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This is my actual Parent Handbook that I give to parents during an interview.
Meet the Provider:
My name is Lera Moncrief, and I am a family childcare provider.I am a license exempt provider, but I am affiliated with the YWCA Child Care Resource & Referral Service.I am married, and have two children of my own, Alyssa, who is 3 years old and Jacob, who is 8 months old.I understand how difficult it is finding the right daycare for your child.
I love children, and hope my home offers a “home away from home” for your child.I feel my experience as a mother and my love of children as well as the training and experience I have received are qualities needed to provide a positive, nurturing, and educational environment.
I take my profession as a childcare provider seriously, and will obtain as much continuing education as possible to constantly improve my knowledge and skills.
Policy Statement:
In order to make our relationship as enjoyable as possible, the following are some mutual beneficial requirements that are necessary to assure that there are no misunderstandings between us, that we are aware of the requirements, and that these requirements are carried out in a business-like manner.There is a lot of information here.Please read it and if you have any questions, feel free to ask.
The policies listed below are set forth by Lera Moncrief and are in accordance with Illinois state regulations.The following contract becomes effective upon acceptance by the parent and myself.Failure to comply with these policies may result in immediate termination and loss of your deposit.
Fees and Hours of Care:
My services will be available Monday through Friday from 6:00 am through 6:00 pm. I have a maximum of 11 hours per child per day.Any hours over the 11-hour maximum will be charged an additional $10.00 per each day.This must be prearranged with me to avoid a late charge.
~Ages: 6 weeks to 5 years see my child care fees sheet
*Includes: food, supplies, & activities
~Deposit:one (1) week’s tuition
*A deposit is required to ensure a space for your child.The deposit will be applied to your child’s last week’s fee.
Holding a Child Care Spot:
I cannot hold a child’s spot while you are not working, on maternity leave, parent or child illness, ect. unless you pay for your childcare services.I askparents to pay ½of the weekly tuition to keep their spot available. You may bring your child 2 (two) days a week for the time you may be out provided that the child is healthy.
Holidays:
Half payment is expected for holidays that fall on a week day REGARDLESS if you are part-time or full-time.I will be closed on the following major holidays:
~Memorial Day ~July 4th ~Labor Day
~Thanksgiving Day ~Day after Thanksgiving (unpaid) ~Christmas Day
~New Year’s Day
On these days I will be closing early.Please make arrangements to have your child picked up at that time.
~Christmas Eve Closing time is 3:00 pm
~New Year’s Eve Closing time is 3:00 pm
Provider’s Vacation:
If I choose to take a vacation or a personal day, there will be no charge for that day or week.If a parent chooses to take a vacation or personal day, parents will be responsible to pay HALF of the regular daily or weekly payment fee.
Receipts:
I will supply a written receipt for each payment made, if you request one.I will give you a monthly statement with payment made and balance due every month.Please keep these for your records.At the end of each year, I will also provide you with a proper tax form showing the full amount of all charges for that calendar year. It is imperative that we both claim the same amount for taxes. If the amounts do not match,this will send up a flag to the IRS and may result in an audit for the both of us.If you think the amount is incorrect, please let me know so it can be corrected.
Payment Policy:
~Accepted forms of payment include cash and/or checks.
~There will be a $25.00 late fee charge for payment not received by the close of business on Friday, unless special arragements are made.
~If a check bounces, there will be a $25.00 fee PLUS any fees that I may accrue as a result.If a check bounces a second time, I will accept only cash.All charges must be paid before your child can come back.
~Both full-time and part-time fees will be charged based on contracted hours including missed days due to illness, holidays, and parent vacations.
~If your child is going to be on vacation or using a personal day, payment will be due prior to the start of vacation or the payday missed.Payment will be due early if a holiday falls on a Friday.
~If you are paying by a check, you are welcome to postdate the check if early payment is required.
~Please make checks out to Lera Moncrief.
Administration of Medications:
Since I am not a licensed medical professional, I will not administer any type of medication including prescription and over-the-counter medications, without a signed consent form (see attached). This form can be filled out when you drop your child off and must include:
~The child’s name, age, and weight
~The name and phone number of your child’s doctor
~The name of the medication
~The dosage amount and frequency
~Instructions for proper storage and preparation of the medication (such as should it be refrigerated, shaken, mixed with water, etc.)
~Reason for needing the medication
Also, the medication must be in a clearly labeled childproof container. I would prefer it if you also bring the medication in a small sack or baggie labeled with the child’s name, so as to avoid any possible confusion.
I do not pretend to be a doctor, and will not under any circumstances provide any medications, including vitamins. You must provide any and all medications for your child.
Child Abuse:
I will not knowingly allow any form of sexual, physical, or emotional abuse of any child in my care at any time. This includes the time that the child is in its own home. On the surface, this may sound like an invasion of privacy, but I cannot ethically turn a blind eye toward such abuse.
If I notice any signs of abuse at any time, I will alert that child’s parent(s) immediately both verbally and in writing, along with a full description of the symptoms. (Bruising, sores, sudden extreme behavioral changes, etc.) I will document this same information for myself, and if necessary, alert the proper authorities after first attempting to handle the situation discretely.
You may get notes about your child having bruises or scrapes without needing to fear that I suspect you of abusing your child. Be assured, if I think your child has been abused, I will let you know! The notes I send home are just to alert you in general of any instances that may come up, and also to protect myself from mistaken accusations of abuse.I think it is best that we handle it openly and honestly to avoid any possible misunderstandings. We both want what is best for our children.
Damages:
It is expected that your child be respectful of my personal property and furnishings.A certain amount of “wear and tear” is normal, but if your child is malicious upon breaking or damaging any item, I will expect reimbursement in full for the replacement cost of a like or identical item.This reimbursement is due with your next week’s payment.
Diaper Changes:
Diapers are checked and changed every 2 hours or more frequently, if required. The only exception would be during nap.I will change before and after nap, unless I can tell the child needs to be changed during nap.Hand washing of myself and of the child is done after each change.
Discipline Policy:
I do not believe in spanking, slapping, smacking, yelling or hitting of any kind. Instead, I use the following discipline methods to handle any dangerous or hurtful offense:
For children under the age of about 18 months, I find it most effective to remove the child from the situation, and redirect their attention elsewhere.Although I will most likely explain to the child that the offending behavior was inappropriate, children of this age are rarely able to fully understand what they have done. Fortunately, their attention span is also usually shorter than with older children, so simply showing them a different toy or activity usually does the job.
For children of about age 2 and over, I will alert the child to the offense by saying firmly “NO”, explaining why the behavior is unacceptable, and offering the child the choice to behave. If the child chooses not to behave appropriately, I will first explain to the child why their behavior is not acceptable, then I will place the child in a chair in the living room under isolated observation for a period of about 1 minute per year of age.
At the end of the time-out, I will ask the child if he or she understands why they had a time-out, ask if they understand why they shouldn’t do that behavior, then ask if they are ready to play nicely again. This method not only stops the offending behavior, but also teaches the child consequence, responsibility, and empathy in a positive manner.
Dangerous and hurtful offenses include hitting, biting, kicking, pushing, hair pulling, throwing objects at someone, climbing on an inappropriate structure, and willful destruction of property, tantrum throwing, and not following reasonable requests. These relatively minor offenses will be handled as described above, depending upon the child’s age and developmental stage.
To a point, kids will be kids - but only as long as the emotional and physical safety of all of the children in my care is protected. In the rare instance that I feel any child in my care has a serious discipline problem, I will request a conference with the parent(s). If an understanding cannot be reached, I reserve the right to terminate our contract.
Outings:
On nice days, I will take the children to local parks.Sunscreen will be applied and hats will be worn to prevent any sunburn.
I will not be driving with the children unless it is an extreme emergency that cannot be avoided.I do have spare infant and toddler carseats at my home for emergency situations.
Holiday Parties:
We do celebrate certain holidays such as Valentine’s Day, Halloween, Christmas, New Year’sand birthdays.
IfYour Child Becomes Ill:
In order to protect the health of all children in my care, I will call you at work and request that you pick up your child within one hour if he or she exhibits any of the following symptoms:
~Fever over 101.0 degrees for more than 1 hour
~Excessive diarrhea for 2 or more consecutive diapers or toileting
~Vomiting in excess of typical infant spit-ups
~Conjunctivitis (“pink eye”)
~Consistent complaints of ear or stomach pain
~Bleeding other than minor cuts and scrapes
~Excessive greenish nasal discharge, indicating possible infection
~Head lice
In the event your child is sent home due to one of the above conditions, he or she will not be allowed to return until they are symptom free for 24 hours.(Ex: 24 hours from the last bout of diarrhea or 24 hours after a fever has broken.)
I will not send children home with a common cold. I will do my best to prevent the spread of such illnesses through good hygiene and housekeeping, but total avoidance of this sort of illness is impossible.
Likewise, I will not close the daycare if I am mildly ill due to a cold. I will, however, notify you as soon as symptoms appear in any of the children or myself, so that you can decide whether or not to have your child in care that day.
Please alert me if you suspect that a member of your family may have an illness so that I can alert the other families to the possibility.
If I Become Ill:
If I should become ill with more than a standard cold, such the stomach flu or other illness, I will close the day care until I have been symptom free for 24hours. I will always attempt to give as much notice as possible when I am forced to close my home to care due to illness. Also, in the event that one of my own family members is ill, I will also give you as much notice as possible to allow you to decide if you want to risk exposure to your child.
*Parents are responsible for making other arrangements for childcare.
Infant Schedules:
I will attempt to respect and keep a newborn infant on a schedule requested by a parent if at all possible.Infants on bottles only will be fed when hungry.I feel that it is not worthwhile to make an ifant cry because they need to wait 4 hours to eat.
Medical Emergencies:
In case of a serious accident or sudden illness requiring medical attention, the following procedures will be followed:
1.)A phone call is made to 911.
2.)Child’s parents (or emergency contacts) are called.
3.)Child and health records are taken to emergency service at Delnor Community Hospital.
4.)In all cases, an emergency report is completed and given to the parents.
*****It is extremely important, especially in instances of illness or emergency, that the emergency contact information is up to date and all information is correct.Please report any changes immediately to keep your emergency contacts current.
*****For minor injuries like bumps and scrapes, I will provide home first aid.If the injury is more serious (needs stitches, broken arm, dislocation, ect,) the parents will be notified immediately.
*****Parents will be responsible for all costs involved in emergency medical treatment, including emergency transportation, if required.
Meals and Snacks:
Our Meal Schedule:(for toddlers and older)
~Breakfast:8:30 am
~Morning Snack:10:30 am
~Lunch:12:30 pm
~Afternoon Snack:3:30 pm
*Dinner:6:00 pm*
*Dinner is only included during pre-arranged evening care hours, or at my discretion for rare situations.
I will provide all meals and snacks, with the exception of infant formula or breast milk.I supply infant cereal and jarred fruits and vegetables.I have a sample menu attached of what the children would eat. I am open to any suggestions and ideas!You are also more than welcome to bring a treat with your child to share with the other children.
To avoid triggering any allergic reactions, I will not serve the following foods to children less than 12 months of age, unless you specifically request them for your child:
~Citrus fruits and juices
~Tomato products
~Nuts, including peanut butter
~Soy products, including tofu
~Eggs
~Honey
~Strawberries
All foods will be cut into safe-size pieces and served in child-sized portions. Children may always have seconds upon request, and no child will be forced to eat anything.Children will eat when they are hungry, and will get all of the nutrients they need when consistently presented with a variety of healthy choices.
At each child’s birthday, I like to have a “party” with all the children.I generally like to make cupcakes or pudding pies for the children.Let me know what your child’s favorite snack is for this special occasion.
Naps:
I will offer infants a morning nap, 9:00 and 11:00 am or as needed.. All children will be offered an afternoon nap shortly after lunch, generally between the hours of 1:30 pm and 3:30pm.
All children are expected to sleep or rest quietly during this time. Please do not request that your child be exempt from naptime.Nap times will start with a story time and/or quiet songs to encourage children to fall asleep.
All bedding and linens will be provided. However, if your child has a favorite blanket or other comfort object, you are certainly welcome to bring these. Each child will have their own regular sleeping space such as a pack n play or bed and each child’s linens will be washed each weekend, or as often as needed.
Open Door Policy:
I maintain an open door policy.Parents are welcome to visit my daycare at any time during business hours.As I am busy with the children, I may not be able to answer the door immediately.Please wait a few moments for me to come to the door.You are welcome to observe our program as long as you wish.Please understand I may not be available to give you my undivided attention as I am interacting with the children.
Pre-Care Visits:
I believe that children, providers, and parents do best when everyone participates in “get-to-know-you ”sessions prior to the first day of care. This helps children get used to the provider and allows parents plenty of time to ask questions of the provider. It also helps everyone feel more comfortable with the situation. This benefits the child by allowing us to approach the first day of care with ease, which helps reduce stress for everyone.Children benefit from a stable, long-term care environment. My hope is that these visits will help reduce the number of misunderstandings that can inevitably arise, so we can develop a good working relationship. I will work with you to schedule as many pre-care visits as possible without cost to you. These visits should only last about an hour or so, depending upon the number of questions you have.I would prefer to gradually increase my interaction with your child, taking cues from their comfort level. Some of these visits may be at your home, if you prefer, however most of the visits should be in my home in order for your child to get used being here.
Renewal of Contracts and Forms:
All forms and contracts will be renewed and updated annually on the anniversary of your child’s start date.All previous contracts will be obsolete.Please make necessary changes when information changes. I will also have the option to Increase charges, if I feel it is necessary.This will be done when renewing contracts and I will give at least one month notice before doing so. Also, a fee increase will be within a reasonable amount (ie $1.00 or $2.00 a day for the whole day.)
Reservations:
I will reserve a slot for a child needing care more than 30 days away under these circumstances: A deposit of equivalent to two (2) week’s fee must be paid up front.The deposit will be applied to your child’s first and last week of care.I am reserving this space, and will be unable to fill the spot with another child. If you decide to not bring your child, this deposit will become non-refundable.
Substitute Pickups:
In the event that a you request a friend, relative, or neighbor to pick up your child, the substitute must be previously authorized in the form of a letter 24 hours before they come to pick up .A driver’s license will be required if I do not know the person and if your child is not old enough to recognize the person picking them up is.If the substitute is late in picking up your child, you will still be held responsible for paying the late fee.
Supplies:
You will be responsible for providing your child’s:
~Diapers (I require a package of diapers to be left for your child and I will put their name on them and let you know when you are running low.)
~Sterilized bottles and nipples including (optional) bottle liners
~Infant formula or breast milk (breast milk must be clearly labeled with child’s name and dated)
~All prescription and over-the-counter medications
~A complete change of clothes including socks, appropriate for the season.
~Three pairs of underwear (if already potty trained but for accidents)
I will provide all other supplies such as diaper wipes and diaper ointments. Of course, you are welcome to bring your own. I will provide all linens and a wide variety of toys and educational activities, but your child may bring their own naptime things.
*** I will not allow any toy weapons to be played with in my home. ***
Swimming:
In the summer when the temperature is over 80 degrees, I will fill up our inflatable pool.Please bring a swimsuit, towel and a bottle of sunscreen (labeled) with your child during the summer season.
Television:
I allow VERY LIMITED television viewing consisting of PBS kids, the Disney channel,and Noggin. I also allow the children occasionally to choose a movie they would to like to watch (ex. Baby Einstein collection, Blue’s Clues, Veggie Tales, & some Disney movies.) Children are NEVER required to sit down and watch TV, and TV is not offered in place of free play or other learning activities.
Termination:
A two-week written notice is required to withdraw your child from care.the one-week deposit fee will be used against your last week’s payment.If less than two weeks notice is not given, your deposit will be forfeited.
In the event I should ever find it necessary to end our agreement, I also will give the parent AT LEAST two weeks written notice.Except for reasons such as, but not limited to:
~Lack of compliance with handbook policies
~Failure to pay or pay on time
~Failure to complete required forms…..
~Lack of parental cooperation
~Disrespect
~False information given by parent either verbally or in writing
~Consistent late pickups/early drop offs disrupting our routine
~Failure of child to adjust to the childcare after a reasonable amount of time
~Destructive, uncontrollable or violent behaviors
~Physical or verbal abuse of any person, animals, or property
~My inability to meet child’s needs
~Serious illness of child or provider
Immediate termination can occur for the above situations. If immediate termination is given by me, for the above or any other reason to be at my discretion, any and all monies paid will be forfeited.
Tips For Smooth Transition Times:
In the morning your child may not want to say good-bye to you and at pick up time they may not want to go because they are involved with a fun activity. This is a natural occurrence and may vary with your child ’s age and developmental stage.
I encourage parents to take a minute to help their child feel comfortable and to adjust by offering positive statements. A parent who shows reluctance to depart only makes it harder for their child. Although parents should never sneak out without saying “good-bye ”, a brief good-bye usually works best.
Crying will usually stop a few minutes after you leave. Whether you plan to stay for a while or you prefer to keep good byes short, it is important that you establish a consistent routine and stick with it.
If your child misbehaves, please correct their behavior. My house rules apply from the time they walk in until the time they walkout. This is a time of testing when two different authority figures are present (parent and provider), and this situation will be tested at one time or another to see if the rules still apply. I will remind your child if inappropriate behaviors are being displayed. Please be prepared to back me up. If your rules or desires are being tested, I am ready to back you up as well.
Children of all ages adjust to transitions differently. Most do not like to be too rushed, or to wait too long once they are ready to depart. This is especially true during the colder months, when children may get uncomfortably warm once dressed in a coat, mittens and a hat. When leaving, please DO NOT ALLOW CHILDREN TO RUN OUT TO YOUR CAR WHILE YOU ARE STILL INSIDE!
Trial Period:
The first 10 working days from the child’s start date will be a trial period for the child, parents, and provider.During this period, either the parents or the provider may terminate care without notice.The deposit will be used against the ending balance.
Potty Training:
I will be more than happy to help assist you and your child in potty training, provided that it is not done before your child is ready. Parents are asked to initiate the training at home (on vacation times or weekends) before starting it at my home.Once training is initiated, parents are to supply 5 ply training underwear (Gerber makes a wonderful, absorbent underwear for toddlers!) with plastic pants and/or pull-ups.
A final note:
I am always open to suggestions and feel communication is a very important part of this business.If there is any problems or concerns, I encourage you to talk to me.If a lengthy conference is needed, a time that is convenient for both of us can be scheduled, as other children still need my attention during regular care hours.Feel free to call me while the children are napping, if needed.Thank you for the opportunity I had to meet you and your child and I look forward to the future.
Updated 4/25/05
Need more information? Click on the link below to send me an e-mail!
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