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DCL
Child Day Care Licensing Overview

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services is granted its authority to
regulate child-care facilities and child-placing agencies by the Texas Legislature in Chapter 42
of the Texas Human Resources Code. The purpose of regulation is to protect a group or class of children by establishing and enforcing statewide minimum standards.

Paid Expenditures and Total Average Filled
Full Time Equivalent (FTE) Staff

Total Staff 425.6
Direct Delivery Total Staff 373.1
Caseworkers 260.1
Supervisors 36.3
Clerical 46.6
Other 82.6
Staff Costs $22,826,440.11

Worker demographic

Demographic Subcategory Number or Percent
Turnover Rate n/a 12.9%
Tenure Less than 1 Year 9.6%
1-3 Years 26.5%
Greater than 3 Years 63.8%
Entry Salary (INV) n/a $32,273.16
Entry Salary (Non INV) n/a $29,145.96
Average Age n/a 40.3
Race/Ethnicity African-American 27.3%
Anglo 45.8%
Hispanic 22.7%
Other 4.2%

Supervisor Demographics

Demographic Subcategory Number or Percent
Turnover Rate n/a 0.0%
Tenure Less than 1 Year 0.0%
1-3 Years 8.8%
Greater than 3 Years 91.2%
Entry Salary n/a $39,117.96
Average Age n/a 46.5
Race/Ethnicity African-American 23.5%
Anglo 58.8%
Hispanic 17.6%
Other 0.0%

Description of the Monitoring/Investigation Process

Step 1: Application/Permit Issuance
  • Orientation
  • Inspection
  • Background Check
  • Technical Assistance
  • Fees
  • Initial Permit
  • Non-expiring Permit
Step 2: Monitoring/Investigation
  • Routine Action: Continue to Monitoring
  • Complaint Based Action: Continue to Investigation
Step 2a: Monitoring
  • Assess Risk
  • Annual Unannounced Inspections
  • Biennial Background Checks
  • Random Sampling of CPA Foster Homes
  • Technical assistance
Step 2b: Investigation
  • Assess Risk
  • Abuse, Neglect, or exploitation
  • Minimum Standards violations, including serious incidents
Step 3: Deficiencies Found? Reports Validated?
Step 4: Due Process
Step 5: Enforcement/Remedial Action
  • Document Inspection
  • Share results with facility and the public via CLASS database
  • Require correction to reduce risk
  • Verify compliance
  • Increase monitoring plan as necessary
Types of Remedial Action
  • Corrective Action
  • Probation/Evaluation
  • Fines/Penalties
  • Denials
  • Suspension
  • Revocation
Step 4: Due Process

Note: The described process is for reference only and does not necessarily represent the flow of a case.

Statistics FY 2010

  • Daycare Operations/Homes: 25,250
  • Capacity: 1,057,353
  • Abuse/Neglect Investigations: 1,790
  • Non-Abuse/Neglect Investigations: 13,548
  • Inspections: 45,777
  • Adverse Actions: 524

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Legal Responsibility for Child-Care Licensing

Statutory References

Day Care and Residential Care: Statutory References
Social Security Act
Human Resources Code, Chapters 40, 42, and 43
Texas Family Code, Title 5
Texas Government Code
Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 249
Texas Administrative Code, Title 40

Major Provisions

  • Develop minimum standards to promote the health, safety and well being of children in out of home care.
  • Validating a system of weighted minimum standards in order to help quantify compliance.
  • Inspect child-care operations to ensure they maintain compliance with minimum standards.
  • Investigate allegations of abuse/neglect, violations of standards violations or the law and ensure appropriate corrective or adverse actions are taken.
  • Conduct criminal background checks and DFPS central registry checks on all adult staff or
    caregivers, and youth age 14 – 18 who will be in frequent contact with children in child-care
    operations excluding children in care.
  • Offer consultation to potential applicants and permit holders about meeting and maintaining
    compliance with Licensing standards, and achieving programs of excellence.
  • Educate and advise consumers of child-care operations by providing the operations’ compliance history.
  • Enforcing regulatory requirements for illegally operating child-care providers.
  • Educating the public about choosing regulated child care.

Other Programmatic Information:

Challenges:

  • Appropriately and consistently enforcing minimum
    standards across the state.
  • Developing inclusive, appropriate and effective
    relationships with child-care operations resulting in
    increased compliance and stronger protection for
    children.
  • Providing technical assistance to child care
    operations struggling to manage behavior problems
    exhibited by children.
  • Providing thorough, efficient and timely
    background check results to over a quarter of a
    million people seeking to work in child care, foster
    care or seeking to adopt a child.
  • Maximizing Technology resources to improve the
    efficiency and effectiveness of regulation.
  • Balancing issues of child safety with the need for
    the least restrictive environment for children in CPS
    conservatorship, and
  • Adopting standards to protect the health and safety
    children in care without impacting the affordability
    and availability of that care.

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Texas Child Population Ages Birth through 13 Years
Fiscal Year 2010

State Total: 5,181,296

Region Number Child Population (Birth - 13 Years)
Region 1 170,697
Region 2 105,236
Region 3 1,402,746
Region 4 204,965
Region 5 140,980
Region 6 1,245,263
Region 7 550,299
Region 8 516,384
Region 9 116,775
Region 10 189,454
Region 11 538,497
Total 5,181,296

Population Data Source: Texas State Data Center; University of Texas (San Antonio)

Texas Child Population Ages Birth through 13 Years by County

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Child Day Care Operations in Texas as of August 31

Fiscal Year Licensed Child Care Centers Licensed Child Care Homes Listed Family Homes Registered Child Care Homes Small Employer Based Child Care Total Day Care Operations
2006 9,092 1,604 3,895 7,488 0 22,079
2007 9,319 1,536 3,900 7,214 0 21,969
2008 9,309 1,564 8,257 6,895 1 26,026
2009 9,342 1,617 7,305 6,700 1 24,965
2010 9,436 1,684 7,589 6,537 4 25,250

*Note: Counts do not include applicants

Child Day Care Operations in Texas as of August 31

Child Placing Agencies 2009
Count		 2009 Capacity 2010 Count 2010 Capacity
Licensed Child Care Centers 9,342 930,060 9,436 942,839
Licensed Child Care Homes 1,617 19,276 1,684 19,954
Listed Family Homes 7,305 18,489 7,589 18,563
Registered Child Care Homes 6,700 77,961 6,537 75,949
Small Employer Based Child Care 1 12 4 48
Total Child Day Care Operations 24,965 1,045,798 25,250 1,057,353

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Child Day Care Operations and Homes Regulated by Fiscal Year

Region Licensed Child Care Centers 2009 Licensed Child Care Centers 2010 Licensed Child Care Homes
2009		 Licensed Child Care Homes
2010		 Listed Family Homes 2009 Listed Family Homes 2010
1 Lubbock 306 302 68 67 364 378
2 Abilene 218 224 69 65 190 201
3 Arlington 2,292 2,299 402 435 1,860 2,137
4 Tyler 353 366 71 71 456 423
5 Beaumont 218 215 26 30 80 84
6 Houston 2,316 2,315 202 238 1,420 1,453
7 Austin 1,294 1,325 232 233 879 890
8 San Antonio 925 923 117 117 653 684
9 Midland 217 214 43 51 238 267
10 El Paso 284 287 155 149 331 334
11 Edinburg 919 966 232 228 834 738
Unknown/Out of State 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 9,342 9,436 1,617 1,684 7,305 7,589

Child Day Care Operations and Homes Regulated by Fiscal Year

Region Registered Child Care Homes 2009 Registered Child Care Homes 2010 Small Employer Based Child Care
2009		 Small Employer Based Child Care
2010		 Total 2009 Total 2010
1 Lubbock 179 167 0 1 917 915
2 Abilene 159 162 0 0 636 652
3 Arlington 2,192 2,159 1 1 6,747 7,031
4 Tyler 94 88 0 0 974 948
5 Beaumont 67 71 0 0 391 400
6 Houston 2,293 2,219 0 0 6,231 6,225
7 Austin 628 617 0 0 3,033 3,065
8 San Antonio 632 615 0 2 2,327 2,341
9 Midland 52 46 0 0 550 578
10 El Paso 86 85 0 0 856 855
11 Edinburg 317 307 0 0 2,302 2,239
Unknown/Out of State 1 1 0 0 1 1
Total 6,700 6,537 1 4 24,965 25,250

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Licensing of Child Day Care Operations by Region
Fiscal Year 2010

Licensed Child Care Centers

Region Applications
Accepted		 Initial Permits Issued
1 Lubbock 20 17
2 Abilene 29 29
3 Arlington 228 205
4 Tyler 57 48
5 Beaumont 15 18
6 Houston 305 286
7 Austin 163 130
8 San Antonio 114 106
9 Midland 12 11
10 El Paso 40 35
11 Edinburg 146 141
State Total 1,129 1,026

Licensed Child Care Homes

Region Applications
Accepted		 Initial Permits Issued
1 Lubbock 6 4
2 Abilene 11 7
3 Arlington 93 83
4 Tyler 14 13
5 Beaumont 4 4
6 Houston 78 74
7 Austin 38 37
8 San Antonio 18 13
9 Midland 11 8
10 El Paso 6 6
11 Edinburg 19 15
State Total 298 264

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Licensing Child Care Operations by Region
Fiscal Year 2010

Licensed Family Homes

Region Applications
Accepted		 Listings Issued
1 Lubbock 152 132
2 Abilene 89 75
3 Arlington 986 875
4 Tyler 153 136
5 Beaumont 32 26
6 Houston 611 541
7 Austin 356 307
8 San Antonio 257 242
9 Midland 128 103
10 El Paso 101 95
11 Edinburg 199 176
State Total 3,064 2,708

Registered Child Care Homes

Region Applications
Accepted		 Registrations Issued
1 Lubbock 25 21
2 Abilene 43 36
3 Arlington 417 348
4 Tyler 10 10
5 Beaumont 13 11
6 Houston 470 361
7 Austin 139 103
8 San Antonio 153 119
9 Midland 10 9
10 El Paso 19 17
11 Edinburg 57 41
State Total 1,356 1,076

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Inspections in Child Day Care Operations

Facility Type Count & Percentage 2009
Number		 2009 Percentage 2010
Number		 2010 Percentage
Licensed Child Care Centers 32,107 68.6% 32,022 70.0%
Licensed Child Care Homes 3,906 8.3% 3,676 8.0%
Listed Family Homes 542 1.2% 660 1.4%
Registered Child Care Homes 8,427 18.0% 7,837 17.1%
Small Employer Based Child Care 1 0.0% 6 0.0%
Illegal Operations 1,678 3.6% 1,443 3.2%
Exemption Requests 151 0.3% 133 0.3%
Total 46,812 100% 45,777 100%

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Inspections in Child Day Care Licensing Operations by Type of Inspection
Fiscal Year 2010

Total Inspections: 45,777

Child Day Care Operations

Inspection Type Number Percent
Monitoring 23,841 53.9%
Investigation 9,224 20.9%
Follow-up 7,633 17.3%
Other 3,503 7.9%
Total  44,201 100%

Illegal Operations

Inspection Type Number Percent
Monitoring 1 0.1%
Investigation 798 55.3%
Follow-up 215 14.9%
Other 429 29.7%
Total  1,443 100%

Exemption Requests

Inspection Type Number Percent
Monitoring 1 0.8%
Investigation 69 51.9%
Follow-up 21 15.8%
Other 42 31.6%
Total  133 100%

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Investigations in Child Day Care Operations

Day Care Licensing Operations Type 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Licensed Child Care Centers 9,483 10,831 12,073 10,812 11,470
Licensed Child Care Homes 234 352 494 419 557
Listed Family Homes 430 610 2968 819 685
Registered Child Care Homes 704 1083 1,501 1,353 1,874
Illegal Operations/Exemptions 976 1061 1,190 1,219 1,022
Total  11,827 13,937 18,226 14,622 15,608

*Includes Small Employer Based Child Care Centers

Investigations in Child Day Care Operations
Fiscal Year 2010

Region Licensed
Child Care Centers* 		Licensed
Child Care Homes		 Listed Family Homes Registered
Child Care Homes		 Illegal Operations Exemptions Day Care Total
1 Lubbock 532 14 50 58 55 709
2 Abilene 223 8 27 33 21 312
3 Arlington 2,983 134 221 608 265 4,211
4 Tyler 394 9 20 11 43 477
5 Beaumont 171 6 6 11 10 204
6 Houston 2,335 85 163 470 152 3,205
7 Austin 1,358 57 85 121 160 1,781
8 San Antonio 1,797 64 55 363 84 2,363
9 Midland 251 8 16 3 26 304
10 El Paso 290 49 18 24 18 399
11 Edinburg 1,135 123 24 172 45 1,499
Unknown/Other 1 0 0 0 143 144
Total 11,470 557 685 1,874 1,022 15,608

*Includes Small Employer Based Child Care

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Investigations in Child Care Operations
Fiscal Year 2010

Child Day Care Operations

Operations Type Total
Num Operations as of 8/31/10		 Investi-gations Num of
Abuse/
Neglect Investi-gations
Total		 Num of
Abuse/
Neglect Investi-gations
Valid 		Num of
Abuse/
Neglect Investi-gations
Percent Validated		 Num of
Non
Abuse/
Neglect Investi-gations
Total		 Num of
Non
Abuse/
Neglect Investi-gations
- Deficiency Cited
Licensed Child Care Centers 9,436 11,469 1,280 132 10.3% 10,121 2,908
Licensed Child Care Homes 1,684 557 40 6 15.0% 510 88
Listed Family Homes 7,589 685 82 7 8.5% 596 185
Registered Child Care Homes 6,537 1,874 119 26 21.8% 1,749 219
Small Employer Based Child Care 4 1 0 0 0.0% 1 0
Subtotal 25,250 14,586 1,521 171 11.2% 12,977 3,400

Unlicensed Operations

Operations Type Total
Num Operations as of 8/31/10		 Investi-gations Num of
Abuse/
Neglect Investi-gations
Total		 Num of
Abuse/
Neglect Investi-gations
Valid 		Num of
Abuse/
Neglect Investi-gations
Percent Validated		 Num of
Non
Abuse/
Neglect Investi-gations
Total		 Num of
Non
Abuse/
Neglect Investi-gations
- Deficiency Cited
Illegal Operations 443 951 264 54 20.5% 511 144
Exemption Requests 398 71 5 1 20.0% 60 41
Subtotal 841 1,022 269 55 20.4% 571 185

Total

Total Operations Total
Num Operations as of 8/31/10		 Investi-gations Num of
Abuse/
Neglect Investi-gations
Total		 Num of
Abuse/
Neglect Investi-gations
Valid 		Num of
Abuse/
Neglect Investi-gations
Percent Validated		 Num of
Non
Abuse/
Neglect Investi-gations
Total		 Num of
Non
Abuse/
Neglect Investi-gations
- Deficiency Cited
Total 26,091 15,608 1,790 226 12.6% 13,548 3,585

Note: The number of Investigations and the number of Non Abuse/Neglect Investigations are based on the date that the worker completed the investigation. The number of Abuse/Neglect Investigations uses the date that the Investigation stage closed. Therefore, the sum of Abuse/Neglect Investigations and Non Abuse/Neglect Investigations will not match the total investigations.

State's Top 10 Standards Deficiencies for Child Day Care Operations, Fiscal Year 2010

Rank Standard Rule* Description Non-Compliance
1 746.1203(4) Responsibilities of Caregivers- Supervision of Children 1,516
2 746.3701 Safety - Areas Free From Hazards 1,493
3 746.1201(1) Responsibilities of Employees and Caregivers -Demonstrate Competency, Good Judgment, Self-control 1,354
4 746.3407 Maintenance of Building, Grounds and Equipment 1,287
5 745.615(a)(2) Required background checks - each person employed  1,172
6 746.5101(a) Annual Fire Inspection - Before Provisional Issued and Every 12 Months 1,119
7 746.1601 Child/ Caregiver Ratio - 13 or More Children 918
8 746.605(6) Required Admission Information - Emergency Contact 906
9 747.3501 Safety - Areas Free From Hazards 839
10 746.1315(a) One Caregiver per Group of Children Must Have Current Training in First Aid with Rescue Breathing and Choking.  Pediatric First Aid is Preferred 829

* Only includes deficiencies where administrative review was upheld or waived.
Note: Does not include assessment deficiencies.

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Adverse Actions and Corrective Actions Initiated in Child Day Care Operations by Region Fiscal Year 2010

Adverse Actions in Licensed Child-Care Centers

Region Permits Denied Permits Revoked Permits Suspended Total Adverse Actions
1 Lubbock 2 1 0 3
2 Abilene 0 0 0 0
3 Arlington 1 4 0 5
4 Tyler 0 1 0 1
5 Beaumont 1 0 0 1
6 Houston 14 4 1 19
7 Austin 1 1 0 2
8 San Antonio 3 0 0 3
9 Midland 0 0 0 0
10 El Paso 1 0 0 1
11 Edinburg 2 1 0 3
State Total 25 12 1 38

Corrective Actions in Licensed Child-Care Centers

Region Evaluation Probation Total Corrective Action
1 Lubbock 5 2 7
2 Abilene 3 1 4
3 Arlington 12 19 31
4 Tyler 12 0 12
5 Beaumont 4 6 10
6 Houston 32 14 46
7 Austin 13 3 16
8 San Antonio 15 10 25
9 Midland 0 0 0
10 El Paso 2 0 2
11 Edinburg 11 9 20
State Total 109 64 173

Adverse Actions in Licensed Child-Care Homes

Region Permits Denied Permits Revoked Permits Suspended Total Adverse Actions
1 Lubbock 0 0 0 0
2 Abilene 0 0 0 0
3 Arlington 2 1 0 3
4 Tyler 0 0 0 0
5 Beaumont 0 0 0 0
6 Houston 1 2 0 3
7 Austin 0 2 0 2
8 San Antonio 1 0 0 1
9 Midland 0 0 0 0
10 El Paso 0 0 0 0
11 Edinburg 1 1 0 2
State Total 5 6 0 11

Corrective Actions in Licensed Child-Care Homes

Region Evaluation Probation Total Corrective Action
1 Lubbock 0 0 0
2 Abilene 0 0 0
3 Arlington 0 1 1
4 Tyler 0 0 0
5 Beaumont 0 1 1
6 Houston 0 0 0
7 Austin 2 0 2
8 San Antonio 2 1 3
9 Midland 0 0 0
10 El Paso 0 0 0
11 Edinburg 2 1 3
State Total 6 4 10

Note: Adverse actions are determined by the date the facility was sent the letter of intent. Finalizing adverse action through due process is lengthy. Voluntary Suspensions are not counted in the number of suspensions. Corrective actions begin after the due process is completed.

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Adverse Actions and Corrective Actions Initiated in Child Day Care Operations by Region Fiscal Year 2010

Adverse Actions in Listed Family Homes

Region Permits Denied Permits Revoked Permits Suspended Total Adverse Actions
1 Lubbock 11 7 0 18
2 Abilene 5 2 0 7
3 Arlington 54 59 0 113
4 Tyler 2 25 0 27
5 Beaumont 4 0 0 4
6 Houston 38 73 0 111
7 Austin 14 13 0 27
8 San Antonio 9 7 0 16
9 Midland 15 4 0 19
10 El Paso 3 13 0 16
11 Edinburg 11 67 0 78
State Total 166 270 0 436

Corrective Actions in Listed Family Homes

Region Evaluation Probation Total Corrective Action
1 Lubbock 0 0 0
2 Abilene 0 0 0
3 Arlington 0 0 0
4 Tyler 0 0 0
5 Beaumont 0 0 0
6 Houston 0 0 0
7 Austin 0 0 0
8 San Antonio 0 0 0
9 Midland 0 0 0
10 El Paso 0 0 0
11 Edinburg 0 0 0
State Total 0 0 0

Adverse Actions in Registered Child-Care Homes

Region Permits Denied Permits Revoked Permits Suspended Total Adverse Actions
1 Lubbock 0 1 0 1
2 Abilene 0 0 0 0
3 Arlington 4 7 0 11
4 Tyler 0 0 0 0
5 Beaumont 0 0 0 0
6 Houston 3 12 0 15
7 Austin 2 2 0 4
8 San Antonio 5 1 0 6
9 Midland 0 0 0 0
10 El Paso 0 1 0 1
11 Edinburg 1 0 0 1
State Total 15 24 0 39

Corrective Actions in Registered Child-Care Homes

Region Evaluation Probation Total Corrective Action
1 Lubbock 0 0 0
2 Abilene 1 1 2
3 Arlington 5 4 9
4 Tyler 1 0 1
5 Beaumont 0 0 0
6 Houston 4 1 5
7 Austin 3 0 3
8 San Antonio 2 0 2
9 Midland 0 0 0
10 El Paso 1 0 1
11 Edinburg 0 1 1
State Total 17 7 24

Total Adverse and Corrective Actions for Child Day Care Operations

total Permits Denied Permits Revoked Permits Suspended Total Adverse Actions Evaluation Probation Total Corrective Action
Grand Total 211 312 1 524 132 75 207

Note: Adverse actions are determined by the date the facility was sent the letter of intent. Finalizing adverse action through due process is lengthy. Voluntary Suspensions are not counted in the number of suspensions. Corrective actions begin after the due process is completed.

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Background Checks for Child Day Care Operations
Fiscal Year 2010

Operation Type Central Registry Checks DPS Checks FBI Checks*
Licensed Child Care Center 180,190 180,138 133,056
Licensed Child Care Home 4,453 4,449 518
Listed Family Home 10,023 10,021 482
Registered Child Care Home 11,093 11,056 1,085
Small Employer Based Child Care 28 28 18
Total 205,787 205,692 135,159

* Represents the number of FBI checks that were requested, not the number that were actually processed.
Note: Does not include background checks conducted on individuals in an illegal child-care operation
or exemption request.

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