Do You Keep Attendance? Why Or Why Not?

[rjskids]

I keep a payment record but I don't keep attendance of the kids. I would like to hear how many to sign in and out sheets, keep daily attendance records and who doesn't. What are your reasons? Should I be doing this for tax reasons?

[Cat Herder]

I do.

1. Tax reasons. Time/Space Percentage Calculations.

2. I am required to.

3. To help keep up with end of year statements, vacations and policing/documenting non-compliance with policies.

4. To spot patterns of attendance that may allow you to cut your hours or raise your rates...

5. To document who picked up/what time in case of a tragedy.

[CheekyChick]

I am "certified" so keeping attendance is required for licensing. I am also required to keep attendance for the USDA Food Program.

[Blackcat31]

I do.

1. Tax reasons. Time/Space Percentage Calculations.

2. I am required to.

3. To help keep up with end of year statements, vacations and policing/documenting non-compliance with policies.

4. To spot patterns of attendance that may allow you to cut your hours or raise your rates...

5. To document who picked up/what time in case of a tragedy.

What she said.

[erinalexmom]

I am thinking of doing this. I never thought about it but I really love the reason that you might be able to cut hours or raise rates. I am totally going to do this now, in order that I may see how many hours each child tends to be here and see how much I make per hour and if I might cut a family loose if they are the only person staying late or coming early in order to get my "per hour" wage up a little.

[blueclouds29]

I use MMK, and it has attendance on it, so i use it.

[Country Kids]

I keep an attendance log.

1. I charge hourly-have to know how long the child was here

2. State requires it

3. I keep for tax purposes so I know how many hours I actually worked for the year.

4. You have to if you are on the food program

[rjskids]

So do you have the parents sign in and out?

[wdmmom]

I keep track so it's easier for me to calculate how many breakfast, lunch and snacks I feed the DCK's so I can take the deduction at the end of the year.

[Cat Herder]

So do you have the parents sign in and out?

Yes.

Here is a good, free, printable one you can start using today if you want.

http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/Documents/Child_Care/Forms/2941.pdf

I just keep them on a clip board by the front door.

I wanted to mention a phenomenon that occurred when I started using these.

The parents all started picking up earlier to keep the other parents from seeing how long their child was actually here and to keep their child from being the last one.

[Small Town Provider]

I don't have parents sign in and out but I keep a record of each child's attendance.
1) what hours they were here
2) how much they owe for the day
3) if they had any late charges or paid on time

[familyschoolcare]

I have a sign in/out sheet by my front door looks like this.


Child's name ____ dare____ arrival time_________ departure time _________

The I have who ever dropped off child (even me if I picked them up form school) initial next to time and who ever picks up do the same. Starting next week when I have one that will be dropped in the morning than taken to school and picked up from school I will use to lines for him.

I do this for

1. Taxes
2. food program
3. record off attendance for lic just in case they try to claim I was over numbers
4. Record of who picked child up in case of custody disagreement issues

Number 4 was the reason I started it as my very first DK came from a separated family and Dad was concerned that mom would try to pick up on days she was not supposed to and I explained that with out a court order on file I could not stop her from picking up any day/time she wanted to. Dad has not brought me a court order has not been an issue either so do not know if he was exaggerating or not.

[PitterPatter]

I keep a payment record but I don't keep attendance of the kids. I would like to hear how many to sign in and out sheets, keep daily attendance records and who doesn't. What are your reasons? Should I be doing this for tax reasons?

I have sign in/out sheets for everyone. State clients required by state. I keep it for private pay when I have them as well because I have been burned with "Little Johnny wasn't there on last monday so I'm not paying" Now I can say "Oh yes he was here is your signature!

I also like to keeo them as a record in case anything happens in the future I can say if the child was here or not.

Super scary reason is a provider had a state client and the DCM signed her kid out but wasn't watching them and they ran in the street got hit by a car and they tried to come back and blame the provider for not watching the child. She had the sign out sheet as proof the child was on DCMs watch!

[Crazy8]

I do.

1. Tax reasons. Time/Space Percentage Calculations.

2. I am required to.

3. To help keep up with end of year statements, vacations and policing/documenting non-compliance with policies.

4. To spot patterns of attendance that may allow you to cut your hours or raise your rates...

5. To document who picked up/what time in case of a tragedy.

all of this except I don't think I am required to (would have to check my regs to be sure though).

for #3, when it comes to being late, I want parents writing down that they picked up at 5:10pm - so they can't argue the late fee saying they weren't that late, etc. There is a clock right next to the sign in sheet too!

[WImom]

I do.

1. Tax reasons. Time/Space Percentage Calculations.

2. I am required to.

3. To help keep up with end of year statements, vacations and policing/documenting non-compliance with policies.

4. To spot patterns of attendance that may allow you to cut your hours or raise your rates...

5. To document who picked up/what time in case of a tragedy.

same reasons I do. I also have to take my attendence book outside with me to 'track' the kids per a new licensing rule.