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A Parent's Guide to Day Care
 Versión
en Español
More
info at your Child
Care Licensing Office
Child
Care Information line 1-800-862-5252
Dear Parent:
When you choose licensed day care, you and your family join your
child in new experiences and relationships. You, the day-care director,
child-care staff, and other people in the day-care center have a
responsibility to protect the health, safety, and well being of
your child. The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services,
Licensing Division, is part of this partnership, too.
Minimum standards require your day-care provider to give you a
copy of this pamphlet. You need to sign the receipt form to verify
that you have received it and discussed the material with facility
staff.
What is day-care licensing?
The Licensing Division was established by law to regulate child-care
facilities to help protect the health, safety, and well being of
children in care.
With the assistance of child-care providers and experts in areas
such as child development, early childhood education, fire safety,
health, and sanitation, the Licensing Division develops minimum
standards.
Licensing staff inspect day-care centers, private kindergartens
and nursery schools, some unaccredited private schools, group day-care
homes, and drop-in care centers to be sure that minimum standards
are met. The staff also investigate complaints about violations
of the minimum standards and the child-care licensing law.
Your day-care facility is responsible for meeting minimum standards.
Many day-care programs exceed these requirements. Licensing does
not regulate day-care fees, collection policies, or the kind of
learning program your day-care facility offers. Each facility has
its own special personality and approach to educating and caring
for children. Parents can choose the kind of program that best meets
the needs of their child and family.
It is important
for you to know
- When you visit a day-care facility, ask to see the license.
The license means that the day-care facility met the minimum licensing
standards the last time it was inspected for such things as fire,
sanitation, and safety; the number of child-care staff required;
staff qualifications; and requirements for special services.
- Minimum standards prohibit persons who have been convicted
of certain crimes from having contact with children in care.
- Compliance with minimum standards does not guarantee high quality
child care. They are called “minimum standards” because
no one is allowed to operate below these standards.
- A copy of the minimum standards is available for you to review
at your day-care facility. You can also request a copy of these
standards from your local day-care licensing office. A list of
these offices may be found on the DFPS website: www.dfps.state.tx.us
or by calling the Child Care Information Line at 1-800-862-5252.
Establish a good relationship with the
day-care facility
- Spend time at the day-care facility before you enroll your
child. Ask questions about the program and observe the activities.
Make sure the day-care facility has all the information needed
about your child and family to provide good care.
- Work with the staff of the day-care facility you choose. Parent
involvement is an important part of a successful experience with
day care.
- Read all the material the day-care provider gives you. In addition
to material required by licensing standards, each facility has
its own policies and requirements. It’s important that you
understand these requirements before you enroll your child. It’s
equally important, once your child is in care, to read the notices,
special requests, notes, and other materials the day-care provider
sends home.
- Drop in occasionally during the day to observe how your child
interacts with staff and other children, and get a good picture
of the day-to-day activities at the center. Be careful not to
disrupt activities.
- Keep your side of the bargain. Pick up your child on time.
- Discuss concerns with the day-care director. Be aware that
the teacher’s main responsibility is working with the children.
Don’t be offended if the teacher can’t spend much time
talking with you when you drop off or pick up your child. If you
need more time to talk about your child, set up a conference.
- It’s important to let the day-care facility know about
things at home that may affect how your child is doing in day
care.
When your child starts
day care
- Remember that it’s normal for a child to have some fears
and misgivings about starting day care. Children need time to
get used to new situations. Prepare your children for the change
as far in advance as possible. Discuss their concerns. If you’re
enthusiastic, chances are they soon will be, too.
- Depending on their ages, some children will temporarily “act
out” their feelings by clinging to you and refusing to let
go, forgetting their toilet training, having bad dreams, sucking
their thumbs, or other such behavior.
- Work with the day-care director and your child’s teacher
on this.
Talk things over with your
child
Make an opportunity each day to gently ask questions when your
children are quiet and feeling secure and protected. Share their
excitement about new friends, new skills, and new abilities; listen
to their concerns; and give them a chance to boast about their achievements.
Parent responsibilities
The day-care facility must get certain information and records
from parents to ensure the child’s health and safety, handle
emergencies, and meet minimum standards. If you do not provide this
material, the day-care facility will not be in compliance with the
minimum standards.
- Complete an enrollment form that includes basic information
about your child; telephone numbers where you can be reached during
the day; authorization for emergency care for your child; and
written permission for swimming, other water activities, and transportation
services.
- Tell the caregiver about any special concerns or needs, including
allergies, medical history, and current medications.
- Give the day-care facility a copy of your child’s immunization
record showing immunizations against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis,
polio, measles, mumps, rubella, Haemophilus influenza type b,
Hepatitis B and varicella. In some parts of Texas, a tuberculosis
test report and Hepatitis A vaccine is also required. For school-age
children, you can sign a statement that these records are on file
at the school.
- Provide a doctor’s statement that your preschool child
is physically able to participate in the day-care program.
- Inform the day-care facility in writing about who is permitted
to take your child from the facility. Generally, the day-care
facility may only release your child to you or to an adult you
designate.
- The facility may allow a school-age child to leave the facility
alone or allow an older brother or sister to pick up a child if
you request this in writing. The facility is only allowed to do
this when all safety considerations have been met.
- Make sure that child-care staff know the child has arrived.
Make sure that staff are aware when you come to pick up your child.
Don’t leave your child at the front door, and never leave
your child at the facility before opening or after closing.
- Other requirements must be met if the day-care provider gives
medication to your child, if your child is an infant, or if your
child needs special care or a special diet.
What happens if your
child is ill or injured?
- The day-care facility is not allowed to admit a child who seems
to be sick unless a doctor or nurse gives approval in writing.
This may cause problems for parents, but it is necessary to prevent
a sick child from infecting other children.
- If your child has been absent because of a contagious illness,
the day-care facility must follow guidelines concerning when the
child can return to day care.
- If your child appears seriously sick or injured while at the
center, the caregiver must call you immediately. It’s important
that you pick up your child as soon as possible.
- If your child needs immediate medical attention, the center
must call your child’s physician, take the child to the nearest
emergency room or minor emergency clinic, or call for an ambulance.
This is why the day-care facility must have your authorization
for emergency medical care.
Liability insurance
requirements
- Ask the day-care director whether or not the facility carries
liability insurance. Texas law requires day-care facilities to
carry liability coverage in the amount of $300,000 per occurrence
to cover a child when the child is in care of the facility.
- Liability insurance coverage is not required if the insurance
cannot be secured due to financial reasons; if the licensee is
unable to locate an underwriter willing to issue a policy; or
if the current policy limits have been extended. You are to be
notified, in writing, that the coverage is not available.
Take a good look
As you become more familiar with your child’s day-care program,
you will see many strong points. Almost all day-care facilities
strive to provide a warm, loving, safe, and healthy environment
for children. Look for these characteristics, but also be aware
of warning signals that tell you something is wrong.
Feel secure when you see that:
- the facility welcomes you to visit any time, and you are invited
to observe the class or participate in activities.
- staff are alert and involved with the children.
- staff seem warm and interested in the children. There is spontaneous
laughter, hugging, and eye-to-eye contact.
- staff are gentle, but firm when necessary.
- the facility is clean and attractive.
- your child is relaxed and happy after the initial adjustment
period.
- your child seems physically well cared for. Staff inform you
of minor accidents and tell you when your child doesn’t feel
well.
- children seem involved with constructive activities, and they
get individual attention.
Be seriously concerned
when you see that:
- parents are not encouraged to visit the facility.
- children are left without direct adult supervision.
- adults spend much time scolding, ordering, and yelling at children.
- adults are physically rough with children or allow rough play.
- the building is dirty, or you see unsafe conditions.
- your child is unhappy about being left at the facility, and
this doesn’t improve with time.
- a child comes home bruised or injured, and the center can’t
explain what happened. (The child may not remember minor bruises
and scrapes received when playing, however.)
- children seem aimless, bored, angry, or frustrated, or there
are too many children to supervise.
When things
aren’t going well
You may find yourself displeased about something that has happened
at the facility. Talk about these things with facility staff. There
may be a misunderstanding that can easily be resolved.
If the situation isn’t resolved and you believe minimum
standards are not being met, call the local day-care licensing office.
They will handle your call discreetly.
A licensing representative will investigate your complaint. The
licensing representative may need to interview you and your child
and may also interview other children at the facility.
If the licensing representative finds that a standard has been
violated, the facility will be notified and a time set for the facility
to correct it.
Licensing staff may revoke a license if a facility doesn’t
meet minimum standards. The department does not take action to revoke
a license unless children are in immediate danger or the licensee
refuses to comply with standards.
If you suspect
child abuse
Most day-care facilities, like most parents, take good care of
children. Child abuse is rare, and it is very unlikely that anything
like this will happen to your child.
If you do suspect that your child has been abused or sexually
molested, report the situation immediately. Use the toll-free Child
Abuse Hotline number 1-800-252-5400 or 1-512-834-3784 to report
abuse or neglect that has occurred in Texas. The situation will
be investigated immediately, and you will be given referrals or
recommendations for help for your child and family.
Should agency staff interview or examine your child during an
abuse investigation, a reasonable effort will be made to notify
you within 24 hours after the interview or examination.
Parents who suspect or believe that their child has been abused
in day care sometimes remove their child from care, but don’t
report the problem. This leaves other children in danger. State
law requires everyone, including day-care providers, to report suspected
child abuse or neglect immediately.
Immunity
When people make a report of suspected child abuse in good faith,
they are immune from any liability When the department investigates
a complaint, the identity of the complainant is not revealed.
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