InvestigateTV - This Week on InvestigateTV: Families across the country desperate to find affordable childcare. At home daycares are often cheaper, but they’re not all licensed and may not have insurance. One family that learned that the hard way, after their son’s terrible accident. Plus, Consumer Investigator Caresse Jackman examines the complicated regulations associated with midwifery. WHERE TO WATCH ICYMI – Watch last week’s episode.
Daycare Dilemma: According to a ChildCare Aware study, in 2021 the national average price of child care in the U.S. was more than $10,000 annually. Availability has also become an issue post-pandemic as childcare providers struggle to meet staffing needs. These factors both play a role when it comes to parents choosing the best option for their kids, with some turning to in-home daycares to fill in the gap. However, some home daycares are unlicensed with little or no regulation. Consumer Investigator Rachel DePompa speaks with one family who unknowingly ended up at an unlicensed daycare and whose child suffered 2nd and 3rd degree burns after touching an oven door. DePompa examines how licensing regulations vary state-to-state, what’s being done to strengthen those rules and gets expert advice on how you can choose the best childcare for your family.
Costly Care: Midwives: This is the first story in a series done in conjunction with Kaiser Health News. Costly Care will examine the challenges everyday citizens face navigating medical billing. Consumer Investigator Caresse Jackman speaks with a woman mired in thousands of dollars of medical expenses following her at home birth with a midwife. Jackman speaks with advocates about the complicated regulations when it comes to midwifery and gets advice from the experts at Kaiser Health News on tactics you can use to save on health costs.
Broken Child Welfare System: Child protective services understaffed across the country. Low pay and heavy caseloads make it hard to recruit and retain workers. And when departments are overwhelmed, things may slip through the cracks, with families paying the price. Investigative Reporter Nick Ochsner speaks with a woman still fighting to get her kids back several years after a judge terminated her parental rights over criminal charges that were later dropped.
Watching Your Wallet – Vacant Property Scam: Purchasing property can be an expensive and stressful process. But experts warn cybercriminals are adding to that pressure by using new tactics to target prospective buyers. In this Watching Your Wallet, Consumer Investigator Caresse Jackman breaks down schemes tied to vacant properties and how you can spot the signs ahead of closing time.
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