There is a problem in Texas that affects the future of children; many child care centers and homes do not provide quality care to children. In an article about the costs and quality of child care in Texas, child development experts Susan Eitel and Joyce Nuner cite a study that states “that [nationally] only 10 percent of infants and toddlers attend high-quality [child care] programs” (34). The term ratio describes the number of children a caregiver is observing. This number is one of the main factors in the quality of a child care program. Organizations such as the National Association for the Education of Young Children, known as NAEYC, issue recommendations regarding accreditation reports and programs based on their compliance. Child care centers and homes must meet certain minimum reporting standards imposed by Texas; however, these standards often set the bar lower than the recommendations made by these early childhood experts. Current standards in Texas do not ensure that all children receive quality care; For this reason, the Texas Department of Family and Family Protective Services should strengthen minimum reporting standards to better regulate the quality of care children receive. Minimum standards released by the Texas Department of Family and Family Protective Services regarding reporting fail to ensure that children receive quality care. The NAEYC publishes recommendations for child care operations, and as journalist Anthony Jennings states, these reports “are considered best practices for ensuring that the level of care is of high quality.” These permitted relationships depend on whether the nursery is a licensed centre, a licensed home or a registered home. While the ratios allowed by Texas minimum standards are in al...... middle of paper......and services require only the bare minimum of child care. This is not acceptable, quality in childcare matters and it is time to change our expectations. Children deserve the best care that society and their parents can offer them. The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services is currently holding stakeholder meetings across the state. The aim of these meetings, aimed at parents and childcare workers, is to create a discussion on the current minimum standards. By attending these meetings and making our voices heard, we as a society will be able to make a change. Requiring every child care operation to meet the ratios recommended by the National Association for the Education of Young Children creates the opportunity for every child to receive the best start in life. It's hard to think of a better outcome from a policy change.