DFPS MINIMUM STANDARDS UPDATED ACTUAL
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
Question:
1. Who has the right to access children's records?
Answer:
(a) All children's records must be immediately accessible to caregivers during your hours of operation for
use in an emergency.
(b) Parents have the right to access their own child's record during a parent conference with the caregiver
or director.
(c) All children's records are subject to review and/or reproduction by Licensing upon request during your
hours of operation.
Question:
2. What records must I have for children in my care and how long must I keep them?
Answer:
(4) Tuberculosis screening and testing information, if required by your regional Texas Department of State
Health Services or local health authority;
(5) Licensing Incident/Illness Report form, if applicable;
(6) A daily tracking system for when a child's care begins and ends as specified in §744.627 of this title
(relating to Must I have a system for signing children in and out of my care?);
(7) Medication administration records, if applicable; and
(8) A copy of any health-care professional recommendations or orders for providing specialized medical
assistance to the child. In some instances, minimum standards allow for a deviation from a minimum
standard with written documentation from a health-care professional. You must also maintain this written
documentation in the child's record.
Question:
3. Must I have a system for signing children in and out of my care?
Answer:
(a) Yes. You must have a tracking system for each child coming and going from your operation throughout
the day. This tracking system must include the name of each child; the date, time of arrival, and time of
departure; and the employee or parent's initials or other unique identifiers.
(b) All caregivers must have access to the tracking system to determine which children are in care during
their work shift, changes in caregivers, and emergency evacuations.
Question:
4. Must I keep a written record of accidents and incidents that occur at my operation?
Answer:
Yes. You must use a Licensing Incident/Illness Report form, or other form containing at least the same
information, to record information regarding:
(1) Injuries or illness that required medical attention by a health-care professional while the child is in care;
and
(2) Any other situation that placed a child at risk, such as forgetting a child in an operation's vehicle or not
preventing a child from wandering away from the operation unsupervised.
, Question:
5. Must someone from my operation sign the Incident/Illness Report form?
Answer:
Yes. After the caregiver completes the form, the director of the operation or, if the director is not available,
the person designated to be in charge of the operation must sign and date the completed report.
Question:
6. Must I share a copy of the Incident/Illness Report form with the child's parent?
Answer:
Yes. You must share a copy of the report with the child's parent and obtain the parent's signature on the
report indicating the parent has reviewed it or received a copy of the report within 48 hours of when the
incident occurred. Helpful Information
Question:
7. Where must I file the Incident/Illness Report form and how long must I keep it?
Answer:
You must keep the Incident/Illness Report form with the child's record at the operation while the child is in
care, and for at least three months after the child's last day in care.
Question:
8. Must someone else be designated to be in charge of my operation in the director's absence?
Answer:
(a) Yes. You or your director must designate a qualified caregiver to be in charge of the operation anytime
the director is away from the operation during your hours of operation. If your operation has a program
director and a site director, the written plan designating their responsibilities must address whether either
or both directors may designate a qualified caregiver to be in charge of your operation in the site director's
absence.
(b) Designated individuals must: (1) Know they are in charge and for how long; (2) Know their
responsibilities while in charge; (3) Have access to all essential information to communicate with parents
and state and local authorities as needed; and (4) Have the authority to direct the operation in compliance
with minimum standards.
(c) You or your director must ensure that all other employees know who is in charge in the director's
absence.
Question:
9. What general responsibilities do my employees have?
Answer:
All employees, including persons not counted in the child/caregiver ratio, must: (1) Demonstrate
competency, good judgment, and self-control in the presence of children and when performing assigned
responsibilities; (2) Relate to children with courtesy, respect, acceptance, and patience; (3) Recognize and
respect the uniqueness and potential of all children, their families, and their cultures; (4) Ensure that no
child is abused, neglected, or exploited while in the care of the operation; and (5) Report suspected abuse,
neglect, and exploitation to DFPS or to law enforcement, as specified in the Texas Family Code §261.101.
Question:
10. What additional responsibilities do my caregivers have?
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
Question:
1. Who has the right to access children's records?
Answer:
(a) All children's records must be immediately accessible to caregivers during your hours of operation for
use in an emergency.
(b) Parents have the right to access their own child's record during a parent conference with the caregiver
or director.
(c) All children's records are subject to review and/or reproduction by Licensing upon request during your
hours of operation.
Question:
2. What records must I have for children in my care and how long must I keep them?
Answer:
(4) Tuberculosis screening and testing information, if required by your regional Texas Department of State
Health Services or local health authority;
(5) Licensing Incident/Illness Report form, if applicable;
(6) A daily tracking system for when a child's care begins and ends as specified in §744.627 of this title
(relating to Must I have a system for signing children in and out of my care?);
(7) Medication administration records, if applicable; and
(8) A copy of any health-care professional recommendations or orders for providing specialized medical
assistance to the child. In some instances, minimum standards allow for a deviation from a minimum
standard with written documentation from a health-care professional. You must also maintain this written
documentation in the child's record.
Question:
3. Must I have a system for signing children in and out of my care?
Answer:
(a) Yes. You must have a tracking system for each child coming and going from your operation throughout
the day. This tracking system must include the name of each child; the date, time of arrival, and time of
departure; and the employee or parent's initials or other unique identifiers.
(b) All caregivers must have access to the tracking system to determine which children are in care during
their work shift, changes in caregivers, and emergency evacuations.
Question:
4. Must I keep a written record of accidents and incidents that occur at my operation?
Answer:
Yes. You must use a Licensing Incident/Illness Report form, or other form containing at least the same
information, to record information regarding:
(1) Injuries or illness that required medical attention by a health-care professional while the child is in care;
and
(2) Any other situation that placed a child at risk, such as forgetting a child in an operation's vehicle or not
preventing a child from wandering away from the operation unsupervised.
, Question:
5. Must someone from my operation sign the Incident/Illness Report form?
Answer:
Yes. After the caregiver completes the form, the director of the operation or, if the director is not available,
the person designated to be in charge of the operation must sign and date the completed report.
Question:
6. Must I share a copy of the Incident/Illness Report form with the child's parent?
Answer:
Yes. You must share a copy of the report with the child's parent and obtain the parent's signature on the
report indicating the parent has reviewed it or received a copy of the report within 48 hours of when the
incident occurred. Helpful Information
Question:
7. Where must I file the Incident/Illness Report form and how long must I keep it?
Answer:
You must keep the Incident/Illness Report form with the child's record at the operation while the child is in
care, and for at least three months after the child's last day in care.
Question:
8. Must someone else be designated to be in charge of my operation in the director's absence?
Answer:
(a) Yes. You or your director must designate a qualified caregiver to be in charge of the operation anytime
the director is away from the operation during your hours of operation. If your operation has a program
director and a site director, the written plan designating their responsibilities must address whether either
or both directors may designate a qualified caregiver to be in charge of your operation in the site director's
absence.
(b) Designated individuals must: (1) Know they are in charge and for how long; (2) Know their
responsibilities while in charge; (3) Have access to all essential information to communicate with parents
and state and local authorities as needed; and (4) Have the authority to direct the operation in compliance
with minimum standards.
(c) You or your director must ensure that all other employees know who is in charge in the director's
absence.
Question:
9. What general responsibilities do my employees have?
Answer:
All employees, including persons not counted in the child/caregiver ratio, must: (1) Demonstrate
competency, good judgment, and self-control in the presence of children and when performing assigned
responsibilities; (2) Relate to children with courtesy, respect, acceptance, and patience; (3) Recognize and
respect the uniqueness and potential of all children, their families, and their cultures; (4) Ensure that no
child is abused, neglected, or exploited while in the care of the operation; and (5) Report suspected abuse,
neglect, and exploitation to DFPS or to law enforcement, as specified in the Texas Family Code §261.101.
Question:
10. What additional responsibilities do my caregivers have?
