How child care safety is regulated
Leaving your child can be hard but understanding how child care rules keep them safe can help you feel comfortable.
Texas Health and Human Services Commission Child Care Regulation (HHSC CCR) gives licenses and permits to child care providers and sets health and safety rules. Providers must follow HHSC CCR’s rules to operate. Think of it like a safety checklist for child care providers. HHSC CCR focuses on health and safety, makes sure providers are following the rules, investigates complaints and gives parents information.
Reporting child care safety concerns or other safety issues
Keeping children safe is everyone’s responsibility. If you notice something concerning, it’s important to speak up. Learn the proper steps to report your concern so that children receive the protection and care they deserve.
Make a report here if you think that a child care operation is not following regulations. This includes centers, listed, licensed, and registered child care homes.
There are instructions on how to make an anonymous report.
Make a report here if you have a concern about:
- child abuse
- neglect
- exploitation
- someone providing child care without a permit
We want you to find the best child care fit for your family! Did you know you can filter your search by parent involvement? This is just one of the options available to help you find the care that works for your family!
Helpful links for choosing safe child care
HHSC CCR has many tools, information, and reports to guide you in choosing child care that is safe and right for your child.
Information on how child care background checks of child care staff are performed in order to keep children safe.
There are many regulation statistics and tables available to look through.
If an offense is found on a background check, HHSC CCR may require certain actions based on the conviction for that offense.
When HHSC CCR sees a violation at a licensed or registered child care provider, it posts the deficiency on the provider's online public record.
Learn about the different types of reports, inspections, and enforcement actions HHSC CCR can take against child care providers.
Minimum standards reduce the risk for children in child care settings by having basic requirements and rules to protect the health, safety, and well-being of those children.