I Started My HANDBOOK!

[Abigail]

This is what I started out with on my handbook. Please let me know what you think so far. I need to add information about no sibling discounts, late pick up fees, and NSF checks....feel free to tell me what you have in comparison. Thanks!

Welcome!
My name is Abigail *** and I am a licensed family childcare provider. I am CPR and First Aid Certified. This handbook covers my childcare philosophies, business policies and expectations. Please take the time to read this handbook carefully and feel free to discuss with me any questions you may have.

Hours of Operation
Hours are Monday through Friday 7:30 AM-5:30 PM with some flexibility. We will sit down and figure out the hours you need care plus a fair commute time and these hours will become your “scheduled” hours. Any changes to your schedule will need to be discussed and re-scheduled based on the availability of that spot.

Tuition
Your specific rates will be outlined in your contract agreement. Payment is due no later than 5:30 PM Friday for the following week of care. If this day is a holiday, payment is expected on the previous day. If you go away on vacation, payment is due BEFORE you leave. If it is my planned day(s) off, your payment is expected BEFORE I leave. In cases of illness, your payment is still expected unless other arrangements have been previously made. If I close due to my own illness or emergency, payment will be expected at drop-off on your child’s first day back.

Payments may be made by cash or check and should be made out to Abigail ***. Checks must be dated for the day they are due. Post-dated checks WILL NOT be accepted. There will be a $10 late fee per day for any payments received after the due date.

Late Fee Sample:
After 5:30 PM Friday Payment: Weekly tuition + $10
Saturday Payment: Weekly tuition + $20
Sunday Payment: Weekly tuition + $30
Monday Drop-Off Payment: Weekly tuition + $40

If payment is not received by drop-off time on Monday, childcare will not be provided until payment and any applicable late fees are paid in full. You will be liable for any and all costs of collection with regard to delinquent tuition fees. Repeated late payments may be grounds for immediate TERMINATION.

[WImom]

I think it sounds good. Maybe add what you want the parents to provide (diapers, wipes, extra clothes, etc) if that is something you are not providing.

I know my handbook is 12 pages long. In WI we have a lot we are required to put in our handbook for licensing.

[legomom922]

Mine is 15! If you like I can email you a copy.

[momofboys]

Looks good but do you require payment ahead of time or after care is given? I would definitely require the payment made up front. Do you have an illness policy?

[missnikki]

How about:
-notice of cancellation (if a parent quits, how much time they need to give you AND if you want to terminate care, that you will give notice or not)
-which days you consider holidays, and whether or not you expect payment for those days
-vacation/schedule change notice
-if your offer drop in care for uncontracted days?
-sick policy (24 hrs fever/diarrhea/vomit symptom free unmedicated is customary)
-toys or other items from home if not allowed?
-properly attired (if in a severe weather area)
-meals and snacks provided by you or parent

just a few off the top.

[Abigail]

Mine is 15! If you like I can email you a copy.

I would love to see a copy! It would help me out a lot. I'm only working on the payment portion so far, but working on it still. I want to have a LONG handbook, , to mean business and catch a lot of details from the start instead of learning everything as a go. Thanks a bunch! Please personal message me your contract.

[legomom922]

Can you give me your email address in a pm so I can send it to you?

[tymaboy]

Here is my policy

My policy consists of several sections
Hours
Holidays
Tuition
Child care assistance
Registration fee
Holding fee
Payment/ late payment
Return check fee
Inconvience fee
Vacations
Attendance
Illness
Supplies
& a few others. I find the more you cover the less the parents try to take advantage of.

[Abigail]

I'm still working on my handbook. Now it's three pages and I've barely covered anything, . I'm sure I'll have plenty of pages! Thanks everyone for your help.

[Abigail]

WOW, looking way back to September and I've come a long way! Do you ever read your older posts and remember what you were thinking or felt when you wrote it? I remember being so excited when I started my handbook and now I just hope it's perfect, . Lots of work.

[missnikki]

I cannot wait to hear that your program is off and running. I know it'll be awesome.

[Unregistered]

This is what I started out with on my handbook. Please let me know what you think so far. I need to add information about no sibling discounts, late pick up fees, and NSF checks....feel free to tell me what you have in comparison. Thanks!

Welcome!
My name is Abigail *** and I am a licensed family childcare provider. I am CPR and First Aid Certified. This handbook covers my childcare philosophies, business policies and expectations. Please take the time to read this handbook carefully and feel free to discuss with me any questions you may have.

Hours of Operation
Hours are Monday through Friday 7:30 AM-5:30 PM with some flexibility. We will sit down and figure out the hours you need care plus a fair commute time and these hours will become your “scheduled” hours. Any changes to your schedule will need to be discussed and re-scheduled based on the availability of that spot.

Tuition
Your specific rates will be outlined in your contract agreement. Payment is due no later than 5:30 PM Friday for the following week of care. If this day is a holiday, payment is expected on the previous day. If you go away on vacation, payment is due BEFORE you leave. If it is my planned day(s) off, your payment is expected BEFORE I leave. In cases of illness, your payment is still expected unless other arrangements have been previously made. If I close due to my own illness or emergency, payment will be expected at drop-off on your child’s first day back.

Payments may be made by cash or check and should be made out to Abigail ***. Checks must be dated for the day they are due. Post-dated checks WILL NOT be accepted. There will be a $10 late fee per day for any payments received after the due date.

Late Fee Sample:
After 5:30 PM Friday Payment: Weekly tuition + $10
Saturday Payment: Weekly tuition + $20
Sunday Payment: Weekly tuition + $30
Monday Drop-Off Payment: Weekly tuition + $40

If payment is not received by drop-off time on Monday, childcare will not be provided until payment and any applicable late fees are paid in full. You will be liable for any and all costs of collection with regard to delinquent tuition fees. Repeated late payments may be grounds for immediate TERMINATION.

I have included the following to cover NSF fees as my bank charges businesses extra fees besides the typical $30 NSF fees. I got burned on it 2x, once b/c a check wasn't signed and once b/c mom wrote a check out of dads business account and wasn't authorized (they were getting divorced and I didn't know) and then wrote this:

If I incur bank fees due to your payment method (checks not signed, checks not authorized, bad checks, etc.) I will pass those fees onto you and an additional $30 fee. You are responsible for all fees prior to the next day of care or care will be terminated. Additionally, provider may charge you late fees starting on the day payment was due and was not received due to your bad payment. Provider reserves the right to require cash only payments for any and all families with no prior notice required.

[Abigail]

Thanks MissNikki,
I'm really excited as well! I wish I didn't have to work this weekend because all my papers are starting to get organized and I want to take more online classes but will not have the time. I work until midnight on Friday and Saturdays at my other job and just wonder how long I'll hang on before I quit. LOL. A month or so is my guess, I've got other work plans for this summer already.

[Abigail]

WOW, looking way back to September and I've come a long way! Do you ever read your older posts and remember what you were thinking or felt when you wrote it? I remember being so excited when I started my handbook and now I just hope it's perfect, . Lots of work.

OMGosh I can quote myself! I created this thread an entire year ago and if it wasn't for this daycare site I would never believe how long ago I started researching for my paperwork! I'm glad to say I came a long ways in one-years time because what I was calling my handbook was actually a contract. I now have a 3 page contract, a 5 page well-written handbook, and many other papers like a holding fee contract and extended leave contract. I did want to ask a question about wording in my holiday's section of the contract...


The child care program will be closed on the following holidays each year:

• New Year’s Day
• Martin Luther King Day
• Good Friday
• Memorial Day
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving Day and the day after
• Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

Regular rate for these holidays will be charged. The client must pay for the paid holidays listed in the contract, regardless of any other term in this contract. If a holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the child care program will be closed the equal amount of time post or prior the holiday. These paid holiday dates will be posted on the monthly calendar.

I'm trying to think why I would need the bolded sentence??? I'm thinking about removing it because I get some paid vacation time and clients get some unpaid vacation time so it wouldn't matter if they took their unpaid vacation time during one of these closed holidays so should I remove the bolded sentence?

[SilverSabre25]

OMGosh I can quote myself! I created this thread an entire year ago and if it wasn't for this daycare site I would never believe how long ago I started researching for my paperwork! I'm glad to say I came a long ways in one-years time because what I was calling my handbook was actually a contract. I now have a 3 page contract, a 5 page well-written handbook, and many other papers like a holding fee contract and extended leave contract. I did want to ask a question about wording in my holiday's section of the contract...


The child care program will be closed on the following holidays each year:

• New Year’s Day
• Martin Luther King Day
• Good Friday
• Memorial Day
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving Day and the day after
• Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

Regular rate for these holidays will be charged. The client must pay for the paid holidays listed in the contract, regardless of any other term in this contract. If a holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, Abigail’s ****** will be closed the equal amount of time post or prior the holiday. These paid holiday dates will be posted on the monthly calendar.

I'm trying to think why I would need the bolded sentence??? I'm thinking about removing it because I get some paid vacation time and clients get some unpaid vacation time so it wouldn't matter if they took their unpaid vacation time during one of these closed holidays so should I remove the bolded sentence?

I think I would just say, "These are paid holidays and the regular rate applies should the holiday fall on a regularly contracted day." To cover the Saturday/Sunday eventuality add the language "(or observed)" after the holidays that vary, namely New Year's Day, Independence Day, and Christmas Eve and Day. The Federal government "observes" those holidays when they fall on a Saturday or Sunday (Saturday, observed Friday; Sunday, observed Monday).