Michelle Barbee

Texas law requires that parents and child care providers sign a contract or enrollment agreement describing daycare policies. Certain policies are required by law and others are simply a good idea to avoid future misunderstandings or conflicts. Though a contract cannot prevent all conflicts, it should cover certain important situations or possible emergencies.

Texas minimum standards require that contracts or enrollment agreements provide policies or procedures for seven possible situations and provide two key pieces of information for parents or guardians:

1. Release of children to someone other than a parent or guardian. This is where a parent or guardian would give the name, phone number and address of a friend or family member who is allowed to pick the child(ren) up from daycare.

2. Policies on illness. Usually a daycare will simply follow state or local health department guidelines on when children are considered too ill to attend daycare.

3. Policies concerning medication. Some daycares will not give medications at all, so be sure to read the fine print.

4. Procedures in case of emergency. The daycare should have an emergency medical release form on file for all children in care. This says that the child is allowed treatment by emergency personnel in case of an emergency if the parent or guardian cannot be reached.

5. Discipline policies. Daycare providers are not allowed to spank children.

6. Animals. Home daycare providers may have pets and preschool classrooms often have class pets. The contract should specify if there are any animals present.

7. Parent or guardian visits. Parents and guardians are allowed to visit the daycare at any time without prior approval once their child is enrolled.

The contract or agreement must also inform parents that they may review the state minimum standards and the daycare’s most recent inspection report. It must also give phone numbers for the local DFPS licensing office, child abuse hotline and the Department of Family and Protective Services web address.

A good contract should also include what supplies the daycare will provide and what parents will provide, policies on vacations and sick days, holidays, hours of operation, transportation, tuition rates, late fees and policies for terminating care. A good contract may cover a lot of information, but it is much easier to decide what to do before an emergency or difficult situation occurs than after.

For more info:
Texas Dept. of Family and Protective Services
Finding childcare