Child Care Providers

Communicable (Infectious) Diseases

Immunizations

State of Texas minimum immunization requirements

Keep required immunizations records and exemptions for the children enrolled in your program. More information about the minimum immunization requirements for child care facilities can be found on the Department of State Health Services website.

Recommended immunization schedules

Encourage staff and families to stay up to date with the recommended immunization schedule.
- CDC recommended vaccinations birth through 6 years
- CDC recommended vaccinations 7 through 18 years old

APH Immunization Resources

Austin Public Health offers immunizations to children who are uninsured or Medicaid recipients. Services are also available to uninsured adults. Find out more about appointments and Shot for Tots/Big Shots clinics on the APH Immunizations page.
Partner with APH to host a vaccine event at your child care program for staff and families. Complete this questionnaire to request to host a pop-up vaccination clinic.
To host a vaccine information session, complete this questionnaire. APH health educators will provide information about the safety, efficacy, and benefits of vaccines.

State of Texas Child Care Exclusion Criteria

Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Communicable Disease Chart for Schools and Child Care Programs describes the symptoms, exclusion, readmission criteria, and more, for a range of conditions.

State of Texas reporting requirements

The Texas Administrative Code requires that licensed and registered child care programs report some cases or outbreaks of some communicable/infectious diseases among children and staff to their local health department. Reporting requirements are found in the Texas Notifiable Conditions List and the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Communicable Disease Chart for Schools and Child Care Programs.

How to report to Austin Public Health:

Outbreaks of respiratory or gastrointestinal illnesses (e.g., COVID-19, flu, stomach bugs, etc.) - APH Outbreak Notification Form for Schools & Child Care Programs.
Cases of other reportable conditions (listed on the Texas Notifiable Conditions List) - call APH Epidemiology at 512-972-5555.

Additional disease reporting information may be found in the 2024 Disease Reporting Packet for Travis County.

Sanitizing & disinfecting

Cleaning and disinfecting surfaces are important everyday strategies to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) has information about safe sanitizing & disinfecting practices in the child care setting available on their website, including the downloadable Safe Disinfecting E-toolkit.

Ventilation

Improving ventilation in buildings can help reduce the spread of illnesses by reducing the number of virus particles in the air. Learn more here about how to improve ventilation in the child care programs from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Suggested further reading

American Academy of Pediatrics’ (AAP) Managing Infectious Diseases in Child Care and Schools: A Quick Reference Guide, 6^th Edition

Public Health Trainings for Child Care Programs

Upcoming APH Trainings

APH, in collaboration with Workforce Solutions Capital Area, hosts regular trainings for child care directors and staff, on a variety of health topics. WFS provides instructor-led continuing education hours for these trainings. Check the Workforce Solutions Capital Area training calendar to find the next training.

Join us on July 25 at the Workforce Solutions Director Symposium at Kalahari in Round Rock where Austin Public Health and the Parks and Recreation Department will be presenting a session about promoting child physical activity.

Training Resources

The following are other websites where providers can find child care trainings.

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Childcare Training Courses
- The AgriLife online trainings include health topics like poison prevention, infection control, injury prevention, and more. Most trainings are free (e.g., the trainings to fulfill Texas annual training requirements), but some trainings have a fee (e.g., the CDA renewal courses).
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Early Care and Education Portal
- The CDC has a list of online trainings and modules on a range of early childhood topics for ECE providers, including preventing adverse childhood experiences, handwashing, child vaccination, and more. Most trainings are free. Check course descriptions for pricing information.

Health Inspections & Food Permits for Child Care Programs

Information about the state health inspection requirement for child care facilities and the inspection fee waiver for high-quality child care programs can be found on the APH Custodial Care Inspection page.

Information about applying for a food permit and the permit fee waiver for high-quality child care programs can be found on the APH Fixed Food Establishments page.

Mental Health

Ask, Listen, Talk Repeat Campaign: Many children and youth are struggling with their mental health and need help. At AskListenTalk.org parents and caregivers can find resources to support their children – how to spot a mental health issue, how to start the conversation, how to support their own mental health, and how to get help throughout Austin and Travis County.

Emergency Preparedness

Emergency alerts for child care: Through the Warn Central Texas emergency alert system, local officials can contact community members by phone, email, and text during times of disaster or threats to public safety. Travis County child care providers who have not yet done so are invited to fill out this Austin Public Health form to sign up to receive emergency alerts for their program. Providers who have already signed up to be on the Warn Central Texas child care contact list can also use the form to make changes to the contact information previously provided.
Emergency planning: Programs are required by Texas Child Care Regulation to have an emergency supply kit on hand. Download this APH Emergency Supply Kit Checklist for Child Care Programs to ensure your program's kit contains all the required items.

Developmental Milestones

Before formal schooling ever begins, there are critical periods of rapid development when the brain is best able to acquire milestones in how babies play, learn, speak, act, and move. Children develop at different rates, but most follow a natural timetable. Milestones help us know if a children’s development is on track. Educate families on tracking their child’s development using CDC tools and act early if you have a concern.

Developmental milestones training

Watch Me! Celebrating Milestones and Sharing Concerns is an online training for child care providers on developmental milestones. It provides tools and best practices for monitoring the development of children in your care and talking about milestones with parents.

Resources for talking with parents about developmental milestones and concerns

Encourage families to track their child’s development using the Milestone Moments Booklet, available in English and Spanish, as well as the CDC’s Milestone Tracker App, also available in English and Spanish.

This guide from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) gives tips for school staff and teachers on how to talk with parents about developmental concerns for children 0-5. The resource provides tips on how to listen and respond to parents in various situations and to be mindful of cultural differences. The guide is available in Spanish here.

Lantern (formerly Bright by Text)

APH encourages child care directors and staff to sign up for Lantern, at this link, to receive texts with developmental information, activity ideas, and information on local resources and events for families with young children. Texts are available in English and Spanish and focus on tips and information for the prenatal period through age 11. Please encourage your program’s families to sign up as well!

Logo for Lantern formerly Bright by Text

Community Meetings for Providers

The APH Early Childhood Team organizes several different early childhood meetings each month that child care providers are welcome to attend. Select a meeting below to learn more.

Public Health Meetings for Schools and Child Care Providers

What? APH hosts quarterly virtual meetings with local child care providers where we share information on a variety of public health topics and where providers can ask questions and share ideas with each other about health issues in their programs.
Who Can Attend? Child care providers in Austin-Travis County
When? Quarterly
Where? Zoom
Want More Information? Contact ChildCareInfo@austintexas.gov

Child Care Provider Forum

What? This monthly forum is open for child care directors from centers and homes share experiences, challenges, concerns, and successes with peers. Providers can also ask questions of the organizations that usually attend the forum, including APH, TXAEYC- Austin Chapter, United Way for Greater Austin, and Workforce Solutions Capital Area, and City of Austin Economic Development Department.
Who Can Attend? Child care providers in Austin-Travis County
When? Third Wednesday of the month, September-May (typically no meetings in the summer)
Where? Zoom
Want more information? Contact ChildCareInfo@austintexas.gov.

Early Childhood Council

What? The City of Austin Early Childhood Council (ECC) makes recommendations to Austin’s City Council for the creation, development, and implementation of programs that promote optimal development for young children.
Who Can Attend? Any member of the public, including child care providers in Austin-Travis County.
When? Typically the second Wednesday of the month @ 9:00-10:30 a.m. (No meetings in July or December). Check the calendar here.
Where? Location varies. Usually a hybrid meeting with options to attend in-person at City Hall or via phone.
Want more information? Contact Caitlin.Oliver@austintexas.gov.

Stay Connected to Austin Public Health

To ask questions regarding communicable diseases or other public health topics, Child Care providers can email ChildCareInfo@austintexas.gov and Schools can email APHSchoolInfo@austintexas.gov. (Note: Please do not report disease cases or send Protected Health Information via email.)
Call 512-972-5555 to contact the Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance Unit regarding communicable diseases. (Note: Instructions for reporting communicable diseases are in the General Strategies for Preventing Communicable Diseases section.)
Want to be added to the APH Child Care, APH Schools and/or the Youth & Summer Camp Email List(s)? APH sends occasional emails with public health updates and resources to child care providers and youth camp programs. Fill out this form to get added to the email list(s).

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