Hours of Operation

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  • Francine
    Daycare.com Member
    • Mar 2010
    • 460

    Hours of Operation

    I am working on changing a few things in my handbook for 2014. I have had my " daily hours" as 8:00-5:00 with a reasonable about of time for traveling to and from work for those that actually work 8-5. I am thinking about changing it to strictly contracted hours instead of 8-5 but I'm unsure as to how to word it. Can anybody that does this tell me how you have it worded in your handbook? Also how it works for you, if you have done it this way and changed to set hours etc. etc. Any advice regarding this would be great appreciated, thank you!
  • Unregistered

    #2
    In my handbook I have that " while our hours of operation are 7am to 6pm, you will choose the hours of care you want for your child and your contract will state those hours. Any deviation from your contracted hours of care may be subject to fees unless approved beforehand. Our maximum span of time for any child in care is 9 1/2 hours. " This way, if I know the kiddos all leave at 4 on Wed., I can make plans that day for myself after 4 annd not have a parent just wander in at 6pm. So every family may have different contracted hours, but iy isn't any more work for me and has def cut down on parents showing up late etc.

    Comment

    • coolconfidentme
      Daycare.com Member
      • Oct 2012
      • 1541

      #3
      Originally posted by Francine
      I am working on changing a few things in my handbook for 2014. I have had my " daily hours" as 8:00-5:00 with a reasonable about of time for traveling to and from work for those that actually work 8-5. I am thinking about changing it to strictly contracted hours instead of 8-5 but I'm unsure as to how to word it. Can anybody that does this tell me how you have it worded in your handbook? Also how it works for you, if you have done it this way and changed to set hours etc. etc. Any advice regarding this would be great appreciated, thank you!
      MY contacts has the hours for each client. I also have late arrivals does not justify late departures.

      Comment

      • Annalee
        Daycare.com Member
        • Jul 2012
        • 5864

        #4
        Originally posted by Unregistered
        In my handbook I have that " while our hours of operation are 7am to 6pm, you will choose the hours of care you want for your child and your contract will state those hours. Any deviation from your contracted hours of care may be subject to fees unless approved beforehand. Our maximum span of time for any child in care is 9 1/2 hours. " This way, if I know the kiddos all leave at 4 on Wed., I can make plans that day for myself after 4 annd not have a parent just wander in at 6pm. So every family may have different contracted hours, but iy isn't any more work for me and has def cut down on parents showing up late etc.
        This is similar to how I offer dc services as well. Many in my state have went to separate contracts/contracted hours for each dcp, though, because it seems dcp are harder to deal with and pin down to when/where/what when it comes to their children anymore. Individualized contracts FORCE dcp to be accountable and responsible for themselves and not try to get around each and every item listed in the policy/contract because they seem to think those items are ONLY are for the OTHER parents.

        Comment

        • MarinaVanessa
          Family Childcare Home
          • Jan 2010
          • 7211

          #5
          Like others here I also use both. Here's mine:

          "The daycare’s regular business hours are Monday through Friday 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. however these hours are not necessarily the hours that a client is allotted to bring their child. Hours for care will be discussed and a schedule will be set which includes a fair amount of commuting time and this will become the child’s “scheduled hours”. Care will be provided for children only during their contracted scheduled hours."

          Comment

          • TheGoodLife
            Home Daycare Provider
            • Feb 2012
            • 1372

            #6
            I state something along the lines of: "I do not have set business hours, instead I work with contracted hours." That way I do not have any hours listed but the individual contract hours listed on their contract. I say the same when I get an inquiry about my hours- if the tell me hours that work for me I'll interview and if not, then I don't! I changed after being open about 5 months and it worked great for me.

            Comment

            • Francine
              Daycare.com Member
              • Mar 2010
              • 460

              #7
              So how do you prevent families from contracting for more hours than what they really need for work or don't you let that bother you? I have one family that contracted until 5 because they MIGHT need it, but some times don't. Mom texts me every Sunday night and gives me their schedule for the week which is fine with me. There are days that she will tell me that she will pick up at 3:00 and something comes up at work ( surgery at the hospital) so that she has to stay later, Dad then picks up at 5:15. Those days I don't mind but there are other times that she will tell me 3:00 and then something comes up and Dad ends up picking up at 5:00 but then she will let it slip that she went home and cleaned. I know it shouldn't bother me because they are paying for a full time slot but when I am looking at my schedule for the day and see that 2 kids are leaving at 3:00 IT IS A GOOD DAY!!!! It's in my head all day that they are leaving at 3:00 and then at 2:00 I get a text saying it's going to be 5:00

              Comment

              • MarinaVanessa
                Family Childcare Home
                • Jan 2010
                • 7211

                #8
                Originally posted by Francine
                So how do you prevent families from contracting for more hours than what they really need for work or don't you let that bother you? I have one family that contracted until 5 because they MIGHT need it, but some times don't. Mom texts me every Sunday night and gives me their schedule for the week which is fine with me. There are days that she will tell me that she will pick up at 3:00 and something comes up at work ( surgery at the hospital) so that she has to stay later, Dad then picks up at 5:15. Those days I don't mind but there are other times that she will tell me 3:00 and then something comes up and Dad ends up picking up at 5:00 but then she will let it slip that she went home and cleaned. I know it shouldn't bother me because they are paying for a full time slot but when I am looking at my schedule for the day and see that 2 kids are leaving at 3:00 IT IS A GOOD DAY!!!! It's in my head all day that they are leaving at 3:00 and then at 2:00 I get a text saying it's going to be 5:00
                ANY time that a parent says "I'm going to pick up early" I let it roll off my back and continue on as if it were a regular pick up day. I'm not about tp get little Johnny in his shoes and jacket only to have him wait sadly until he gets picked up at normal time KWIM? Most of the time it's their wishful thinking or they change their plans and forget to tell me anyway so it's a safer bet to just assume that they'll show up at their normal/later pick up time.

                Comment

                • Cradle2crayons
                  Daycare.com Member
                  • Apr 2013
                  • 3642

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Francine
                  So how do you prevent families from contracting for more hours than what they really need for work or don't you let that bother you? I have one family that contracted until 5 because they MIGHT need it, but some times don't. Mom texts me every Sunday night and gives me their schedule for the week which is fine with me. There are days that she will tell me that she will pick up at 3:00 and something comes up at work ( surgery at the hospital) so that she has to stay later, Dad then picks up at 5:15. Those days I don't mind but there are other times that she will tell me 3:00 and then something comes up and Dad ends up picking up at 5:00 but then she will let it slip that she went home and cleaned. I know it shouldn't bother me because they are paying for a full time slot but when I am looking at my schedule for the day and see that 2 kids are leaving at 3:00 IT IS A GOOD DAY!!!! It's in my head all day that they are leaving at 3:00 and then at 2:00 I get a text saying it's going to be 5:00
                  I do contracted hours only and those change from week to week. I also require 24 hours notice of a change in schedule. If they are supposed to pick up on 3:00 pm on Friday and don't notify me a full 24 hours in advance, then they can't change that time. I don't do last minute schedule changes.

                  Comment

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