Texas Administrative Code
Title 26 - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Part 1 - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION
Chapter 748 - MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR GENERAL RESIDENTIAL OPERATIONS
Subchapter G - CHILD/CAREGIVER RATIOS
Section 748.1003 - For purposes of the child/caregiver ratio, how many children can a single caregiver care for during the children's waking hours?

(a) The number of children that a single caregiver may care for during waking hours depends on the ages and treatment service needs of the children in the group. A single caregiver may care for five children if at least one child in the group requires treatment services, or eight children if none of the children in the group require treatment services. Children younger than five years old count as two children.

(b) You may separate children into groups based on age and/or treatment services in order to vary the child/caregiver ratio required for each group, as long as:

(c) A cottage home may be out of ratio during waking hours for short periods to enable a normal home-like routine as long as the care and supervision needs of the children continue to be met. Staff or other caregivers must be on the premises and available to respond in an emergency. These additional staff or caregivers must be specifically addressed in the written professional staffing plan.

(d) A child does not count in the child/caregiver ratio while participating in an approved unsupervised childhood activity.