If the investigator identifies an immediate danger to a child in the care of an operation, the investigator immediately begins to determine the appropriate safety interventions necessary to ensure child safety.

Safety interventions may include:

• Implementing a safety plan.
• Modifying an existing safety plan.

DFPS Rules, 40 TAC §707.717(6)

Safety Plan

A safety plan is a signed, temporary agreement between DFPS and the child care operation or home. It describes specific actions, interventions, or conditions that will occur at the operation or home in order to support the ongoing safety of children while an investigation is being conducted.

Safety plans are used to mitigate conditions or situations at a child care operation or home that are likely to cause or contribute to immediate dangers if no safety intervention is implemented.

Safety plans are unrelated to the expectation that an operation comply with minimum standard requirements established under its license or permit to operate.

Immediate Danger

A danger is immediate if the substantial risk or threat of physical, emotional, or mental harm it presents is happening now, or can be expected to happen within the next few days. An immediate danger may require immediate action. See #CCI_4540">4540 Handling Immediate Danger to Children.

Dangers that are not immediate refer to a risk or threat of harm that has the potential to occur, but is not likely to occur in the near future.