PARENT (S) / GUARDIAN
HANDBOOK
OF
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Please be sure to carefully read over this Handbook, as it contains important
information regarding your childcare contract. This is a legally binding
document, and it is very important you understand and discuss with me any
concerns or questions you may have about my policies. My contract is in accordance
with the State of New York Childcare Rules and Regulations.
Copyright: These forms have been created by Monique Sambula for Precious
Lambs Childcare and may not be copied, distributed or posted on any other
website without consent from Monique Sambula.
Table of Contents
Hours of Operation
_________________________________________________________________________
Transportation Policy
_______________________________________________________________________
Open Door Policy
__________________________________________________________________________
Clothing and Supplies (replenishments as
needed)
_______________________________________________
Illness Policy____________________________________________________________________________
Contagious Conditions Requiring Removal of a Child from Daycare (NOEXCEPTIONS)______________
Medication Policy
________________________________________________________________________
Emergency Release/Emergency Care Procedure
_______________________________________________
Meals (will be adhered to by the National Food Guide)
__________________________________________
Parent(s)/Guardian Provided Meals (SPECIAL DIET)
____ _____________________________________
Holidays*_________________________________
____________________________________
Discipline Procedures
______________________________________________________________________
Daycare Rules____________________________________________________________________________
Toilet Training___________________________________________________________________________
Precious Values___________________________________________________________________________
Morals__________________________________________________________________________________
Daily Schedule___________________________________________________________________________
Precious Lambs Childcare serves children ages 8 weeks to 12 years. We retain
the right to make age exceptions to this policy, if We have slots available
that are within capacity limits set by The State of New York. No child
will be denied admission on the basis of his/her race, religion, or handicap.
I do retain the right to deny admission if all of my slots for a particular
childs age group are filled.
Opening time for daycare is 7AM and closing time is no later than 6PM unless
prior arrangements have been made. Children who are scheduled to attend the
morning daycare session will not be accepted after 9:30AM and children who
are scheduled to attend the afternoon daycare session will not be accepted
after 1:00PM (unless daycare is notified in advance of change in time(s),
and if this is not a continuous disruption). Nightcare hours of operation will be from 8:45pm-6:30am.(based on 5 day/10
hour/50 hours a week or less.)
Ø
Full-time Hours Based
on a 5-day / 8 hours /40 hours week.
Ø
Part-time Hours Based on (four)
5-hour days per week or a pre-determined 20
hours a week.
DropIn Hours Based on daily day-to-day
operating hours of daycare, due to the
Please
give 12 hours advance notice so we can check availability.
|
|
unexpected stay of the child for the number of hours. All
Children MUST
be pre-registered and all forms must be
completed and kept up-to-date in order to attend (even though
attendance may not be on a regular basis). Fees agreed upon must
be paid on the day that the child is dropped-off before any child
will be accepted. Children MUST
be dropped off with sufficient
amounts of needed supplies for the day.
Ø
(Please note that additional staff, food and activity preparation is required
for unexpected drop-ins)
Ø
Before- School Hours 7:00am - 8:00am
Ø
After- School Hours
3:00pm - 6:00pm
Based on a 5-day
week/20
hr. per week schedule
(Both AM & PM hours)
Transportation Policy
Precious Lambs Childcare is
NOT RESPONSIBLE
for daily transportation of any kind for children in attendance. Transportation
to and from the program is the responsibility of the Parent(s)/Guardian.
Only
Parent(s)/Guardian are welcome to stop by during normal operating hours
to see how their child is adapting to his/her environment away from home.
Parent(s)/Guardian and are encouraged to call throughout the day (please
be aware that as positive as this may seem to us as adults, this may have
a adverse affect on some of the children and may disrupt their daily routine
and structure).
If that is the case, we will recommend (on a case-by-case basis)
that all of your visits after drop-off and prior to pick-up times be stopped.
ALL OTHER HOURS WILL BE PREDETERMINED AT TIME OF REGISTRATION / SCHEDULE
CHANGE.
Ø
Childrens belongings must have their name written on it somewhere. We will
try our best to place all of the childrens belongings together but we will
not be responsible for lost items.
Ø
Please send your children to daycare in appropriate clothing for the weather/season.
Ø
A change of clothes must be kept at the daycare, shirt, under shirt, under
pants,
extra pampers, socks, pants, (2 changes of clothes if they are being potty
trained).
Ø
All Children must have a pair of slippers or non-slip sock. No shoes will
be kept on during daycare hours in doors (in order to maintain a cleaner
environment for the children).
Ø
Start Kit (min. of 1 week worth of personal supplies).
Only
what you provide
will be used for your child/children (diapers, premixed formula, baby food,
bottles, wipes, powder, sun block, ointments, lotions, creams, etc.).
Ø
If a child is on a special diet, requires formula or baby food, you must
supply these foods and accessories as need (i.e. bottles, premixed formula
and ready made food).
Ø
Parent(s)/Guardian are to bring in a small sheet and blanket (twin size)
for children to use at Naptime.
Ø
Book-Bag and a Composition Book for each child for communications, notes,
progress reports, etc.
If your child has an illness that is deemed contagious, you will not be
permitted, under any circumstances, to bring your child to the daycare
. If your child is present in daycare and shows serious signs of illness, you will be called to come and pick-up your child
IMMEDIATELY
not at his/hers schedule time)
.
Remember, there are other children attending the daycare and you may be
putting
them at risk.
When your child is no longer ill (contagious), he/she will be permitted back at daycare, but only when accompanied by a
note from a licensed physician (stating diagnosis and date of treatment)
and if they appear to the provider to be healthy enough to actively play with other children.
After 48 hours, (2) two consecutive days of absence due to any sickness (high
fever) from the daycare, all children MUST BE SEEN BY A LISENCED PHYSICIAN
(note also required)
.
Normally a fever is an indication that the body is fighting off a virus that can be contagious. This helps us protect the
health
and well being of ALL the children in our care and enables us to provide
the best possible environment for them.
With small children it is easy for germs to spread quickly that is why we
take the necessary precautions with hopes of keeping illness at a minimum.
We would greatly appreciate your cooperation in this matter.
Ø
Fever (a temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or more).
Ø
Active sneezing or coughing. (constant)
Ø
Sever congestion with runny nose (with green or yellow mucus)
Ø
Flu-Like symptoms (headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, achy)
Ø
A sore throat (with fever or swollen glands).
Ø
Discharge from eyes or ears are usually indications of infection (teary,
swollen eyes
can indicate Pink Eye)
Ø
Diarrhea (two or more watery stools)
Ø
Vomiting (two or more times)
Ø
Rash rashes are often a sign of more serious problems and can be contagious
(especially if it appears unusual with a fever/ and or itching.)
Ø
A itchy scalp/head (can be an indication of Head Lice)
It is
NOT
the policy of Precious Lambs Childcare to give any kind of medicine (prescription
or over-the-counter) to any of the children in our care
(NO EXCEPTIONS).
Parent(s)/Guardian can give medication to their child/children before bringing
them to daycare
(upon drop-off you must advise a staff member what medication you have given
you child, the dosage and the time you administered the medication)
. In certain cases, we will allow the Parent(s)/Guardian to stop by the daycare
during the day to give the child a scheduled dose of medication. This will
be allowed as long as the reaction to the medication does not interrupt the
daily routine of the daycare. In the cases were the Parent(s)/Guardian comes
to administer medication, this will only be allowed for a temporary period
of time.
Meals
(will be adhered to by the National Food
Guidelines)
The weekly menu will be posted at the beginning of each week, Mondays. All
children in my care will participate in this food program. The Precious Lambs
Childcare provides breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack. The meals are nutritiously well balanced (Bread, Fruits,
Vegetables, Meats or Protein). We at Precious Lambs Childcare strongly suggest
that meal times be adhered to so to ensure that all children eat. (No Outside Food Will Be Allowed) SEE SPECIAL DIET*
Ø
BREAKFAST 8:30AM
Ø
LUNCH 12:00PM
Ø
QUITE TIME (Naptime) 1:35PM 2:35PM
Ø
SNACK 3:15 PM and 4:15PM
Children
do not have to go to sleep during Naptime(quiet time) but they do have
to lie down or play quietly on the mat as not to disturb
the other children.
If you wish to provide meals for your child/children you may do so. Please
advise the daycare staff upon intake of your child/children
. Preparation of food, that is not provided by the daycare, must be done by
the Parent(s)/Guardian and sent in with the child daily
(agreed fee remains the same regardless of who prepares the food)
this includes, but is not limited to, Infant Formula. It is prohibited
by the New York State Department of Health for providers to prepare Infant
Formula on-site without written consent and explicit instructions, because
of the needed consistency in mixture of these formulas and our concern about
the possible effect on the child/children health if it is not done properly.
Precious Lambs Childcare does not and will not make this part of our policy
and procedures. Please except our apologies for any inconvenience this or
any other policy we have may cause.
On these days the daycare will be
closed.
Ø
New
Years
Day
Ø
Martin
Luther King
Day
Ø
Presidents
Day
Ø
Good
Friday
Ø
Memorial
Day
Ø
Independence
Day
Ø
Labor Day
Ø
Columbus Day
Ø
Veterans Day
Ø
Thanksgiving Day
Ø
Day after Thanksgiving
Ø
Business Day before Christmas
Ø
Business Day after Christmas
Discipline Procedures
In cases of disciplinary measures, we use re-direction first, and if necessary,
the time-out method. Time-out is removing the child from a situation, placing
him or her by them self for a period of one minute for each year of the child
(i.e. 3 years old = 3 minutes).
Biting
will not
be tolerated. If a child bites or begins to bite, children and their
Parent(s)/Guardian will have one (1) week to correct this behavior or
childcare services will
be terminated. Spanking is prohibited. Children in our care will not be
subject to discipline that is severe, frightening or humiliating. Our
goal, at Precious
Lambs Childcare, is to have all children treat one another with care
and
respect. We must be realistic in our expectations, as each child learns
and
develops at different stages and at various rates, based upon age. I
will advise you as problems/situations arise that concern you as
Parent(s)/Guardian and me as your provider. Please feel free to discuss
them
with me openly and honestly. Your comments and suggestions are always
welcome.
Daycare Rules
Ø
Children
will not be allowed
, under any circumstance, to bring toys
to the Daycare. This will create the issue of not having enough to share.
Ø
No gum chewing allowed
Ø
No screaming or yelling at one another
Ø
Always tell the truth
Ø
No running indoors
Ø
No jumping on furniture, No throwing of objects
Ø
Always use good manners
Ø
Children must sit-down at the table when eating and drinking
Ø
No hitting or biting
Ø
No breaking of toys
Ø
No roughhousing or wrestling
Ø
Always clean up your mess
Ø
No rude talking to one another
Ø
Follow directions given by Parent(s)/Guardian or Provider
Ø
No Bulling, No Tattling, No Name Calling
Ø
ALL CHILDREN
must respect one another
Toilet Training
During the first week, the child will be scheduled to use the toilet at consistent
times of the day
(before/after breakfast, before/after lunch, before/after nap time, before/after
outside play, just before going home
) whether the child needs to use the toilet or not. This will help them to
establish some sort of routine.
Here at Precious Lambs Childcare
, we believe that it is our responsibility as mentors to create a foundation
and environment made up of many different standards. While your child/children
is in our care, we see it as a pleasure and deem it a necessity to present
them with the same morals and values in life that you as Parent(s)/Guardian
work hard everyday to instill in them at home.
Ø
Respect
Ø
Honesty
Ø
Manners
Ø
Responsibility
Ø
Gratefulness
Ø
Compassion
Ø
Consideration
Ø
Communication
Ø
Appreciation
Ø
Validation
In
home care, the daily schedule will vary from home to home. This allows
the provider to tailor the schedule to best serve the needs of the
children
in her care by modifying the schedule to suit the various ages and
personalities.
Depending in the age of your child/children, they will have different
activities
throughout the day. Each day the children at Precious Lambs Childcare
will
participate in a structured environment that will present them with
many
opportunities to select and participate in activities that reflect
their
interests. For the most part, we will try to stick to the Daily
Schedule, however, children are unpredictable and if I see that the
child/children
are not happy or that they need a more active / a more passive
activity, I will change the
schedule to meet these needs. No child will be forced to participate
in any activity.
10:20am 11:45am Bi-Weekly Projects (Focus Lesson Theme from
the
alphabet, music, etc..)
12:00pm 1:00pm L U N C H - T
I M E
1:10pm
1:30pm
Story Time or Audio / Visual Time
1:35pm 2:30pm Nap Time
2:30pm
3:00pm
Free / Quiet Play Time (In-door or Out-door)
3:15pm 4:15pm S N A C K
4:15pm
5:00pm
Structured Play, Group Activities / Indoor and/or Outdoor Play (weather
permitting)
(child science ,math incorporated)
Your child/children may have different contracted hours so their day may vary.
For this reason, this schedule is subject to change periodically with or without
notice due to unexpected occurrences and situations. Our daily schedule is
very flexible to allow for unplanned events or opportunities that may arise.
Some days we do not fit this all in...but we try our best to make the day
fulfilling.
By signing this agreement, you are stating that you have read and agree to
all policies/procedures contained herein.
Thank you for allowing me to care for your child/children.
Monique
Sambula
Daycare
Provider/Director
(Precious Lambs Childcare)
We reserve the right to make changes and to update this contract through out
the year. Parent(s) / Guardian will be notified in writing and given a copy
of the changes when this has been done. If needed, I will update my contract
to comply with any changes made to the New York State Childcare
Rules and
Regulations.