Parent Policy Handbook
Hours
The daycare is open 5 days a week, Monday to Friday inclusive. Daycare hours are from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. sharp. Parents are asked to respect these hours and to have an alternative person available to pick up their child in the event they are unable to meet the 4:30 p.m. deadline.
On occasion, and upon advanced notification of at least 24-hours, the Caregiver reserves the right to request an earlier pick-up time, if necessary.
Further they may be an occasional time when parents may pre-arrange with the Caregiver and/or alternate Caregiver at least 24 hours in advance to extend care beyond the 4:30 p.m. closing time at a rate of $5.00 per half-hour. Acceptance of pre-arranged late pick-ups will be at the Caregiver’s discretion.
If a Parent does arrive after 4:30 p.m. without 24-hours prior notice, there will be an overtime charge of $15.00 for each 15 minutes or less per child. Perpetual lateness could result in termination of care. Parents are also asked to arrive no later than 9:00 a.m. each morning and to pick-up no earlier than 4:00 p.m. so as to not disrupt daycare activities.
Payment
The daycare year consists of 52 weeks. The daycare annual fee for a full time spot is $14, 300.00. Payments of $550.00 are required bi-weekly (by Thursday), paid by either cash or cheque made payable to the Caregiver. It is the preference of the caregiver to receive post-dated checks in 6 month intervals.
A fee of $25.00 per day or part thereof will be charged for late payments and N.S.F. cheques. Repeated late payments could result in the termination of care.
Deposit
A two (2) week deposit payable by cheque or cash is required upon the signing of this contract. It is a holding fee and a guarantee of the child(ren)'s place in the daycare. The Caregiver will retain the full deposit if the agreement is cancelled before care begins. Otherwise, the deposit will be applied toward the last two weeks the child is in care.
Reservation Fee
If there is considerable time (more than one month) between the signing of the contract and when care is to begin, the Parents consent to pay a reservation fee of 50% of the regular daycare fee ($2 per day/$131 per week, for each child) to reserve the space(s). This amount will be paid when the contract is signed, and will ensure that the daycare space is held for your child(ren). In the event that the space is being held for the arrival of a sibling (for example), a mutually agreeable financial arrangement shall be negotiated as well. Should any changes occur on the part of the Parents between the signing of the contract and when Care is scheduled to begin, payment will not be refunded.
Integration Period
There will be a six-week trial period while the child is integrating into Day Care. The regular day care fee will be in effect and paid in full during this time. At the end of the six weeks, it will be decided as to whether care will continue or not. It is the Parents’ responsibility to find immediate alternate care if the Caregiver chooses to end care at this time. Payment for this time will not be refunded.
Day Care Closures
The day care will be closed for three (3) weeks of Caregiver vacation every year. Parents will be notified a minimum of six (6) weeks in advance. Parents are responsible for seeking and securing their own alternate care arrangements during this time.
The day care will also be closed for the following holidays:
· Family Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, August Civic Holiday, Labour Day, Thanksgiving Monday, Remembrance Day, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Day
· Please note: If any of the above holidays fall on a weekend, the day care will be closed the week day in lieu of the holiday.
Caregiver Illness, Absence and Personal Days
The Daycare allots itself to five paid sick days and five paid personal days within each day care year (September 1st – August 31st). Personal Days will be used for family emergencies, continuing education classes (eg: First Aid renewal), and/or caregiver workshops in order to keep the daycare current and in good standing. Any unused days will not be carried over to the next day care year.
If the day care is closed in excess of the five (5) days, Parents will not be required to pay for any additional days that the day care remains closed. Parents are again asked to have alternate care arrangements in place in the event that short notice of a closure is given due to a family emergency or caregiver illness.
Parent’s Holidays
Since payment is by enrolment, parents are required to pay the daily rate if they are off work and choose to keep their child home, or are away on holidays at a time other than when the daycare is closed. Parents are asked to give the daycare at least 2 weeks notice regarding holiday plans so any adjustments can be made to the daycare activity schedule if necessary.
Tax Receipts
Tax receipts will be provided no later than January 31st for the previous taxation year, or upon termination of the Contract.
References
Upon request, Caregiver will provide parents with references, police background checks, and child C.P.R. certification. For new families, the Caregiver may ask for references (e.g. a neighbour, a colleague, etc.) before signing the contract.
Consent for Alternate Care
At times it may be necessary for an alternate caregiver who is known to the parents to operate the Daycare. Upon signing the contract, parents give permission for the Caregiver to use an alternate Caregiver to provide care for their child(ren). The Caregiver will try to schedule doctor appointments, etc. after hours. However, if this is not possible, parents may be asked to alter drop-off and pick-up times to accommodate this. The regular daycare fee will be required as usual.
Child Illness
For the health and safety of your child and all of the children in our daycare, please do not bring your child to daycare sick. In which case we, the care providers, in turn may become sick making it difficult to care for the children at the high standards that we have set for ourselves. We can only care for children with mild cold like symptoms that are otherwise feeling and acting well. Mild cold like symptoms are clear runny nose, slight cough, and a slight or no fever. If you are not sure if your child should be brought to daycare, then please call and check with us. If a child becomes ill during daycare hours the parents will be contacted to pick up their child. Parents need to pick up their children within one hour of being notified. If parents are not available, the emergency contact person will be notified.
Note: Once the child is removed from daycare due to illness, they may not return to daycare until symptoms requiring removal are no longer present. The child must also be void of any contagious disease, unless accompanied by a doctor’s note stating the illness in question is not contagious, and the child is other wise feeling well enough to participate in our daily schedule. Parents agree to keep their child home if he/she has exhibited the following symptoms in the night or in the morning:
· Vomiting, diarrhoea (more than just one), a fever (even if it is low grade), general malaise, a rash, or has any contagious diseases such as pink eye, chicken pox, impetigo, strep throat, head lice, etc.
Children should also remain at home the first 24 hours following their first dose of antibiotics.
Guidelines For Children Requiring Exclusion From Daycare
A child with any of the following illnesses must be completely free of any symptoms before returning to daycare. If the child is taking antibiotics for an illness, the child may return to daycare after the initial 24 hours of beginning antibiotics as long as he or she has a slight to no fever (under 100F under the arm), no longer contagious, and is otherwise feeling well enough to participate in our daily schedule. Signs of illness include the following; unusual lethargy, irritability, persistent crying for no reason, runny nose (more than clear), cough (more than slight), difficulty breathing, diarrhea, vomiting, mouth sores, rashes (note from doctor stating non-contagious is ok), pink eye, chicken pox, mumps, measles, roseola, hepatitis A, impetigo, lice, ringworm, scabies, strep throat, scarlet fever, tuberculosis, shingles, and any other contagious disease or rash. Any child with a fever of 100 degrees or above, orally (in the mouth), or axillary (under the arm), may not attend daycare. At Precious Times Daycare, we make it a good practice to notify parents of children who have been exposed to certain contagious diseases. Therefore, to keep in line with our illness policies and to respect the health and wellness of other families in our care, please notify us if your child becomes infected, so a note can be posted.
Furthermore, please notify the daycare if the child has been ill since the last day of care. This includes bumps and bruises as well as illness.
Note: A fever in and of itself is not all bad (given that it is not too high). A fever is your bodies natural way of trying to protect it self against what ever virus or bacteria is attacking it. Illnesses that cause fevers cannot live in our bodies’ abnormally hot environment. However, a fever is an obvious indicator that the child is sick and possibly contagious, therefore requiring exclusion from daycare.
Child’s Absences and/or Vacations
If your child will not be attending daycare due to illness or other, please let us know as soon as possible so the day’s activities won’t be held up waiting for your child to arrive. Also, we need to know how many children we need to prepare meals for. No discounts will be given for your child’s absences due to illness or vacations. If your child will not be attending daycare for what ever reason, you are still required to pay.
Termination
Precious Times Developmental Daycare will give Parent(s) two (2) full week's written notice regarding the Caregiver's intent to terminate this contract, unless there are extenuating circumstances demanding a shorter period. Care will be provided as usual during these two weeks.
These final two weeks will run consecutively from the date that notice of termination is given. Any unused days during these two weeks will not be reimbursed, nor will care be extended beyond this two week period.
The Parent(s) agree to give the Caregiver two (2) full week’s paid written notice regarding their intent to terminate their contract.
The deposit will be applied to the child(ren)’s last two weeks that care is provided, and any outstanding balance will be expected to be paid in full within one (1) week of receiving the notice of termination.
Care may be terminated immediately anytime during the six-week integration period.
Daily Feedback
Daily written feedback is sent home to parents each evening through a daily communication log book. It details the child's activities, eating and sleeping routines, mood and behaviour each day. It also contains on-going assessments of child’s progress, developmental goals, and independence skills. If the Caregiver has any concerns regarding a child’s behaviour they will be addressed in the book.
Parents are encouraged to use the log book as a method of communicating daily with the Caregiver. Please send the book back to day care each morning and feel free to write notes and comments as well. Please address any concerns that you may have as soon as they arise so that we can arrive at a solution as quickly as possible.
You are also welcome to phone at Quiet/Nap time, but please leave a message if the Caregiver is unable to answer your call. Parents are asked to keep after hour phone calls to a minimum and for reporting absences or illnesses.
Parents are specifically asked to notify the Caregiver in the log book if there are any changes in their child’s usual routine or family situation (e.g. late nights, parent’s business trips or change in working hours, family death, or illness, or the upcoming arrival of a sibling, etc.) These can have a direct effect on a child’s well-being and may necessitate a change in programming and extra one-on-one attention.
Keeping in regular contact with each other is very important and necessary for us to be a good team in helping your child develop to his or her full potential. Parents are asked to be responsive and supportive when the Caregiver expresses a concern with regard to their child’s behaviour or development.
Behaviour Management
Redirection, role-modeling, positive reinforcement, and time-outs are all methods used to teach children appropriate behaviour. It is very important that both Parents and Caregiver model similar behaviour, working together to establish the same boundaries and to deal with behavioural issues consistently. Keeping in touch on a regular basis in the daily communication log book will ensure that we stay on top of any behaviour that is inappropriate and allows us a venue in which to discuss appropriate methods of dealing with the behaviour.
The daycare does not tolerate negative behaviour such as biting, hitting, pushing, kicking, name calling, bullying, taunting, etc. The safety, physical, and emotional well-being of every child is of top priority. Parents are asked to be very diligent about reinforcing and maintaining appropriate behaviour.
If continuous behavioural problems do arise at the daycare, consultations between Caregiver and Parents will be scheduled to try and resolve the problem and parents may be asked to remove their child from daycare for a time to give everyone a rest and to give us time to find a workable solution.
Failure to resolve the problem will result in the termination of the Child Care Agreement.
Note: Sometimes if both a parent and a provider are both in the same area (examples would be during drop-off and pick-up times) a child may forget the rules or test the boundaries. Please help show your child that you respect us, the rules of our house, and our property by reminding them that the rules still apply when you are around. We will also remind them of the rules and correct them if needed.
Toilet Training
Toilet training is very individual and each child learns at a different age, and at a different rate. Children are usually ready between the ages of 2 and 3 years old.
Parents are encouraged to start the toilet training process when their child shows an interest and a desire to sit on the potty. It is recommended that it be done over a period when there is a lengthy time the child will be at home. Once the Parents have initiated the training, the Caregiver will continue the process at daycare. Children will be allowed to come to daycare in cotton training pants/underwear after they have been accident free for at least two weeks in pull-ups. Communication between parents and the daycare provider is imperative for a successful transition from diapers to toilet.
Continuity at home and at daycare is very important and a daily progress report should be recorded in the child’s daily communication log book. Parents will be asked to provide pull-ups and extra changes of clothing while toilet training is occurring. Pull up pants with no zippers or snaps are preferable so the child is able to prepare his/herself for using the toilet as quickly as possible.
Nap Time/Quiet Time
Nap time is scheduled daily from 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. The children are encouraged to sleep for all of, or a portion of that time. Quiet activities consisting of focused learning tasks such as school readiness worksheets, puzzles, drawing and occasionally a short video will be organized for older children who are no longer napping. Parents are asked to keep to this schedule on the weekends, and during holiday periods to ensure that their child maintains a healthy routine and stays well rested.
Children sleep in the same room. Children who are new to the daycare, or younger children (under 18 months) will sleep in a separate room until they are ready to be integrated into the common sleeping room. The parents are asked to provide any cuddly toy, soother, or special blankets your child needs in order to fall asleep. Children are encouraged to fall asleep on their own and parents are asked to teach their child this skill before they start daycare.
Toys and Equipment
The day care has a wide array of toys and equipment to stimulate your child from babyhood to school age. Toys are rotated and washed regularly. Bringing toys from home can present problems and is strongly discouraged. If your child insists, please ensure it is just one. Your child will be expected to share any toys they bring to daycare. If your child does not wish to share, the parent will be asked to take the toy back home. Please discuss bringing toys with the Caregiver before bringing them from home as problems with sharing often occur.
Drop off and Pickup times
Drop off and pick up times can be hectic and very busy, sometimes with more than one family coming at once. For this reason, it is important that you keep them as short and sweet as possible. They are not an appropriate time to have a lengthy chat so please use the log book or give the Caregiver a call during nap time if there is something important you need to discuss.
At drop-off in the mornings, please say your goodbyes as quickly as possible. It is asked that you undress your child and hang up the coat and day bag in the appropriate spot. Again, please keep it short and positive. Delaying your goodbye makes it difficult for your child to settle in and make a smooth transition to daycare. It can also be very disruptive for the other children and to the morning day care routine.
Please arrive at 8:00 a.m., and no later than 8:30 a.m., each day to ensure that your child has some time to play with their friends before the day’s activities begin.
During pick-up, your child may find making the transition back to you difficult and will need help focusing and getting dressed. It is asked that you help dress your child, and to keep your goodbyes brief. Please do not allow your child to run around the day care while you are saying your goodbyes. This can delay the pick-up period and run into 'family time' for the caregiver. Please remember that once you have arrived to pick up your child, you are responsible for your child and for his or her behaviour and safety.
Please note that our group activities run until 4:00 p.m. each day, and coming before that time can be disruptive to your child and to our post nap day care routine. Please consult with the Caregiver if you need to pick your child up before your regular pick-up time. If you do pick your child up before 4:00 p.m., please make your departure as quickly and as quietly as possible so as not to disrupt the other children.
In the winter months to ensure quick and easy pick-ups, the Caregiver will have your child dressed and ready to go at pick up time. It is therefore very important for Parents to arrive at their usual pick up time to avoid a lengthy wait on your child’s part. Please call the Caregiver at least 15 minutes in advance of your usual pick-up time if you expect to be later than your usual time.
Settling-in and Integration Period
It is important to allow a child significant time to comfortably settle into the Day Care. There is a formal settling-in schedule that will be recommended to make the process as smooth as possible for both the parents and the child. Please note that the full time weekly fee will be required during these 3 weeks of settling in.
When settling into part-time care, your weekly fee will apply as well, and the schedule will be designed around the number and days of the week agreed upon.
The full time settling in schedule takes place over a period of 3 weeks as follows:
Week 1:
Monday: Child visits with one parent from 9:30 am to 11:00 am
Tuesday: Child attends day care from 9:30 until 11:30 am
Wednesday: Child attends day care from 9 am until 12:30 pm
Thursday: Child attends daycare from 9 am until after nap
Week 2:
Full time care with one parent at home
Drop off between 8 and 8:30 and pick up at 4pm
Week 3:
Full time care with both parents at work
Drop off and pick up times according to contract
Integration Period
The integration period runs for six weeks from the first day of care. It is a trial period and a time in which both the Parents and the Caregiver can assess whether or not they are able to work well together as a team, and whether or not the child has been able to fully integrate into the Day Care program.
At the end of the six weeks, a decision will be made as to whether care will continue or be terminated. The regular daycare fee applies during these six weeks and Parents are responsible for finding immediate alternate care if care is terminated. Payment made during this time will not be refunded.
Parent’s Check List
Please provide the following:
□ special security items i.e. pacifier, cuddly toy, blanket
□ diaper supplies e.g. full bag of disposable diapers, unscented diaper wipes
□ ointment for diaper rash
□ baby food (frozen or jar), specialty foods, formula
□ bottles and/or sippy cups
□ toothbrush
□ a complete change of clothes to be left in your child’s cubby
*During toilet training: elasticized waist pants, pull-ups, and socks
□ proper seasonal outerwear for outdoor play as outlined below:
Summer: (May to August)
· Sunscreen (please apply sunscreen prior to dropping your child off in the morning, as we often go directly outdoors), sun hat - wide-brimmed tie on, light long sleeved shirt, running shoes and socks (to keep sand from causing blisters), a UV sun rasher that covers shoulders and appropriate bottoms (we often play in the water and/or wade pool). This includes water diapers for those children not yet toilet trained.
Spring / Fall: (September, October, March - May)
· Fleecy, waterproof splash suit (one-piece preferable), boots, lightweight hat and mitts.
Winter: (November to March, or until the snow is gone)
· Waterproof mitts, warm tie on hat, snowsuit (one piece is preferable), winter boots, neck warmer (no scarves).
There is a good possibility your child will get dirty throughout the day because of food, paint, markers, dirt, bubbles, etc. So please dress your child accordingly for play. Precious Times Developmental Daycare is not responsible for replacing stained or soiled clothing. Furthermore we suggest that you write your child’s name on the tags of their clothing (especially socks and underwear) in order to prevent any clothing mix-ups.
***Note: Please periodically check your child’s cubby to make sure they still have all of their necessary items needed at daycare. Further, as the weather changes throughout the year, so do your child’s items needed at daycare. We greatly appreciate your adherence to this subject, as it helps ours and the children’s day run more smoothly to have all of his or her necessary belongings with them at daycare. This way we can care for your child in the best possible way.
Contract Adherence
This is our home as well as our business, so please be respectful of our family and home by adhering to the policies and procedures outlined in the parent handbook. We realize this is a lot of information to absorb. Because of this, please keep your parent handbook accessible so you can periodically review our policies and procedures as necessary. We reserve the right to amend any portion of the Parent-Provider Contract, and Policy Handbook at any time. If, and when, we do make a change to the contract you will be given a copy.
A Final Note
It is important that you feel comfortable with our policies and procedures. If you do not understand something, have a concern, or you feel uncomfortable with one or more of our policies or procedures it is important that you express that to us before enrolling your child in our daycare. We are always open to suggestions and feel communication is a very important part of a quality daycare. If there are any problems or concerns in the future, we encourage you to talk to us about them. If a lengthy discussion is needed, we can schedule a time that is convenient for both of us during afternoon quiet time or in the evening after business hours. This way we won't be compromising the quality of care for the other children in the daycare. Thank you for the opportunity to work with you and care for your little one.