Child Care Health & Safety Standards

All child care programs in the state are required to comply with basic health and safety regulations, known as minimum licensing standards. Many child care programs, including Texas Rising Star certified providers, choose to exceed these minimum licensing standards by providing higher quality learning environments for the children in their programs.

Child care licensing in Texas is handled by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission Child Care Regulation (CCR) division. Their mission is to protect children through regulation and education.

Child Care Regulation responsibilities include the following:

  • Regulating all child care operations and child-placing agencies to protect the health, safety and well-being of children in care
  • Permitting and monitoring operations and agencies for compliance with state licensing standards, rules and laws
  • Investigating complaints alleging violations of minimum standards and reports of abuse or neglect in daycare and residential child care operations
  • Informing parents and the public about child care, including how specific daycare and residential childcare operations are complying with minimum standards of care
  • Giving child care providers technical assistance on meeting licensing standards, rules and laws

Here are some key resources related to child care regulation: 

Texas Health and Human Services Commission Child Care Regulation websiteen Español