Angie's Luv-N-Care

Policy Handbook

I have created this handbook to facilitate a clear understanding of my policies, philosophies, and expectations. In order to make our relationship as enjoyable as possible, the following pages contain mutually beneficial requirements, which are necessary to ensure that there are no misunderstandings between either party. Please read this carefully & feel free to ask any questions you may have.

My Child Care Philosophy:

As a Family Child Care Provider, my goal is to provide a safe & happy place for children where they can learn & grow physically, emotionally, intellectually & socially at their own pace. I believe children learn through play & benefit from a structured yet flexible schedule. Activities will be offered which stimulate sensory motor development, language development & social interaction. The development of a strong self -esteem is also a major goal. Children will be taught to respect each other, adults & property.

Communication:
Communication is very important to me. When I accept a new family into my business, I like to be sure we can openly share any concerns, questions, feedback, or discussions of any kind. Sensitive issues are discussed in private. You are welcome to call me at any time between 7:00 a.m. & 8:00 p.m. I am looking forward to a terrific relationship with you and your child!

There are several forms that I must have completed & in my possession before I can care for your child.

NO EXCEPTIONS!!
1. Enrollment Form
2. Policy Contract Form
3. Medical History Form
4. Immunization Card
5. Field Trip Form
6. OTC Medication Form

Payment Procedures:
Your specific rates will be outlined in your Contract & Rate Agreement. Payment is payable in advance & is due no later than drop –off time on your first contracted day, unless other arrangements have been outlined in your contract. If you go away on vacation, payment is due BEFORE you leave. If it is my planned day off it is due before I leave. In cases of illness, your payment is still expected unless other arrangements have been made.

There will be a late fee of $10.00 for each day payments are received late, including weekends.

Repeated late fees may be grounds for termination. I ask you to consider how you would feel if your employer came to you on your expected payday and told you that your paycheck would be delayed.

Please do not put me in the uncomfortable position of having to ask for my money, including late fees. You will be given 30 day's notice of any increases in your childcare fees. I may raise my rates approximately once every year.

Taxes:
I will supply you with a year-end summary of all childcare fees paid for the year for tax purposes. This will be given to you each January or when services are terminated. You may request a statement at any time.

Hours of Operation: Preschool Program 8am-12pm

Rates and Fees: $20 per day per child ($30 registration fee to help cover costs of paper, projects, etc.)

Late fees: For 0-5 minutes either before or after, it will be $5 charge, 6-10 min. = $10 charge,11-15 min. = $15 charge and so on…

Arrivals & Departures:
Children are to arrive clean, dressed & fed. It is normal for some children to have difficulty separating from parents, or cry when being dropped off. Please be very brief (no more than 5 minutes) during drop-off times; prolonging the departure makes it more difficult. Children tend to “act out” more when a parent is present. A smile, cheerful good-bye kiss, and a reassuring word that you will be back are all that is needed. In my experience, children are nearly always quick to get involved in play or activities as soon as parents are gone.

Schedule Changes:

An issue that I would like to address is schedule changes. If you inform me of a time you will be picking up your child or dropping of your child and that changes for some reason, please, just call me and let me know. If for some reason your child will be attending a day when he/she is not supposed to attend, please call before your regular drop off time. It helps with the planning for my day and makes it easier for us to plan special fun things, such as a walk or a trip to the park, when I know when parents will be arriving.

**Just keep this in mind: If for any reason there are any changes to your schedule changes during the day just call and let me know.

Mealtimes: Snack: 9:00 a.m.

All snacks are nutritious and are served according to federal nutrition guidelines. Children are never expected to clean their plate, but are asked to try everything just once. If your child has any allergies please let me know. At no time should your child bring food from home unless enough is brought for all. Please allow your child time to finish all uneaten food prior to arriving. If your child wishes to bring an occasional treat, please call me to verify quantity and approved foods. All treats etc, must arrive in sealed packages. We practice manners at childcare. We use thank you, please, your welcome and many more! All children join us at the table, learn proper seating and table manners. Children will help set tables and clean up after they are finished eating, when possible.

Absences:

There will be no refunds or adjustments made to your child care fees for your time missed due to illness, holidays, your vacations, or days off.

A place has been reserved for your child that cannot be filled on a short-term basis. Although I will make every attempt to be available each day, there will be occasions when I or another family member is ill and I am unable to provide care. You will be notified as soon as possible of any personal or family illness, funeral, or emergency. It will be your responsibility to obtain alternate care on those days. If I am unable to provide care for any of these reasons, I will credit your next week of care per day. Please try notifying me before your contracted time if you will not be bringing your child or will be arriving late. This helps in planning for the day’s activities. You will have half an hour after your contracted time and then I will assume your child will not need care. There are times when there might be only 1 or 2 children and I will take advantage of this by going somewhere in the car. More than 1 consecutive absence without a call may be considered a termination by parent with all fees due & payable.

Holidays & Vacations:
I will be taking the following as paid holidays: New Years Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving & the day after, & Christmas> 24th –26th. When a holiday falls on a Sunday, Angie’s Luv-N-Care will be closed the following Monday with pay. Although very rewarding, childcare is a very high stress occupation. Each year I reserve the right to take 3 paid personal days. I may not always take these days, but I leave the possibility open.

Each year I take off 2 weeks of unpaid vacation time. I will always try to give you 2 months notice of my plans. You will need to find alternate care during this time or arrange your own vacation during this time. After your child is enrolled for one year at Angie’s Luv-N-Care, you receive one-week unpaid vacation per year equal to the number of days in the week you are contracted for provided that you give me a minimum of two-week’s written notice of these days. This unpaid vacation time can be used all at once or can be broken into 2 separate vacations. Ex: You may take off 3 days one week and 2 days another week. Your vacation days may not be carried over into the next year.

Personal Belongings & Parent Provided Supplies:

No toys should be brought from home. We have had some issues with sharing special toys, so I would prefer that NO toys be brought from home. If your child likes to sleep with a special toy, I have plenty of things that they may use.

Parents are required to supply diapers/training pants, wipes, formula, baby food and a change of clothes. In addition if your child requires a special diet, you must supply it.

House Rules/ Discipline:
Discipline is used to teach a child, not as a punishment. I achieve this through love, consistency, and firmness. I stress two main patterns of behavior: respect for other people and respect for property. I will explain the rules to the children, so they are all familiar with the guidelines. The following methods of discipline will be used:

1. Encourage children to solve problems themselves

2. Intervention and discussion

3. Re-direction to another play area

4. Loss of privileges

5. Time out

** If I feel there is a chronic behavioral issue that needs attention, I will let you know so that you and I are handling it in the same way providing continuity in discipline between our homes. These types of behaviors might include such things as biting, using of bad words, chronic hitting, etc. Together, we will try to find a solution.

There are certain House Rules that all children will be taught and expected to follow. The house rules are as follows and are enforced for the safety and well-being of everyone.

1. No shoes in the house.
2. No running, jumping, or screaming permitted inside the house.
3. No hitting, pushing, biting, kicking, spitting, or pinching others, including parents.
4. No roughhousing, climbing or sitting on, pulling, or lifting/carrying other children.
5. Children are not allowed to walk around with cups, bottles or food.
6. No standing or climbing on toys, chairs, tables, or furniture. No mistreatment of toys –EX: standing on, throwing, bashing.

7. No going out the door or gate at pick up time without an adult.
8. No name calling, teasing, swearing, bad language such as 'shut up', tattling, or potty talk.
9. No gum allowed in house.
10. No gun or violent play allowed.
11. No wandering around the rest of the home. Children are to be in the playroom unless watching TV or during naptime.

Rules for parents
1. No food, drinks, or gum brought into the house for your child or it will be disposed of.
2. Always come to the back door unless there is a note posted there stating otherwise.
3. Always ring the doorbell prior to entering, please don’t knock. I might not be able to hear your knock from the rest of the house and I would like to be aware of someone entering my home.
4. No shoes in the house.
5. No smoking is permitted on the premises.

Illness Policy:
Under no circumstances will parents be allowed to bring a sick child to my home. Sick children expose other children as well as my family and me, and require additional care from their parents in the comfort of their own homes. If other children become ill due to exposure to your sick child, either because he/she was returned to child care before full recovery or he/she was not picked up promptly upon notice of becoming ill, other parents will be unnecessarily inconvenienced. If my family or I become ill due to exposure to a sick child, all of the children may need to arrange alternate care, and it is possible that I may lose a portion of my income. Because this is so disruptive to other children and their families, as well as my own, your cooperation on this matter is extremely important. The following illness policies will be strictly enforced, for the health, well-being and safety of all concerned. Symptoms requiring removal from child care:

1. Fever over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (A child must be fever free for 24 hours before returning to childcare. This means fever free without the aid of medication!)

2. Diarrhea, Vomiting, Obvious Pain, Head Lice, Uncontrolled Coughing, & Runny Noses. Your child may be brought to childcare if he/she has the common cold. Nasal discharge of any color other than clear is not acceptable in childcare unless accompanied by a doctor’s note stating that he/she is not contagious. At this point, I would require an over-the –counter medication to dry up the discharge. Yellow or green nasal discharge is generally a sign of illness such as an infection of the sinuses, a foreign body present, or a serious illness. Matted or crusty red eyes are not acceptable in childcare.

3. Unexplained rash is not allowed.

4. Excessive Crankiness: Child is irritable, excessive whining, wants constantly held, or requires more attention than I can provide without jeopardizing the health, safety, or well being of the other children in my care.

Your child will not be accepted into childcare if he/she has had any of the above symptoms within the last 12 hours. If your child becomes ill while in my care, I will notify you immediately. You are required to pick up your child within 1 hour of notification. If you cannot be reached then your emergency contacts will be called. I reserve the right to determine when a child should be sent home due to illness. Please notify me as soon as possible when your child becomes ill so that I can notify the other families and observe my own family for symptoms. If your child is thought to have a contagious disease, you will be notified and asked to pick him/her up immediately. Your child will be isolated and made comfortable until you arrive. Your child will be accepted back into care as soon as your child is no longer contagious. This may require a Doctors note.

Parents may not stop to think that when sick children are brought to my home, my entire family is at risk of exposure. How would you feel if another parent brought their sick child and exposed your child? I will always respect your need to be at work. I ask, however, that when deciding if your child should be at home, you give consideration to the other children. Ask yourself how you would feel if another child were as ill as your child. Would you want your well child exposed to these symptoms?

Medical Emergencies:
In case of EMERGENCY, I will administer the necessary First Aid. An ambulance will be called and your child will be transported to the nearest hospital. YOU WILL BE NOTIFIED IMMEDIATELY! I am prepared with emergency caregivers in cases of emergency. If an emergency caregiver cannot be located, however, you will be requested to pick your child up. You are responsible for all costs involved in emergency medical treatment, including emergency transportation, if required.

Medication Administration: If your child is on medication and it must be administered while at childcare, the medicine must be in the original container and labeled with the child’s name, doctor, name of medication, dosage and when it is to be taken. I will also have a form for you to sign giving me permission to administer the medication to your child. Medication will be given at the time or with the meal you specify and a written record kept.

Releasing Your Child: My normal procedure is to release the child only to his or her parents or someone else the parents designates. If someone other than the parent is to pick the child up, please notify me ahead of time. A verbal notice is fine on that day if this person is on the list of those authorized to pick up your child. If the person is not on that list, I must have written permission to release your child. One of the forms you are required to complete designates who may pick the child up if there is an emergency and you cannot contact me. Please make sure those listed are persons with whom you would allow your child to leave if that person showed up at my door and said, "I need to take Johnny with me." Those on the list should also be people I could call in the event something happened and you did not show up to pick up your child.

Please inform your emergency contacts that if I do not know them and, the child is too young to recognize them ("Hi, Grandma!"), than I will ask for identification. I do not mean to offend them. This is simply a measure taken for the child's protection.

Termination policy:
I reserve the right to terminate immediately for the following reasons (but not limited to):
1. Failure to pay fees
2. Lack of parental cooperation
3. Physical or verbal abuse of any person or property

**You are required to give 2 weeks written notice when you decide to terminate childcare. The 2 weeks will be paid in full, regardless of whether your child is in attendance or not I will give 2 weeks written termination for which full tuition is due, whether your child is in attendance or not.

I reserve the right to give written notice of IMMEDIATE termination where there are extreme circumstances that affect the well being of myself or other children in attendance. In this situation, the 2 weeks payment of tuition is still required. Termination notices will not be accepted while Provider or parent is on vacation. You may pay 2 weeks fees in lieu of 2 weeks notice.

Please take the above rules seriously. It is always best to call me and ask if you are unsure whether or not you may bring your child. It is always best for you to have a back up plan available to you in the event your child is ill and you feel you cannot miss work. Any infractions of the above rules and you will be called at work or school to come and pick up your child. Repeated calls to have you return to daycare to pick up your child may result in termination.

What you can expect from me:

• Positive reinforcement and encouragement in all your child does or attempts to do.

• Developmentally appropriate and stimulating activities.

• Special care and respect for your child.

• Nutritionally balanced snacks.

• Monthly newsletters.

• Open and honest communication, if anything is going on that affects your child, I will talk with you about it.

• Peace of mind.

What I expect from you:

• Bring your child rested and ready for a day of activities and play. A well-rested child is easier going, less frustrated, happier and more predictable.

• Prompt payment of childcare fees.

• Prompt pick up of your child, so that my family’s needs and personal commitments are also met.

• Notify me if your child is going to be absent or late.

• Open and honest communication- if there is a problem (however big or small) we need to talk about it to prevent hard feelings or misunderstandings.

(Revised 1/08)