Minimum Standards for Child-Care Centers

Minimum Standards for

Child-Care Centers

Child Care Regulation

Texas Health and Human Services

Commission

September 2024

Revised: 09/2024

Table of Contents

Minimum Standards for Child-Care Centers ............................................................................... 2

Table of Contents ....................................................................................................................... 3

Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 6

Minimum Standards.............................................................................................................. 6

Deficiencies ......................................................................................................................... 6

Weights .............................................................................................................................. 6

Maintaining Compliance......................................................................................................... 7

The Inspection ..................................................................................................................... 7

Technical Assistance ............................................................................................................. 7

Investigations ..................................................................................................................... 8

Your Rights and Entitlements ................................................................................................. 8

For Further Information......................................................................................................... 8

Subchapter A, Purpose, Scope, and Definitions ....................................................................... 10

Division 1, Purpose ............................................................................................................. 10

Division 2, Scope ............................................................................................................... 10

Division 3, Definitions ......................................................................................................... 11

Subchapter B, Administration and Communication .................................................................. 20

Division 1, Permit Holder Responsibilities ............................................................................... 20

Division 2, Required Notifications .......................................................................................... 23

Division 3, Required Postings ............................................................................................... 31

Division 4, Operational Policies ............................................................................................. 33

Division 5, Parent Rights ..................................................................................................... 39

Subchapter C, Record Keeping ................................................................................................. 41

Division 1, Records of Children ............................................................................................. 41

Division 2, Records of Accidents and Incidents ........................................................................ 52

Division 3, Records That Must be kept on File at the Child- Care Center ...................................... 55

Division 4, Personnel Records............................................................................................... 59

Subchapter D, Personnel ......................................................................................................... 61

Division 1, Child-Care Center Director ................................................................................... 61

Division 2, Child-Care Center Employees and Caregivers .......................................................... 76

Division 3, General Responsibilities for Child-Care Center Personnel ........................................... 80

Division 4, Professional Development .................................................................................... 84

Division 5, Substitutes, Volunteers, and Contractors .............................................................. 104

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Subchapter E, Child/Caregiver Ratios and Group Sizes .......................................................... 109

Division 1, Ratios and Group Sizes at the Child-Care Center .................................................... 109

Division 2, Classroom Ratios and Group Sizes for Centers Licensed To Care for 13 or More Children

..................................................................................................................................... 112

Division 3, Classroom Ratios and Group Sizes for Centers When 12 or Fewer Children are in Care . 119

Division 4, Ratios for Field Trips.......................................................................................... 123

Division 5, Ratios for the Get-Well Care Program ................................................................... 125

Division 6, Ratios for Nighttime Care ................................................................................... 127

Division 7, Ratios for Water Activities .................................................................................. 127

Subchapter F, Developmental Activities and Activity Plan ..................................................... 132

Subchapter H, Basic Care Requirements for Infants .............................................................. 141

Subchapter I, Basic Care Requirements for Toddlers ............................................................. 157

Subchapter J, Basic Care Requirements for Pre-Kindergarten Age Children .......................... 161

Subchapter K, Basic Care Requirements for School-age Children .......................................... 164

Subchapter L, Discipline and Guidance .................................................................................. 167

Subchapter M, Naptime ......................................................................................................... 170

Subchapter N, Field Trips ....................................................................................................... 172

Subchapter O, Get-Well Care Program ................................................................................... 174

Subchapter P, Nighttime Care ................................................................................................ 180

Subchapter Q, Nutrition and Food Service ............................................................................. 183

Subchapter R, Health Practices .............................................................................................. 191

Division 1, Environmental Health ........................................................................................ 191

Division 2, Diaper Changing ............................................................................................... 201

Division 3, Illness and Injury .............................................................................................. 204

Subchapter S, Safety Practices .............................................................................................. 210

Division 1, Safety Precautions ............................................................................................ 210

Division 2, Medication and Medical Assistance ....................................................................... 214

Division 3, Animals at the Child-Care Center ......................................................................... 218

Division 4, First-Aid Kits .................................................................................................... 220

Division 5, Release of Children ........................................................................................... 222

Division 6, Product Safety.................................................................................................. 224

Subchapter T, Physical Facilities ............................................................................................ 226

Division 1, Indoor Space Requirements ................................................................................ 226

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Division 2, Outdoor Space Requirements .............................................................................. 230

Division 3, Toilets and Sinks .............................................................................................. 234

Division 4, Furniture and Equipment .................................................................................... 239

Subchapter U, Indoor and Outdoor Active Play Space and Equipment ................................... 242

Division 1, Minimum Safety Requirements ............................................................................ 242

Division 2, Swings ............................................................................................................ 247

Division 3, Maintenance .................................................................................................... 249

Division 4, Use Zones ....................................................................................................... 250

Division 5, Surfacing ......................................................................................................... 253

Division 6, Soft Contained Play Equipment ........................................................................... 257

Division 7, Inflatables ....................................................................................................... 259

Subchapter V, Swimming Pools, Wading Pools, and Sprinkler Play ........................................ 260

Subchapter W, Fire Safety and Emergency Practices ............................................................. 266

Division 1, Fire Inspection ................................................................................................. 266

Division 2, Emergency Preparedness ................................................................................... 267

Division 3, Fire Extinguishing and Smoke Detection Systems ................................................... 272

Division 4, Gas and Propane Tanks ..................................................................................... 276

Division 5, Heating Devices ................................................................................................ 278

Division 6, Carbon Monoxide Detection Systems .................................................................... 279

Subchapter X, Transportation ................................................................................................ 282

Appendix I: Definitions .......................................................................................................... 296

Appendix II, Vaccine-Preventable Diseases ........................................................................... 300

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Revised: 09/2024

Introduction

Minimum Standards

The minimum standards tell you (the child care operation permit holder) what requirements you, your

employees, and your caregivers must follow.

These minimum standards:

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were developed by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) with the assistance of

child-care operations, parents, stakeholders, and other experts in a variety of fields;

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reflect what the citizens of Texas consider reasonable and minimum; and

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meet the guidelines set forth in Chapter 42 of the Texas Human Resources Code (law) for what must

be included in the minimum standards.

The Administrative Procedure and Texas Register Act requires that proposed minimum standards be

published for public comment before they are adopted as rules. All members of the public, including

providers, are encouraged to provide input when proposed minimum standards are published for public

comment. The commission considers recommendations from interested persons or groups in formulating

the final draft, which is filed as rules with the Secretary of State.

Deficiencies

A deficiency is any failure to comply with a minimum standard, rule in Texas Administrative Code Chapter

745, law, specific term of the permit, or specific condition of probation or suspension.

Weights

The minimum standards and rules are weighted based on a common understanding of the risk to

children presented if the standard or rule is violated. The weights are high, medium-high, medium,

medium-low, and low. The assigned weights do not change based on the scope or severity of an

actual deficiency. Scope and severity are assessed by Child Care Regulation (CCR) staff,

documented, and considered in conjunction with the weight when making CCR decisions. You will

see the weight is noted at the end of each standard or subsection in green. Only those minimum

standards and rules which can be cited as a deficiency are weighted. For example, the minimum

standard prohibiting physical discipline is weighed but standards that are definitions are not

weighted.

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Revised: 09/2024

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