Small Steps Nurturing Center-5th Ward

Licensed Center

Provider details

City / County / ZIP: Houston / Harris / 77026
Street address: 2902 Jensen Dr
Phone: (713) 236-0330
Capacity: 189
Ages served: Toddler, Pre-Kindergarten, School
Hours / Days: 08:00 AM-05:30 PM / Mon,Tue,Wed,Thu,Fri
Permit type: Full Permit
Permit issued: December 20, 2006
Operation status:: Active
Corrective action: HHSC lists: No
Adverse action: HHSC lists: No
Temporarily closed: HHSC lists: No

Corrective action means HHSC requires steps to address compliance concerns; see the official HHSC record for details.

Adverse action means HHSC has taken enforcement action affecting an operation’s permit or ability to operate; see the official HHSC record for details.

Plain-English summary of cited deficiencies

State records list 15 cited deficiencies dated October 12, 2023 to August 25, 2026 (7 High, 6 Medium High, 2 Medium risk). Correction status: 1 corrected at inspection, 14 with a correction date recorded, 0 with no correction date recorded.

High risk · Required Equipment in Vehicles - Emergency Medical Information (746.5617(a)(2))
Cited August 25, 2026 (correction date recorded: August 28, 2026; correction verified August 31, 2026; technical assistance given); November 13, 2024 (correction date recorded: November 20, 2024; correction verified November 18, 2024; technical assistance given).
What the record describes: Children being transported were missing emergency medical transport and treatment authorization forms in the van or transportation binder.
High risk · Supervision ensures each child?s safety, well-being, including physical proximity and auditory or visual awareness of each child?s on going activity (746.1205(a)(4))
Cited April 1, 2026 (correction date recorded: April 2, 2026; correction verified April 8, 2026; technical assistance given); November 10, 2025 (correction date recorded: December 1, 2025; correction verified December 3, 2025; technical assistance given); October 14, 2024 (correction date recorded: November 8, 2024; correction verified November 13, 2024; technical assistance given); October 12, 2023 (correction date recorded: December 5, 2023; correction verified December 5, 2023; technical assistance given).
What the record describes: Narratives describe a child left unsupervised in a hallway for a minute, a child left unsupervised in a classroom for several minutes, and a child left alone for approximately five minutes. The published record has no narrative for this citation.
High risk · AP Background check results - Must receive notification prior to allowing subject to be present at your operation (745.641)
Cited October 16, 2024 (correction date recorded: October 16, 2024; correction verified October 22, 2024; technical assistance given).
What the record describes: Student volunteers, a caregiver, and a contract vendor were with children without approved background checks.
Medium High risk · Food Allergy Emergency Plan Signed by Parents and Health Care Professional (746.3819)
Cited August 25, 2026 (correction date recorded: August 28, 2026; correction verified August 28, 2026; technical assistance given); October 22, 2025 (correction date recorded: November 7, 2025; correction verified November 6, 2025).
What the record describes: Narratives describe children with diagnosed food allergies missing required medication, including Benadryl, or having expired EpiPens. Some children did not have complete, current food allergy emergency plans, and a medication authorization form was missing.
Medium High risk · Safety - Televisions Anchored to Prevent Tip Over (746.3701(10))
Cited October 22, 2025 (correction date recorded: October 29, 2025; correction verified October 29, 2025).
What the record describes: Two TV monitors in 2 classrooms were not fastened to the children's bookshelves.
Medium High risk · Administering Medication - Original Container with Child's Name, Date (746.3805(b)(1))
Cited November 13, 2024 (corrected at inspection).
What the record describes: 8 medications did not have the date received written on their containers.
Medium High risk · Emergency Preparedness Plan - Evacuation, relocation, and sheltering/lock-down procedures (746.5202(1))
Cited November 13, 2024 (correction date recorded: November 20, 2024; correction verified November 18, 2024).
What the record describes: The emergency preparedness plan was missing the address of the alternate shelter away from the center.
Medium High risk · Transportation Safety Training -Director and Employee Complete 2 Hours Annually (746.1316(a))
Cited December 5, 2023 (correction date recorded: December 12, 2023; correction verified December 5, 2023; technical assistance given).
What the record describes: The director did not have current transportation training; the last training was taken in 2021.
Medium risk · Liability Insurance Requirements - Provide Proof of Coverage Annually by Anniversary Date of Issuance (746.203(2))
Cited May 20, 2026 (correction date recorded: May 22, 2026; correction verified May 22, 2026; technical assistance given).
What the record describes: The insurance policy on file, documented on 10/16/24, had expired on 9/19/25.
Medium risk · Incident/Illness Report Form Shared with Parent (746.707)
Cited November 12, 2025 (correction date recorded: November 14, 2025; correction verified November 14, 2025; technical assistance given).
What the record describes: The operation did not complete an incident report or share it with the parent within 48 hours of the incident.

Counts, dates, risk levels and correction status come directly from the state data. The plain-English descriptions were written automatically from the inspectors' narratives and checked against them by a second automated reviewer; they cover citations dated October 11, 2023 to October 11, 2026. They may contain errors; the official record is authoritative.

View the official state record · Report an issue with this page

Summary of the record

This summary is generated automatically from public HHSC records. It restates the official record and may lag behind it. The official state record is the authoritative source: official HHSC record.

Texas Health and Human Services records list 15 cited deficiencies for Small Steps Nurturing Center-5th Ward in the 3 years before October 10, 2026 (7 High, 6 Medium High, 2 Medium).

Records list 16 inspections in this window. Most recent inspection: 2026-09-10.

HHSC risk weights of citations
Risk weight	Citations
High	7
Medium High	6
Medium	2
Medium Low	0
Low	0
Unknown	0

HHSC assigns each standard a risk weight from Low to High. A deficiency is a finding that a minimum standard was not met.

Recent citations in the summary window

2026-08-25 · 746.5617(a)(2) · High

Required Equipment in Vehicles - Emergency Medical Information

12 children transported were missing the Emergency Medical Authorization forms in the van.

Correction date recorded: 2026-08-28

2026-08-25 · 746.3819 · Medium High

Food Allergy Emergency Plan Signed by Parents and Health Care Professional

2 children with a diagsnosed food allergy were missing medication that the health care provider says needs to be part of the plan.

Correction date recorded: 2026-08-28

2026-05-20 · 746.203(2) · Medium

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

The policy on file that was documented on 10/16/24 had expired on 9/19/25. Note: this was corrected at inspection when the director entered the updated policy in the on line provider portal account.

Correction date recorded: 2026-05-22

Full citation history from HHSC (18)

2026-08-25 · 746.3819 · Medium High
Food Allergy Emergency Plan Signed by Parents and Health Care Professional
Corrected at inspection: No. Correction date: 2026-08-28. Correction verified: 2026-08-28.
2 children with a diagsnosed food allergy were missing medication that the health care provider says needs to be part of the plan.
2026-08-25 · 746.5617(a)(2) · High
Required Equipment in Vehicles - Emergency Medical Information
Corrected at inspection: No. Correction date: 2026-08-28. Correction verified: 2026-08-31.
12 children transported were missing the Emergency Medical Authorization forms in the van.
2026-05-20 · 746.203(2) · Medium
Liability Insurance Requirements - Provide Proof of Coverage Annually by Anniversary Date of Issuance
Corrected at inspection: No. Correction date: 2026-05-22. Correction verified: 2026-05-22.
The policy on file that was documented on 10/16/24 had expired on 9/19/25. Note: this was corrected at inspection when the director entered the updated policy in the on line provider portal account.
2026-04-01 · 746.1205(a)(4) · High
Supervision ensures each child?s safety, well-being, including physical proximity and auditory or visual awareness of each child?s on going activity
Corrected at inspection: No. Correction date: 2026-04-02. Correction verified: 2026-04-08.
A self-report by the operation was made that a child was left unsupervised in the hallway for a minute.
2025-11-12 · 746.707 · Medium
Incident/Illness Report Form Shared with Parent
Corrected at inspection: No. Correction date: 2025-11-14. Correction verified: 2025-11-14.
The operation did not complete an incident report or share the report with the parent within 48 hours of the incident.
2025-11-10 · 746.1205(a)(4) · High
Supervision ensures each child?s safety, well-being, including physical proximity and auditory or visual awareness of each child?s on going activity
Corrected at inspection: No. Correction date: 2025-12-01. Correction verified: 2025-12-03.
One child was left unsupervised in the classroom for several minutes.
2025-10-22 · 746.3701(10) · Medium High
Safety - Televisions Anchored to Prevent Tip Over
Corrected at inspection: No. Correction date: 2025-10-29. Correction verified: 2025-10-29.
Two tv monitors in 2 classrooms were unfastended to the children's bookshelf, posing as a tipping hazard.
2025-10-22 · 746.3819 · Medium High
Food Allergy Emergency Plan Signed by Parents and Health Care Professional
Corrected at inspection: No. Correction date: 2025-11-07. Correction verified: 2025-11-06.
4 out of 6 children with diagnosed food allergies did not have a complete and current food allergy emergency plan. 1 kid is missing Benadryl, 2 kids had expired epi-pens, 1 kid missing medication and authorization form.
2024-11-13 · 746.5617(a)(2) · High
Required Equipment in Vehicles - Emergency Medical Information
Corrected at inspection: No. Correction date: 2024-11-20. Correction verified: 2024-11-18.
The transportation binder is missing Emergency medical transport and treatment authorization forms for 3 children being transported.
2024-11-13 · 746.3805(b)(1) · Medium High
Administering Medication - Original Container with Child's Name, Date
Corrected at inspection: Yes. Correction date: 2024-11-13. Correction verified: Not recorded.
8 medications did not have the date received written on the container. Note; this was corrected at inspection when the director wrote on each medication the date it was received from the parent.
2024-11-13 · 746.5202(1) · Medium High
Emergency Preparedness Plan - Evacuation, relocation, and sheltering/lock-down procedures
Corrected at inspection: No. Correction date: 2024-11-20. Correction verified: 2024-11-18.
The Emergency Prepardeness Plan is missing the address of the alternate shelter away from the center.
2024-10-16 · 745.641 · High
AP Background check results - Must receive notification prior to allowing subject to be present at your operation
Corrected at inspection: No. Correction date: 2024-10-16. Correction verified: 2024-10-22.
2 student volunteers, 1 caregiver and 1 contract vendor were with children without approved background checks.
2024-10-14 · 746.1205(a)(4) · High
Supervision ensures each child?s safety, well-being, including physical proximity and auditory or visual awareness of each child?s on going activity
Corrected at inspection: No. Correction date: 2024-11-08. Correction verified: 2024-11-13.
No narrative recorded.
2023-12-05 · 746.1316(a) · Medium High
Transportation Safety Training -Director and Employee Complete 2 Hours Annually
Corrected at inspection: No. Correction date: 2023-12-12. Correction verified: 2023-12-05.
The director did not have current transportation training, the last training was taken in 2021.
2023-10-12 · 746.1205(a)(4) · High
Supervision ensures each child?s safety, well-being, including physical proximity and auditory or visual awareness of each child?s on going activity
Corrected at inspection: No. Correction date: 2023-12-05. Correction verified: 2023-12-05.
It was determined that a child was left alone for approximately five minutes.
2022-09-30 · 746.1203(4) · High
Responsibilities of Caregivers - Supervision of Children
Corrected at inspection: No. Correction date: 2022-10-04. Correction verified: 2022-10-28.
Caregivers left a child on the outside patio of the classroom.
2022-01-06 · 746.5617(a)(2) · High
Required Equipment in Vehicles - Emergency Medical Information
Corrected at inspection: Yes. Correction date: 2022-01-06. Correction verified: Not recorded.
During review of transportation the operation was found to not have emergency medical information on van used to transport children. This was corrected when the director updated the transportation binder.
2022-01-06 · 746.3407(12) · High
Mark Cleaning Supplies, Toxic Materials; Keep Separate from Food and Inaccessible to Children
Corrected at inspection: Yes. Correction date: 2022-01-06. Correction verified: Not recorded.
During the walkthrough I observed four buckets of disinfectant wipes and spray bottles with cleaning solution in the reach of children. This was corrected when the director removed the buckets and placed the bottles out of reach.

Source: Texas HHSC Child Care Regulation, via data.texas.gov (CC0). See the official record: https://childcare.hhs.texas.gov/Public/InspectionAndComplianceHistory?operationId=302500

Records reflect only deficiencies published by the state after due process. This page does not rate or rank providers. Check the official record for the latest information.

Provider data fetched: October 10, 2026.