How to Verify a Daycare License in Southlake, Texas

What Does It Mean for a Daycare Center in Southlake to be Licensed?

In Texas, a licensed daycare center has been registered with the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. As we stated above, being licensed means the facility has agreed to operate in compliance with the minimum standards, which regulate every aspect of childcare. They cover things that you might not initially think about when child safety comes to mind, including:

Agreeing to unannounced visits from the state for inspections to check for hazards and unsafe practices.

Child-to-Caregiver ratios that ensure there are enough adults to maintain close visual and auditory proximity to all the children in a classroom.

Hiring qualified caregivers who have completed a background check and understand childcare practices, such as appropriate discipline tactics outlined in the minimum standards.

Proper caregiver training, ensuring staff are trained and hold current certifications in CPR, first aid, safe sleep practices, and emergency response.

Transparent communication with parents, including providing you with a copy of an incident report in the event of a dangerous incident or injury involving your child at the center.

When a daycare center in Southlake isn’t licensed, it is not subject to this oversight. This means no one is checking to see if they are cutting corners until something goes wrong.

It is important for us to note that in-home daycare centers in the community can be licensed. Read this article to learn more about their licensing status, and this article to learn about the difference in safety regulations between in-home centers and other daycare centers.

How Can I Confirm My Child’s Daycare Center in Southlake Is Licensed?

The good news is that the state of Texas understands the importance of child safety in childcare settings and makes it easy for parents to check if a daycare center is licensed. You can do it all online in just a few minutes.

Here is a step-by-step process:

Go to the Texas Child Care website
Enter the daycare center’s details, such as its name or address, if you are looking at a specific center. Otherwise, if you are exploring daycare centers in the community, you can simply search by centers in Southlake or ZIP code 76092.

Once you find the daycare center you are looking for, it is important to review the center’s profile. It will confirm the center’s licensing status and display its safety record. You can easily see the center’s inspection reports and any safety violations the center has been cited for.

While you are reviewing the safety violations, look for repeated safety issues, such as caregivers leaving children unsupervised, centers having unsafe playground equipment, or placing caregivers with children before a background check is completed.

What If a Southlake Daycare Center Isn’t in the State’s Database?

If you search for a daycare center in Southlake on the Texas Child Care website and the center doesn’t come up, that’s a red flag. It could mean the center is operating illegally.

If the daycare’s director gives you an excuse about why they aren’t in the system, or they refuse to show you their license, which is required to be posted publicly in the lobby, trust your gut. Enrolling your child at that facility is not worth the risk.

Why Is It Important to Enroll Your Child in a Licensed Southlake Daycare Center?

We recognize that finding a safe daycare center in Southlake can feel overwhelming or be competitive with waitlists. However, enrolling your child in an unlicensed daycare center puts your child at risk.

In addition to meeting minimum standards aimed at preventing common injuries in the first place, licensed daycare centers are required to carry liability insurance. If a licensed daycare center breaches its duty to keep your child safe, having coverage can help the center pay for your child’s emergency care as well as any long-term medical treatments and mental health resources, like play therapy, needed to help your child heal.

In addition, it is easier to prove negligence and hold a licensed daycare center accountable if your child is hurt.

More Daycare Safety Resources for Southlake Parents

Our team has created several free resources to help local parents find a safe daycare center for their little ones:

Help Your Family with The Button Law Firm

If you have more questions about finding a safe and licensed daycare center in Southlake, Texas, or your child was hurt at a local center, contact our experienced and compassionate daycare injury lawyers at The Button Law Firm. We 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 intake@buttonlawfirm.com, or fill out a contact form for a free case evaluation.

Schedule a Free Case Evaluation with a Texas Daycare Abuse Attorney Today

If you or someone you know has a child who was harmed by their daycare teacher, contact our firm. We know how difficult getting through this can be. Our experienced team wants to help guide you – as we have helped guide many parents and families within Midland, Houston, Dallas, and the surrounding areas.

You can give us a call at (214) 699-4409 or email us at intake@buttonlawfirm.com. You can also reach out to us by filling out the form below or by starting a chat with a member of our team.

Is My Southlake Daycare Licensed? How to Check and What It Means to Be Licensed.