For Those of You Who have Handbooks

[ksmith]

For those of you with handbooks, what do you include in the actual contract? Do you have parents sign a form saying that they've read and agree to the terms in your handbook?

Before when I did home daycare I had everything in the contract, but it was a pain to file all of that, since it was pretty long. It included all of my policies and procedures. Now, I'm thinking it would be much easier to put the info I actually need on the contract, and maybe include that parents have read and agree to the handbook.

[mamac]

I felt the same way about filing my entire handbook with a signature so I made my contract as short as possible because I didn't want to keep all that extra paperwork. Originally I had a separate handbook which listed all my policies and then a separate contract that contained their information. (rates, times, etc) The contract was the only thing with their signature saying that they read and agreed to the handbook.

Now my contract is very similar to MarinaVanessa's. I have my contract separated into a few sections outlining my more important policies and I have them initial after each one. Then they sign at the end agreeing to everything.

My contract went from 1 page to 5 pages but I feel that now my behind is covered in case they try to argue any of my policies.

(Thanks Marina!!) lovethis

[Leigh]

My handbook and contract are one document. The parents sign the cover page, then they sign after every paragraph that could even be argued a little bit. Rates, sick policy, outside toys policy, my pet policy, etc. ALL get signed.

[AmyKidsCo]

Tom Copeland says that everything having to do with time and money should be in the contract because they're enforceable in a court of law. So that's what's in my contract - all 2 pages of it.

The rest of the Handbook is separate. Apparently policies aren't enforceable in a court of law, which makes sense - it's not like a judge is going to order a parent to stop letting their child bring potato chips in at drop off, or whatever. ::