Family Child Care Policy
Cuddly Bear Child Care
414-321-8341
Tracy Champagne
Policy Effective Date: November 13, 2006
Updated January 1, 2009
I. GENERAL INFORMATION
Cuddly Bear Child Care is licensed by the State of
Cuddly Bear Child Care will provide care for children between the ages of 6 weeks and 15 years. Child care services are available without discrimination on the basis of race, sex, color, creed, political persuasion, national origin, disability, ancestry or sexual orientation.
Child care services will be provided between the hours of 5:30 A.M. and 5:30 P.M., Monday through Friday, Year round. No service will be provided on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, day after Thanksgiving ,and Christmas Day. All regular fees will be charged for these holidays. If a holiday falls on a Saturday, we will be closed the previous Friday. If a holiday falls on a Sunday, we will be closed the Monday following.
I will post the following items for your review:
· License certificate
· Results of the latest licensing/monitoring visit (CFS-294 or CFS-785)
· Menus
· Center policies
·
Parents will receive a pamphlet, "Your Guide to Licensed Child Care" which is a summary of family child care licensing regulations, as part of an enrollment packet.
Parents are welcome to visit my child care program at any time during the hours of operation unless prohibited by a court order. If so, I will need a copy of the order.
Children will only be released to persons listed on the enrollment form. If anyone other than the child's parent or someone who is listed on the enrollment form is to pick up a child(ren), I need to be notified in writing or by a telephone call in advance. The person picking the child(ren) up may need to show a driver's license or other picture ID.
If the parent or other authorized person arrives to pick up a child and that person appears to be intoxicated or under the influence of drugs, all reasonable steps will be taken to prevent the person from leaving with the child, including offering to call a cab or another contact person. While I cannot legally withhold a child from the legal guardian I will not hesitate to call the local authorities if I feel the child is in danger.
It is important that we communicate daily concerning the needs and interests of your child. If there are issues or concerns that need to be discussed, please work with me to arrange a convenient time to talk on the phone at naptime or in the evening so we can give the issue the attention it deserves. To foster communication on a regular basis Cuddly Bear Child Care provides scheduled conferences / written newsletters / parent bulletin board / daily sheets.
To protect each family's confidentiality, Cuddly Bear Child Care will not share information about a child or a child's family with anyone who is not authorized to receive this information.
Cuddly Bear Child Care is covered by liability insurance for my premises and for my operations.
II. ENROLLMENT AND DISCHARGE OF ENROLLED CHILDREN
To reserve a spot in my daycare for 2 weeks or more in advance, I require a deposit. The deposit will be equivalent to a week’s fee and will be applied to your first week. This deposit is non-refundable. The start date we agree upon will be written into your contract. If you need to postpone your start date for any reason, you will still be responsible for weekly fees beginning with your original start date.
All children will be enrolled for a trial period of 30 days. During the trial period either the provider or parent may terminate child care without advance notice.
Parents must meet with me to discuss their child's specific needs and to review program policies. I will make a reasonable accommodation for a child with disabilities as specified under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The following items must be completed and returned to the center by the first day of attendance. Please note that I cannot guarantee your child’s spot will be available or assume responsibility for the care of your child until I receive:
- Form CFS-62, "Child Care Enrollment"
- Form CFS-2345, "Heath History and Emergency Care Plan”
- Form CFS-104, "School-Age Agreement – Child Care Centers" (if applicable)
- Form CFS-56, "Transportation Permission – Child Care Centers" (if applicable)
- Form CFS-61, "Intake for Child Under 2 Years – Child Care Centers" (if applicable)
- First week's tuition
- Parent / Provider agreement
PLEASE NOTE: All forms must be updated yearly
I will inform you of any updates that are needed and give you 2 weeks to submit the updated forms.
The following items must be completed and returned to me within the first 30 days.
- Form CFS-60, "Child Health Report"
- Form DPH-4192, "Day Care Immunization Record" or an electronic record of your child's immunizations
Children may be enrolled on a full-time basis (30 hours per week or more), or a part-time basis (less than 30 hours per week). I do accept children for drop-in care if prior enrollment arrangements have been made and space is available.
A child may be discharged from the center for reasons such as, but not limited to:
- Failure to pay fees on time. (Grounds for immediate termination, without advance notice.)
- Lack of parental cooperation.
- Inability of child care program to meet the needs of the child. I will consult with the parent concerning how any problems might be solved before ending the care arrangement. The parent will be referred to other community resources.
- Repeated failure to pick up the child at scheduled time.
- Failure to complete and return required forms.
I will give a written notice of my intent to discharge a child, and try to inform parents of local resources that may be of help to them, except when the discharge is due to parent's failure to keep current with fees owed. Should parent remove the child during a notice period I initiate, fees will not be charged for the remaining unused days.
Parents must give a 2 week written notice of their intent to withdraw the child(ren), and will be required to pay for those 2 weeks whether or not children continue to attend. All outstanding fees must be paid.
III. PAYMENTS AND REFUNDS
Fees are to be paid in advance on Monday by 5:30 pm, regardless if your child is in attendance that day or not, of the week's services. If there will be a third party payment, as from an employer or the county, a special payment schedule will be arranged and detailed in the contract. Parents will be responsible for any specified co-payments or unpaid amounts.
Cuddly Bear Child Care does charge a registration / enrollment fee. A registration / enrollment fee of $25.00 must be paid. The registration / enrollment fee must be paid prior to enrollment with the first tuition payment.
I will establish a regular rate based on your child's hours of enrollment. Additional fees will be assessed for additional hours if care is part-time or hours exceed 50 hours per week.
Full-time rate is for children who will be in care for 30 hours or more a week.
An hourly rate is charged if children are fewer than 30 hours per week.
There will be an extra fee assessed for late payment or late pick up of a child.
Children may be in care for all hours of operation; however a fee will be applied for over 10 hours in a day.
Rates are higher for children under 3 years of age than for older children.
There will be no reductions for additional children from one family. I am limited in the number of children that I may care for at one time.
No refunds will be given for days when children do not attend due to illness or other reasons.
Childcare is a service, if you are full-time 30 hours or more per week, payments are expected every week in full, regardless if your child is sick or if your family take a vacation. Full-time means you hold a spot for you child.
Part-time childcare, less than 30 hours, will pay hourly for the hours that they are there. Part-time means you are paying only for time that your child is being watched based on an arrangement that has been made.
Parent Vacations
Due to meal and activity planning, I require parents to advise me what days their child will be absent for a vacation at least 2 days ahead of time. I expect full payment for all days and hours your child is normally scheduled to be here. Payment is still due no later than 5:30 pm on Monday of each week while you are on vacation.
For current fees, see the attached Rate Sheet.
IV. CHILD AND PROVIDER ABSENCES
A. Child Absence
If your child will not attend on a regularly scheduled day please let me know within 30 minutes of your child’s scheduled arrival time.
If a child who is scheduled to arrive at the center does not arrive within 30 minutes of the specified time on the written agreement signed by the parent, and I have not been notified of the child’s impending absence, I will attempt to contact the parent or guardian to determine the child’s whereabouts.
I will not walk / transport children who attend school to and from the center in the morning and after school.
If parents wish to allow a school-age child to leave or arrive at the center unescorted, they must provide written authorization for this activity. School-age children who leave the center unescorted must be traveling to home, school or another activity where adult supervision is present.
B. Provider Absence
VACATION, SICK AND PERSONAL TIME
The following are applied to full-time children (30 hours or more per week). Part-time kids all have there own specific contract.
1- Paid Holidays include: New Years Day, Memorial Day, July 4th – or the Friday before or Monday after, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Thanksgiving Friday, Christmas Day – or the Friday before or Monday after.
2- There are 5 paid days per year – January – December – that are used for my personal/sick or emergency
Days.
Provider Illness Policy
I may take up to 5 paid sick days per year. I know how much my families depend on me so they can go to work, and, because I greatly value and respect my daycare families, I will make every effort to be available every scheduled day of care. Unfortunately, providing care for small children often exposes me and my family to a myriad of contagious illnesses. In the event that I (or any member of my household) become so ill as to make it difficult for me to provide adequate care for the children, or we have something that is highly contagious, I will notify you ASAP to enable you to make other arrangements. It is your responsibility to find a substitute. If I or anyone in my household have a slight illness, and I feel I can still provide care for the day, I will alert you to allow you to make the decision of whether you want to bring your child or not. If you choose to keep your child home, there will be no discount given.
3- I do take up to 2 weeks of vacation days.
Provider Vacation
I reserve the right to take up to two weeks (not including sick days or Holidays noted) of unpaid vacation per year. These two weeks will not always be in succession. I will give parents at least two weeks in advance written notice of when this vacation will be. Substitute care is the parent’s responsibility.
In the event that I am scheduled to be gone, but childcare is open, Pat Peterson, Sarah Radonski, Kelly Dominski or Paula Richter will act as my substitute. Before my substitute or any other provider required to meet the staff-to-child ratios begins to work with the children, I will provide them with an orientation and document its completion. The orientation will cover all of the items specified in the licensing rules.
In the event that I or a household resident become ill, I will notify the parents of all regularly scheduled children.
In case of an emergency situation that requires my immediate attention, I will call Pat Peterson (my Mother)
Sarah Radonski (my neighbor), Kelly Dominski (my Sister) or Paula Richter (my neighbor) He / she will come to the center to stay with the child (ren) during my absence. Parents will be called to pick up their children as soon as possible, but no later than 4 pm. I will provide my emergency back-up person with a brief orientation that will include the names and ages of children present, arrival and departure information for each child, the location of the children’s files and the procedures to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome if the center is licensed to care for children under 1 year of age.
V. HEALTH
A. Child Illness / Injuries
Children who are ill are not to be brought to the center. The following are examples of children who are ill:
- A temperature of 100 degrees F. or higher.
- Vomiting or diarrhea has occurred more than once in the past 24 hours
- A contagious disease such as chicken pox, strep throat or pink eye
- An unidentified rash
- Have not been on a prescribed medication for 24 hours or continue to have symptoms of illness
- Has a constant, thick, colored nasal discharge
- Consistent coughing and sneezing
If a child should become ill or seriously injured while at the center, parents will be contacted immediately. Sick children will be isolated within my sight or hearing and made as comfortable as possible. Children should be picked up within 1 hour. If the child is not picked up within1 hour, the emergency contact person on the child's enrollment form will be called.
Children may return to the center when they are symptom free, have been appropriately treated or have been given medical approval to return to child care. I will follow procedures on personal cleanliness and communicable diseases in accordance with licensing rules and the guidelines for exclusion of children from child care as adapted from the Division of Public Health.
I will report all communicable diseases, when required, to the local health department and to parents of all enrolled children. Parents of all enrolled children will be notified when their child has been exposed to an illness other than a communicable disease.
I have not been authorized by the licensing agency to provide care for mildly ill children.
I have received training in first aid. I will follow standard emergency medical procedures for treating injuries. A head injury will be treated as a serious injury, and parents will be notified as soon as possible.
Superficial injuries will be washed with soap and water and covered with a bandage or treated with ice. Parents will be told about the minor injury when they pick their child up.
If there is a need for emergency medical treatment, 911 will be called and the child will be taken to Children’s Hospital. Should an ambulance be needed, parents will be responsible for any costs. Parents will be contacted as soon as possible after contacting 911. If possible, I will ask that the ambulance take your child to the emergency medical facility that you designated on the child enrollment form.
All medication administered, accidents or injuries occurring during the time the child is in my care, marked changes in behavior or appearance and any observation of injuries to a child's body received outside of my care will be entered into the center's medical logbook. As a licensed child care provider, I am required to report suspected child abuse or neglect to the local authorities.
B. Medications
I will administer medications. Prescriptive and non-prescriptive medication will only be given to children if parents have completed the authorization form provided. All medicine must be in its original container bearing the label with child's name, dosage and administration directions. I will not exceed the age-related dosage on the label of any medication without a written doctor's authorization. Blanket authorizations, such as dispensing Tylenol at my discretion, are not allowed.
I will apply sunscreen to a child prior to taking the child outside. I will not apply insect repellent to a child prior to taking the child outside. Parents must authorize in writing the application of sunscreen or insect repellent. The authorization shall include the brand and the ingredient strength.
C. Smoking
Smoking is not permitted on the premises of the center during licensed child care hours.
D. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
To reduce the risk of SIDS I will do the following:
· Children under one year of age:
- Child will be placed to sleep on his or her back in a crib, unless the child’s physician authorizes another position in writing.
- Child will not sleep in a crib or playpen that contains materials such as sheepskins, pillows, fluffy blankets, bumper pads or stuffed animals.
· Children under two years of age:
- Cribs and playpens shall contain a tight-fitting mattress and any mattress covering shall fit snugly over the mattress. Waterbeds may not be used.
- Sheets or blankets will be tucked tightly under the mattress and shall be kept away from the child’s mouth and nose.
- If child falls asleep in a swing or car seat, the child will be removed from the swing or car seat and placed to sleep on his or her back in a crib.
VI. NUTRITION
I will follow USDA guidelines when planning our menus. No child will go without nourishment for longer than 3 hours. I will offer the following meals and snacks to all children in attendance at the times identified in the daily schedule.
Breakfast
A.M. snack
Lunch
P.M. snack
Parents providing their own children's meals and snacks will be informed verbally and in writing of the USDA nutritional requirements.
If your child has special dietary needs (medical condition or personal choice) or has food allergies, parents must notify the center in writing.
Daily, weekly and monthly records of meals and snacks are available for your review.
School-aged children will be offered an afternoon snack upon arrival from school.
Children younger than 12 months must be served formula or breast milk unless written direction is on file from the child's health care professional. I will not provide any type of formula. All bottles and commercial baby food must be labeled with your child's name.
VII. DAILY ACTIVITIES
I do not include religious instruction or practices in my daily activities.
We celebrate the following occasions: Christmas, Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Valentine’s Day ,St Patrick’s Day,4th of July, Kwanzaa, Hanukah, Rosh Hashanah, Ramadan, and each child's birthday.
I will plan activities and provide children with a variety of experiences. Some of the activities will include:
- Language development: Books, music, story time, fingerplays, flannel board stories
- Large muscle skills: Balls, hula hoops, bean bags, swinging, outdoor play
- Small muscle skills: Arts / crafts, stringing beads, pegboards, blocks
- Creative expression: Dramatic play, puppets, music / instruments, flannel board
- Self-help skills: Assist with mealtime preparation, dress self for outdoors
PLAY is the major component of our program. Enough time, materials and space will be provided for children to actively explore the world around them. Children will have an opportunity to use a variety of art materials and manipulative and housekeeping equipment.
Children, including infants and toddlers, will go outdoors daily when weather permits. The children may be kept indoors during inclement weather such as any of the following:
- Heavy rain
- Temperatures above 90 degrees F.
- Wind chills of 0 degrees F. or below for children age 2 and above.
- Wind chills of 20 degrees F. or below for children under age 2
Infants and toddlers (children under two years of age) will have a flexible schedule which reflects the child's individual needs. They will be given individual attention including lots of time for talking. The body position of non-mobile infants and their location in the center will be changed frequently. I will provide safe, open spaces for children who are creeping and crawling. Infants and toddlers will be encouraged to play with a wide variety of safe toys and objects.
School-age children will have a quiet place to study or relax, access to appropriate materials and activities and will have ample time for large muscle activities and to participate in food preparation.
Night Care. I am not licensed to provide care between the hours of 9 P.M. and 5 A.M.
Rest or naptime will be provided for all children younger than five years of age who are in care for more than four consecutive hours. Children who do not sleep may get up after 30 minutes, and children who awaken early will be allowed to get up when they awake. I will help awake children find appropriate activities. Parent / guardian will launder the bedding / sleeping bag after every five uses or sooner if necessary.
A crib or playpen is provided for each child less than one year of age. Children over the age of one year will sleep in a playpen, sleeping bag or on a mat.
I will allow children to watch television including VHS or DVDs. Children may bring VHS or DVDs from home. Children are not required to watch television, and other activities will be available during that time for children to use.
We occasionally take walks around the neighborhood. Emergency information for each child will be taken whenever the children leave the premises.
A schedule of daily activities is attached.
VIII. CHILD GUIDANCE
Arrivals/Departures
It is normal for some children to have difficulty separating from parents in the morning or not wanting to leave when it's time to go home. Please be brief (no more than 5 minutes is sufficient) during these transition times. The longer you prolong the departure and pick-up, the harder it gets, and I need to focus my attention on the other children. A smile, cheerful good-bye kiss, and a reassuring word that you will be back are all that is needed in the morning. In my experience, children are nearly always quick to get involved in play or activities as soon as parents are gone. This is a time of testing when two different authority figures are present (the parent and the provider). All the children will test to see if the rules still apply. During arrivals and departures, I expect parents to back up my rules . If you do not, I will remind the child that their behavior is inappropriate and take action to correct, if needed. Please be in control of your child during pick up times.
Children's behavior will be guided by setting clear limits or rules for children. I will talk with children about expected behaviors and model those behaviors consistently for them. I will state positively what children can do, using specific terms (e.g., "you need to walk" rather than "don't run"). Undesirable behavior will be redirected to another activity. Children will be given a wide variety of age-appropriate activities to choose from and will be given the attention they need before they demand it. Behavior management will be for the purpose of helping children develop self-control, self-esteem and respect for the rights of others.
I recognize that no single technique will work with children every time. If a child exhibits unacceptable behavior, I will request a conference with parents to consider how to deal with the behavior. If the behavior continues, the next steps may include referrals to appropriate community resources, and / or discharge of the child from care.
In accordance with HFS 45 Licensing Rules for Family Child Care Centers, actions that are aversive, cruel or humiliating and actions that may be psychologically, emotionally or physically painful, discomforting, dangerous or potentially injurious are prohibited. Prohibited actions include spanking, hitting, pinching, shaking, slapping, twisting or inflicting any other form of corporal punishment on the child; verbal abuse, threats or derogatory remarks about the child or the child's family; physical restraint, binding or tying the child to restrict the child's movement; enclosing the child in a confined space such as a closet, locked room, box or similar cubicle; withholding or forcing meals, snacks or naps; or punishing a child for lapses in toilet training. These forms of punishment will never be used, even at a parent's request.
IX. TRANSPORTATION
I do not provide transportation.
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X. PETS
We do not have any pets.
XI. EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
Fire drills shall be practiced with the children every month. In addition, tornado drills shall be practiced during the tornado season which is April through October.
In case of an emergency that would require an evacuation, children will be evacuated through the nearest safe exit. The attendance form and list of phone numbers for parents and emergency contacts will be taken along to ensure that all children are accounted for and all families notified. Children will be assembled at the mailbox.
In the event of a tornado warning, the children will be taken to the basement. Blankets and a portable radio and flashlight, with extra batteries for both, are kept in the tornado shelter area at al times. The attendance form and emergency contact information will be brought along.
In the event of a lost child, I will check all areas of the center. If the child cannot be found, the child's parents and / or emergency contact and the police will be notified immediately.
If the center should lose the use of heat, water or electricity before the center opens, I will contact parents or guardians as soon as possible.
If the center should lose the use of heat, water or electricity while children are in attendance, I will contact parents or guardians as soon as possible to let them know of what expects to happen.
If we are unable to re-enter the building after a necessary evacuation, I will take the children to the neighbor’s house and contact my back-up providers.
Personal Belongings
Please do not bring toys from home. These tend to cause disruptions, as children at this age have a hard enough time with sharing and are often even more reluctant to share something “special” of theirs. I will not be responsible for the damage of any toy, book, video, etc. brought into my home. Children may bring a blanket or favorite stuffed animal to be put away until nap time. Please do not allow your child to bring food, drink, gum, candy, money, etc. into my home. Please keep these in the car. These tend to make a mess for me to clean, and many things can be a choking and safety issue for the smaller toddlers and infants in my care.
Car seat or booster seat
Disposable diapers
Baby wipes
Lotions
Labeled sheet and blanket
Sleeping bag
Bottle for water, formula, and / or milk
Full change of clothing including underwear and socks
Sunscreen
Clothing suitable for outdoor play for each season
Car seat or booster seat
