Transcription of Minimum Standards for Child-Care Centers
1 Licensing Division Texas Department of Family and Protective Services Minimum Standards FOR Child-Care Centers Stock Code October 2018 P20330-0000 Minimum Standards FOR Child-Care Centers TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES LICENSING DIVISION Minimum Standards for Child-Care Centers Texas Department of Family and Protective Services i Subchapter A, Purpose, Scope, and Definitions .. 1 Division 1, Purpose .. 1 Division 2, Scope .. 1 Division 3, Definitions .. 3 Subchapter B, Administration and Communication.
2 9 Division 1, Permit Holder Responsibilities .. 9 Division 2, Required Notifications .. 10 Division 3, Required Postings .. 13 Division 4, Operational Policies .. 15 Subchapter C, Record Keeping .. 19 Division 1, Records of Children .. 19 Division 2, Records of Accidents and Incidents .. 26 Division 3, Records That Must be kept on File at the Child-Care center .. 27 Division 4, Personnel Records .. 29 Subchapter D, Personnel .. 31 Division 1, Child-Care center Director .. 31 Division 2, Child-Care center Employees and Caregivers.
3 40 Division 3, General Responsibilities for Child-Care center Personnel .. 42 Division 4, Professional Development .. 44 Division 5, Substitutes, Volunteers, and Contractors .. 56 Subchapter E, Child/Caregiver Ratios and Group Sizes .. 57 Division 1, Ratios and Group Sizes at the Child-Care center .. 57 Division 2, Classroom Ratios and Group Sizes for Centers Licensed To Care for 13 or More Children .. 59 Division 3, Classroom Ratios and Group Sizes for Centers When 12 or Fewer Children are in Care .. 64 Division 4, Ratios for Field Trips.
4 66 Division 5, Ratios for the Get-Well Care Program .. 68 Division 6, Ratios for Nighttime Care .. 69 Division 7, Ratios for Water Activities .. 69 Subchapter F, Developmental Activities and Activity Plan .. 73 Subchapter H, Basic Care Requirements for Infants .. 77 Subchapter I, Basic Care Requirements for Toddlers .. 87 Subchapter J, Basic Care Requirements for Pre-kindergarten Age Children .. 91 Subchapter K, Basic Care Requirements for School-age Children .. 95 Subchapter L, Discipline and Guidance .. 99 Subchapter M, Naptime.
5 101 Subchapter N, Field Trips .. 103 Minimum Standards for Child-Care Centers ii Texas Department of Family and Protective Services Subchapter O, Get-Well Care Program .. 105 Subchapter P, Nighttime Care .. 109 Subchapter Q, Nutrition and Food Service .. 111 Subchapter R, Health Practices .. 119 Division 1, Environmental Health .. 119 Division 2, Diaper Changing .. 126 Division 3, Illness and Injury .. 128 Subchapter S, Safety Practices .. 133 Division 1, Safety Precautions .. 133 Division 2, Medication and Medical Assistance.
6 136 Division 3, Animals at the Child-Care center .. 139 Division 4, First-Aid Kits .. 141 Division 5, Release of Children .. 142 Division 6, Product Safety .. 143 Subchapter T, Physical Facilities .. 145 Division 1, Indoor Space Requirements .. 145 Division 2, Outdoor Space Requirements .. 148 Division 3, Toilets and Sinks .. 151 Division 4, Furniture and Equipment .. 155 Subchapter U, Indoor and Outdoor Active Play Space and Equipment .. 157 Division 1, Minimum Safety Requirements .. 157 Division 2, Swings .. 161 Division 3, Maintenance.
7 162 Division 4, Use Zones .. 162 Division 5, Surfacing .. 165 Division 6, Soft Contained Play Equipment .. 167 Division 7, Inflatables .. 168 Subchapter V, Swimming Pools, Wading/Splashing Pools, and Sprinkler Play .. 169 Subchapter W, Fire Safety and Emergency Practices .. 173 Division 1, Fire Inspection .. 173 Division 2, Emergency Preparedness .. 174 Division 3, Fire Extinguishing and Smoke Detection Systems .. 178 Division 4, Gas and Propane Tanks .. 181 Division 5, Heating 182 Division 6, Carbon Monoxide Detection Systems.
8 183 Subchapter X, Transportation .. 185 Appendix I: Definitions .. 191 Appendix II: (Background Check Rules Moved) .. 195 Minimum Standards for Child-Care Centers Texas Department of Family and Protective Services iii Appendix III, Vaccine-Preventable Diseases .. 189 Index .. 195 Minimum Standards for Child-Care Centers Texas Department of Family and Protective Services v INTRODUCTION Minimum Standards These Minimum Standards are developed by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) with the assistance of Child-Care operations, parents, lawyers, doctors, and other experts in a variety of fields.
9 The Child-Care licensing law sets guidelines for what must be included in the Standards . The Administrative Procedure and Texas Register Act require that proposed Standards be published for public comment before they are adopted as rules. The department considers recommendations from interested persons or groups in formulating the final draft, which is filed as rules with the Secretary of State. Standards are a product of contributions from many people and groups and thus reflect what the citizens of Texas consider reasonable and Minimum .
10 Weights The Minimum Standards are weighted based on risk to children. The weights are: high, medium-high, medium, medium-low, and low. While weights reflect a common understanding of the risk to children presented if a rule is violated, the assigned weights do not change based on the scope or severity of an actual deficiency. Scope and severity are assessed by the Licensing Representative, documented, and considered in conjunction with the standard weights when making Licensing decisions. Weights are noted in green next to each standard or subsection.
