Questions Southlake Parents Should Ask Before Choosing a Daycare

1. Are You Licensed, and Can I Review Your Inspection History?

Before enrolling your child, ask whether the daycare is licensed through Texas Health and Human Services Child Care Regulation. Licensed daycares in Texas must follow the Texas Minimum Standards for Child Care, which include rules for supervision, training, safety, discipline, reporting, and child-to-caregiver ratios.

You should also ask about the daycare’s inspection history. Parents can review public records through the Texas Health and Human Services childcare search tool to look for licensing deficiencies, complaints, investigations, or past safety violations.

Ask:

• Are you licensed through Texas Health and Human Services?
• Have you had any recent licensing deficiencies, complaints, or investigations?
• Have any violations involved supervision, discipline, staff training, or failure to report an incident?

The goal is not to assume every deficiency means the daycare is unsafe. The goal is to look for patterns. Repeated problems involving supervision, unsafe conditions, staffing, or communication may point to larger issues.

2. How Do You Supervise Children During the Busiest Parts of the Day?

Many daycare injuries happen during transitions, outdoor play, meals, bathroom breaks, pickup, drop-off, or nap time. These are moments when staff may be distracted, children may be moving between areas, or classrooms may become harder to manage.

That is why parents should ask more than, “Are the kids supervised?” You want to understand how supervision works when the day gets busy.

Ask:

• How do teachers count and track children during transitions?
• What happens if a teacher needs to leave the room?
• How do staff supervise outdoor play and playground equipment?
• Are classrooms arranged so teachers can see all children at once?

A strong answer should include specific procedures, not vague reassurance. For example, the daycare should be able to explain how staff count children, how they communicate during transitions, and how management steps in if a classroom needs help.

3. What Are Your Staff-to-Child Ratios for My Child’s Age Group?

Child-to-caregiver ratios matter because even a well-meaning caregiver can become overwhelmed if they are responsible for too many children at once.

Ask what ratio applies to your child’s age group and whether the daycare ever operates above the minimum requirement. Also, ask how the daycare handles staffing when someone calls out sick, leaves early, or when classrooms combine at the beginning or end of the day.

Ask:

• How many children is each caregiver responsible for in my child’s classroom?
• Do ratios change during early drop-off, late pickup, nap time, or outdoor play?
• What is your plan when a teacher is absent?
• Do classrooms ever combine, and if so, how are ratios maintained?

The answer should help you understand whether the daycare is planning for real-life staffing issues or simply hoping everything works out.

4. How Are Teachers Trained and Supported?

A daycare may have written rules, but those rules only matter if the staff is trained and supported enough to follow them.

Ask what training teachers complete before working with children and what ongoing training they receive. This should include supervision, child development, safe sleep, discipline, emergency response, allergies, medication, and recognizing signs that a child may need medical help.

You can also ask how management supports teachers when classrooms become stressful. If a teacher is overwhelmed, there should be a clear process for getting help before children are placed at risk.

5. How Do You Communicate With Parents After an Injury or Concern?

When a child is hurt at daycare, parents deserve clear and timely communication. They should not have to find out later that an incident was downplayed, left out of a report, or never reported at all.

Ask how the daycare documents injuries, when parents are called, and whether written incident reports are provided. If the daycare has cameras, ask whether footage is preserved after a serious injury or concern.

Ask:

• When do you call parents after an injury?
• Do parents receive a written incident report the same day?
• Who reviews incidents involving injuries or supervision concerns?
• If video exists, how long is it saved and when is it preserved?

A daycare that takes accountability seriously should have a clear answer.

6. Can I Take Photos During the Tour?

If the daycare allows it, take photos during your tour. You are not expected to know in the moment whether every crib is stable, every shelf is secured, or every classroom setup is safe.

Photos help you review the environment later, compare daycare options, and ask better follow-up questions. Be respectful of children’s privacy and avoid taking photos of children’s faces, but document the classroom, walkways, cribs, playground, entry areas, and safety features when permitted.

Red Flags Southlake Parents Should Not Ignore

If your child is injured at daycare, it is never your fault. Parents cannot be everywhere, and you are not responsible for a daycare’s failure to protect your child.

That said, there are warning signs parents can look for before enrollment:

• The daycare avoids questions about licensing, violations, staffing, or prior incidents
• Staff appear overwhelmed, distracted, or unable to explain supervision procedures
• The daycare cannot clearly explain how injuries are reported to parents
• Classrooms feel chaotic, unsafe, or difficult for staff to fully supervise

Trust your instincts. If something feels off during a tour, phone call, or enrollment process, slow down and ask more questions before making a decision.

Additional Free Resources to Help Guide You and Your Family

Still have questions about daycare safety before enrolling your child? These additional resources may help:

• What Is a Daycare Licensing Deficiency?
• 10 Tips for Finding a Safe Daycare
• How Can Unannounced Daycare Visits Ensure Your Child’s Safety?

How The Button Law Firm Supports Families After Daycare Injuries

At The Button Law Firm, we represent children and families in serious daycare injury cases involving negligent supervision, unsafe conditions, and failures to protect child safety.

When your child is hurt, your family deserves answers. Our team is here to support families in Southlake and across Texas by helping them understand what happened, what options may be available, and how to move forward.

If your child was injured at a daycare, contact The Button Law Firm by calling 214-699-4409, emailing intake@buttonlawfirm.com, or filling out our contact form to speak with our team.