TAIMH: Building Better Beginnings

Right now, you have an exciting opportunity to make a difference in the standards that govern child care in Texas. You have an exciting opportunity to improve early experiences for our youngest Texans.

Once every six years, the Child Care Licensing Division of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services is required to review the standards for licensed and regulated child care programs.
Over the last several months, Child Care Licensing has held public hearings, conducted meetings and gleaned knowledge from field staff and advocates.

What happens now...

Child Care Licensing will incorporate comments, conduct a fiscal impact study and then write a proposal to present to the DFPS Council for a workgroup meeting on April 19th and Council meeting on April 20. Child Care licensing will ask the Council to accept the proposal and publish it in the Texas Register for public comment.
Licensing will review the public comments, make adjustments as necessary based on the comments, and go back to the Committee on Licensing Standards and the DFPS Council to ask that the proposed rules be adopted at the July 2010 council meeting.
If adoption of proposed rules is recommended then the rules are forwarded to HHSC Executive Commissioner Suehs for his approval. If he approves the rules, then they are adopted and will become effective in the fall 2010.

What you can do...

Contact the DFPS Council members (Ommy Strauch (Chair), Imogen Papadopoulos (Vice Chair), Gigi Bryant, Debbie Epperson, Dr. Paul Furukawa, Tina Martin, Dr. Linda Bell Robinson, Scott Rosenbach and Mamie Salazar-Harper) at: 701 W. 51st Street, M.C. E-654, P. O. Box 149030, Austin, Texas 78714-9030.
Testify at the DFPS Council meeting at 9 a.m. April 20, 2010.
Submit public comment once the proposal is posted in the Texas Register.
Contact your State Representative and Senator (to find who represents you, go to www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us) and ask them to contact the Health and Human Services Executive Commissioner, Tom Suehs.

What is the message....

Texas must improve licensing standards to improve early experiences and promote optimal development of our youngest Texans.
Texas should reduce ratios of children to caregiver and follow the recommendations outlined by the American Academy of Pediatrics and supported by national experts. Rather than ratios of 4:1 toddlers, for example, Texas allows up to 9:1 and for preschoolers up to 15:1 rather than the recommended 9:1.
Texas should also reduce group size and follow the recommendations outlined by the American Academy of Pediatrics and supported by national experts. At a minimum, group size should still adhere to ratio standards. For example, currently for infants, the standard is 1:4 but 2:10 (which should be 2:8) and for children 12-17 months, it is 1:5 but 2:13 (rather than 2:10).
Caregivers and directors should be mandated to receive 24 pre-service and 40 ongoing hours to improve the supply of quality child care in Texas.
Trainers should be registered with the Texas Early Care & Education Career Development System (TECECDS) or hold a degree or certification in a field related to the training topic. Training should be relevant to the care being provided.
Texas should phase in a continuity of care model by adjusting its standards of group size and ratios not on an annual or part-year basis but grouped by developmental level as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.


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Building Better Beginnings: Improving Texas Child Care Standards

In 2008, the Texas Association for Infant Mental Health received a grant from the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health to support our effort to change the policy landscape for infants and toddlers in Texas. We are pleased to share with you our report "Building Better Beginnings: Improving Child Care Licensing Standards". Read the report here: Building Better Beginnings Have feedback or an opinion on TAIMH's recommendations? Click here to be directed to a feedback form and your comments will be sent to our Project Coordinator, Melanie Rubin. Feedback Form Executive Summary Talking Points Child Care Standards in the News May 23, 2010 - Texas considers increasing training for day care workers - The Statesman May 23, 2010 - Nurturing Young Brains - The Statesman Melanie Rubin Testimony to Interim House Committe on Technology, Economic Development & Workforce April 20, 2010 - Day Care Operators Speak Out against Staffing Rule - The Statesman April 20, 2010 - Editorial: Child Care Standards - Dallas Morning News April 20, 2010 - Day Cares Statewide may See Big Changes - Channel 5 News Austin April 19, 2010 - State Considers changing Staffing levels at day care centers - The Statesman KERA Commentary - Melanie Rubin, Project Coordinator March, 16, 2010 - Taking Baby Steps to Better Child Care - The Houston Chronicle Feb. 17, 2010 - Day Care Danger - The Texas Tribune Data App: Day Care Danger - The Texas Tribune Call to Action Right now, you have an exciting opportunity to make a difference in the standards that govern child care in Texas. You have an exciting opportunity to improve early experiences for our youngest Texans. Once every six years, the Child Care Licensing Division of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services is required to review the standards for licensed and regulated child care programs. Over the last several months, Child Care Licensing has held public hearings, conducted meetings and gleaned knowledge from field staff and advocates. What happens now... Child Care Licensing will incorporate comments, conduct a fiscal impact study and then write a proposal to present to the DFPS Council for a workgroup meeting on April 19th and Council meeting on April 20. Child Care licensing will ask the Council to accept the proposal and publish it in the Texas Register for public comment. Licensing will review the public comments, make adjustments as necessary based on the comments, and go back to the Committee on Licensing Standards and the DFPS Council to ask that the proposed rules be adopted at the July 2010 council meeting. If adoption of proposed rules is recommended then the rules are forwarded to HHSC Executive Commissioner Suehs for his approval. If he approves the rules, then they are adopted and will become effective in the fall 2010. What you can do... Contact the DFPS Council members (Ommy Strauch (Chair), Imogen Papadopoulos (Vice Chair), Gigi Bryant, Debbie Epperson, Dr. Paul Furukawa, Tina Martin, Dr. Linda Bell Robinson, Scott Rosenbach and Mamie Salazar-Harper) at: 701 W. 51st Street, M.C. E-654, P. O. Box 149030, Austin, Texas 78714-9030. Testify at the DFPS Council meeting at 9 a.m. April 20, 2010. Submit public comment once the proposal is posted in the Texas Register. Contact your State Representative and Senator (to find who represents you, go to www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us) and ask them to contact the Health and Human Services Executive Commissioner, Tom Suehs. What is the message.... Texas must improve licensing standards to improve early experiences and promote optimal development of our youngest Texans. Texas should reduce ratios of children to caregiver and follow the recommendations outlined by the American Academy of Pediatrics and supported by national experts. Rather than ratios of 4:1 toddlers, for example, Texas allows up to 9:1 and for preschoolers up to 15:1 rather than the recommended 9:1. Texas should also reduce group size and follow the recommendations outlined by the American Academy of Pediatrics and supported by national experts. At a minimum, group size should still adhere to ratio standards. For example, currently for infants, the standard is 1:4 but 2:10 (which should be 2:8) and for children 12-17 months, it is 1:5 but 2:13 (rather than 2:10). Caregivers and directors should be mandated to receive 24 pre-service and 40 ongoing hours to improve the supply of quality child care in Texas. Trainers should be registered with the Texas Early Care & Education Career Development System (TECECDS) or hold a degree or certification in a field related to the training topic. Training should be relevant to the care being provided. Texas should phase in a continuity of care model by adjusting its standards of group size and ratios not on an annual or part-year basis but grouped by developmental level as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Texas Association for Infant Mental Health 1199 S. Beltline Road, Suite 100 Coppell, Texas 75019 972-906-2696