By Michael Schwanke KWCH 12 Eyewitness News KWCH 12 Eyewitness News

4:11 p.m. CDT, October 31, 2012
(WICHITA, Kan.)—

Lexie’s law changed how Kansas childcare homes and centers are regulated and how parents can find information about a facility.

“The demand for this came from parents whose child died in childcare and who committed themselves to change that law,” says Child Start Executive Director Teresa Rupp.

For years, if you wanted to find information on your child's day care provider you had to file a formal request for information.

It took days to receive and cost money. But that is all changing.

Lexie's law, named for 13 month old Lexie Engelman who died at a Johnson County day care, forced changes to the state's system.

The Kansas Department of Environment has changed how parents can access information about their provider.

The KDHE website allows parents to search by the provider’s name or license number to view inspection reports.

The on-line reporting system began this year and is free for parents to access.  The information is also immediate.

“You want it to be easy and quick because you're looking for childcare, next Monday or maybe tomorrow,” says Rupp.

KDHE says its goal is to have phase two going by next year which would allow parents to see complaint history reports.


New Kansas law helps parents with children in day care