Parent Handbook

My Qualifications

I have been providing professional quality licensed family child care since 1984.  In December 2003 I received my National Accreditation from the National Association for Family Child Care.   I have an Early Childhood Education Certificate from Canada College.  I maintain my CPR and First Aid certification as required by California law.  I am an active board member of the San Mateo County Family Child Care Association and a Past President of this association.  I attend workshops and conferences on an ongoing basis to stay refreshed and updated!

My Licensing

I am licensed by the state of California.  My license number is 414000112.

I Am a Mandated Reporter

I am a state-mandated reporter of suspected physical or sexual abuse of children.  This means that if I have reason to believe that any child in my care has been neglected or abused, I am required by state law to report this to my licensor or to the local child protection office. 

My Privacy Policy

I will keep all records and information about your child and your family private and confidential, unless I have your written permission to reveal specific information.  I ask that you also respect the privacy of my family by not sharing any information you learn about my family without my written permission.  Please talk to me if you have any questions about this.

The following information has been compiled to familiarize you with the policies and procedures of my program.  Please read this handbook to ensure that you understand all items, and feel free to ask questions about any material that may be unclear to you.  Please keep your copy of this handbook easily accessible so that you can refer to it often as questions arise.

Arrival & Departure

All children must be brought into my house by an adult each day and will only be released

to an adult. 

Please inform me of any pertinent information when you drop off your child.  (I.e.       medicine given, woke up early, last feeding, etc.)

Children are to arrive clean and dressed for play.

You are required to notify me by 8:30 a.m. if your child will not be coming for the                    day, or will be late arriving.  If your child needs to be picked up early for a doctor’s                appointment etc., please call ahead so that I may have your child ready for you.

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 a couple of minutes are                         sufficient) during drop-off times; the longer you prolong the departure the harder it                  gets.  A smile, a 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.

Please be very brief at pick-up times also.  This is a time of testing when two                        different authority figures are present and all the children will test to see if the rules              still apply.  I do expect you to back up my rules, but if you do not, I will remind your               child that their behavior is inappropriate and take action to correct, if needed.  Please            be in control of your child during these times.

NO CHILD WILL EVER BE ALLOWED TO LEAVE MY HOME WITH ANY PERSON NOT                AUTHORIZED BY THE PARENT.  A driver’s license is required prior to any child being            allowed to leave my home with anyone that I am unfamiliar with.

I appreciate your consideration if you leave work early to let me know and please                   come pick up your child.

For the safety of the children in my care, I will not tolerate a client who fails to use an           appropriate car seat or who transports a child while in an incapacitated state.  I will              take steps to keep the child safe which might include calling an alternate adult, or                 calling a cab.  If a client insists on taking the child anyway, I will call 911.

Changes of Contact Information

Families frequently have changes – new homes, new jobs, and new telephone numbers.  It is important that I have current contact information.  Accurate information is critical for efficient, professional handling of emergencies.  Please inform me if you are at any other location than what is listed on your Enrollment Form and to provide a telephone number for that place.

Children’s Absences

There will be no refunds or adjustments made to your childcare fee for days missed due to illness, holidays, vacations, or days off.  A space is reserved and tuition paid for your child 52 weeks a year. 

                        

Clothing

My program is designed to keep children active – both indoors and out.  Children                  should wear appropriate clothing to accommodate the activities they will be involved            in.  Please don’t dress your child in his/her “Sunday Clothes” and expect them to stay            clean.

I will take reasonable precautions not to allow children’s clothing to become                         “damaged” during messy activities.

An extra set of clothing must be left at daycare at all times for all children.

I am not responsible for lost or damaged clothing!

Communication

Communication is very important to me.  It is important that we openly share any concerns or questions that may arise.  It is also important that we are aligned in our childcare philosophy.

I welcome questions, feedback, or discussions of any kind that result in a positive                 outcome for the child.  Sensitive issues will be discussed outside of regular hours                 either by phone or at a scheduled conference.

You may call me between 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. If you call during the day, please be                aware that I may be busy with the children and may not be able to answer the phone.             If you leave a message on my voice mail, I will call you back as soon as possible.                 Contact me via email at: www.RWCKidKare@aol.com.

If we are away from the daycare on an outing, we can always be reached via my cell              phone.

Parents should check the “parent board” for important information, items you need to             bring, special announcements, etc.

I email a monthly newsletter and calendar to keep parents informed of upcoming                    activities, field trips and other tidbits.

Days & Hours

I will be open when children are scheduled to attend.  Your specific hours will be                   outlined in your childcare contract.  I require two weeks notice if you need to change             your contracted hours.  I also reserve the right to terminate care if the new hours will            not work well for my childcare business.

Please understand that the hours your child is in care are strictly “childcare hours” and does not reflect all of the additional hours necessary to provide quality childcare i.e.: cleaning, bookkeeping, shopping, etc.

Children may be allowed to arrive earlier or stay later if prior arrangements have been            made.  I may provide overnight care due to a birth or death in your family.  Please ask            me if this service is possible when the need arises.

In cases of emergencies or other problems, which may hinder you from picking your               child up on time, I will expect a phone call.

Emergency Drills

Emergency drills will be held periodically to acquaint the children with evacuation procedures.  This may make quite an impression on your child the first time a drill is held, but your child will soon become accustomed to it and know just what to do in the event of an emergency.

                                     

Enrollment Requirements

To secure a spot in my program, I must have a signed Provider-Parent/Guardian Child Care Agreement and payment of the enrollment fee.

Before any child may participate in my program, the parent must complete and return the following forms.  I must have these forms fully completed and in my possession before I can accept the responsibility of caring for your child.  NO EXCEPTIONS!  The State of California forms are as follows: Identification and Emergency Information, Child’s Pre-admission Health History, Consent for Medical Treatment, Personal Rights, and Parents Rights.  Michele’s Home Daycare forms are: Provider-Parent/Guardian Child Care Agreement, Enrollment Information, All About Me, and Medication Authorization.  *It is very important that you complete these forms thoroughly to help me meet your child’s needs.

Equal Opportunity Provider

Michele’s Home Daycare is an equal opportunity provider.  Applications for enrollment are accepted without regard to marital status, sexual orientation, race, color, sex, disability, religion, or national origin.

Field Trips

I believe that field trips enhance the curriculum and expose the children to new environments and experiences that are not possible if we stayed on-site.  My program includes weekly field trips including but not limited to: the San Francisco and Oakland Zoos, Children’s and Bay Area Discovery Museums, Happy Hollow, Fairyland, Habitot, Hidden Villa, local fire and police stations, libraries, Chuck E Cheese and other restaurants, and various local parks.  I usually give parental notice beforehand; however, some trips are spontaneous.  Parent approval must be given on the child’s enrollment form.  There may be fees related to the field trips to cover entry fees, parking, gas and on-site refreshments, etc.

Parents are always welcome to join us on our field trips!  I have a 8 passenger SUV equipped with approved car seats.  For their safety, the children wear matching t-shirts or sweatshirts with my program name and my cell and home phone numbers.  The children are taught that the group moves on together; and that running off is not only unacceptable but unsafe!  The children either hold hands or hold on to the double or quad stroller depending on the situation.

 

Food and Nutrition

I supply baby food as needed.

Parent’s supply formula.

Whole milk will be served to children 12- 24 months.  Over 24 months children are served lowfat milk.

Breakfast is served about 8:30am.  Lunch is served about 12:30pm.  Afternoon snack              is served between 4:00 and 4:45pm.  If your child eats table food and is brought to                 daycare after a mealtime, he/she should be fed prior to arriving.

No food and especially candy may be brought from home except for special days and              parties.  Please check with me first.

If your child has an allergy to food or drink, please notify me in writing.

Guidance and Discipline

The goal at Michele’s Home Daycare is to promote independence, autonomy, self-esteem, and caring towards others and the physical environment.

I will not use any form of corporal punishment in my program.

No one, including the child’s parent, is allowed to spank, hit, bite, shake, yell at, or                cause any physical or emotional harm to any child while on these premises.

I use redirection when possible.  This means that if a child is in a potentially harmful             situation to him/herself or to another child, I will remove him/her and try to get the                 child interested in something else.

I will only use a “time-out” if it is age appropriate for your child, and when I do, I will              limit it to one minute per year of age. 

I will reinforce appropriate behavior by identifying the desired behavior rather than                 punishing negative behavior.  I will use behavior guidance that is fair, reasonable, and           suited to the age of your child.

If your child exhibits a severe behavioral problem (such as regular biting, hitting, or               breaking of toys), I will discuss this with you and ask for your cooperation in solving              the problem.

Health Requirements

Within one week of admission, I must have your child’s immunization record on file.  It is important to keep in mind that in compliance with state laws, forms must be updated from time to time.  Please bring me your child’s original shot record each time they go to the doctor and receive a new immunization.

Holidays

Michele’s Home Daycare will be closed for the following paid holidays:

•New Year’s Day

•Martin Luther King Day

•President’s Day

•Providers Birthday March 18th

•Memorial Day    

•Independence Day

•Labor Day

•Thanksgiving Day and the day after Thanksgiving

•Christmas Eve Day through New Year’s Eve Day

When one of these holidays falls on a weekend, the holiday is either the Friday before it or the Monday after it.

Illness

I reserve the right to temporarily deny any child admittance, or to require early departure should symptoms become apparent during the course of the day, for reasons of obvious illness including, but not limited to, a temperature of 100.4 degrees and/or symptoms and signs of possible severe illness.  I will notify you of any exposure to contagious illness, disease, or infection in my program within 24 hours of when I become aware of it.  In the event of head lice, the child must be treated and nit-free before returning to care.  If a case of head lice is found in my home, all parents will be notified and everyone in my home will be checked.

I expect you to notify me if your child will not come to care due to illness, contagious disease, or for any other reason.  Please keep in mind that when small children are not feeling well, the thing that they need most is TLC from mom or dad.  If a child is too ill to participate in “regular” daily activities, he/she is too ill to be left at daycare. 

Your child must meet the criteria listed below before returning to daycare:

Fever – Fever free (without Tylenol) for at least 24 hours.

Diarrhea – No diarrhea for 24 hours while eating a normal diet.

Vomiting – No vomiting for 24 hours.

Inflamed Eye – Must be seen by a doctor and return with a doctor’s note stating that               treatment is being given or is not required.

Skin Infection (of unknown origin) – Must be seen by a doctor and return with a                       doctor’s note stating that treatment is being given or is not required.

Injuries & Emergencies

I will call 911 for life-threatening emergencies.

I will call you as soon as possible for all emergencies whether life-threatening or not.            If I can’t reach you, I will call the other persons you have listed to call when you                    cannot be reached. 

I will post all emergency phone numbers near my telephone.

I have smoke detectors and fire extinguishers that meet state law.

I will report any accident requiring treatment by a physician to the proper agency.

I will make every effort to ensure the safety of your child while in my care.                             Unfortunately, minor accidents may occur.  Parents are responsible for medical bills.

You must keep me informed at all times of how I can reach you in the case of                         emergency (pager, voice mail, or cell phone), and check often for messages.  If you                will be leaving work early, be at another location for the day, or vary your normal                   routine, you must inform me.

Medication

I cannot administer medication to any child without an instruction form signed by the parent or the child’s doctor.  There will be no deviation from the recommended dosage (either prescription medication or over-the-counter) unless authorized in writing, by the child’s doctor.

Naps and Quiet Time

All the children will take a nap or observe a quiet time in the afternoon.  All the                      children lie down during this time.  Each child has his or her own clean and separate              bedding.

Children under the age of one year will sleep on their back to reduce the chance of                 Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

Open Door Policy

I maintain an open door policy for all parents.  Parents are welcome to call or drop in             any time during regular childcare hours.  However, if your child shows signs of not                 handling your departure in a positive manner, you may be asked to take your child                 with you, when you leave.

Open door policy does NOT mean that my door will be kept unlocked outside of                      arrival/departure times.  I believe that it is extremely important to keep the doors                  locked for the safety of the children.

I would appreciate you taking into consideration my schedule when dropping in or                  calling, and remember that visitors usually cause the children to react in an excited              manner that does not normally occur when I am alone with them.

Parent Bulletin Board

The “Parent Board” is located in the hall outside the playroom.  You will find the current month’s calendar, birthday list, current list of paid holidays, and a copy of this handbook, list of emergency numbers, and any other pertinent information.  Please check this board on a regular basis.  Please check the “white board” for announcements.

Parking

Parking in my driveway can be a challenge.  I find that if you approach the driveway at an angle and keep forward momentum, most all vehicles can successfully make it up my driveway.  Please pull all the way forward when in front of the garage doors so another client may park behind you.  The first car in may be briefly blocked by another client. If you park behind another client, please be sure to keep your drop off and/or pick-up brief.  Please don’t block or use our neighbor’s driveways.  If you choose to park on the shoulder of the road, please pull all the way off the street.  There is no parking in front of the retaining wall in front of our house.

Please be careful when exiting our driveway, Canyon Road is very busy at times.  Please be careful not to hit the fence or the retaining wall.

Parties

A birthday is a special event in a child’s life.  Children enjoy sharing this exciting day with their friends.  I am happy to have you participate with us on that day.  Please feel free to bring “goodies” to celebrate the special day.  We will also be having “parties” at Christmas, Halloween, Valentines Day, etc.  I am always open to parents bringing treats for these “parties”.  Please remember to notify me in advance if you want to participate.

Pictures

I will take candid pictures of the children at various times during the day and/or on field trips.  Some of these pictures may be used on my web site, placed in photo albums that are viewed by prospective clients, in marketing flyers and in my home.  Please provide email addresses for your family members to be on our digital photo email list.

Professional Development/Sick & Vacation Days

Michele’s Home Daycare is closed for 15 paid days of vacation per year.  I will give at least 30 days notice before closing for vacation.  I may use 5 paid days per calendar year for sick days, funeral leave, and/or for professional training attendance.  You will receive at least 30 day’s notice of professional training days.  I will notify you as soon as possible if I will be closed due to illness or a funeral.  Parents should secure their own back-up provider for all of these situations.  In order for me to be the best provider that I can be, I attend training seminars/conferences.  These seminars/conferences are not always on the weekend.  Thank you for your assistance in enabling me to attend those, which fall during the workweek.                                  

Smoking

Michele’s Home Daycare is a completely smoke free environment.  No smoking is allowed at any time on these premises.

Substitutes

I may employ a substitute caregiver if necessary.  These caregivers will have current CPR & First Aid certification; and be familiar with the children before being left alone and be someone that I know and trust.

Sunscreen

Please apply sunscreen to your child every morning.  I will assume your child has had the first application applied, and I would hate for one of the kids to get sunburned!  I will apply subsequent applications as needed throughout the day. 

Supplies

The following supplies, according to the child’s age, should be marked with the child’s name and left at the daycare: Complete change of clothing, diapers, pacifier, bottles, and swimsuit.  If it becomes necessary for me to purchase supplies and/or requested items for your child, you will be billed.                                                                                 

Termination

The provider reserves the right to re-evaluate any child or family’s continued participation      in this program. 

Failure to abide by any of these policies may result in termination. 

The provider may terminate this contract at will.

A failure to enforce one or more terms of this contract does not waive the provider’s right       to enforce any other terms of this contract.

Some reasons for termination may be: a child who is having an extremely difficult time          adjusting and making it difficult for me to properly care for the other children; a child who      exhibits severe emotional or social problems which are detrimental to the other children        in care; excessive and/or uncontrollable biting, inappropriate language, destructive or            harmful behavior; and/or a parent who abuses the policies and procedures set forth in this      parent handbook.

Toilet Training

I do not toilet train children.  I will however be glad to assist you when your child is ready to enter the toilet training phase.  This is an important period for your child and is most successful when we work together.  I ask that you provide at least two complete changes of clothing, including socks, and an adequate supply of training pants.  Clothing for this stage should be selected for easy on and off.        

Toys From Home

No toys may be brought from home.  Children tend to be very interested in a “new toy”           and the owner is usually less than happy to share his toy with everyone. Your child may        bring a book to share, which I will put in a safe place until I read it to the children.  I will        not be responsible for lost or broken toys.  Please don’t make me be the bad guy!

I will not use toy weapons in my program (such as play guns).

Your child will be taught to help pick up toys at the end of play time.

                                       

Transportation   

My program includes neighborhood walks, field trips, and other out-of-home activities that involve transport of children by foot, in strollers or wagons, or in my vehicle.  I will take all possible precautions when transporting the children.  All children will be securely strapped into a car seat when being transported in my vehicle!  I provide the necessary car seats.

Verification of Legal Custody

I must have on file, a copy of the court order recognizing the parent who has custody of the child.  Otherwise, I must release the child to either biological parent.

Withdrawal

Parents may terminate this service by giving two week’s written notice.  Earlier notice, if known, would be greatly appreciated.   No refund will be given of any prepaid fees.