What is Child Care Licensing?
The Child Care Licensing Division works to ensure that children in child day-care and residential child care settings are safe and well-cared for. They do this using a dual approach to child care regulation. The first is educating parents and improving information available to parents about choosing child care for their children. The second is enforcement –making sure facilities meet or exceed the minimum standards for child care. This also involves investigating allegations of abuse/neglect of children in a child care facility.
What are the positions within this division?
There are four main positions within this division.
- Child Care Licensing Inspector This position is the critical front-line to ensuring the safety and well-being of children in regulated child day-care facilities. These positions monitor child day-care facilities and homes by conducting inspections, providing technical assistance to child-care providers, conducting orientation meeting for licensing applicants, and working with the community to enhance the quality of child care.
- Child Care Investigator (Protective Services Specialist II) This position conducts investigations of child day care facilities subject to regulation in accordance with the Human Resource Code, Texas Family Code, Minimum Standards, and agency policies and procedures to determine whether abuse/neglect and/or noncompliance has occurred
- Residential Care Licensing Specialist I This position is the critical front-line to ensuring the safety and well-being of children in regulated residential child care facilities and child-placing agencies. These positions monitor residential child care facilities, child-placing agencies and foster homes by conducting inspections, providing technical assistance to providers, and processing applications for licenses.
- Residential Child Care Licensing Investigator I (Protective Services Specialist IV) This position is responsible for conducting child abuse/neglect investigations of children placed in 24-hour childcare facilities and child placing agencies licensed or certified by Residential Child Care Licensing. In addition, the Residential Child Care Licensing Investigator conducts investigations to determine the facility’s compliance with related Minimum Standards.
Sounds good, but what kinds of things will I really be doing?
Depending on whether you are an investigator or specialist you may:
- Investigate complaints of abuse/neglect in licensed/registered and unregulated homes or residential facilities.
- Investigate complaints of standards violations in licensed and registered child care facilities and complaints alleging illegal child care.
- Respond quickly in a crisis situation involving children in an abusive/neglectful situation.
- Work as part of a team, which involves helping with crisis situations relating to other caseworkers’ assignments as well as following the directions of your supervisor.
- Making critical decisions about the regulatory status of a child-care operation.
- Educate parents and daycare staff about minimum standards for daycare facilities.
- Be willing to remove a child from a dangerous situation.
- Spend approximately 40% of your time documenting casework activity.
- Work under time pressure created by the nature and volume of the cases, prioritize efforts and work flexible work hours.
Do I have to have a degree?
Yes, to be a caseworker you must have a 4 year bachelors degree, though it doesn’t have to be specifically in social work.
What would my salary be?
The starting salary range is $2,428.83 to $3,401.33 per month and will be based on the qualifications of the selected applicant.
I think I could do this job, but will I get specifically trained on what to do?
YES! You will have lots of great training before beginning your job. Though you will be doing visits to clients on your own you will have ongoing support from your co-workers and supervisor any time you need it.
Are there opportunities for career advancement?
YES! You will receive ongoing training to prepare you for career progression. There are various levels of certification. For more information about certification go to