Daycare RecordChild care inspection records

Small Steps Nurturing Center-Gulfton

6856 Bellaire Blvd, Houston, TX 77074 · Harris County

Small Steps Nurturing Center-Gulfton is a licensed child care center in Houston, TX, licensed for up to 75 children and serving toddlers, preschoolers and school-age children. It has held its Texas license since 2021. Since October 2021, state inspectors have visited 13 times and investigated 3 reports. Inspectors recorded 19 citations, 7 of them high-risk, most often for health & medication (3 of 19). None of them came in the last 12 months. 21% were corrected during the inspection itself. Its last 5 inspections found no violations. Measured by risk-weighted citations per inspection, it is tied for #535 of 882 centers in Houston and better than 16% of licensed centers statewide.

Inspection record

Better than 16%of 9,147 Texas licensed centers, comparing risk-weighted citations per inspection. More citations than most
Tied for #535 of 882 centers in Houston
7High risk
6Medium High risk
4Medium risk
1Medium Low risk
1Low risk
19 citations from 13 inspections and 1 reports since Oct 1, 2021 · 0 in the last 12 months · last inspected May 4, 2026

Every state visit

20222023202420252026INSPECTIONS (top) · REPORTS & INVESTIGATIONS (bottom)May 4, 2026 · Inspection · no citationDec 5, 2025 · Inspection · no citationNov 10, 2025 · Report/investigation · no citationNov 10, 2025 · Inspection · no citationOct 2, 2025 · Inspection · no citationSep 30, 2025 · Report/investigation · citation foundJul 21, 2025 · Inspection · no citationMay 6, 2025 · Inspection · citation foundJun 20, 2024 · Inspection · no citationMay 29, 2024 · Inspection · no citationMay 14, 2024 · Inspection · citation foundMay 19, 2023 · Inspection · no citationJun 27, 2022 · Inspection · no citationApr 27, 2022 · Inspection · citation foundApr 26, 2022 · Report/investigation · no citationDec 15, 2021 · Inspection · no citation
Citation foundNo citation

What inspectors cited most

Health & medication3
Training & qualifications3
Staff ratios3
Supervision2
Other standards2
Building & playground safety2
Food & feeding2
Records & paperwork1
Sleep safety1

Citations, newest first

HighSep 30, 2025Found during an investigationSupervision
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)
Based on the information obtained, it was determined supervision was not maintained when a two-year-old child left the classroom.
Correction verified Nov 10, 2025
HighMay 6, 2025InspectionHealth & medication
Required Equipment in Vehicles - Emergency Medical Information §746.5617(a)(2)
Emergency medical treatment information is needed for five children who are transported.
Correction verified May 9, 2025
LowMay 6, 2025InspectionTraining & qualifications
Employee record: Signed and Dated Statement for Orientation/Pre-Service training by trainer and employee §746.1329(d)
While evaluating eight personnel files, I observed several files missing signed and dated statement from the employee/trainer.
Correction verified May 9, 2025
Medium HighMay 6, 2025InspectionStaff ratios
Electronic CO Detection Sys Connected to Alarm/Smoke Detection Sys-Test Documentation Available During Hours of Operation §746.5537(b)(2)
The operation does not have documentation showing the carbon monoxide detection system was tested.
Correction verified May 8, 2025
Medium HighMay 6, 2025InspectionOther standards
Requirement of Gas Leak Inspection §746.5401
The last gas leak inspection was conducted on 2/7/2023.
Correction verified May 8, 2025
MediumMay 6, 2025InspectionBuilding & playground safety
Children's Products- Annual Certification §746.4135(b)
The annual certification was last completed 01/22/2024 Note: This was corrected during inspection.
Corrected during the visit
MediumMay 6, 2025InspectionRecords & paperwork
Children's Records Maintained §746.603(a)
Records were evaluated for eight children enrolled and the following was determined: Three children needed a statement of special needs. Two children needed an address for the emergency contact. One child needed emergency care information such as name, address, and phone number of the child's physician or emergency care facility. One child needed authorization for emergency medical treatment.
Correction verified May 9, 2025
Medium HighMay 6, 2025InspectionFood & feeding
Food Allergy Emergency Plan Signed by Parents and Health Care Professional §746.3819
A parent signature is needed on one child's food allergy emergency plan.
Correction verified May 9, 2025
HighMay 6, 2025InspectionHealth & medication
Storage of Medication - Inaccessible to Children §746.3807(1)
During today's inspection I observed a bottle of medication stored on a counter that was accessible to children. Note: This was corrected during inspection.
Corrected during the visit
HighMay 14, 2024InspectionStaff ratios
AP Background check results - Must receive notification prior to allowing subject to be present at your operation §745.641
Observed a caregiver in the Three's classroom who had direct access to children in care. The caregivers background check is pending and the operation has not received an eligiblity notification from CBCU stating the caregiver can be present.
Correction verified May 22, 2024
HighMay 14, 2024InspectionHealth & medication
Required Equipment in Vehicles - Emergency Medical Information §746.5617(a)(2)
Authorization for emergency medical treatment for children was not observed in the vehicle used to transport children.
Correction verified May 22, 2024
HighMay 14, 2024InspectionSupervision
Responsibilities of Caregivers - Know number of children responsible for §746.1205(a)(2)
Multiple caregivers did not know the number of children they were responsible for during the inspection.
Correction verified May 29, 2024
MediumMay 14, 2024InspectionTraining & qualifications
First Aid Kit Incomplete - Thermometer, preferably non-glass §746.4003(a)(7)
The operation did not have a thermometer in the first aid kit in van used to transport children. Note: The provider obtained an extra thermometer and placed it in the first aid kit in the van during the inspection.
Corrected during the visit
MediumMay 14, 2024InspectionSleep safety
Cots, Beds, Mats Labeled With Child's Name §746.4503(b)
Nap mats were missing labels during the inspection.
Correction verified May 29, 2024
Medium LowMay 14, 2024InspectionTraining & qualifications
Training Criteria - Certificate §746.1317(c)(4)
Training certificates in the following topics were not available for review for 2 staff: Handling, Storing and Disposing of Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness
Correction verified May 22, 2024
Medium HighMay 14, 2024InspectionStaff ratios
Annual Sanitation Inspection- Inspection unavailable must maintain documentation at operation and make available to us §746.3401(c)(2)
Documentation stating a sanitation inspection is not required was not available for review during the inspection.
Correction verified Jul 16, 2024
HighMay 14, 2024InspectionBuilding & playground safety
Smoke Detectors Testing §746.5319
Documentation showing the smoke detector and carbonoxide detectors have been tested within the last month was not available for review.
Correction verified May 22, 2024
Medium HighMay 14, 2024InspectionFood & feeding
Food Allergy Emergency Plan Signed by Parents and Health Care Professional §746.3819
The food allergy emergency plan forms for 2 children with documented food allergies was not signed by the parent.
Correction verified May 22, 2024
Medium HighApr 27, 2022InspectionOther standards
Caregivers Have Access to Tracking System §746.631(b)
There were 2 classrooms on the playground that did not have access to the tracking system for children in their care. Note: The Interim Director brought the sign in/out logs to the caregivers druing the inspection.
Corrected during the visit

About this center

Licensed capacity75 children
Ages servedToddler, Pre-Kindergarten, School
Hours08:00 AM-03:30 PM
DaysMon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri
Licensed sinceJun 29, 2021
DirectorDaniela Gonzalez
Phone7134025196
State operation #1716535

Common questions

Does Small Steps Nurturing Center-Gulfton take infants?

No. Its Texas license covers toddlers, preschoolers and school-age children, not infants.

What are Small Steps Nurturing Center-Gulfton’s hours?

8 AM to 3:30 PM, Monday through Friday, according to its state licensing record. Confirm holiday and summer hours with the center.

Does Small Steps Nurturing Center-Gulfton accept child care subsidies?

Not according to its state licensing record. Ask the center directly, since participation can change.

How much does Small Steps Nurturing Center-Gulfton cost?

Texas does not publish individual centers’ prices, so ask Small Steps Nurturing Center-Gulfton for its current tuition. For comparison, the median full-day price at licensed centers in the Gulf Coast area, which includes Houston, is $40.80 a day for toddlers, $39.40 a day for 3-year-olds and $37.20 a day for school-age children (2025 Texas Child Care Market Rate Survey).

Has Small Steps Nurturing Center-Gulfton had any serious violations?

Inspectors recorded 7 high-risk citations since 2021. The most recent was on Sep 30, 2025: “Supervision ensures each child’s safety, well-being, including physical proximity and auditory or visual awareness of each child’s on going activity.” Each one is listed in full above.

How does Small Steps Nurturing Center-Gulfton compare with other daycares in Houston?

It is tied for #535 of 882 centers in Houston by risk-weighted citations per inspection, and is better than 16% of licensed centers statewide (out of 9,147 Texas centers with enough inspection history).

When was Small Steps Nurturing Center-Gulfton last inspected?

May 4, 2026. No violations were found during that visit.

Licensed centers nearby

Citations are quoted from Texas HHS inspection records. Many are corrected the same day, and a citation is a finding about one rule, not a judgment about a center overall.

To see the official record, search operation 1716535 on Search Texas Child Care. Data refreshed Sep 30, 2026.