Would You Mind Looking Over My Handbook?

[Danielle]

After today's craziness I've updated my handbook. I would love from yall to take a look and tell me if I'm missing anything. ...b/c parents can and will find and use missing things to their advantage.

Parent Handbook-Updated March 2011
This handbook will be updated from time to time. Parents will be notified and given the chance to review it. At that time, parents will be give the chance to agree to the changes or terminate care.

Holidays
Mama Dani’s Child Care will be closed for the following holidays: New Years’ Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. Payment is required for these days.

Provider vacation leave
Mama Dani’s Child Care will be closed for one week during the year for vacations. A minimum two-week notice of these dates will be provided to the parents. I am entitled to full pay for this week. No exceptions.

Provider sick days and personal leave
Although I will try to be available for work each day, there will be occasions when I am sick or need personal time off. Parents will be notified as soon as possible. Payment is required to me on these days, up to 5 days per year. It will be the parents’ responsibility to obtain substitute care on such days.

Providers doctor appointments and other appointments
When I need to be away for a short time (1-3 hours), substitute care will be provided by someone whom the children know.

Child absences
The parent should inform me as soon as possible if the child is to be absent. No refunds or credits will be given in the event of the child’s absence. There will be a $10 no call/no show fee if I am not inform within 30 minutes of normal drop off time that the child will not be attending for the day.

Vacations will be paid in full, prior to the child’s vacation. Payment will be ½ pay a week for up to 2 weeks and full pay for any other time taken. 2 weeks notice must be given in order to use the reduced vacation rate.

Visiting
I invite you to visit my day care home whenever your child is in my care.

Illness
Do not bring your child if he/she has any of the following symptoms;

• A temperature of over 99 degrees -must be fever free without the aid of medication for 24 hours before returning
• Intestinal disturbance accompanied by diarrhea or vomiting
• Has had diarrhea or vomiting within a 24 hour period
• Any undiagnosed rash
• Sore or discharging eyes or ears, profuse nasal discharge
• Contagious: Not on medicine for more than 24 hours

Do not bring your child if he/she has had any of the above symptoms. If he/she develops any signs of the above I will isolate your child and call for you to come and take your child home.

If your child has been exposed to any contagious disease such as whooping cough, German or regular measles, mumps, chicken pox, diphtheria, pinworm, or scarlet fever, keep him/her at home and report his/her condition to me immediately.

Every effort will be made to prevent your child from being exposed to contagious diseases and other illnesses. You will be notified immediately if my children or myself develop any of the above symptoms. You reserve the right to keep your child home if I choose not to close.

Should your child need to be given medication, I can administer prescription drugs and non-prescription drugs when accompanied by a written authorization from a parent. The authorization for administering any medication shall be effective for a limited time period not to exceed 10 days, unless otherwise prescribed by a physician.

Allergies:* If a child comes to day care with a runny nose, coughing, congestion, and the parent feels this is due to allergies we must have a Doctor's diagnosis stating*what the child is allergic to.* Children will not be allowed to attend the day care if they have a fever, persistent non clear runny nose, persistent coughing or diarrhea that coincides with allergies.*

First Aid
Scratches and scrapes will be treated with soap and water and a bandage (if needed). You will be notified immediately for anything more serious. For major emergencies which require the services of an emergency medical team, the child will be transported by ambulance. For minor emergencies, you will be notified and you will transport your child if medical treatment is needed. If circumstances warrant, and you cannot be reached, I will get in touch with your emergency contact.

Discipline procedures
Positive reinforcement, redirection and time out are the acceptable forms of behavior management. There shall be no physical or verbal abuse administered.

Rest period
There will be a quiet time daily in which your child will be expected to rest quietly allowing those who need to sleep the opportunity to do so. Favorite blankets and stuffed “friends” are more than welcome. If your child uses a pacifier please make sure you have one for my house that will not be taken home. If your child cannot take a nap because he/she doesn’t have it you will have to bring me one before 12:30 or come pick your child up.

Food
Breakfast, AM snack, lunch and PM snack is provided. The meals that your child receives will depend on the hours that he/she is in care. Unless your child has special dietary needs, please limit food brought from home to Fridays.

I believe mealtime should be a pleasant time; therefore, children are always offered food but are not forced to eat it. I do encourage each child to try one or two bites of everything, and they must eat a little of everything before given seconds of anything. Sometimes they are surprised by what they like! If a child refuses to eat their meal, there will be no food served until the next designated meal/snack time.


Personal Belongings
Children may bring their own toys if their name is printed on them. Please do not send any toys with you child that you would not want them to share. If your child does not share their toy(s) that he/she brings, I will take the toy(s) and hold them till the end of the day. I am not responsible for lost items.

Full Time And Part Time Supply List
The following items MUST be brought prior to the first day of care & be replenished as needed:

1. Change of clothing, including socks (appropriate for the season)
2. Babies: A large bag of diapers in the appropriate size.
3. If potty training: A large bag of pull ups or several training pants and plastic pants.
4. 2 bottles, up to 1 year. At 12 to 18 months at the latest, I will begin using sippy cups full time.
5. Bottle fed Babies: A can of formula. I will use tap water, unless you supply a gallon of bottled water.
6. Breast fed Babies: Please bring an extra day’s supply for my freezer as back up.
7. If on baby food, enough food for a week please.
8. 2 pacifiers, if used.

A reminder will be sent home when your child is running low on diapers/pull ups, formula or baby food.

Once your child has reached finger food stages, I will supply all meals and snacks. I will also supply sippy cups, plates and utensils.


Trial period and termination of care
Your child’s adjustment is important to all of us. It is, therefore, agreed that a two-week trial period will exist before arrangements for continued care becomes final. At the end of this period, the parents and I will talk about how the child has adjusted to the new setting, realizing that this varies from child to child. At this time, either party may terminate care.

After this trial period, a minimum of TWO weeks written notice must be given by the terminating party. Parents may pay two weeks fee instead of giving written notice. If either party fails to live up to the terms of the contract, then termination can be immediate. Vacation time can not be used for a 2 week notice.

I reserve the right to remove a child from my program, after a two week written notice to parents, if I believe that continued care might be detrimental to the child or the program.

Communication
Children will miss parents and often may cry upon arrival or departure. This is normal while the child is becoming accustomed to a new environment. REMEMBER…. Crying usually stops within a few minutes after the parent leaves.

In order to provide a child with the best possible care, the parents and provider must keep open lines of communication. This would include discussing any change in the behavior of the child that could affect his/her time at the day care home. It is only through parent/provider cooperation that the goal of quality care can be achieved.

In today’s world, we have many ways to communicate. Texting is one of them. While it is great, it has it’s draw backs. Texting can be used to inform me that you are running late, you’re child won’t be attending for the day or to inquire about the availability of a drop-in spot. Questions about your child’s day or concerns are best done in person or over the phone.

[daycare]

I think under visiting, you should state no visits during naps and if they come for a visit they take the child when they leave. Maybe also mention if they could inform you before they just pop in unannounced.

From my experience, most kids can't say bye twice in one day

late policy?
what about your back up care provider will you offer one?

I think it sounds good, you know who is really good at writng, *sorry* is abigail....

I can share mine with you if you want and you can just see what else someone has, not that it has to be like mine, but this is what I did and it has helped me a lot

btw how is your daughter?

[momatheart]

Under child absences it should say informed not inform.

[littlemissmuffet]

In the emergency/ambulance section - mention that the cost of medical transportation/ambulance will be billed to parents, NOT YOU!

[daycare]

In the emergency/ambulance section - mention that the cost of medical transportation/ambulance will be billed to parents, NOT YOU!

ooohh see I dont have this in my PHB. I need to get that in there. Thanks so much for posting this..

[Danielle]

Thanks guys! Keep it coming!

I think under visiting, you should state no visits during naps and if they come for a visit they take the child when they leave. Maybe also mention if they could inform you before they just pop in unannounced.

From my experience, most kids can't say bye twice in one day

late policy?
what about your back up care provider will you offer one?

I think it sounds good, you know who is really good at writng, *sorry* is abigail....

I can share mine with you if you want and you can just see what else someone has, not that it has to be like mine, but this is what I did and it has helped me a lot

btw how is your daughter?

Thanks for asking. She's doing MUCH better. I didn't have to call the doctor after all. She's not 100% back to normal yet but she keeps getting closer to normal.

[Lucy]

If the child becomes ill and you call the parents, state how long they have. i.e. "You will be called to come pick up your child, and you must arrive within one hour." or something like that.

[Abigail]

Are you on the food program? I would mention either way (if you do) that meals are nutritional or healthy. You should also say what times you serve meals and if their child arrives after meal time they need to be fed.

You should mention as others said about no visits during nap time. You need to say nap time falls between one and three pm or whatever your schedule is so parents know the time. You should also say if they come by to visit and the child wants to go with them they may be asked to take their child home.

Under your supplies list, you should categorize it as infants and all other children instead of mixing them in numbers because it's more to look at for those who do not have infants. You should also require two sets of clothing because it may not be likely parents remember to replenish their clothing the next day when you may need it again the next day.

I also was unaware you didn't provide infant food ALL AT until I read it under the supplies needed. In your food/meals section you need to state that you provide all food for children over the age of 1 so no one else is mislead.

You should state who your primary backup caregivers are, at least a first name so the parents feel a little more comfortable. You might want to add you're a mandated reporter. I would also move your communication section to the top because that is very important.

You have multiple sections on why you may be absent, but only one section for when the child may be absent. Even though you cover many reasons I would simply have all your reasons under one category so it doesn't look like you get more than they might.

The next part here is from my flipping through my handbook and anything I didn't remember reading from yours I'll ask about.....

Do you have anything for bad weather closings?
How about authorized persons to pickup the child or drop off?
Do you require parents to sign their child in and out each day?
Do you help with potty training?
Do you expect parents or their emergency contact to pick up a sick child within one hour or your call?
Do you have any safety practices in place for floods, tornadoes, power outages, or a fire?....if this were to occur would you close?
Do you transport children on field trips or do you only walk to field trips? If you drive children often your insurance may increase dramatically and your liability for potential accidents.
If you have any pets in the house I would be sure to mention if they will be present/interacting with the children and if they're current on their shots and if they'll be allowed in the kitchen during meal prep and actual meal time.


Hope some of this helps. You have a great start!

[Danielle]

Thanks!! I need to finish my coffee and do some more editing. ::