Texas Administrative Code › Title 26 - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES › Part 1 - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION › Chapter 746 - MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR CHILD-CARE CENTERS › Subchapter A - PURPOSE, SCOPE, AND DEFINITIONS › Division 3 - DEFINITIONS › Section 746.123 - What do certain words and terms mean when used in this chapter?

Current through Reg. 49, No. 28; July 12, 2024
The words and terms used in this chapter have the
						meanings assigned to them under §
											745.21 of this title (relating to
						What do the following words and terms mean when used in this chapter?), unless
						another meaning is assigned in this section or another subchapter or unless the
						context clearly indicates otherwise. In addition, the following words and terms
						used in this chapter have the following meanings unless the context clearly
						indicates otherwise:
(1) Activity
					 plan--A written plan that outlines the daily routine and activities in which a
					 group of children will engage while in your care. The plan is designed to meet
					 the children's cognitive, language, social, emotional, and physical
					 developmental strengths and needs.
(2) Activity space--An area or room used for
					 children's activities, including areas separate from a group's
					 classroom.
(3) Administrative and
					 clerical duties--Duties that involve the operation of a child-care center, such
					 as bookkeeping, enrolling children, answering the telephone, and collecting
					 fees.
(4) Admission--The process of
					 enrolling a child in a child-care center. The date of admission is the first
					 day the child is physically present in the center.
(5) Adult--A person 18 years old and
					 older.
(6)
					 Age-appropriate--Activities, equipment, materials, curriculum, and environment,
					 including the child's assigned classroom, that are developmentally consistent
					 with the developmental or chronological age of the child being
					 served.
(7) Alternate care
					 program--A program in which no child is in care for more than five consecutive
					 days, and no child is in care for more than 15 days in one calendar month,
					 regardless of the duration of each stay.
(8) Attendance--When referring to a child's
					 attendance, the physical presence of a child at the child-care center's program
					 on any given day or at any given time, as distinct from the child's enrollment
					 in the child-care center.
(9)
					 Bouncer seat--A stationary seat designed to provide gentle rocking or bouncing
					 motion by an infant's movement, or by battery-operated movement. This type of
					 equipment is designed for an infant's use from birth until the child can sit up
					 unassisted.
(10) Caregiver--A
					 person who is counted in the child to caregiver ratio, whose duties include the
					 supervision, guidance, and protection of a child. As used in this chapter, a
					 caregiver must meet the minimum education, work experience, and training
					 qualifications required under Subchapter D of this chapter (relating to
					 Personnel). A caregiver is usually an employee, but may also be a substitute,
					 volunteer, or contractor, as outlined in paragraph (19) of this section and
					 Subchapter D, Division 5 of this chapter.
(11) Certified Child-Care Professional
					 Credential--A credential given by the National Early Childhood Program
					 Accreditation to a person working directly with children. The credential is
					 based on assessed competency in several areas of child care and child
					 development.
(12) Certified
					 lifeguard--A person who has been trained in life saving and water safety by a
					 qualified instructor, from a recognized organization that awards a certificate
					 upon successful completion of the training. The certificate is not required to
					 use the term "lifeguard," but the permit holder must be able to document that
					 the certificate is current, relevant to the type of water activity in which
					 children will engage, and represents the type of training described.
(13) CEUs--Continuing education units. A
					 standard unit of measure for adult education and training activities. One CEU
					 equals 10 clock hours of participation in an organized, continuing-education
					 experience, under responsible, qualified direction and instruction. Although a
					 person may obtain a CEU in many of the same settings as clock hours, the CEU
					 provider must meet the criteria established by the International Association
					 for Continuing Education and Training to be able to offer the CEU.
(14) Child--An infant, a toddler, a
					 pre-kindergarten age child, or a school-age child.
(15) Child-care center--A child-care facility
					 that is licensed to care for seven or more children for less than 24 hours per
					 day, at a location other than the permit holder's home. If you were licensed
					 before September 1, 2003, the location of the center could be in the permit
					 holder's home.
(16) Child-care
					 program--The services and activities provided by a child-care center.
(17) Child Development Associate
					 Credential--A credential given by the Council for Professional Recognition to a
					 person working directly with children. The credential is based on assessed
					 competency in several areas of child care and child development.
(18) Clock hour--An actual hour of
					 documented:
(A) Attendance at instructor-led
					 training, such as seminars, workshops, conferences, early childhood classes,
					 and other planned learning opportunities, provided by an individual or
					 individuals as specified in §
												746.1317(a) of
					 this chapter (relating to Must the training for my caregivers and the director
					 meet certain criteria?); or
(B)
					 Self-instructional training that was created by an individual or individuals,
					 as specified in §
												746.1317(a) and
					 (b) of this chapter, or self-study
					 training.