Licensed Child Care Center · Houston, TX 77077
Between Oct 20, 2021 and Oct 20, 2026, the state cited Elena's Day Care for 24 deficiencies — the Texas HHSC term for rule violations — over 8 routine inspections and 4 other visits (investigations or paperwork reviews); 5 were under rules the state weights High. The rule cited most often here is 746.2419 (3 times, most recently Jun 10, 2025).
The state lists Elena's Day Care as serving infant, toddler, pre-kindergarten, and school-age children, open 06:30 AM to 06:00 PM (Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri). Programs on file: School Age Care, Before School Care, Meals Provided, After School Care, Snacks Provided, Drop-In Care, Part Time Care. Program type: Child Care Program.
Of the 24 violations at Elena's Day Care, 5 fall under rules Texas weights High and 10 under Medium High; the state sets each rule’s weight by the risk a violation poses to children. How weights work
| Weight | Violations | Share |
|---|---|---|
| High | 5 | 21% |
| Medium High | 10 | 42% |
| Medium | 6 | 25% |
| Medium Low | 2 | 8% |
| Low | 1 | 4% |
Elena's Day Care had 24 violations in five years, more than the median of 11 across Houston’s 923 licensed child care centers, and 2.6 per routine inspection against a median of 1.0 — a count of state records, not a rating.
3 rules were cited more than once at Elena's Day Care in the last five years.
| Rule | Times | What the rule covers |
|---|---|---|
| 746.2419 Medium High | 3 | Caregivers must hold infants up to six months old, and older infants who cannot sit up on their own, while feeding them, and must never prop a bottle. Bottles and cups must be labeled with the infant's first name and last initial, infants may not walk around or sleep with a bottle or cup, the hand-washing sink and diaper-changing surface may not be used for food or bottle preparation, and high chair trays must be sanitized before each use. Official rule text Most recent: Jun 10, 2025 · first: Jun 26, 2024 |
| 746.901 Medium Low | 2 | The center must keep a file at the center for each employee, caregiver, substitute, and volunteer, available during operating hours. It must include items such as start and end dates, proof of age and education qualifications, the required state affidavit forms (Forms 2985 and 2912), training records, proof that background checks were requested, and a copy of a photo ID. Official rule text Most recent: May 19, 2026 · first: May 19, 2026 |
| 746.2426 High | 2 | An infant may not sleep in a restrictive device unless the center has a completed Sleep Exception Form with a health-care professional's signed statement that it is medically necessary. Without that form, if an infant falls asleep in such a device, the caregiver must move the infant to a crib as soon as possible. Official rule text Most recent: Jun 10, 2025 · first: Jun 26, 2024 |
| Year | Routine inspections | All state visits | Violations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 (from Oct 20) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 2023 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 2024 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| 2025 | 2 | 3 | 7 |
| 2026 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
12 visits on record since Oct 20, 2021, newest first, including visits that found nothing.
| Date | Type | Rules checked | Violations |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 19, 2026 | Inspection | 623 | 6 |
| Jun 16, 2025 | Inspection | 4 | None |
| Jun 10, 2025 | Inspection | 642 | 5 |
| May 28, 2025 | Investigation (report) | 5 | 2 |
| Jul 29, 2024 | Assessment | 1 | None |
| Jul 18, 2024 | Inspection | 2 | None |
| Jul 2, 2024 | Investigation (report) | 1 | None |
| Jun 26, 2024 | Inspection | 629 | 4 |
| Aug 10, 2023 | Inspection | 2 | None |
| Jul 26, 2023 | Inspection | 626 | 3 |
| Aug 9, 2022 | Inspection | 607 | 3 |
| Feb 25, 2022 | Assessment | 1 | 1 |
Medium · May 19, 2026 · Inspection
Three out of four caregivers files reviewed did not have the required education documentation available for licensing to review.
Plain-English explanation above
Medium · May 19, 2026 · Inspection
Observed expired medication in the medication box. NOTE: This was corrected by disposing of the medication.
In plain English: The center must throw away medication or return it to the parent when the child leaves the center, when the medication is out of date, or when the child no longer needs it. Official rule text
Medium Low · May 19, 2026 · Inspection
Four out four caregivers files reviewed did not have the required pre affidavit forms available for licensing to review.
Plain-English explanation above
Medium · May 19, 2026 · Inspection
The director did not have the required current HASA training topics available for licensing to review. 1.Administering medication 2. Preventing and responding to emergencies due to food or an allergic reaction. 3. Handling, storing, and disposing of hazardous materials. 4.Understand building and premises safety 5. Emergency Preparedness 6. Preventing and controlling the spread of communicable diseases.
In plain English: A center director must complete 30 hours of training each year that fits the ages of the children served, including at least six hours on topics such as child development or guidance and discipline, at least one hour on preventing, recognizing, and reporting child abuse and neglect, and three to six hours on management or staff supervision depending on experience. At least six of the hours must be instructor-led. Official rule text
Medium · May 19, 2026 · Inspection
Observed one caregiver that did not have their education translated to english.
Official text of rule 746.1111
Medium High · May 19, 2026 · Inspection
The emergency evacuation and relocation diagram did not have the severe weather shelter location on the diagram. NOTE: This was corrected and updated during the inspection.
In plain English: The center must keep an emergency diagram on file showing its floor plan, two exit paths from each room (unless the room opens straight outside at ground level), the outdoor meeting spot, and the indoor spot for sheltering from severe weather. A copy must be posted near the entrance or exit of every room children use, where children and staff can easily see it. Official rule text
Medium High · Jun 10, 2025 · Inspection
Observed an infant holding and feeding themselves a bottle while propped up on a stuffed animal in their crib. NOTE: This was corrected during the inspection by removing the infant from the crib.
Plain-English explanation above
High · Jun 10, 2025 · Inspection
Observed a 3 month old sleeping in a restrictive device.
Plain-English explanation above
Medium High · Jun 10, 2025 · Inspection
Observed an infant sitting in a high chair without being properly strapped up with the safety belts. NOTE: This was corrected at the inspection by being removed from the high chair.
In plain English: High chairs, swings, strollers, infant carriers, bouncer seats, and similar equipment used for infants must have straps, and the straps must be fastened whenever an infant is in the equipment. Official rule text
Medium High · Jun 10, 2025 · Inspection
Observed a caregiver washing bottles in both sinks, hand washing and bottle washing sink.
Plain-English explanation above
High · Jun 10, 2025 · Inspection
One caregiver that was counted in the child to caregiver ratio had a pending background status.
In plain English: An operation must get notice from the state's background check unit that a person is eligible, eligible with conditions, or provisionally eligible with conditions before letting that person be at the operation. While waiting, the person may attend orientation or pre-service training only if they have no contact with children in care. Official rule text
Medium High · May 28, 2025 · Investigation (report)
Observed one teacher with thirteen children with the SAG 2 years old. Observed another teacher with sixteen children and SAG 3 years old.
Official text of rule 746.1611
Medium · May 28, 2025 · Investigation (report)
Observed 3 infants awake in their cribs for more than 30 minutes. NOTE: This was corrected during the inspection by removing the infant from their cribs.
Official text of rule 746.2425
High · Jun 26, 2024 · Inspection
I observed an 3m old in a swing with a propped bottle.
Plain-English explanation above
High · Jun 26, 2024 · Inspection
I observed a 3 month old sleeping in a restrictive device.
Plain-English explanation above
Medium · Jun 26, 2024 · Inspection
The last liability insurance coverage exipired on 2/7/24.
In plain English: Unless it has an acceptable reason not to, the center must carry liability insurance of $300,000 per occurrence of negligence, covering injury to a child on its premises or in its care. It must send proof of coverage to the state each year by the anniversary of its permit. Official rule text
Medium High · Jun 26, 2024 · Inspection
The last gas inspection was conducted on 5/7/22.
In plain English: A center that uses natural or LP gas must be inspected for gas leaks before its first permit and every two years after that, unless it is in a public school building run by the local school district. Official rule text
Medium High · Jul 26, 2023 · Inspection
3 dead roaches were left accesible to children in their restroom.
In plain English: The center must clean, repair, and maintain its building, grounds, and equipment to protect children's health. This includes sanitizing toys that children put in their mouths, keeping garbage out of children's reach, keeping floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair, and labeling cleaning supplies and storing them away from food and out of children's reach. Official rule text
High · Jul 26, 2023 · Inspection
Infant was sleeping in a play yard with a visible quarter size hole in mesh.
In plain English: Play yards (mesh or fabric-sided cribs) must be used as the manufacturer directs and must have a firm, flat, snug-fitting mattress made for that model with no added padding, snug-fitting sheets, secure hardware, sides that latch when raised, mesh openings of 1/4 inch or less, and a label with the infant's name or number. An infant may never be left in a play yard with a side folded down. Official rule text
Medium High · Jul 26, 2023 · Inspection
Monthly fire drills were not conducted under the 3 minutes exit time.
In plain English: The center must hold a fire drill every month, and the children must be able to get out of the building within three minutes. It must also hold a severe-weather sheltering drill and a lock-down drill at least four times a year each, and record the date, time, and length of every drill. Official rule text
Low · Aug 9, 2022 · Inspection
2 children's records did not have health statements available for review.
In plain English: For each child who does not attend pre-K or school away from the center, the center must have a health statement on file within one week of admission. This is usually a written statement from a health-care professional who examined the child in the past year saying the child can take part in the program; the rule also allows a parent's religious affidavit, or a parent's interim statement followed by the professional's statement within 12 months. Official rule text
Medium High · Aug 9, 2022 · Inspection
1 child's record did not contain a current immunization record. The child is missing the MMR vaccine.
In plain English: Each child from birth through age 14 must meet and keep meeting the state health department's immunization requirements, and the center must keep current immunization records, including any exemptions or exceptions. Required immunizations must be complete by the admission date, unless an exemption is verified by then or a homeless or foster child is admitted provisionally for up to 30 days. Official rule text
Medium High · Aug 9, 2022 · Inspection
Children in the infant class have not been signed in since 08/05/22. The Director corrected this at inspection. Children in the prek class were not signed in. A caregiver signed the children in at inspection.
In plain English: The center must have a system that tracks each child's arrival and departure every day, with the child's name, the date and times, and the initials or unique code of the employee or parent. All caregivers must be able to use it to see which children are in care during their shift, at caregiver changes, and during an evacuation. Official rule text
Medium Low · Feb 25, 2022 · Assessment
A review of the Employees Who Left Employment in 2021 data from February 23,2022, revealed that the center had not reported the number of employees who left employment in 2021 by February 22, 2022, as required.
In plain English: The center must tell the state in writing within five days when its designee, the head of its governing body, their address, or its director changes. Each year by January 15, it must report online how many employees stopped working there during the previous year. Official rule text
Based on the kinds of rules cited at Elena's Day Care:
More in ZIP 77077 and all of Houston.
This page reports the state’s records for Elena's Day Care; it is not a rating, a recommendation, or a background check, and may not be used for employment, tenant, credit, or insurance decisions.
Explanations follow the current rules (HHSC minimum standards, revised December 2025).