Child-to-Caregiver Ratios: What You Need to Know

What Parents Need to Know About Daycare Ratios in Texas

Unfortunately, daycares have a high turnover rate, leading to battles with understaffing. Daycares in Texas operate with a child-caregiver ratio. What that means is a certain number of kids in a certain age group. The daycare then has to provide a certain number of caregivers to supervise them. Unfortunately, even the ratios provided in Texas present a risk to kids when they don't provide enough supervision to keep kids safe. And to take that a step further, consider the daycares that can't even meet those ratios. We all know that daycare-aged children require constant supervision because the less supervision that those kids get, the more likely that they're going to get hurt. Children can get hurt even when the child the staff member ratio is high. They can get hurt by: 

• Playing with one another
• Playing with a broken or defective toy because no one's watching them
• Falling on the playground because there are not enough caregivers to adequately supervise them
• The daycare can lose track of the child, and before you know it, that kid has gotten lost or wandered off the property.

In Texas, licensed daycare centers are generally routinely inspected. The results are publicly available, and parents should look into past citations for understaffing deficiencies. Then, they should follow up with the daycare director with questions. Speak up and get answers on how they plan to operate within the ratios and how they plan to supervise your child to keep them safe.

Next Steps If Your Child Was Injured at a Texas Daycare Because of Staff Ratios

If your child was injured at daycare, and you feel that understaffing, a lack of supervision, or a lack of monitoring was the likely cause, the first step is to take your child and seek immediate medical attention. Your child's health should be the number one priority.

Second, report the injury to the daycare and ensure an incident report is filed. In Texas, daycares are required to report any injuries that occur on their property.

Third, contact an experienced daycare injury attorney. When a daycare is held responsible for its actions, future incidents are prevented from happening to other children.

Consultations and our educational daycare guides are always free at The Button Law Firm. We are dedicated to ensuring that daycares are held accountable so that parents can trust that their children will be safe while they are under the supervision of caregivers.

If your child was physically or emotionally injured by daycare abuse or neglect, we're here to help. Our attorneys 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. Get a free case evaluation by calling us at 214-699-4409, emailing us at [email protected], or filling out a contact form.