Child Care Providers and Schools

Communicable (Infectious) Diseases

Immunizations

State of Texas minimum immunization requirements

Keep required immunizations records and exemptions for enrolled children up to date. More information about the minimum immunization requirements can be found on the Department of State Health Services immunization webpage.

Recommended immunization schedules

Encourage staff and families to stay up to date with the recommended immunization schedule.
- CDC recommended vaccinations for birth through 6 years.
- CDC recommended vaccinations for 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 webpage.
Partner with APH to host a vaccine event for staff and families. Complete the form to request a pop-up vaccination clinic.
Partner with APh to host a vaccine education event. Complete the form to request a vaccine information session. APH health educators will provide information about the safety, efficacy and benefits of vaccines.

State of Texas 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 and schools report 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 2025 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 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.

Wednesday, January 28, 1:00 p.m. via Zoom: Preventing Childhood Lead Exposure: The Importance of Testing Child Care Facility Drinking Water w/ APH

Protecting children from lead exposure is important for their healthy growth and development. Even low levels of lead in the environment can be harmful to a child’s health. Child care directors and administrative staff are invited to attend this webinar to learn what Austin-Travis County child care facilities can do to prevent lead exposure.

Attendees will learn information about the following:

Health impacts of lead exposure on children and common exposure sources
Lead in drinking water and why testing child care facility drinking water is important
The benefits of participating in the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s (TCEQ’s) free lead testing program for school and child care drinking water
How child care facilities can sign up to participate in the lead testing program

This webinar is a collaboration between Austin Public Health, Austin Water, and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.Registration link for Preventing Childhood Lead Exposure training.

miercoles, 28 de enero, 1:00 p.m. vía Zoom: Cómo prevenir la exposición al plomo en los niños: La importancia de las pruebas de agua potable en las guarderías

Proteger a los niños de la exposición al plomo es importante para su crecimiento y desarrollo saludable. Incluso niveles pequeños de plomo en el medio ambiente pueden ser dañinos para la salud de un niño. Invitamos a los directores y al personal administrativo de las guarderías a asistir a este seminario web para aprender cómo los centros de cuidado infantil en Austin y el Condado de Travis pueden prevenir la exposición al plomo.

Los asistentes recibirán información sobre los siguientes puntos:

Efectos en la salud de la exposición al plomo en los niños y fuentes comunes de exposición.
Plomo en el agua potable y por qué es importante realizar pruebas en el agua potable de las guarderías.
Beneficios de participar en el programa de pruebas gratuitas de plomo en el agua potable para escuelas y guarderías de la Comisión de Calidad Ambiental de Texas (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, TCEQ).
Cómo pueden las guarderías inscribirse para participar en el programa de pruebas de plomo.

Este seminario web es una colaboración entre Salud Pública de Austin, Austin Water, y la Comisión de Calidad Ambiental de Texas. Enlace de registro para la capacitación sobre cómo prevenir la exposición al plomo en los niños.

Training Resources

The following are other websites where providers can find child care trainings on public health topics.

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 CDC 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 webpage.

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 webpage.

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 for Child Care Programs

Emergency alerts for child care programs: 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 Warn Central Texas sign u form 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 Child Care Emergency Checklist to ensure your program's kit contains all the required items.

Developmental Milestones

Skills such as taking a first step, smiling for the first time, and waving "bye-bye" are called developmental milestones. Children reach milestones in how they play, learn, speak, behave and move at their own pace. However, the developmental milestones give a general idea of the changes to expect as a child gets older. Staff and families can track children’s development using CDC tools and should act early if they 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 in English or the Milestone Moments Booklet in Spanish. The CDC also has a Milestone Tracker App and they also have the Milestone Tracker App in Spanish.

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 in the Tips for Talking with Parents guide. The resource provides tips on how to listen and respond to parents in various situations and to be mindful of cultural differences. Also available is the Tips for Talking with Parents in Spanish guide.

Lantern (formerly Bright by Text)

APH encourages teachers, staff and families to sign up for Lantern, a free service to receive text messages with developmental information, activity ideas and information on local resources and events for families with young children. Texts are available in English, Spanish and Arabic and focus on tips and information for the prenatal period through age 11. Teachers, staff and families can use the Lantern signup link to start receiving texts.

Logo for Lantern formerly Bright by Text

APH Meetings for Child Care Programs and Schools

Public Health Meetings for 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? ContactChildCareInfo@austintexas.gov

Public Health Meetings for Schools

What? APH hosts quarterly virtual meetings with pre-K through 12th grade schools where we share information on a variety of public health topics and where schools can ask questions and share ideas with each other about health issues in their schools.
Who Can Attend? Schools in Austin-Travis County
When? Quarterly (typically no meetings in the summer)
Where? Zoom
Want More Information? Contact APHSchoolInfo@austintexas.gov

Child Care Provider Forum

What? This monthly forum is open for child care directors from centers and homes to 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, 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 (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 ECC meeting calendar.
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

Child Care providers can email ChildCareInfo@austintexas.gov and schools can email APHSchoolInfo@austintexas.gov with general public health questions. (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 Communicable (Infectious) Diseases section above.)
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, schools and youth camp programs. Fill out the APH Communications signup form to get added to the email list(s).

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