learned more from the reviews than the workers . I have no idea who my workers are or how to get in contact with them. There is no information listed on the caps website so I m confused . My son has been out out daycare for two weeks but they facility that abused my child is still getting paid . This is ridiculous . Guess I have to make a three hour trip to Atlanta for a resolution .

I honestly don t feel like they deserve not even a star !
They are so unprofessional !
And they NEVER answer they damn phone like it s ridiculous! All phone operator do is transfer your call no help !
It s annoying!
We have be waiting on a staff background for 3 weeks! So sad they suck !

They keep calling me and I call back but no answer and no way to leave a message.

I was submitting the change for my son school however the help me later on so thank you for answering mu question !!!
I have been calling more than three time ever day nobody is answering my call I was wondering if you can go the office can someone be able to help me

Because the service was great and they help you in a timely manner

I've been searching for a center for my 1 yr old and looking for a center that provides quality early education and care so naturally I would look for the centers with the Quality Rating. After visiting quite a few centers, I came to the conclusion that being Quality Rated doesn't mean much. Now I've been focusing on reviewing the monitoring reports from Bright from the Start. Unfortunately, not all of the centers have reports!?! It's my understanding that all child care centers need to be monitored twice a year. Some of these centers, the last report was over 3 years ago so I'm a bit frustrated and finding that Bright From the Start has not been a helpful tool in me finding a quality program for my child.

For Bright from the Start to be the licensing agency for all of Georgia. They are completely unorganized and unprofessional. The initial licensing class for daycare is at a PRISON with no parking. The email they send out is completely decieving. It has the wrong address and wrong number. Once we found the right location, it took 30 minutes to to find parking at the PRISON. When we called to let them know, we were told everything was fine. Only to get there and have the rude receptionist tell us we won't get credit for the class, even after communicating consistently with them. Honestly, gaPDS needs a new regulating child care agency, because this one is subpar.

If they could actually answer the phone then that'll be great.

50 min on hold, no one answers. People out here need jobs, I am sure you can hire someone that will answer a phone.

Bad place to work. Staff is overworked and under paid. Not enough employees to service the entire state of GA. Exspecially in CAPS. The policies are horrible and the families have to endure.

I have been trying to reach my case worker for over a month now! I have renewed my CAPS application on time and have sent over my documents needed , uploaded them online and even faxed them. I cannot reach my case worker through email or her extension number. My CAPS certificate will end because someone isn t doing there job!!!
I ve done everything needed and cannot get a hold of my case worker or anyone at all to help me. I did not want to take off work to come into the office but to me it seems like that s my last option.

OMG!! I HAVE CALLED SEVERAL TIMES AND NO ONE ANSWERS THE PHONE. WELL, AFTER ALL IT IS THE STATE.