Stepping Stones DFW, LLC

High risk Licensed Operations Required Fees

State rule 745.509 (licensing rules for every operation): "Licensed Operations Required Fees"

Inspector's note: Operation has overdue fees invoiced 6/02/2026. The operation was notified of the fees before the monitoring assessment.

Corrected Nov 20, 2026, verified by the state Nov 9, 2026. The inspector gave technical assistance (advice on how to comply).

Medium risk Liability Insurance Requirements - Provide Proof of Coverage Annually by Anniversary Date of Issuance

State rule 746.203(2) (minimum standards for child-care centers): "Liability Insurance Requirements - Provide Proof of Coverage Annually by Anniversary Date of Issuance"

Inspector's note: The operation does not have liability insurance.

Corrected Feb 9, 2026, verified by the state Mar 6, 2026.

Medium risk Liability Insurance Requirements - Provide Proof of Coverage Annually by Anniversary Date of Issuance

State rule 746.203(2) (minimum standards for child-care centers): "Liability Insurance Requirements - Provide Proof of Coverage Annually by Anniversary Date of Issuance"

Inspector's note: The operation does not have liability insurance.

Corrected Feb 9, 2026, verified by the state Feb 4, 2026. The inspector gave technical assistance (advice on how to comply).

Medium-low risk The operation must report its number of employees to the state.

State rule 746.303(b) (minimum standards for child-care centers): "Report Number of Employees"

Inspector's note: Annual report has not been completed and submitted by required due date.

Corrected Feb 11, 2026, verified by the state Feb 4, 2026. The inspector gave technical assistance (advice on how to comply).

High risk If a person's background check came back with conditions, their duties must be restricted as the conditions say.

State rule 745.635(3) (licensing rules for every operation): "Background ck determination - If provisionally eligible w/conditions or eligible w/conditions you must restrict duties per conditions/restrictions"

Inspector's note: A person was supervising 9 children in a classroom with a condition to not being left alone. An additional caregiver was not present in the classroom

Corrected Oct 1, 2025, verified by the state Oct 3, 2025. The inspector gave technical assistance (advice on how to comply).

High risk Caregivers must step in when needed to keep each child safe.

State rule 746.1205(a)(5) (minimum standards for child-care centers): "Responsibilities of Caregivers - Intervene to ensure each child's safety"

Inspector's note: A child was observed asleep in a room alone.

Corrected Oct 1, 2025, verified by the state Oct 3, 2025. The inspector gave technical assistance (advice on how to comply).

Medium-high risk A director must be formally designated.

State rule 746.201(4) (minimum standards for child-care centers): "Designating Director"

Inspector's note: The current director of the center does not meet the required standards due to conditions on their background check that prevent them from fulfilling their job duties.

Corrected Oct 1, 2025, verified by the state Oct 3, 2025. The inspector gave technical assistance (advice on how to comply).

Medium-high risk Vehicles used to transport children must be maintained safely.

State rule 746.5603(c) (minimum standards for child-care centers): "Types of Vehicles Used to Transport Children - Be Maintained Safely"

Inspector's note: One of the operation's vehicles the front seat was not attatched to the floor of the van.

Corrected Oct 1, 2025, verified by the state Oct 3, 2025.

High risk Not Under the Influence of Alcohol or Controlled Substance

State rule 746.3703(c) (minimum standards for child-care centers): "Not Under the Influence of Alcohol or Controlled Substance"

Inspector's note: Based on evidence gathered throughout the investigation, it was determined that a caregiver was under the influence while caring for and transporting children.

Corrected Oct 29, 2025, verified by the state Nov 12, 2025. The inspector gave technical assistance (advice on how to comply).

Low risk Director Certificate Not Renewed

State rule 746.1057 (minimum standards for child-care centers): "Director Certificate Not Renewed"

Corrected Sep 26, 2025, verified by the state Oct 10, 2025. The inspector gave technical assistance (advice on how to comply).

Medium-high risk Areas children use must be kept free of safety hazards, such as uncovered electrical outlets, unprotected heaters or fans, or reachable water.

State rule 746.3701(5) (minimum standards for child-care centers): "Safety - Play Materials and Equipment Safe"

Inspector's note: Outside play sturcture has broken sharp edges.

Corrected Aug 18, 2025, verified by the state Aug 20, 2025. The inspector gave technical assistance (advice on how to comply).

Medium-high risk Loose-fill surfacing must be kept at the proper depth.

State rule 746.4907(d) (minimum standards for child-care centers): "Installation and Maintenance of Loose-fill Surfacing - Proper Depth Maintained"

Inspector's note: Loos fill surrounding the slide play structure is inadequate.

Corrected Aug 18, 2025, verified by the state Aug 20, 2025. The inspector gave technical assistance (advice on how to comply).

High risk The state prohibits certain punishments of children, such as hitting, grabbing, shaming, withholding food or rest, or locking a child in a room.

State rule 746.2805(5) (minimum standards for child-care centers): "Prohibited Punishments - Humiliating, Rejecting, Yelling"

Inspector's note: I heard a caregiver tell a crying child "girl shut up"

Corrected while the inspector was there. The inspector gave technical assistance (advice on how to comply).

High risk Vehicles used to transport children must carry a fire extinguisher.

State rule 746.5617(a)(5) (minimum standards for child-care centers): "Required Equipment in Vehicles - Fire Extinguisher"

Inspector's note: School van LP# KCP 2668 is missing a fire extinguisher.

Corrected May 28, 2025, verified by the state Jun 3, 2025. The inspector gave technical assistance (advice on how to comply).

Medium risk Each crib must be labelled for its infant.

State rule 746.2409(a)(10) (minimum standards for child-care centers): "Safety Requirements for Cribs - Label for Each Infant"

Inspector's note: Infant cribs do not have the names of the infants assigned to the crib.

Corrected May 28, 2025, verified by the state Jun 3, 2025. The inspector gave technical assistance (advice on how to comply).

High risk Caregivers must supervise every child at all times: close enough to step in, and always aware of what each child is doing.

State rule 746.1205(a)(4) (minimum standards for child-care centers): "Supervision ensures each child's safety, well-being, including physical proximity and auditory or visual awareness of each child's on going activity"

Inspector's note: A child walked down a hallway, across the gym and out the backdoor of the building where the director and I were on the playground.

Corrected Feb 13, 2025, verified by the state Feb 20, 2025. The inspector gave technical assistance (advice on how to comply).

High risk The vehicle's child safety alarm must be installed and maintained as the manufacturer instructs.

State rule 746.5625(b) (minimum standards for child-care centers): "Electronic Child Safety Alarm - installed and maintained according to manufacturer's instructions"

Inspector's note: The operation did not have a working safety alarm installed in either van they are currently using to transport children.

Corrected Mar 4, 2025, verified by the state Mar 4, 2025. The inspector gave technical assistance (advice on how to comply).

Medium-high risk The building, grounds and equipment must be kept in good repair and clean.

State rule 746.3407 (minimum standards for child-care centers): "Maintenance of Building, Grounds and Equipment"

Inspector's note: The wood paneling to fix the broken fence must be secured. This should not be able to be moved by the wind or by children. Wooden logs with nails protruding must be removed as they pose a safety hazard. There is a hole on one section of the concrete fencing which needs to be covered.

Corrected Mar 31, 2025, verified by the state Mar 18, 2025. The inspector gave technical assistance (advice on how to comply).

High risk A person may not be at the operation until their background check result has come back and allows it.

State rule 745.641 (licensing rules for every operation): "Background check results - Must receive notification prior to allowing subject to be present at your operation"

Inspector's note: Caregiver was observed to have direct access to children without an active background check.

Corrected Jan 27, 2025, verified by the state Feb 13, 2025. The inspector gave technical assistance (advice on how to comply).

High risk The driver must have a current driver's license.

State rule 746.5617(b) (minimum standards for child-care centers): "Driver Has Current Driver's License"

Inspector's note: Two out of the three drivers did not have valid drivers license available for review.

Corrected Jan 27, 2025, verified by the state Feb 13, 2025. The inspector gave technical assistance (advice on how to comply).

High risk The vehicle's child safety alarm must be installed and maintained as the manufacturer instructs.

State rule 746.5625(b) (minimum standards for child-care centers): "Electronic Child Safety Alarm - installed and maintained according to manufacturer's instructions"

Inspector's note: The operation did not have a working safety alarm installed in van used to transport children.

Corrected Jan 31, 2025, verified by the state Feb 13, 2025. The inspector gave technical assistance (advice on how to comply).

Medium-high risk Each caregiver must know the names and ages of the children they are responsible for.

State rule 746.1205(a)(3) (minimum standards for child-care centers): "Responsibilities of Caregivers - Know children's names and ages"

Inspector's note: Caregivers did not know the birthdays of the children they were responsible for.

Corrected Jan 27, 2025, verified by the state Feb 13, 2025.

Medium-high risk The building, grounds and equipment must be kept in good repair and clean.

State rule 746.3407 (minimum standards for child-care centers): "Maintenance of Building, Grounds and Equipment"

Inspector's note: The operation has a broken fence area also has logs with sharp nails sticking out of the wood accessible to children.

Corrected Feb 7, 2025, verified by the state Feb 13, 2025.

Medium-low risk Required Records Storage

State rule 746.803(a) (minimum standards for child-care centers): "Required Records Storage"

Inspector's note: The operation did not have bus log records available for review for the past 3 months.

Corrected Jan 31, 2025, verified by the state Feb 13, 2025.

High risk Caregivers must supervise every child at all times: close enough to step in, and always aware of what each child is doing.

State rule 746.1205(a)(4) (minimum standards for child-care centers): "Supervision ensures each child's safety, well-being, including physical proximity and auditory or visual awareness of each child's on going activity"

Inspector's note: The operation leaves children unattended in the classroom for unspecified amounts of time.

Corrected Feb 21, 2025, verified by the state Mar 4, 2025. The inspector gave technical assistance (advice on how to comply).

High risk Children being transported must be secured in the safety seats or restraints the state requires.

State rule 746.5607(e)(4)(A) (minimum standards for child-care centers): "Child Passenger Safety Seat System - 4 through 7 years of age, outgrown weight or height limit of seat and less than 4 feet, 9 inches in height"

Inspector's note: The required safety seats are not being used for transporting.

Corrected Feb 21, 2025, verified by the state Mar 4, 2025. The inspector gave technical assistance (advice on how to comply).