The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services is putting parents on alert of the dangers of unlicensed child-care providers.
Officials are launching a campaign called "Don't be in the dark about child care," urging parents to check up on the caregivers and encouraging the caregivers to get licensed.
The department says while unlicensed operators may be cheaper, they aren't necessarily safer.
"There are no checks and balances, there's no oversight, there's no guarantees that the providers are trained to care for children," said Yvette Gutierrez, an investigator with the San Antonio Department of Child Care Licensing. "There are no criminal background checks done on these providers. They provide no ongoing training. There's nobody going out inspecting the homes to ensure that it's safe."
In 2006, 18 Texas children died in unregulated care, compared to 10 the previous year.
To find out if you child-care provider is operating legally, visit the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.
Full text available at My San Antonio
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