What Parents Need to Know About Nighttime Childcare in Texas

Overnight Care for Children in Texas

If you’re a parent who works during the night, night-time childcare is essential for your family. Nighttime childcare is required to follow all of the state’s minimum standards – but they have some extra things that only apply to them. According to the minimum standards, night-time care is defined as care for children starting or continuing their night sleep or children who spend the night at the daycare between 9 PM and 6 AM. Daycares that are eligible to have nighttime care must follow these rules when watching kids:

• Kids cannot be at daycare for more than 16 hours within a 24-hour period
   
• Caregivers MUST stay awake while supervising children
   
• Each child 18 months and older needs to be provided with an appropriate waterproof or washable cot, bed, or mattress.
   
• Children under 18 months must be given a crib for nighttime sleeping
   
• And children six and up must have appropriate sleeping and dressing areas.

Additionally, kids in a nighttime daycare must be fed. Depending on the time they get there, kids need to have:

• an evening meal and breakfast,
   
• a bedtime snack and breakfast,
   
• or an evening meal, a bedtime snack, and breakfast.

When the kids are not sleeping or eating in a nighttime childcare facility, they can be given quiet activities – including things from a personal care routine, like brushing their teeth and washing their hands and face.

And finally, kids at nighttime daycare are allowed screentime, but devices cannot be used within one hour of bedtime. All these rules are in place to help keep kids safe and ensure they thrive while at a childcare facility.

Learn More About Daycare From Our Texas Daycare Injury Attorneys

Our legal team is experienced in handling daycare injury claims and lawsuits, and we make videos like this to ensure parents are well-equipped with daycare safety tips. If you’re not quite ready to speak with our team, we offer a free guide for parents called 10 Tips for Finding a Safe Daycare. It’s linked here. If you have more questions about childcare rules and regulations, be sure to reach out to us. We’re here to help you keep moving forward.