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.

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.

• When you visit a day-care facility, ask to see their 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.

• 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 quality 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.

• 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.

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.

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 and please list these items on your enrollment form.
• 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 your child’s elementary 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 die

• 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.

• 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.

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.

• 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 ( more than one days worth of traffic from children, they are kids it may be a little dirty especially when rainy weather is present), or you see unsafe conditions.
• Your child is unhappy about being left at the facility, and this doesn’t improve with time ( there is always an initial adjustment period to being in a new and unfamiliar place.)
• 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. Be extra cautious though if the child is aware of the accidents but no staff member is aware of this. )
• Children seem aimless, bored, angry, or frustrated, or there are too many children to supervise ( not engaged or not enough interaction, & out of teacher to child ratio. )

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 is still unresolved please bring it to the attention of the facility director or managing staff member.

If the situation isn’t resolved and you believe minimum standards are not being met, call the local day-care licensing office.

A licensing representative will investigate your complaint. The licensing representative will probably 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.

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.

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.

Toddler 101: Why do toddlers bite?
Toddlers are chock-full of energy, love and wonder.  That is why so many parents are horrified when their adorable little cuddle-bug unleashes on one of his playmates with a painful bite.  Parents typically overreact while both the biter and the victim uncontrollably sob, overtaken by fear and confusion.
Like hitting or pushing, biting is a normal behavior for toddlers, most commonly occurring from ages 1 to 3.  While there are many reasons young children bite, the most common is that they lack the verbal skills to appropriately convey their feelings.  They also become easily overwhelmed by their emotions due to undeveloped coping skills or ability to reason.
Typically, biting occurs out of frustration, anger, stress, excitement and even happiness.  It can also be a call for attention, a reaction to teething pain, or just plain old curiosity.
Whatever the reason for biting, a child who bites is often perceived by other parents and/or caregivers with more disdain than a child who hits or kicks.  In reality, parents of children who bite should not worry that their child’s behavior is more serious or more aggressive.
In his October 30, 2007 article Toddlers and Preschoolers Who Bite, Dr. Lawrence Kutner, clinical psychologist and professor at Harvard Medical School, addresses the misconception of toddler biting, explaining that “biting is very common among young children, and does not by itself predict later emotional or social problems.”
Dr. Kutner goes on to say that, “rarely is biting malicious or premeditated. Children this age usually act without thinking of the consequences. In fact, when one child bites another, the one who bites is often as surprised and upset as the one who was bitten.”

Heidi Murkoff, author if What to Expect the Toddler Years, explains what to do if your toddler bites:

• First, make sure the victim is okay (and apply TLC if necessary).
• Then take your child aside and briefly explain that what he did was wrong. In a calm, firm tone, say, “You hurt Amy when you bit her. That’s why we don’t bite.”
• Warn your toddler of the consequences if he bites again (for example, a time-out or a quick end to the playdate). Be sure to follow through on your warning.
• Switch to a parent-supervised activity like making a snack or craft.

The most important thing for parents to remember is that biting is a behavior that will pass.

• Why Do Toddlers Bite? Finding the Right Response
• What to do When Your Toddler Bites
• Fighting and Biting
• Understanding and Responding to Children Who Bite
• Biting – Topic Overview
• Responding to Your Child’s Bite

• What are Head Lice?
• Parent’s Guide to Head Lice
• How to Get Rid of Head Lice