4100, Inspecting Child-Care Operations

Revision 23-4; Effective Nov. 30, 2023

CCR staff inspect child care operations to assess the risk to children in those operations, in accordance with statutes, administrative rules, and minimum standards.

To determine an operation’s compliance, CCR staff:

1. observe the operation’s performance;
2. review the records and files maintained by the operation;
3. cite the operation’s deficiencies, based on statutes, administrative rules and minimum standards;
4. document observations to capture scope and severity;
5. consider the risks posed by violations of statutes, administrative rules and minimum standards;
6. use critical thinking to assess the operation’s overall compliance history;
7. help the permit holder identify problems that contribute to deficiencies and provide technical assistance to help the permit holder understand how to comply with statutes, administrative rules and minimum standards; and
8. consider all the relevant information together for a broad perspective.

The operation is responsible for developing and implementing plans to correct problems and prevent risk to children.

CCR staff are not responsible for managing the operation.

26 TAC Sections 745.8401; 745.8403

Procedure

CCR staff evaluate the risk associated with deficiencies and help the permit holder understand that he or she must comply with statute, administrative rules and minimum standards.

Documenting Findings

Once compliance is determined, CCR staff document the results of:

• their observations, to capture the scope and severity of issues that potentially pose a risk to children in care; and
• their inspections, within the specified time frame.

All monitoring activities, including results of inspections and technical assistance provided, must be documented in CLASS. Form 2936 Child-Care Facility Inspection is generated from CLASSMate.

See 4160 Documenting the Results of an Inspection.

4110 The Authority to Monitor Child Care in Texas

Revision 23-4; Effective Nov. 30, 2023

CCR staff may visit an operation during its operating hours to investigate, inspect and evaluate.

Human Resources Code Section 42.044(a)

26 TAC Sections 745.8401; 745.8403; 745.8405; 745.8407

CCR staff have the authority to:

1. determine whether an operation is subject to regulation;
2. conduct a walkthrough of the operation;
3. verify the operation’s compliance with statutes, administrative rules and minimum standards; 
4. assess the risk to children in the operation; 
5. assist the operation with identifying problems contributing to deficiencies in statutes, administrative rules and minimum standards;
6. offer technical assistance; 
7. gather information; 
8. make a fair, accurate and impartial decision regarding the operation’s compliance with statutes, administrative rules and minimum standards; and
9. investigate reports related to all operations.

4120 Types of Inspections

December 2015

Licensing staff select the most appropriate inspection type to record an inspection in CLASS. Except for inspections of child-placing agencies, all inspections at all operations must include a walk-through for obvious minimum standard deficiencies (deficiencies that are in plain view).

See:

4121 Application Inspections                       
4122 Attempted Inspections                       
4123 Follow-Up Inspections                       
4124 Initial Inspections                       
4125 Investigation Inspections                       
4126 Monitoring Inspections                       
4127 Monitoring and Investigation Inspections                       
4128 Other Types of Inspections                       
4150 Conducting Inspections

4121 Application Inspections

December 2011

Procedure

Application inspections are conducted during the application phase and generally include an evaluation of all applicable subchapters. See 3313 Inspecting the Operation (Except Listed Homes).

4122 Attempted Inspections

August 2012

Procedure

Attempted inspections include inspections conducted without making contact with the operation. See 4156 When an Inspection Is Attempted.

4123 Follow-Up Inspections

Revision 24-2; Effective May 22, 2024

Procedure

Follow-up inspections include evaluating individual minimum standards, conditions, or restrictions, instead of evaluating an entire subchapter of minimum standards or all conditions or restrictions on the operation’s permit. 

Examples of reasons for follow-up inspections include:

1. Making sure the operation addressed recent deficiencies or a pattern of repeated deficiencies that may be followed up on without an inspection. Reference 4300 Conducting a Follow-Up with an Operation.
2. Meeting with the designated director at a licensed day care center. Reference 4131.3 Child Day Care Annual Meeting with the Designated Director at a Licensed Child Care Center.
3. Amending a permit or certificate. Reference 3810 Circumstances That May Require Amending the Permit.
4. Evaluating an operation’s compliance with the conditions established to address the issues identified during a risk evaluation. Reference 4152 Reviewing Restrictions, Conditions, Waivers, and Variances, and 10000 Background Checks.
5. Following up on suspension, revocation, or denial. References 7631.5 Follow-Up After Delivery of Notice of Intent to Take Adverse Action When Operation Required to Close Immediately and 7636 Follow-Up to Final Notice of Suspension, Revocation, or Denial. 
6. Monitoring during the appeal process. Reference 5720 Regulating Pending the Due Process Hearing for Denial, Refusal to Renew, Revocation, or Suspension.
7. Following up on a waiver-variance condition. References 4152 Reviewing Restrictions, Conditions, Waivers, and Variances and 5120 Decision Guidelines for Recommending to Grant or Deny a Waiver or Variance. 
8. Monitoring the temporary relocation of an operation. Reference 5520 Temporary Relocation.

Reference

Conducting a Follow-Up With an Operation, 4300

4124 Initial Inspections

December 2015

Procedure

Initial inspections are inspections that are conducted during the initial period for a licensing permit.

See 3511 Conducting Inspections During the Initial License Period.

4125 Investigation Inspections

September 28, 2018

Procedure

Investigation inspections include the investigation of reports alleging:

• violations of Licensing statutes;
• violations of administrative rules;
• violations of minimum standards; or
• a combination of these.

If an investigation interview is conducted at an operation other than the one named in the report, the inspection is classified as Other in CLASS. See 6000 Investigations.

4126 Monitoring Inspections

December 2015

Procedure

Monitoring inspections must include evaluation of at least one entire subchapter of the applicable minimum standards and may include evaluation of additional individual laws, administrative rules, or minimum standards, or any conditions or restrictions. See 4140 Preparing for Inspections.

4127 Monitoring and Investigation Inspections

December 2015

Monitoring and investigation inspections include the investigation of a report during a monitoring inspection.

See 4125 Investigation Inspections and 4126 Monitoring Inspections.

4128 Other Types of Inspections

Revision 24-2; Effective May 22, 2024

Other types of inspections are conducted for such purposes as:

1. consulting with an operation’s administrator or director;
2. hand-delivering a corrective or adverse action notice;
3. conducting an investigation interview; or
4. conducting a heightened monitoring (HM) inspection, including an HM follow-up inspection.
    

4130 Minimum Requirements for Monitoring Inspections

Revision 24-1; Effective Feb. 20, 2024

The operation’s permit type determines:

• the minimum frequency that monitoring inspections are conducted; and
• the time frame by which compliance with all minimum standards must be evaluated.

An operation’s deficiencies and the associated weight of the deficiencies may indicate a need for more frequent inspections. Find the recommended monitoring frequency on the Enforcement Recommendations page in CLASS.

References:

4131 Minimum Requirements for Licensed Operations                       
4132 Minimum Inspection Requirements for Registered Child Care Homes                       
4133 Operations That Are Not Regularly Inspected                       
4150 Conducting Inspections                       
4500 Evaluating Risk to Children and Handling Immediate Danger                
7441 Inspecting an Operation During Probation

4131 Minimum Requirements for Licensed Operations

August 2020

First 12 Months After Issuance of a Full License

During the first 12 months following the issuance of a full license, the inspector:

• conducts at least one unannounced monitoring inspection every six months; and
• evaluates for compliance with all minimum standards within 12 months.

The inspector has until the last day of the last month during each six-month period to complete the inspection that is due during the relevant six-month period. For example, a full license is issued in January 2019, so:

• the first six-month inspection is due by June 30, 2019;
• the second six-month inspection is due by January 31, 2020; and
• the inspector would cumulatively have to evaluate the operation for compliance with all minimum standards during the entire 12-month period.

Subsequent Years After Issuance of a Full License

After the first 12 months following the issuance of a full license, the inspector:

• conducts an unannounced monitoring inspection at least annually (not more than 366 days), based upon an assessment of risk to children; and
• evaluates for compliance with the following minimum standards, depending on the operation type:

Texas Human Resources Code Section 42.044(b)

45 Code of Federal Regulations §98.41

Required Inspections During Night or Weekend Hours for Residential Operations (Other Than a Child-Placing Agency)

At least once every two years, CCR staff must inspect a residential operation (other than a child-placing agency) after 7 p.m. on a weekday or anytime on the weekend. Staff are not required to read records when conducting an inspection at a residential operation during night hours.

Required Inspections for Day Care Operations When Nighttime Care is Provided

At least once every two years, staff must inspect a day care operation that provides nighttime care during the hours that the operation provides nighttime care. Staff must conduct at least some portion of the inspection between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. during hours of operation.

Procedure

If an inspection cannot be made during night or weekend care, staff:

1. obtain supervisory approval to conduct the inspection during regular visiting hours;
2. document the justification for conducting the inspection during regular visiting hours in CLASS as a Chronology with a category of Monitoring; and
3. document a plan for how nighttime and weekend care will be evaluated for compliance with minimum standards.

Two-Year Period Measurement

Procedure

The inspector measures a two-year period by beginning with the first day of the month in which CCR issued the full license and counting in two-year increments. For example, if the license was issued on September 10, the two-year period would begin on September 1 and end on August 31 two years later.

Selecting Subchapters on CLASS Form 2936 Child-Care Facility Inspection

Procedure

Within the first 12 months of issuance and within each subsequent two-year period, the inspector selects all checkboxes that are available for selection in CLASS that pertain to minimum standard subchapters. If the inspector cannot complete an evaluation of the operation’s compliance with all subchapters during the final inspection of the period, the inspector documents in the Narrative box of CLASS Form 2936 any specific subchapter that the inspector did not evaluate compliance with and explains why the evaluation of the operation’s compliance with that subchapter was not necessary or possible during the inspection.

Example: When the Evaluation of an Operation’s Compliance is Not Necessary

A school-age program does not transport children, but the checkbox for Subchapter Q (Transportation) is available for selection on CLASS Form 2936. The final monitoring inspection of the current two-year period is being conducted and the inspector selects all remaining subchapters (including Subchapter Q) that had not previously been selected in the two-year period. Because Subchapter Q does not apply to the operation, the inspector also documents the following in the Narrative box: “Although Subchapter Q was selected for this inspection, the operation does not provide transportation services; therefore, compliance could not be evaluated with that subchapter.”  

Example: When the Evaluation of an Operation’s Compliance is Not Possible

A child-placing agency is licensed to provide foster care and adoptive services; however, no adoptive placements occurred in the current two-year period. The final monitoring inspection of the current two-year period is being conducted and the inspector selects Subchapters Q (Adoptive Services: Children), R (Adoptive Services: Birth Parents), and S (Adoption Services: Adoptive Parents) on CLASS Form 2936, but also documents the following in the Narrative box: “Although Subchapters Q, R, and S were selected for this inspection, the operation has not provided any adoption services during this two-year period; therefore, compliance could not be evaluated with those subchapters.”

4131.1 Residential Child Care Monitoring Inspections for CPA Branch Offices

September 28, 2018

When a child-placing agency (CPA) with a full license opens a branch office, the inspector conducts a monitoring inspection at the branch office.

Branch Office Opens During the First 12 Months After the CPA is Issued a Full License

Procedure

When a CPA opens a branch office during the first 12 months following the issuance of the CPA’s full license, the inspector:

• conducts a monitoring inspection at the branch office evaluating compliance with all minimum standards within six months after the branch office opens; and
• schedules and conducts additional inspections at the branch office according to the monitoring frequency of the CPA’s main office, until the CPA has had a full license for one year.

After the CPA has had a full license for more than 12 months, the inspector:

• conducts additional monitoring inspections at the branch office at least annually, based upon an assessment of the risk to children (see 4130 Minimum Requirements for Monitoring Inspections); and
• evaluates each CPA branch office for compliance with all minimum standards during each two-year period.

Branch Office Opens More than 12 Months After the CPA is Issued a Full License

Procedure

When a CPA opens a branch office after the first 12 months following the issuance of the CPA’s full license, the inspector conducts a monitoring inspection at the branch office and evaluates for compliance with all minimum standards within six months after the branch office opens.

Thereafter, the inspector:

• schedules inspections in CLASS.
• conducts additional monitoring inspections at least annually, based upon an assessment of the risk to children (see 4130 Minimum Requirements for Monitoring Inspections); and
• evaluates each CPA branch office for compliance with all minimum standards during each two year period.

4131.2 Residential Child Care Team Inspections

December 2011

Licensing staff conduct an unannounced team inspection at each residential child care facility, including each child-placing agency (CPA) branch office, at least once annually. A team inspection is an inspection that is conducted by at least two residential child care inspectors.

Texas Human Resources Code §42.044(b-1)

Procedure

Licensing staff conduct team inspections at each residential child care facility, including CPA branch offices, at least once per year. Each team inspection must:

• be unannounced; and
• be conducted by at least two residential child care inspectors who work at different residential child care inspection units.

If the inspectors do not work at different inspection units, Licensing staff:

• document the reason in the CLASS Chronology / Monitoring Category; and
• obtain approval from a Licensing supervisor before conducting the team inspection.

4131.3 Child Day Care Annual Meeting with the Designated Director at a Licensed Child Care Center

August 2021

The inspector meets with the designated director at least once annually during an unannounced inspection at a licensed child care center, to determine whether the designated director:

• complies with 26 TAC  Section 746.1001 and Section 746.1003; and
• meets minimum standard qualifications in 26 TAC Section 746.1015 and Section 746.1017.

If the inspector is unable to evaluate director qualifications because the director is not present during at least one of the unannounced inspections within a 12-month period, the inspector conducts a follow-up inspection. If the director is not present during the follow-up inspection, the inspector schedules a follow-up meeting at the operation to meet with the director to review the director’s qualifications.

If the director is not present during at least one of the unannounced inspections within a 12-month period, the inspector schedules a meeting with the director to review the director’s qualifications. This meeting must be held at the operation.

Texas Human Resources Code Section 42.044(b-2)

Procedure

Annual Review of the Designated Director’s Qualifications

The inspector meets with the designated director of a licensed child care center during at least one monitoring inspection within each 12-month period. During this meeting, the inspector evaluates the director’s qualifications by reviewing:

1. The original Child Care Center Director’s Certificate or approved waiver or variance for director qualifications; and
2. Most recent background check to ensure it is current.

The inspector documents the review of the director’s qualifications by selecting the Dir Qual Eval box on the Inspection Detail page in CLASS.

The inspector cites the appropriate minimum standard and unchecks the Valid Director Certificate checkbox on the Governing Body Designation page in CLASS, if:

• the director does not meet the qualifications or have a current waiver or variance for director qualifications; or
• the director’s certificate has expired.

If the designated director has an approved waiver or variance for director qualifications, the inspector documents whether the director has made progress toward compliance in the Narrative text box on the Inspection Detail page in CLASS. The inspector also evaluates whether the director qualifies for a non-expiring director’s certificate if the director has an expiring one.

If there are any changes in how the director qualifies since the last inspection, the inspector documents how the director meets the qualifications by selecting the appropriate option in the How DC Director Qualified field on the Governing Body Designation page in CLASS and issues a new director certificate that indicates how the director now meets the qualifications.

When the Director is Not Present for an Annual Review of Qualifications

If the designated director is not present during an unannounced monitoring inspection that requires the inspector to complete the annual review of the director’s qualifications, the inspector meets with the director during a follow-up inspection at the operation as follows:

If the director is not present during an unannounced follow-up inspection, the inspector schedules a meeting with the director at the operation.

If the director does not respond to a request to meet, the inspector cites the operation for a violation of minimum standard, 26 TAC Section 746.1011, and follows up as appropriate.

When the Annual Review of Qualifications is Late

If the director’s qualifications cannot be reviewed within the required 12-month period, the inspector:

• obtains the supervisor’s approval to conduct the inspection at a later date; and
• documents the supervisor’s approval in CLASS, in the Chronology/Monitoring Category.

Tracking How Frequently a Director is Present During Inspections

The inspector evaluates how frequently or infrequently the director is not present by reviewing how often the Director Present check box in CLASS has been checked in the past year. If the director is frequently not present, the inspector determines a plan of action, which may include contacting the permit holder to acquire the director’s work schedule.

4131.4 Collection of Ratio Data for Licensed Child Care Centers

April 2021

Child Care Regulation (CCR) staff will gather certain ratio data for each classroom during a monitoring or monitoring/investigation inspection at a licensed child care center when there are children four years of age or younger present during the inspection.

Texas Human Resource Code Section 42.0412(c)

Procedure

During the walk-through of a monitoring or monitoring/investigation inspection of a licensed child care center, CCR staff will document the following in the Classroom Information section on the Inspection Details page of CLASS Form 2936 for each classroom with children four years of age and younger present:

• the total number of children;
• the specified age of children in each group;
• the number of caregivers supervising the group of children;
• classroom type;
• a name exclusive to each classroom;
• activities observed in the classroom during the inspection; and
• if child/caregiver ratio is not met (this information does not replace a citation for ratio).

Staff selects the Add Classroom button to add classroom details in the Classroom Information section for each classroom that has children age four years old or younger present during the inspection.

If no children age four years old or younger are present at the operation during the inspection, staff will select The operation has zero classrooms where children age four years old or younger are present check box.

This information can be modified in CLASS until the inspection is frozen.

See 4161.2 Documenting Inspection Results on CLASS Form 2936

4131.5 Health and Safety Audits for Licensed Child Day Care Operations

April 2021

Child Care Regulation (CCR) must annually conduct at least one health and safety audit during an unannounced monitoring inspection for licensed child care centers, before- or after-school programs, school-age programs, and licensed child care homes.

45 Code of Federal Regulations Section 98.42

Procedure

A health and safety audit is a review of core measures related to health and safety, conducted during a monitoring inspection. The inspector completes a health and safety audit by completing the appropriate Health and Safety Audit Checklist or conducting a standard-by-standard monitoring inspection.

Selecting Subchapters on the Inspection Form

The CCR inspector selects a minimum standard subchapter on CLASS Form 2936 Child-Care Facility Inspection when:

• the inspector plans to evaluate the entire subchapter, not just a core measure within the subchapter; or
• the operation is deficient with two or more core measures within a content area that requires a review of an entire subchapter.

See:

4161.1 Creating a Draft CLASS Form 2936

4132 Minimum Inspection Requirements for Registered Child Care Homes

Revision 23-4; Effective Nov. 30, 2023

First 12 Months After Issuance of a Registration

During the first 12 months following the issuance of the registration, the inspector conducts an unannounced monitoring inspection to evaluate compliance with all minimum standards.

Additional monitoring inspections are based on an assessment of risk to children.

45 Code of Federal Regulations Section 98.42

Subsequent Years After Issuance of a Registration

The inspector conducts unannounced inspections for compliance with all minimum standards at least every two years, unless the home has an agreement to receive a subsidy from the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC).

The inspector measures a two-year period by beginning with the first day of the month in which CCR issued the registration and counting in two-year increments. For example, if a registration was issued on Sept. 10, the two-year period would begin on Sept. 1 and end on Aug. 31 two years later.

26 TAC Section 745.8405(a)(3)

Selecting Subchapters on CLASS Form 2936 Child-Care Facility Inspection

Procedure

Within the first 12 months of issuance and within each subsequent two-year period, the inspector selects either:

• the Standard x Standard Inspection checkbox if only one monitoring inspection is planned; or
• all checkboxes available for selection in CLASS that pertain to minimum standard subchapters.

If the inspector cannot complete an evaluation of the operation’s compliance with all subchapters during the final inspection of the period, the inspector documents in the Narrative box of CLASS Form 2936 any specific subchapter that the inspector did not evaluate compliance with and explains why the evaluation of the operation’s compliance with that subchapter was not possible or necessary during the inspection.

Example: When the Evaluation of an Operation’s Compliance is Not Necessary

A home does not transport children, but the checkbox for Subchapter X (Transportation) is available for selection on CLASS Form 2936. The final monitoring inspection of the current two-year period is being conducted and the inspector selects all remaining subchapters (including Subchapter X) that had not previously been selected in the two-year period. Because Subchapter X does not apply to the operation, the inspector also documents the following in the Narrative box: “Although Subchapter X was selected for this inspection, the operation does not provide transportation services; therefore, compliance could not be evaluated with that subchapter.”

Example: When the Evaluation of an Operation’s Compliance is Not Possible

A home is approved to provide field trips as one of its services; however, the primary caregiver has indicated no field trips have occurred in the current two-year period. The final monitoring inspection of the current two-year period is being conducted and the inspector selects Subchapter N (Field Trips) on CLASS Form 2936, but also documents the following in the Narrative box: “Although Subchapter N was selected for this inspection, the operation has not had any field trips during this two-year period; therefore, compliance could not be evaluated with that subchapter.”

Registered Child Care Homes with a TWC Subsidy Agreement

For a registered child care home that has entered into a subsidy agreement with TWC, the inspector conducts an unannounced Standard x Standard monitoring inspection annually.

The inspector conducts the inspection within 12 months from the date the operation’s subsidy status changed in CLASS, or two years from the date of the last monitoring inspection, whichever comes sooner.

Additional Requirements for All Inspections on Registered Child Care Homes

Procedure

If CCR staff find any of the following conditions when inspecting a registered child care home that participates in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) of the Texas Department of Agriculture, staff send a letter to the contract manager for the CACFP, using Form 2874 Report of Provider Contact available on the CCR SharePoint site:

1. The operator is not caring for children.
2. No children are in care when meals are served.
3. The operator has a full-time job outside of the home.
4. Meals are served, but child care is not provided.
5. Only the operator’s own children are in care.
6. The home has exceeded its capacity (serves more children than it is approved to serve).
7. The children in care are older or younger than the home is approved to serve.

4133 Operations that are Not Regularly Inspected

Revision 23-4; Effective Nov. 30, 2023

Listed Family Homes

CCR staff inspect listed family homes only as part of an investigation.

See:

6231.1 Intake Reports to Be Investigated by CCR                       
6231.11 Reports Received for Listed Family Homes Caring for Related Children Only

Human Resources Code Section 42.044(b)

26 TAC Sections 745.8405(a)(1) and (2)

Small Employer-Based Child Care and Temporary Shelter Programs

CCR staff do not conduct regular monitoring inspections on small employer-based child care or temporary shelter programs. However, CCR staff may need to conduct any of the other types of inspections listed below:

1. Application Inspections
2. Follow-up Inspections
3. Investigation Inspections
4. Other

See:

4121 Application Inspections                       
4123 Follow-Up Inspections                       
4125 Investigation Inspections                       
4128 Other Types of Inspections

Human Resources Code Sections 42.153, 42.162, 42.203, 42.209

26 TAC Sections 745.8405(a)(7) and (8)

4140 Preparing for Inspections

4141 Preparing for Application, Initial, and Monitoring Inspections

Revision 24-2; Effective May 22, 2024

CCR staff prepare for each application, initial, or monitoring inspection by reviewing the:

• operation’s record;
• last enforcement action recommended for the operation;
• frequency of inspections of the operation;
• operation’s compliance history documented in CLASS;
• operation’s fee payment history;
• operation’s background check records documented in CLASS;
• operation’s controlling person list documented in CLASS;
• recommendations from enforcement team conferences for residential operations inspections; and
• results of random-sampling inspections of CPAs if preparing to inspect a CPA.

CCR staff also complete an extended compliance history review for residential child care operation inspections per 4143 Conducting an Extended Compliance History Review (RCCR Only).

CCR staff use information obtained during the review to decide which minimum standards to evaluate during the planned inspection.

If deficiencies with standards that pose a risk to the health and safety of children were cited during a previous inspection or investigation, CCR staff must reevaluate the same and related standards at the inspection.

Procedure

Reviewing Background Materials

To prepare for an inspection, CCR staff review the following:

1. the most recent information in CLASS on enforcement recommendations for the operation, including:
   • the recommendation;
   • any other enforcement actions taken in the past year by other HHSC staff; and
   • the operation’s recommended monitoring frequency;
2. the capacity of the operation, the ages of the children served, the days, months, and hours of operation, and the services provided;
3. the operation’s address, including the Location Address Validation Status and Mailing Address Validation Status, to determine if either status is set to Not Validated;
4. the directions to the operation;
5. the name of the designated director, operator, or licensed administrator;
6. the qualifications of the designated director or operator;
7. the last renewal date of the license of a designated director or licensed administrator, if applicable;
8. a history of the operation, including:
   • prior investigations, including investigation and inspection findings and technical assistance provided;
   • prior inspections, including findings and technical assistance provided;
   • minimum standard rules that may need to be reevaluated for compliance;
   • conditions and expiration dates of any waivers, variances, and risk evaluations;
   • results of random-sampling inspections of CPA foster homes for inspections of child-placing agencies only as outlined in 4431 Using Random-Sampling Inspections to Regulate a Child-Placing Agency; and
   • prior extended compliance history reviews for residential operations;
9. the operation’s fee payment history to determine if the operation is current on all applicable fees unless the operation is exempt from paying all fees per 5240 Verification of Fee Payments;
10. the operation’s background check records in CLASS to verify the operation has complied with all background check requirements as outlined in 10000 Background Checks;
11. the operation’s controlling person list in CLASS to determine if any person on the list has a status of Review per 5430 Processing and Reviewing the Information on Controlling Persons Submitted by an Operation and the relevant subsections;
12. recommendations from enforcement team conferences for inspections of CPAs and GROs as outlined in 4441 Enforcement Team Conferences for Child-Placing Agencies and General Residential Operations;
13.  optional checklists, forms, reading guides, and applicable technical assistance materials.

Draft Form 2936 Child-Care Facility Inspection

After reviewing the background materials related to an operation but before conducting the inspection, CCR staff:

• complete a draft inspection Form 2936 Child-Care Facility Inspection, located in CLASS; and 
• upload the draft Form 2936 to CLASSMate.

Staff refer to 4142 Preparing for Investigation Inspections for information on preparing for investigation inspections.

Reference

Completing CLASS Form 2936 Child-Care Facility Inspection, 4161

4141.1 Monitoring Inspections During an Investigation

May 2020

If an operation is under investigation, inspectors consult with the CCR supervisor while preparing for the inspection to determine whether an inspection will interfere with the investigation. CCR staff do not conduct an inspection if it would interfere with an ongoing investigation.

4142 Preparing for Investigation Inspections

May 2020

Child Care Regulation (CCR) staff prepare for an investigation inspection by reviewing:

1. intake report;
2. operation’s record;
3. last enforcement action recommended for the operation;
4. frequency of inspections made of the operation;
5. operation’s compliance history, as documented in CLASS; and
6. operation’s background check records, as documented in CLASS.

CCR staff also complete an extended compliance history review for residential child care operations. See 4143 Conducting an Extended Compliance History Review (RCCR Only).

Draft Form 2936 Child-Care Facility Inspection

After reviewing the information listed above, but before conducting the inspection, CCR staff create and save the initial draft of Form 2936 Child-Care Facility Inspection in CLASS. See 4161 Completing CLASS Form 2936 Child-Care Facility Inspection.

For information on preparing for other types of inspections, see 4141 Preparing for Application, Initial, and Monitoring Inspections.

Procedure

Reviewing Background Materials

To prepare for an inspection, CCR staff review all of the following:

1. the most recent information in CLASS on enforcement recommendations for the operation, including the recommendation, and the enforcement actions taken by other CCR staff;
2. the capacity of the operation, the ages of the children served, the hours of operation (including days and months), and the services provided;
3. the operation’s address and the directions to the operation;
4. the name of the designated director, operator, or the name of the licensed administrator;
5. a history of the operation, including all of the following:
   • prior investigations;
   • previous deficiencies;
   • conditions and expiration dates of any waivers or variances and risk evaluations, if included as part of the allegations; and
   • prior extended compliance history reviews (for residential operations);
6. the operation’s background check records in CLASS to verify that the operation has complied with all background check requirements (see 6470 Reviewing Background Check Records During Investigations and 10700 Monitoring Operations for Compliance with Background Check Requirements); and
7. optional checklists, forms, reading guides, and applicable technical assistance materials.

Create a Draft Inspection Form in CLASS

After reviewing the background materials related to an operation but before conducting the inspection, CCR staff:

• complete a draft inspection Form 2936 Child-Care Facility Inspection, in CLASS; and
• download the draft Form 2936 to CLASSMate.

See 4161 Completing CLASS Form 2936 Child-Care Facility Inspection.

4143 Conducting an Extended Compliance History Review (RCCR Only)

Revision 24-1; Effective Feb. 20, 2024

An inspector conducts an extended compliance history review (ECHR) as part of inspecting a residential child care operation. This requirement applies to the following types of inspections: monitoring, investigation, and monitoring and investigation. 

The inspector completes a review and assessment of certain high-risk areas that occurred in the past five years while preparing for the inspection. These include:

1. the number of abuse, neglect or exploitation intakes;
2. the number of confirmed abuse, neglect or exploitation findings; and
3. the number of citations issued for corporal punishment.

When conducting this review and assessment, the inspector reviews data for the current operation and all prior operation numbers listed under the Issuance History section on the Operation Main page in CLASS. 

After reviewing all the information gathered and before conducting the inspection, the inspector completes and documents a written narrative analysis that describes their evaluation of the operation’s compliance history, and any risks identified. 

Before finalizing the inspection, the inspector also documents the steps the inspector took during the inspection to mitigate any risk identified during the assessment, inspection, or both.

Procedure

To complete the review and assessment of certain high-risk areas noted above, the inspector does the following:

The inspector must review the investigation or inspection with the finding(s) if their review of this history shows findings of abuse, neglect or exploitation, or a violation of a minimum standard related to corporal punishment, and consider:

1. the Explanation of the Disposition Based on Preponderance narrative box located on the Investigation Conclusion page, if applicable;
2. the allegation narrative for the citation if applicable;
3. whether the allegations involved a child under 6 years;
4. any follow-up activity that was completed; and
5. any patterns of: 
   • investigations; or 
   • the agency homes involved in the investigations.

During the inspection, the inspector addresses with the person in charge any risks identified during:

• the inspector’s review of the ANE Intake and Finding Details and Corporal Punishment Citation Details pages in CLASS;
• the inspection; or
• both.

4143.1 Assessing the Extended Compliance History

August 2020

Procedure

The inspector conducts an overall assessment of the information to determine if any of the following actions are necessary:

1. a discussion with the operation regarding patterns or trends;
2. a review of additional training records or serious incident reports;
3. a review of additional agency home history; or
4. recommend enforcement action.

4143.2 Documenting an Extended Compliance History Review

Revision 24-1; Effective Feb. 20, 2024

Procedure

The inspector does the following for each inspection requiring an ECHR:

References: 

Completing CLASS Form 2936 Child-Care Facility Inspection, 4161 

Extended Compliance History Review Guide on the CCR SharePoint site.

4143.21 Supervisor Oversight of Extended Compliance History Review Documentation

Revision 24-1; Effective Feb. 20, 2024

Procedure

A supervisor ensures compliance with the ECHR documentation requirements outlined in 4143.2 Documenting an Extended Compliance History Review by:

• verifying the inspector is completing an ECHR in the required time frame, for each inspection that requires an ECHR;
• reviewing, providing feedback, and approving the completed ECHR in CLASS for all inspections of foster homes before the inspector conducts the inspection; and
• if case reading errors are identified on any ECHR, meeting with the inspector within five days of receiving the case reading results to review: 
  • the results of the case reading; and
  • applicable policy and procedures.

4143.22 Documenting Supervisory Approval of an Extended Compliance History Review for an Inspection of a Foster Home

Revision 24-1; Effective Feb. 20, 2024

A supervisor documents approval of an ECHR for an inspection of a foster home within one day of approving the ECHR.

Procedure

To document approval of an ECHR for an inspection of a foster home, the supervisor enters the following information as a Chronology in CLASS using the Investigation category type:

• Inspection Id for the associated inspection, listed on the Inspection Details page;
• date listed in the Inspection Start Date field on the Inspection Details page;
• name of the inspector completing the inspection; and
• date the supervisor approved the ECHR.

4150 Conducting Inspections

Revision 23-4; Effective Nov. 30, 2023

When conducting any type of inspection, CCR staff must:

1. identify themselves as HHSC CCR staff and state the specific purpose of the inspection upon arrival at the site;
2. assess the risk to children;
3. terminate the inspection if the safety of CCR staff is threatened;
4. document the inspection results in CLASS (see 4160 Documenting the Results of an Inspection);
5. conduct an exit interview at the end of the inspection; and
6. offer technical assistance to help the permit holder identify problems that contribute to deficiencies with the statutes, administrative rules and minimum standards and understand how to comply with the requirements.

26 TAC Section 745.8401; 745.8403

Procedure

CCR staff must observe the following requirements when conducting any type of inspection on an operation:

1. Carry a valid HHSC identification card and present it to the person in charge.
2. Explain to the person in charge, upon arrival:
   1. the purpose of the inspection;
   2. the relevant statutes, administrative rules and minimum standards by which compliance will be evaluated;
   3. that compliance with additional statutes, administrative rules and  minimum standards may be evaluated as the situation demands; 
   4. that photographs and video may be taken by CCR during the inspection; and
   5. the operation may not record or listen to any CCR interview with staff, caregivers, or children or internal discussion between CCR staff, but an individual may record their own interview.
3. Obtain written consent before interviewing owner’s biological or adopted children, even when the owner’s or operator’s children are in care at the operation. Other children in care may be interviewed, provided the child’s parent has not previously refused to allow CCR staff to interview his or her children. See 6000 Investigations.
4. Terminate the inspection at any time when CCR staff feel unsafe. Staff must not be placed at risk. Report termination of an inspection to the supervisor. If the danger arises from the caregiver’s resistance to the inspection, follow the procedures in 4159 Handling Resistance or Refusal to Allow Inspection.
5. Follow the procedures in 4520 Handling Immediate Danger to Children, if children are at risk.
6. Follow the procedures in 4156, When an Inspection is Attempted, if there is no one at the operation or no children are in care.
7. Follow the procedures in 6231.21 Upgrading an Intake Report to an Abuse, Neglect, or Exploitation Intake Report, if abuse or neglect is reported or is observed during the inspection.

4150.1 Additional Requirements for Investigation Inspections

Revision 23-4; Effective Nov. 30, 2023

The investigator conducts an unannounced investigation inspection at an operation that is the subject of the investigation according to the time frames in 6431 Requirements for Conducting Unannounced Inspections.

The first investigation inspection to the operation may be announced if the investigator has:

1. attempted one or more unannounced inspections;
2. obtained supervisory approval to conduct an announced inspection; and
3. documented the following in the Observations Made During Inspection narrative box on the Investigation Conclusion page in CLASS:
   • The reason for an unannounced inspection could not be conducted; and
   • The dates supervisory approval was requested and obtained.

Subsequent investigation inspections may be announced or unannounced.

Inspection Not Required

An investigation inspection is not required when the investigation was assigned a priority of 5 (P5).

See 6241 Classifying the Priority of the Intake Report.

26 TAC Section 745.8405

4150.2 Additional Requirements for Initial and Monitoring Inspections

April 2021

The inspector evaluates the operation’s compliance in validating its Employee List at every initial and monitoring inspection.

See 10730 Validating the Employee List for an Operation

4151 Operation Walk-Throughs

June 2015

Any time Licensing staff visit an operation other than a child placing agency, staff perform an operation walk-through and cite any deficiencies observed during the walk-through.

Licensing staff walk through all of the following areas in the operation:

1. Indoor and outdoor activity areas;
2. Areas where meals are prepared and served;
3. Restrooms accessible to children; and
4. Sleeping areas.

Procedure

During all inspections, Licensing staff walk through the operation and assesses the risk to children related to obvious violations of the Licensing statutes, administrative rules, or minimum standards related to:

1. supervision of children;
2. child/caregiver ratio;
3. swimming pools and transportation safety, if applicable;
4. fire, safety, and sanitation requirements; and
5. responsibilities of the director, administrator, staff, or caregivers.

4151.1 Exceptions for an Investigation Inspection

June 2015

If Licensing staff has conducted previous investigations at the operation and a supervisor determines that Licensing staff is sufficiently familiar with the operation’s compliance and investigation history, the supervisor may grant an exception that allows Licensing staff to conduct a condensed operation walk-through.

However, at minimum, Licensing staff must walk through:

1. the sleeping area of the alleged victim, if applicable;
2. the restrooms accessible to the alleged victim, if applicable; and
3. the specific area where the incident being investigated is alleged to have occurred.

When granting approval, the supervisor explains to Licensing staff which areas of the operation that Licensing staff is required to conduct a walk-through.

Licensing staff documents the exception approved by the supervisor in CLASS.

Procedure

For investigation inspections, Licensing staff is responsible for:

1. obtaining approval from the supervisor before conducting a condensed operation walk-through;
2. checking for and citing any obvious plain-view violations observed during the operation walk-through; and
3. inspecting the specific area where the incident being investigated is alleged to have occurred and citing any necessary deficiencies.

For an investigation inspection, Licensing staff documents the exception to conducting a full walk-through in the Observations Made During the Inspection section of the Investigation Conclusion page in CLASS. Documentation must include:

• the areas included in the walk-through; and
• the date the supervisor approved the exception.

4151.2 Exceptions for a Follow-Up Inspection

June 2015

If a follow-up inspection is conducted within the time frame referenced in 4320 Following Up With an Inspection, CCR staff may conduct a condensed walk-through limited to the area of the operation relevant to the follow-up inspection.

If a follow-up inspection is not conducted within the time frames referenced in 4310 Time Frames for Conducting Follow-Up. CCR staff must conduct a full walk-through.

4152 Reviewing Restrictions, Conditions, Waivers, and Variances

June 2016

At each initial or monitoring inspection, Licensing staff review any:

• restrictions on a permit;
• conditions on a permit;
• conditions related to a waiver or variance still in effect;
• conditions related to a risk evaluation still in effect;
• conditions related to a corrective action still in effect; and
• waivers or variances that have expired since the last monitoring inspection.

During an investigation or follow-up inspection, Licensing staff review and evaluate the operation’s compliance with any restrictions or conditions if they are relevant to the investigation or follow-up being conducted.

4152.1 Documenting Deficiencies Related to Restrictions and Conditions

Revision 24-1; Effective Feb. 20, 2024

CCR staff document an operation’s deficiencies in CLASS after reviewing the restrictions and conditions.

Procedure

CCR staff document any violations of restrictions or conditions on CLASS Form 2936 Child Care Facility Inspection for each inspection where restrictions or conditions are reviewed, by:

• citing the CCR statute, administrative rule, or minimum standard that was violated;
• describing the restriction or condition that was violated.
• using numbers or letters to reference each restriction or condition when it is being evaluated, if multiple restrictions or conditions were originally referenced using numbers or letters;
• describing the deficiency observed;
• describing how the deficiency was identified, such as if staff reviewed paperwork, interviewed the operation’s staff or the children, or took photographs; and
• documenting the following, if the deficiency was corrected during the inspection:
  • If the deficiency was corrected during the inspection, CCR staff explain how it was corrected.
  • If the deficiency was not corrected during the inspection, CCR staff:
    • explain what correction is needed to either meet the conditions or to comply with the CCR statute, rule or minimum standard; and
    • provide a correction deadline date.

References:

Completing CLASS Form 2936 Child Care Facility Inspection, 4161                  
Inspecting an Operation During Probation, 7441

4152.2 When an Operation Repeatedly Fails to Meet Restrictions or Conditions

Revision 24-1; Effective Feb. 20, 2024

CCR staff consult with the supervisor on what action to take if the operation repeatedly fails to meet the restrictions or conditions.

References:

Handling Changes in an Operation, Type of Permit, Location, and Ownership, 3800 
Revoking a Waiver or Variance, 5180 
Amending Conditions of a Waiver or Variance, 5181 
Voluntary Actions and Enforcement Actions, 7000 
Background Checks, 10000

4152.3 Discussing Waivers and Variances

Revision 24-1; Effective Feb. 20, 2024

CCR staff discuss with the operation any waivers or variances that have expired since the last monitoring inspection. This is to assess the outcome of the waiver or variance and document the outcome in CLASS. Staff also discuss any waivers or variances that are still in effect to determine if any are no longer needed.

Reference: 5190 Documenting Outcomes for Waiver and Variance.

4153 Reviewing Records at an Operation or a Central Administrative Location

Revision 23-4; Effective Nov. 30, 2023

CCR staff review the records of licensed, registered and certified operations to evaluate compliance with relevant CCR statutes, administrative rules and minimum standards.

CCR staff must review a minimum number of records based on the operation’s type and its capacity unless the inspection is being conducted during night hours at a residential operation.

The records are reviewed at the operation or at a central administrative location. If a Child-Placing Agency (CPA) operates at a main office or branch office that is not open between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, the CPA must ensure that the office and employees are available upon CCR’s request for the purpose of inspecting or investigating the CPA. CCR staff may make copies of documents, as needed, but they do not remove original records from the operation.

26 TAC Section 745.8405(c); 745.8413(c)  

After evaluating records as part of an inspection, CCR staff document the type and number of records evaluated on CLASS Form 2936 Child-Care Facility Inspection.

See:

4161 Completing CLASS Form 2936 Child-Care Facility Inspection.
4153.4 Reviewing Records at a Central Administrative Location.

4153.1 Selecting a Sample of Records During Each Two-Year Period

Revision 23-2; Effective June 26, 2023

Procedure

CCR staff must read records that relate to:

1. children enrolled in or admitted to the operation;
2. personnel; and
3. serious incident reports (for residential operations).

CCR staff do not sample background check records. For policies on reviewing background check records, see 4153.2 Reviewing Background Check Records During Inspections.

When selecting records to read, CCR staff must not select records of children who are no longer enrolled in the operation or staff who are no longer employed by the operation, unless CCR is evaluating standards related to discharge requirements or the availability of records.

Additional Requirements for Child-Placing Agencies

In addition to the types of records listed above, staff read CPA records that relate to:

• verified foster homes;
• approved adoptive homes; and 
• birth parents who have applied for services (for CPAs that do private adoptions).

When evaluating for standards related to transfers and agency home closure requirements, including agency home closure recommendations, staff select a sample of homes that within the past two years:

• transferred to another CPA;
• transferred to the CPA from another CPA; and 
• closed.

Exception for personnel records at a CPA: If a CPA maintains personnel records only at the main office and the records are not available electronically at the branch office(s), the CCR staff assigned to the main office is responsible for selecting and reading personnel records for both the main office and all branch offices.

4153.11 Determining the Number of Records to Read at a Monitoring Inspection (All Record Types except Serious Injury Reports)

October 2020

Procedure

During at least one monitoring inspection during the operation’s two-year compliance period, CCR staff read records associated with the subchapter(s) being evaluated during the inspection (as indicated on the Inspections Details page in CLASS). The minimum number of each type of record that staff must evaluate is based on:

• the operation’s capacity, if the operation is not a child-placing agency; or
• the total number of verified foster homes and/or approved adoptive homes, if the operation is a child-placing agency. If reading personnel records for the main office and all branch offices, staff must base the number of personnel records on the total number of homes for all CPA office locations.

CCR staff may read more than the minimum number of records, if necessary, based on the risk identified at the operation or patterns of deficiencies observed.

If a CPA maintains personnel records only at the main office, and the records are not available electronically at the branch office(s), CCR staff must review personnel records from each branch during the two-year compliance period. To help ensure that all records are reviewed, CCR staff document in a Chronology the number of records reviewed from each branch office.

4153.12 Determining the Number of Serious Incident Reports to Read at a Monitoring Inspection (Residential Child Care Only)

October 2021

During each monitoring inspection of a general residential operation or child-placing agency, CCR staff read the minimum number of serious incident reports according to the operation’s capacity or number of homes indicated in the following chart:

When conducting a Heightened Monitoring (HM) inspection, the HM inspector follows the procedures outlined in 11454 Determining the Type and Number of Records to Review at a Heightened Monitoring Inspection of a GRO or CPA Office.

4153.13 Sampling Additional Records During a Follow-Up Inspection

October 2020

During a follow-up inspection conducted to confirm that the operation is now in compliance, CCR staff may sample additional records to ensure compliance. See 4300 Conducting a Follow-Up with an Operation.

4153.2 Reviewing Background Check Records During Inspections

June 2015

During each application, initial, and monitoring inspection, Licensing staff review background check records on all persons required to have a background check to determine whether the operation is in compliance with all background check requirements.

During each investigation inspection, Licensing staff ensures the operation has complied with background check requirements concerning the persons involved in the investigations, including principals and any collaterals interviewed. For follow-up inspections, Licensing staff review any background check records relevant to the follow-up being conducted.

See 4140 Preparing for Inspections, and 10700 Determining Compliance with Background Check Requirements.

4153.3 Reviewing Information on Controlling Persons

June 2015

Procedure

During inspections with a category of Application, Initial, or Monitoring, the inspector reviews the list of controlling persons with the person in charge to determine if:

1. the list accurately reflects the status of all controlling persons for the operation;
2. the information entered on each controlling person on the Controlling Person Detail page in CLASS is accurate; and
3. the operation has complied with all requirements on controlling person in statute, administrative rules, and minimum standards.

Controlling Person with a Status of Review

If any controlling person on the list has a status of Review, the inspector follows the procedures in 7773.4 Reviewing the Status of a Sustained Controlling Person in CLASS.

List of Controlling Persons in CLASS is Inaccurate

If the list of controlling persons in CLASS is inaccurate, the inspector:

1. documents the changes in a Chronology (category, Controlling Persons);
2. directs the operation to submit updated information according to the procedures in 5420 When and How Applicants and Operations Submit Information on Controlling Persons; and
3. cites a deficiency of the appropriate minimum standard, if the operation did not notify Licensing within two days of when a person became or ceased to be a controlling person.

4153.4 Reviewing Records at a Central Administrative Location

December 2019

If an operation, other than a child-placing agency, maintains records at a central administrative location, the inspector must visit the central location to review records within seven days before or after conducting an Initial or Monitoring inspection.  

Reviewing records at a central administrative location is not documented as an inspection in CLASS.

Licensing staff documents the review of records in the following manner:

1. documents the visit to the central administrative location in CLASS Chronology;
2. selects subchapter(s) applicable to the review of records on CLASS Form 2936 Child Care Facility Inspection for the inspection that precedes or follows the review of records;
3. cites deficiencies:
   1. as an assessment in CLASS; or
   2. on CLASS Form 2936 associated with the inspection, if reviewing records before conducting the inspection at the operation and deficiencies do not present high risk to children in care.

Licensing staff follows up on deficiencies with the operation that were cited or with the person who maintains records at the central administrative location.

4154 Technical Assistance

4154.1 Providing Technical Assistance

Revision 23-4; Effective Nov. 30, 2023

CCR staff provide technical assistance as needed to help applicants, permit holders and operation employees understand and comply with statutes, administrative rules and minimum standards.

CCR staff provide technical assistance for each high-weighted violation.

Technical assistance supplements CCR's regulatory requirements by providing additional information or clarification. Technical assistance does not repeat the language as written in statutes, administrative rules or minimum standards.

All technical assistance provided by CCR staff must be documented in CLASS (4154.2 Documenting Technical Assistance).

Procedure

CCR staff provide technical assistance by giving applicants, permit holders and operation employees additional guidance and information to help them understand and comply with requirements in a specific statute, administrative rule or minimum standard.

Technical assistance may be provided orally or in writing: 

• at any time during or at the conclusion of an inspection or investigation, including on the inspection form or investigation letter, regardless of whether the operation is deficient or in compliance with a particular statute, administrative rule or minimum standard; 
• as part of an ongoing regulatory process; or 
• at the operation’s request. 

26 TAC Sections 745.8581 and 745.8583 

Distributing Documents as Part of Providing Technical Assistance

Any documents CCR staff distribute as part of providing technical assistance must:

• come from the Technical Assistance Library (TA Library); or
• be an approved HHSC form.

CCR staff may print or email documents from the TA Library to applicants, permit holders or operation employees.

4154.2 Documenting Technical Assistance

May 2020

Child Care Regulation (CCR) staff document all technical assistance provided to an applicant, permit holder, or operation employee in CLASS, including the:

• name of any technical assistance resource or document given; and
• details of discussions regarding how to achieve or maintain compliance.

Documenting Technical Assistance Provided During an Inspection

Procedure

To document technical assistance provided during the course of an inspection, CCR staff enter the following information on the Standards Detail page of the inspection in CLASSMate or CLASS:

1. Select an individual CCR statute, administrative rule, or minimum standard and choose the appropriate finding.
2. Mark the Technical Assistance check box.
3. Document in the CLASS or CLASSMate Technical Assistance Documentation narrative box:
   • a summary of the information provided to the operation, and
   • the documents that were shared with the operation. See 4154.1 Providing Technical Assistance.

Documenting Technical Assistance Provided Outside of an Inspection

Procedure

If CCR staff provide technical assistance (TA) outside the course of an inspection, staff document the TA in the operation's record in CLASS as follows:

1. Create a new chronology, selecting Operation General for the type of chronology.
2. List which minimum standard, administrative rule, or statute the assistance was related to.
3. Summarize the information provided.
4. List which documents were shared with the operation. See 4154.1 Providing Technical Assistance.

4155 Determining When a Deficiency Can Be Corrected at Inspection

March 2019

CCR staff evaluate certain criteria to determine whether a deficiency may be corrected at inspection or whether CCR staff must follow up on a deficiency with or without an inspection. CCR staff consider the following criteria:

• risk to children;
• scope and severity of the deficiency;
• time and expense needed to correct the deficiency;
• provider’s previous compliance history, including previous enforcement actions;
• provider’s willingness and ability to comply; and
• action taken by the operation to comply.

See 4310 Time Frames for Conducting a Follow-Up

Procedure

CCR staff may indicate that the operation corrected the deficiency at the inspection if CCR staff determine that:

• the operation has the ability to correct the deficiency at the time of the inspection; and
• no follow-up action is needed to further evaluate compliance with the minimum standard.

Before concluding the inspection, CCR staff document that the operation corrected the deficiency at inspection. On the CLASS Form 2936 Child-Care Facility Inspection, CCR staff:

• select the Corrected at Inspection check box associated with the deficiency that was corrected; and
• document how the operation corrected the deficiency at inspection in the Narrative section associated with the deficiency.

4156 When an Inspection is Attempted

Revision 23-2; Effective June 26, 2023

For all inspections, except follow-up inspections on operations with a suspended, revoked, or denied permit, when there is no contact person at the operation when CCR staff arrives to conduct the inspection, CCR staff:

• document in CLASSMate and in CLASS that the inspection was not carried out for lack of a contact at the operation; and
• establish contact with the operation to determine whether the operation is providing child care services, unless contacting the operation would impede an ongoing investigation. CCR staff document all contacts or attempted contacts in CLASS as a Chronology with a category of Monitoring or Investigation, as appropriate.

For instructions on attempted inspections related to a follow-up inspection on an operation with a suspended, revoked, or denied permit, see 7636 Follow-Up to Final Notice of Suspension, Revocation, or Denial.

Procedure

Licensed, Certified, Registered, or Listed Operations

CCR staff document an attempt to inspect a licensed, certified, registered, or listed operation as follows:

1. Complete CLASS Form 2936 Child-Care Facility Inspection, documenting the attempted inspection and cite any observed deficiencies of CCR statutes, administrative rules, or minimum standards, if appropriate.
2. If mailing the form would not impede an ongoing investigation, CCR staff include in the form:
   • a request that the operation contact CCR staff within 10 days of receiving the form or letter, and
   • a warning that failure to respond may be interpreted by CCR as an indication that the operation has voluntarily closed.
3. Mail a copy of the form to the operator, applicant, or designee by regular mail.
4. If mailing the form would impede an ongoing investigation, CCR staff consult with the supervisor on when to mail the form to the operator, applicant, or designee.

If CCR staff mail CLASS Form 2936 after the attempted inspection, CCR staff follow the procedures in the chart below, based upon the operation’s response to receiving CLASS Form 2936:

CPA Foster Homes – Attempted Investigation Inspections

To document an attempt to conduct an investigation inspection of a foster home verified by a child-placing agency (CPA), CCR staff do as follows:

1. Complete CLASS Form 2936 Child-Care Facility Inspection, documenting the attempted inspection and cite any observed deficiencies of CCR statutes, administrative rules, or minimum standards, if appropriate.
2. If mailing the form would not impede an ongoing investigation, CCR staff include in the form:
   • a request that the CPA contact CCR staff within 10 days of receiving the form or letter, and
   • a warning that failure to respond may be interpreted by CCR as an indication that the foster home is no longer verified by the CPA. 
3. Mail a copy of the form to the CPA by regular mail.
4. If mailing the form would impede an ongoing investigation, CCR staff consult with the supervisor on when to mail the form to the CPA.

After completing CLASS Form 2936, CCR staff:

• consult with the supervisor on how to proceed with the investigation; and
• document the supervisor’s guidance in CLASS as a Chronology with the type of Investigation.

CPA Foster Homes – Attempted Random-Sampling Inspections

If the inspector attempts a random-sampling inspection of a foster home that is verified by a child-placing agency (CPA), the inspector follows procedures in 4435.3 Attempted Random-Sampling Inspections.

4157 Visiting an Operation to Conduct an Investigation Interview When the Operation is Not the Subject of the Investigation

August 2012

When Licensing staff visit an operation as part of an investigation to interview a child or a person of interest and the operation is not involved in the allegations, Licensing staff:

1. Document the inspection on Form 2936 Child-Care Facility Inspection as Other. See 4161 Completing Form 2936 Child-Care Facility Inspection.
2. Do not conduct a walk-through inspection, but do cite any obvious, plain-view deficiency seen or heard.
3. Do not evaluate background check requirements.
4. Do not evaluate the operation’s compliance with minimum standards.

4158 Avoiding Duplication of Child Day Care Inspections

July 2019

Child Care Regulation (CCR) staff do not monitor a licensed child care center, school-age program, before or after-school program, licensed child care home, or registered child care home for compliance with minimum standards when another state agency or political subdivision has inspected it for compliance with equivalent standards. See Texas Human Resources Code §§42.0442; 42.0443.

4158.1 Avoiding Duplication of Child Day Care Inspections by State Agencies and Political Subdivisions

May 2021

To eliminate redundancy, CCR reviews documentation from other state agencies and political subdivisions that inspect the same operations as CCR. CCR staff do not inspect an operation for compliance with a minimum standard if another agency or political subdivision:

• inspected the operation for compliance with an equivalent requirement within the last 12 months before the CCR inspection; and
• found the operation to be in compliance, or the operation provides documentation showing that it has:
  • corrected deficiencies to the satisfaction of the other agency or political subdivision; and
  • complied with all restrictions or conditions placed by the other agency or political subdivision.

CCR staff always investigate reports of alleged violations of minimum standards, regardless of whether another state agency or political subdivision has inspected the operation.

Procedure

The entities that inspect child day care operations for compliance with standards that are equivalent to CCR’s minimum standards are:

• Immunization Branch of the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS);
• State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO);
• Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) of the Texas Department of Agriculture; and
• Some political subdivisions (cities, counties, junior college districts or public health districts), depending on what inspection requirements exist in those areas.

Actions Required by CCR

If a state agency or political subdivision finds that an operation is not in compliance with a requirement that is equivalent to a CCR law, administrative rules, or minimum standards and the operation does not correct the deficiency, CCR staff:

• evaluate the operation’s compliance with applicable minimum standards to ensure protection of the children; and
• document any compliance or correction issues.

In All Cases

In all cases, during each inspection of an operation, CCR staff:

• evaluate the operation for obvious fire, sanitation, and safety hazards; and
• cite the deficiencies observed.

If deficiencies related to fire safety or sanitation are cited at a licensed child care center, school-age program, or before or after-school program, report those deficiencies to the appropriate state agency or political subdivision, if applicable.

Texas Human Resources Code §42.0442; §42.0443

Civil Practices and Remedies Code §101.001(3)(B)

Fire, Immunization, Nutrition and Sanitation Standards for Child Day Care Facilities

CCR staff do not evaluate for compliance with any part of the following minimum standards if the operation has documentation showing that another state agency or political subdivision evaluated equivalent requirements within the past year and there are no outstanding deficiencies:

4158.2 Child Day Care Operations Located at Public School Facilities

July 2019

CCR does not evaluate for compliance with the following minimum standards if the operation is in a public school facility operated by the local independent school district.

4159 Handling Resistance or Refusal to Allow Inspection

Revision 23-4; Effective Nov. 30, 2023

An operation’s employees must admit CCR staff and not delay or interfere with CCR staff from making inspections during its hours of operation.

Human Resources Code Sections 42.044(a) and 42.04412 

26 TAC Sections 745.8411; 745.8413

Procedure

If the employees of an operation refuse to allow, delay or interfere with an inspection during the operation’s business hours, CCR staff follow the procedures outlined below.

See 7600 Adverse Actions.

4159.1 Attempted Interference by a Licensed Administrator or Applicant for an Administrator’s License

Revision 23-4; Effective Nov. 30, 2023

A licensed administrator or applicant for an administrator's license may not attempt to interfere with HHSC’s ability to conduct agency business.   

Conduct that constitutes an attempt to interfere with HHSC ability to conduct agency business includes: 

• interfering with, coercing, threatening, intimidating, retaliating against or harassing an HHSC staff member in connection with the person's exercise of HHSC regulatory duties; or
• engaging in conduct or directing language at HHSC staff that a reasonable person would find to be harassing, intimidating or threatening to HHSC staff.

26 TAC Sections 745.8411, 745.8929 and 745.8930

Procedure

If the Attempted Interference Occurs During Routine Monitoring

During an inspection, investigation or while evaluating an operation, if CCR staff encounter an attempt by a licensed administrator or applicant for an administrator’s license to interfere with staff’s ability to monitor the operation, CCR staff:

1. consult with the supervisor to determine whether the underlying action or behavior supports a citation for either 26 TAC Section 745.8411 or 745.8929. When determining whether a citation is warranted, staff consider:
   1. the action or behavior observed such as unauthorized recording outside of normal operation surveillance or not allowing CCR staff to interview operation staff or children as part of an investigation; 
   2. the impact the action or behavior had on staff’s ability to complete regulatory activities; and
   3. whether there is evidence available to support a citation for attempted interference;
2. if the supervisor approves, cite either 26 TAC Section 745.8411 or 745.8929, whichever is most appropriate;
3. document details of the incident including specifics on how the incident impacted the staff’s ability to conduct regulatory activities in a Chronology in CLASS; and
4. upload any evidence to support the incident of attempted interference in the CLASS Document Library.

The supervisor notifies the Licensed Administrator Program Specialist of the incident for review and possible referral to Child Care Enforcement. 

See 9710 Handling Attempts to Interfere or Interference by a Licensed Administrator

Job Aid “Addressing Attempted Interference by a Licensed Administrator or Applicant for an Administrator’s License (RCCR Only),” available on CCR SharePoint site.

If the Attempted Interference Occurs Outside of Routine Monitoring

If CCR staff become aware of an action or behavior by a licensed administrator or applicant for an administrator’s license that occurs outside of routine monitoring, CCR staff:

1. consult with a supervisor to determine if a referral to CCE is appropriate. When determining whether a referral to CCE is appropriate, the supervisor considers:
   1. the action or behavior observed such as making online threats against CCR staff or coercing CCR staff to release confidential information; 
   2. the impact the action or behavior had on staff’s ability to carry out regulatory activities, including attending meetings; and
   3. whether there is evidence available to support the interference or attempted interference;
2. document details of the incident in an email; and 
3. email any evidence to support the incident to the Licensed Administrator Program Specialist. See 9710 Handling Attempts to Interfere by a Licensed Administrator. 

4160 Documenting the Results of an Inspection

Revision 23-4; Effective Nov. 30, 2023

When documenting the results of an inspection, CCR staff:

1. document deficiencies clearly and concisely;
2. cite the specific CCR statutes, administrative rules or minimum standards for which compliance was evaluated and describe the deficiencies observed;
3. document any technical assistance given for each CCR statute, administrative rule or minimum standard;
4. state the date for compliance. Compliance dates must be reasonable and based on the risk to children. See 4500 Evaluating Risk to Children and Handling Immediate Danger;
5. complete the Photo Taken at Inspection radio button as applicable; and
6. complete the Supporting Documents/Photos Obtained radio button on each Standard Details page in CLASS for each standard marked as:
   • deficiency;
   • compliance;
   • sampling concern; or
   • not a sampling concern; and
7. provide the inspection results at the conclusion of the inspection, on CLASS Form 2936 Child-Care Facility Inspection.

CCR staff create a supplemental CLASS Form 2936 to finalize inspection results left pending or to make corrections.

See:

1430  Documenting and Storing Photographs, Video, Audio, Scanned Documents and Other Digital Files    
1431  Documenting Photographs, Video, Audio, Scanned Documents and Other Digital Files    
1432  Storage of Photographs, Video, Audio, Scanned Documents and Other Digital Files in CLASS Document Library    
4161  Completing CLASS Form 2936 Child-Care Facility Inspection    
4162  Finalizing Form 2936 and Synchronizing CLASSMate with CLASS    
4163  Final Determination of Findings Left Pending During an Inspection    
4165  Completing a Supplemental Inspection Form                      
4200  Assessments

4161 Completing CLASS Form 2936 Child-Care Facility Inspection

Revision 23-4; Effective Nov. 30, 2023

After reviewing the background materials related to the operation (see 4140 Preparing for Inspections), CCR staff create a draft of CLASS Form 2936 Child-Care Facility Inspection.

On the same day as the inspection, after the inspection is completed, CCR staff complete CLASS Form 2936 to document inspection results.

Documenting a Possible Deficiency as Pending on Form 2936

If CCR staff need to conduct further investigation or consult with the supervisor before determining compliance with a specific CCR statute, administrative rule or minimum standard, each item requiring further action is documented as Pending on CLASS Form 2936. CCR staff use the Pending status only if staff cannot determine an operation’s compliance with a statute, administrative rule or minimum standard before leaving the operation.

CCR staff must determine whether issues related to an inspection that were documented as pending are deficient or compliant within 10 days after an inspection is completed. (4163 Final Determination of Findings Left Pending During an Inspection).

Signing and Providing a Copy of Form 2936

After conducting the exit conference, CCR staff provide a copy of Form 2936 to the:

• designee, director, administrator or primary caregiver; and
• person in charge, if the designee, director, administrator or primary caregiver is not available during the exit interview.

See 4172 Signing and Providing a Copy of Form 2936 Child-Care Facility Inspection

26 TAC Section 745.8443(a)

4161.1 Creating a Draft CLASS Form 2936

April 2021

CCR staff follow the procedures below to create a draft version of CLASS Form 2936 Child-Care Facility Inspection.

Enter the Details

To enter the inspection details in CLASS, on Form 2936 Child-Care Facility Inspection, CCR staff take the following steps:

1. On the Operation main page, select the Monitoring tab.
2. On the Inspection/Assessment List page, select Add New Inspection.
3. On the Inspection Details page in the General section, select the appropriate Inspection Type (see 4120 Types of Inspections).
4. Choose the investigation numbers if the inspection type is Investigation or Monitoring and Investigation.
5. Choose the appropriate Follow Up to Inspections IDs (select up to three IDs) if the inspection type is Follow Up.
6. Enter the Inspection Start Date (The inspection start date may be updated after the inspection, if necessary).
7. Select the check box(es) corresponding to the subchapter(s) if evaluating compliance of all rules in the subchapter(s) as part of a Monitoring or Monitoring/Investigation inspection.
8. Select the HASA check box if a health and safety audit or standard-by-standard evaluation is being conducted as part of an unannounced Monitoring or unannounced Monitoring/Investigation inspection of a licensed child care center, school-age program, before- or after-school program, licensed child care home or registered child care home.
9. Complete other applicable fields and select Save.

Save and Download

1. Save the draft form.
2. Download the saved draft to CLASSMate before conducting the inspection.

See also 4321 Documenting Follow-Ups Completed During an Inspection Unrelated to Heightened Monitoring Activities

4161.2 Documenting Inspection Results on CLASS Form 2936

Revision 24-1; Effective Feb. 20, 2024

Procedure

The inspector uses CLASS Form 2936 to document the inspection. The inspector documents the results of an inspection per the table below.

4161.21 Documentation of the Findings Evaluated from the Inspection

Revision 23-3; Effective Sept. 22, 2023

If documenting a deficiency, the inspector documents the following in the Narrative text box on the Standard Details page in CLASS or CLASSMate:

• Explains how the operation is deficient. (Describe observations in detail. Do not merely repeat the requirement in the CCR statute, administrative rule, or minimum standard.)
• Describes how the deficiency was corrected during the inspection, if applicable.

If further investigation or consultation with the supervisor is needed before determining whether the operation is in compliance with a CCR statute, administrative rule or minimum standard, the inspector documents the finding as Pending.

Staff complete the Photo Taken During the Inspection radio button as appropriate on the Inspections Details page in CLASS prior to saving the applicable final form to indicate whether a photo was, or was not, taken by the inspector during the investigation.

If documenting an inspection being conducted as part of an investigation, investigators also:

• code any citations for plain-view violations observed during the walk-through as Monitoring (MN); and
• add appropriate minimum standards with a code of Investigation (IV), if the investigator obtains information regarding a violation related to the allegation being investigated that was not previously identified.

See: 

1430  Documenting and Storing Photographs, Video, Audio, Scanned Documents and Other Digital Files   
1431  Documenting Photographs, Video, Audio, Scanned Documents and Other Digital Files   
1432  Storage of Photographs, Video, Audio, Scanned Documents and Other Digital Files in CLASS Document Library   
4160  Documenting the Results of an Inspection

4161.22 Limits to Documenting Names of Children

Revision 23-4; Effective Nov. 30, 2023

When documenting inspection results, the inspector does not include the names of children when entering information that could be published on the public website. For example, deficiency narratives, follow-up documentation or information in the Narrative text box on the Inspection Details page may not include the name of any child.

CCR staff use only a child’s first name and last initial on hard copy forms (such as inspection guides) and in sections of CLASS that are not published on the public website, such as the Chronology and Investigation Conclusion pages.

See 8210 Confidential Information Not for Release to the Public.

4161.23 Limits to Documenting Names of Persons in CLASS

Revision 23-3; Effective Sept. 22, 2023

When documenting inspection results, the inspector does not include the name of any person in documentation that will be published on the public website or that the operation must post. For example, deficiency narratives, follow-up documentation or information in the Narrative text box on the Inspection Details page may not include the name of any person.

CCR staff may include names on paper copies of forms, such as inspection guides, and in CLASS fields that are not published on the public website, such as fields on the Chronology and Investigation Conclusion pages.

Exception for Listed Family Homes or Registered Child Care Homes: A person’s name may be automatically included on certain public forms if the person’s name is the same as the name of the operation. 

See 8210 Confidential Information Not for Release to the Public.

4161.24 Technical Assistance for Violations Recommended for an Administrative Penalty

Revision 23-3; Effective Sept. 22, 2023

When citing a deficiency for a CCR statute, administrative rule or minimum standard that requires the immediate assessment of an administrative penalty, the inspector provides and documents technical assistance in CLASS (see: Protocol for Administrative Penalties for Single High-Risk Violations (Immediate Enforcement) job aid located on the CCR SharePoint site).

The technical assistance the inspector documents must include both:

• the statement “HHSC will recommend an administrative penalty as a result of this citation, per HRC Section 42.078”; and
• guidance on how to comply with the CCR statute, administrative rule or minimum standard that was violated.

See 7521 A Single High Risk Violation

4161.3 Leaving an Operation Temporarily to Document Inspection Results

August 2012

Procedure

If Licensing staff leave the operation to record the results of the inspection on Form 2936 Child-Care Facility Inspection in CLASSMate, staff document in the Narrative field:

• the time leaving the operation; and
• the time returning to the operation to conduct the exit conference.

For example:

Left operation at (insert time) and returned at (insert time).

CLASSMate captures the time the inspection ended when Licensing staff click the Lock button on the form.

4161.4 Documenting an Inspection Continued on the Following Day

August 2012

Procedure

If an inspection must be continued on the following day, staff complete a new CLASS Form 2936 Child-Care Facility Inspection.

4162 Finalizing Form 2936 and Synchronizing CLASSMate with CLASS

August 2012

Finalizing Form 2936

Procedure

Before finalizing the form, Licensing staff:

1. conduct the exit interview to discuss the results of the inspection with the person in charge at the operation;
2. sign Form 2936;
3. have the person in charge at the operation sign Form 2936.

See:

4170 Conducting the Exit Conference                       
4171 Discussing the Results of the Inspection                       
4172 Signing and Providing a Copy of Form 2936 Child Care Facility Inspection

After conducting the exit interview and signing the form, Licensing staff finalize Form 2936 Child-Care Facility Inspection in CLASSMate by clicking:

• Save Final; and
• Lock.

After finalizing the form, Licensing staff provide a copy of Form 2936 to the person in charge. See 4172.

Synchronizing CLASSMate with CLASS

On the same day Form 2936 is completed, when possible, Licensing staff synchronize with CLASS in order to upload the inspection into CLASS.

4163 Final Determination of Findings Left Pending During an Inspection

Revision 23-4; Effective Nov. 30, 2023

Within 10 days after completing an inspection, CCR staff:

• determine whether the operation is deficient or compliant regarding any pending inspection findings coded as Monitoring; and
• document the final determinations on a supplemental Form 2936 Child-Care Facility Inspection and mail or email it to the operation. See 4165 Creating a Supplemental Inspection Form.

4164 Procedures When the Operation’s List of Controlling Persons Cannot Be Verified During the Inspection

March 2013

Procedure

If during an Initial or Monitoring inspection the inspector cannot verify whether the operation’s list of controlling persons in CLASS is accurate, the inspector does all of the following within 10 days of the inspection:

1. Contacts the operation’s governing body to verify whether an operation’s list of controlling persons list in CLASS is accurate.
2. Follows the procedures in 7773.4 Reviewing the Status of a Sustained Controlling Person in CLASS, if any controlling person on the list has a status of Review.
3. Documents the contact with and information obtained from the governing body as a Chronology (category, Controlling Persons).
4. Does as follows, if the controlling persons has changed:
   1. Documents the changes in a Chronology (category, Controlling Persons);
   2. Directs the operation to submit updated information according to the procedures in 5420 When and How Applicants and Operations Submit Information on Controlling Persons; and
   3. Cites a deficiency of the appropriate minimum standard by completing a supplemental CLASS Form 2936 Child Care Facility Inspection, if the operation did not notify Licensing within two days of when a person became or ceased to be a controlling person. See 4165 Completing a Supplemental Inspection Form.

4165 Completing a Supplemental Inspection Form

Revision 23-3; Effective Sept. 22, 2023

The CCR inspector creates a supplemental CLASS Form 2936 Child-Care Facility Inspection only to:

• document the final determination about an operation’s compliance with statutes, administrative rules or minimum standards that were left pending during an inspection; or
• correct errors in spelling, grammar or content on the original CLASS Form 2936 Child-Care Facility Inspection.

If deficiencies unrelated to an inspection must be cited, the CCR inspector uses CLASS Form 2939 Child-Care Facility Assessment.

See: 

4200 Assessments.

Procedure

To complete a supplemental CLASS Form 2936 Child-Care Facility Inspection, the CCR inspector follows these steps:

1. Selects the appropriate inspection in CLASS.
2. Updates pending findings to NC (noncompliant) or CO (compliant).
3. Enters the following information in the Narrative field on the supplemental CLASS Form 2936:
   1. A description of the change that is being made.
   2. A statement that the supplemental CLASS Form 2936 replaces the original CLASS Form 2936 that was left at the operation on the date of the inspection.
   3. The date of the previous inspection.
4. Changes the date of notification in CLASS to the date the supplemental CLASS Form 2936 is created.
5. Saves and finalizes the second version of CLASS Form 2936 by selecting Save Final and Lock.

See: 

1430  Documenting and Storing Photographs, Video, Audio, Scanned Documents and Other Digital Files   
1431  Documenting Photographs, Video, Audio, Scanned Documents and Other Digital Files   
1432  Storage of Photographs, Video, Audio, Scanned Documents and Other Digital Files in CLASS Document Library  
4160  Documenting the Results of an Inspection

4165.1 Contacting the Permit Holder

Revision 23-3; Effective Sept. 22, 2023

Before mailing the supplemental CLASS Form 2936, CCR staff contact the permit holder to:

1. discuss the determination made on findings left pending during the inspection, if any;
2. discuss other changes to the inspection findings, if any; and
3. inform the permit holder of his or her right to an administrative review. See 5600 Administrative Reviews.

4170 Conducting the Exit Conference

Revision 24-1; Effective Feb. 20, 2024

After completing an inspection, CCR staff conduct an exit conference with the person in charge at the operation. During the conference, staff:

• discuss the results of the inspection, including the reason for any deficiency issued;
• review, but do not provide copies of, all photographs that were taken during the inspection that relate to deficiencies;
• provide any technical assistance that may help the operation to address issues that have been identified and documented;
• review the requirements and time frames to request an administrative review, if any deficiencies were issued; and
• provide a copy of CLASS Form 2936 Child-Care Facility Inspection to the designee, director, administrator or primary caregiver, and the person in charge if none of these persons were available during the exit interview.

References:

5611  Explaining the Right to an Administrative Review 
8230  Confidential Information Not for Release to the Public 

26 TAC Sections 745.8443(a), 745.8483(8), 745.8491 and 745.8801–8811

Human Resources Code Section 42.0441

When conducting the exit conference for an initial or monitoring inspection, CCR staff also:

• verify the operation’s contact information; and
• review the operation’s compliance history, including concerns or patterns, with the person in charge.

References:

1430  Documenting and Storing Photographs, Video, Audio, Scanned Documents and Other Digital Files 
1431  Documenting Photographs, Video, Audio, Scanned Documents and Other Digital Files 
1432  Storage of Photographs, Video, Audio, Scanned Documents and Other Digital Files in CLASS Document Library 
4160  Documenting the Results of an Inspection 

4171 Discussing the Results of an Inspection

Revision 24-2; Effective May 22, 2024

Procedure

During each exit conference, CCR staff:

• Allow the person in charge an opportunity to discuss the findings.
• Provide the person in charge with the following, if applicable:
  1. Any technical assistance needed to address issues identified and documented during the inspection. Reference 4154 Technical Assistance.
  2. Information about how high-risk deficiencies or a pattern of deficiencies may affect the frequency of inspections.
  3. Information about how failure to comply within specified deadlines or repeated deficiencies may result in enforcement action without further opportunity to correct the deficiencies.
  4. Information about how to comment on the inspection by completing the CCR Inspection Feedback Survey. The Web address for the survey is printed on CLASS Form 2936 Child-Care Inspection Form, which CCR staff provide before leaving the operation.
  5. Information about how the operation may request an administrative review in writing within 15 days of receiving the results of the inspection and information on what the request must include to be considered complete. Reference 5614 Receiving a Request for an Administrative Review.

Additional Requirements for Initial and Monitoring Inspections

During each exit conference for an inspection with a category of Initial, Monitoring, or Monitoring and Investigation CCR staff also:

• review with the person in charge the operation’s compliance history since the previous monitoring inspection, including any concerns or patterns of deficiencies; and
• verify the accuracy of the information entered on the Operation Main page in CLASS.

If either the Location Address Validation Status or Mailing Address Validation Status is set to Not Validated, CCR staff must review the address with the person in charge. If the person in charge indicates either the location or mailing address in CLASS is inaccurate, the inspector:

• documents the correct information in a Chronology, under category Operation General; and
• enters the corrected address in CLASS and attempts to validate the address per the procedures in 1600 Validating an Address in CLASS following the inspection.

4171.1 Discussing Pending Results

September 2012

Except for inspection findings coded as Investigation, if a determination cannot be made on any aspect of an inspection, Licensing staff explain to the person in charge that Licensing:

• will mail a final determination, in the form of a supplemental inspection form, within 10 days; and
• may include additional information on the supplemental inspection form that was not included on the original CLASS Form 2936 Child Care Facility Inspection.

See:

4161 Completing CLASS Form 2936 Child Care Facility Inspection                       
4165 Completing a Supplemental Inspection Form

4171.2 Addressing an Operation’s Concerns About Inspection Findings

September 2012

Licensing staff work with the person in charge to address any concerns relating to:

• minor changes to a deficiency narrative, if the change does not impact the meaning of the citation and does not minimize the scope or severity of the violation; and
• compliance dates, if the person in charge has a valid reason for not being able to come into compliance sooner than the proposed date, as long as the change does not compromise the health or safety of children in care.

Immediately after changing any documentation on CLASS Form 2936 Child Care Facility Inspection as a result of feedback from the person in charge, Licensing staff enter a Chronology in CLASS that includes:

1. the CLASS inspection number;
2. a description of the changes requested by the person in charge; and
3. a description of what changes were made.

4172 Signing and Providing a Copy of Form 2936 Child Care Facility Inspection

December 2015

Procedure

At the end of the exit conference, Licensing staff ask the person in charge to sign CLASS Form 2936 Child Care Facility Inspection, even if the findings are left pending. Licensing staff explain that signing Form 2936 does not indicate that the person signing agrees with the inspection results. It is only an acknowledgment that Licensing conducted an inspection at the operation and does not waive the operation’s right to an administrative review.

Both the Licensing staff and the person in charge at the operation sign Form 2936. If the person in charge refuses to sign Form 2936, Licensing staff note on the inspection form the person’s name and his or her decision not to sign.

After Form 2936 is signed by Licensing staff and the person in charge, Licensing staff provide the person in charge with a printed or emailed copy of the completed form before leaving the operation.

If the operation is required to post Form 2936 in a prominent place where it may be viewed by staff, parents, and others, Licensing staff must explain this to the person in charge before leaving the operation.

See:

4160 Documenting the Results of an Inspection                       
4161 Completing CLASS Form 2936 Child Care Facility Inspection                       
4173 Posting the Day Care Inspection Form or Assessment Form

4173 Posting the Day Care Inspection Form or Assessment Form

Revision 24-1; Effective Feb. 20, 2024

The following must display the most recent CLASS Form 2936 Child-Care Facility Inspection or CLASS Form 2939 Child-Care Facility Assessment:

• Licensed child care center
• School-age program
• Before or after-school program 
• Licensed child care home 
• Registered child care home

The most recent CLASS Form 2936 or CLASS Form 2939 must be displayed in a prominent place for viewing by staff, parents, and others.

Confidential information must not be posted.

26 TAC Sections 744.403, 746.403, 745.8801 and 747.401 

If the operation disagrees with a CCR decision or action and requests an administrative review, the operation may delay posting Form CLASS 2936 or CLASS Form 2939 until the administrative review is complete.

References:

Assessments, 4200 
Administrative Reviews, 5600

Procedure

CCR staff explain to the person in charge of the operation that CLASS Form 2936 Child-Care Facility Inspection or CLASS Form 2939 Child-Care Facility Assessment, and any supplemental inspection forms, must be posted in a prominent place to be viewed by staff, parents and other people.

If CCR staff document part of the inspection on CLASS Form 2936 and document the rest of the inspection on a supplemental inspection form, CCR staff attach the original CLASS Form 2936 to the supplemental form so that both will be posted.

The person in charge of the operation may note the date a correction was made on the posted form.

The operation is not required to publicly post findings of abuse or neglect.

The names of children and staff:

• must not appear on any forms or letters that require posting in a prominent place for viewing by staff, parents and others. References: 8210 Confidential Information Not for Release to the Public and 4160 Documenting the Results of an Inspection; and
• must not be documented in the areas of CLASS that appear on the public website.

Children and staff names may be documented in the hard copy record or in the areas of CLASS that are not published on the public website.

Reference: 6630 Notifying the Operation of the Results of an Investigation.