How Can I Identify Red Flags at Daycare Centers in Frisco, Texas?

How Are Daycare Centers in Frisco Regulated?

Licensed Texas daycare centers are required by the Lone Star State to abide by an extensive list of regulations to keep children safe. These Texas daycare laws are called minimum standards. When searching for a daycare center in Frisco, the first step is to ensure that it’s licensed, meaning the owner has met all the requirements outlined by the state. However, our team has found that even some licensed daycare centers are allowing mistakes and rule-breaking to slip through the cracks. That is why it is important to know whether the caregivers at the daycare facility are trained and competent when it comes to their duties. Caregivers should know what to do in the following cases:

• Emergencies: In sudden situations, like an allergic reaction or a fire drill, you want to be certain the caregiver watching over your little one knows to act quickly and handle the situation properly. For example, 1 in 13 children have a food allergy, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If a child suffers a severe allergic reaction, you want to trust that the caregiver is ready and capable of administering life-saving medication, like an EpiPen.
• Injuries: It is important for daycare centers in Frisco to hire qualified caregivers. For example, caregivers are required to be certified in CPR and first aid so that, should a child get hurt, a caregiver is capable of responding before emergency medical services arriving at the daycare center. When little ones are severely injured at Frisco daycare centers, the immediate actions of a caregiver greatly affect their health. Additionally, when any incident at a Frisco daycare center involves a child, caregivers are required to submit an incident report to the child’s parents within 48 hours of the incident. Parents deserve to be aware of what happens to their child, and caregivers have the responsibility to report them.
• Being “in ratio.” What is “in ratio”? The permitted number of children watched by one caregiver depends on the age of your child. The younger the child, the fewer children are under one caregiver’s care. For infants, a maximum of four children can be assigned to a single caregiver. As children grow and become more self-sufficient, the child-to-caregiver ratio becomes larger, such as up to 22 children for the 5-year-old age group. Regardless of the ratio, it’s important that caregivers at Frisco daycare centers are closely watching all children in their care.
• General caregiving. Licensed caregivers have a number of certifications they must earn. The first is a completed background check, which confirms with the state that they have no criminal convictions and are not prohibited from working with children. They must also complete training requirements upon being hired and every year after as a refresher. Caregivers at daycare centers in Frisco should know and follow the minimum standards, but as we’ve seen through experience, a bad caregiver can intentionally or unintentionally cause harm to a child. We’ve had cases where caregivers have drugged; physically, mentally, or sexually abused; or used unapproved discipline methods on the children in their care. While these instances happen rarely, ensuring that caregivers are vetted is a step toward preventing these incidents.
• Supervising children. Supervision at daycare centers in Frisco works in two ways: good daycare management and observant caregivers. The first involves the daycare director regularly supervising their employees (either via surveillance or in-room checks) to ensure that they are abiding by all minimum standards and keeping children safe. The second comes down to caregivers keeping a watchful eye over children in their room. When caregivers are distracted or failing to supervise the children in their care, a number of misfortunate incidents can happen. Curious children can suffer third-degree burns from bottle warmers or harsh cleaning chemicals stored or used incorrectly. Unsupervised children may also suffer injuries from falls or crushed fingers caught in doors, or they may wander off entirely from the daycare center’s premises.

What Should I Look For in a Daycare Center in Frisco?

Our experienced daycare injury lawyers at The Button Law Firm have handled enough daycare injury cases that we have created this free daycare safety guide to help parents in Frisco know what warning signs to look for at daycare centers. This guide helps you identify in more detail the red flags that indicate a center is not following the minimum standards.

Here is a general overview:

• Tour the Frisco Daycare Center: Visiting and getting a tour daycare centers in Frisco is the best way to see what practices are going on there. Stepping foot into classrooms, observing employees, and viewing the premises can help you determine if what the daycare center is selling is the same as what you’re seeing. It’s also a great time to get your questions answered.
• Look for Security Cameras: Security cameras inside and outside the classroom can help you as a parent feel more comfortable with having your child at the daycare center. Some of these cameras have the ability for parents to virtually view the live footage, while others are accessible only to the daycare’s director. Regardless, cameras help ensure that if anything does happen to your little one, there is a witness to the event.
• Are Class Sizes to Ratio?: As mentioned above, ratio is an important number that protects your child from being in a classroom with an overwhelming number of children for one caregiver to handle. When you tour the daycare center, you can see how many children and caregivers are assigned to each classroom. This can tell you a lot about whether the caregivers are aware of and comply with childcare laws.
• Ask About the Center’s Caregiver Qualifications: While this may surprise you, it’s not so uncommon that caregivers are not qualified, so you should ask to see documentation that shows they are certified. Due to a lack of caregivers in such a large field, some daycare centers are hiring anyone they can find. Caregivers are required by the state to have up-to-date training certifications as well as have passed a background check.
• Learn About the Center’s Parental Communication Policies: Getting to know the daycare center involves knowing how you can stay in contact with those who are caring for your child. Some daycare centers have apps, which provide direct contact with caregivers. Others allow access to surveillance footage. A clear communication policy means that the daycare isn’t hiding anything.
• Ensure the Daycare Center Is Licensed and Insured: Not all daycare centers in Frisco are licensed. Ensure that the facilities you’re touring have been approved by the state as a licensed daycare center. Even better, local centers with the Texas Rising Star accreditation are considered “high quality” centers.
• Call the Daycare Center: “Dropping in” over the phone can be a great way to learn about the daycare center’s communication policy and the professionalism of the staff. If employees are unaware of protocols or minimum standards, it may be a red flag.

 Was Your Child Injured at a Frisco Daycare Center? Contact The Button Law Firm.

If your child was physically or emotionally harmed because a daycare center in Frisco, Texas, did not comply with Texas daycare safety laws, contact our experienced daycare and child injury lawyers at The Button Law Firm. Our lawyers in Frisco are ready to listen, fight for your family, and help your family move forward. Our lawyers at The Button Law Firm are recognized on the prestigious Texas Super Lawyers list, and we can help guide you after a traumatizing incident involving your child. We work on contingency, meaning we don’t charge you or collect any upfront fees to get started on your case. Call us at 214-699-4409, email us at [email protected], or fill out a contact form for a free case evaluation.