|
Enrollment Policy There are several forms the make up the Art Studio Guelph Daycare enrollment packet. This enrollment packet must be completed and in our possession before we can assume the responsibility of caring for your child. This is to ensure that your child will get the very best care possible and satisfies the record keeping requirement of state licensing guidelines. All forms will be reviewed annually. If there are changes to any of the forms in the enrollment packet, please notify us to update your records. All families will sign a new contract each year. We reserve the right to make changes in rates and policies as we deem necessary. You will be notified, in writing, of any changes that may occur. Every attempt will be made to give at least two weeks notice of changes. Full set of documentation will be copied and kept in Wellington County archive as per Ministry of Education requirements. All details are fully confidential and stored securely. If you have any questions regarding the completion of these forms, please feel free to ask at any time. Last week security deposit: It is applicable per child and must be paid by the parent at the time of enrollment. The amount is equal to one week of childcare as the last week of care security deposit. |
|
|
Tuition / Payment Procedures Your specific rates will be outlined in your Contract and Rate Agreement. Tuition is payable in advance and is due no later than the end of working day on Friday each week for the following week’s daycare unless another arrangement has been agreed upon. Payment may be made by check or cash. Parent Vacation: You must continue to pay your tuition on your vacation to hold your daycare spot. |
|
|
Bounced Checks If a check is returned for non-sufficient funds, there will be a $30 fee incurred as a result of the returned check. Childcare services may be halted until full payment of tuition and NSF charges has been made, in CASH. In addition, upon the second returned check within 6 months, only cash will be accepted for 3 months. |
|
|
Late Fees A $1.50 per minute late pickup fee will be assessed for all children picked up after closing unless otherwise agreed. This must be paid in cash at the time of pickup, or before the child’s next regularly scheduled day. This will be strictly enforced, and habitual tardiness may result in termination of services. |
|
|
Hours of Operation We offer both full and part-time care. Full time is considered from 30-50 hours per week. Part-time is considered less than 29 hours per week. Add-ons or schedule changes may be accepted to our daily schedule only if there is a position open for that day, and they will be accepted on a first come, first served basis. Please remember that schedule changes of this nature create some disruption to our normal schedule. We would appreciate as much notice as possible so that we can plan for meals, sleeping arrangements, and any changes in activities that may occur. We maintain an open door policy for parents during daycare hours. This means that parents are always welcome to call or drop in to see their children. We would appreciate your taking into consideration our schedule when dropping in or calling, and remember that visitors usually cause children to react in an excited manner. If you call during the day, please be aware that we may be busy with the children and may not be able to answer the phone. If you would leave a message, we will call you back as soon as possible. Our regular operating hours are from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm Monday to Friday. Any exceptions have to be mutually agreed and pre-approved. |
|
|
Arrival and Departures Children are to arrive clean and fed (unless arriving just before a meal time). We will try our best to send your child home with a clean diaper and would appreciate the same consideration when you drop off. It is normal for some children to have difficulty separating from parents, or cry when dropping off. Please make your drop off is brief, the longer you prolong the departure, the harder it gets. A smile, cheerful good-bye kiss, and a reassuring word that you will be back are all that is needed. Please be brief at pick-up times, as well. This is a time of testing when two different authority figures are present (the parent and the provider). All children will test to see if the rules still apply. During arrival and departure, we expect parents to back up our rules. Please be in control of your child during pick up times. Please leave your cell phones in your car so that the care provider and your child will have your undivided attention at pick up or drop off time. Our normal procedure is to release the child only to his/her parents, or someone else the parents designate on the Authorized Pick up and Emergency Contact Form. If someone other than the parent is to pick up the child, please notify us ahead of time. A verbal notice is fine on that day if this person is on the list of people who are authorized to pick up your child. If the person is NOT on that list, we MUST have written permission to release your child. Please inform emergency contacts, or people designated to pick up your child, that if we do not know them then we will need to ask for identification. This is not meant to offend them. This is simply a measure taken for the child’s protection. Drop off and pick up are not good times to discuss serious problems. Little ears and minds hear and understand everything. The care provider can set up a time where the issues can be discussed in private. |
|
|
Absences Childcare fees are based on enrollment (a reserved space), not on attendance. To maintain a reserved space, fees must be paid during the absence of a child due to illness, holidays, vacation, or for any other reason. |
|
|
Clothing / Attire Children should arrive dressed for play. We like to have fun! Having fun involves outdoor play and lots of messy activities, so make sure that your child is dressed appropriately. You will be expected to supply bibs to keep food stains to a minimum. Please don’t dress your child in nice clothing and expect them to be spotless when you arrive to pick them up. Clothing should be comfortable and seasonally appropriate for outdoor play. Make sure to include hats, mittens, boots, and coats for cold weather. |
|
|
Personal Belongings We prefer that children do not bring toys from home unless it is something that can be shared with the entire group (i.e. books, videos, etc.). Little ones have a difficult time sharing with others, and it is even harder with their own special toys. If toys are brought, please note that they may be put away, if they are the cause of disagreements among the children. Exceptions to this policy will be that a child may bring a favourite sleepy toy for nap time only, and toys may be brought to show and tell activities. We are not responsible for any loss or breakage of personal items. All personal items must be clearly marked with the child’s name. |
|
|
Supplies Parents must supply the following items to be kept in their cubby: Diapers, wipes, pull-ups, powders/ointments, pacifier (preferably on a pacifier string), bottles, bibs, a blanket for rest time, and a complete change of clothes (replace when soiled), sunscreen & bug spray. All personal belongings should be marked with your child’s name. Eating utensils, cups, and dishes will be supplied. If any of these items are brought, they must be marked with your child’s name, to avoid mix-ups with other children. Donations help us keep costs down, so if you have any of the following items on hand and are willing to donate them, it would be greatly appreciated. This is not mandatory. · Dress up clothing, costumes, jewellery, hats, etc. · Paper of any kind, brown, white, coloured, waxed, foil, etc. · Crayons, watercolour paints, or any misc. art supplies, such as fabric scraps, glitter, pipe cleaners, paper plates, etc. · IDEAS! We welcome any ideas that you may have for fun activities or crafts!!! |
|
|
Meals Art Studio Guelph Daycare follows Canadian Food Guide. Meals will consist of morning snack, lunch and afternoon snack. Children who arrive after meal times should be fed before they arrive. 3 weeks menu is part of your welcome package and also posted on the board next to the entry door. We prefer that children do not bring food, drinks, etc. from home unless requested. Children tend to think the “grass is greener . . .” when they see someone eating something different from them. We will honour a parent’s religious or philosophical objections to a menu item and the parent can substitute any objectionable item with an item from home. If your child has allergies and requires a modified diet, we must be notified of this in writing. We will need to have a physician’s written instructions describing any foods the child is not permitted to eat. An appropriate substitution will be made, if possible. If a child has so many allergies that he/she cannot eat from our menu, we may require the parents to provide his/her lunch and snacks. We never force a child to finish what is on his/her plate, but we do encourage each child to try one or two bites of everything. Sometimes they are surprised by what they like! All eating patterns will be communicated to the parents. |
|
|
Cleanliness / Hygiene We do our best to maintain strict cleanliness and hygiene standards. Children’s hands are washed before and after meals and after toileting. We use paper towels for drying hands, so children do not have to use the same towel. If parents provide a toothbrush and toothpaste, teeth will be brushed too. Each child has a nap matters or playpen; with a sheet and a blanket that are washed weekly (unless soiled, then they are washed as often as necessary). The sleeping room is aired daily. Children use separate cups, plates, bowls and eating utensils that have been thoroughly washed. Tables are disinfected after each use. We disinfect toilet seats and clean potty chairs between each use. |
|
|
Toilet Training When you feel your child is ready for toilet teaching, we ask that you begin this teaching at home during a weekend or vacation. We will follow through and encourage your child while in our care. The child must be showing signs of readiness. When a child is ready, the process should go pretty quickly. The child must be kept in pull-ups or 5-ply training pants at all times. Putting a child in diapers part-time, and training pants part-time, can be confusing and delay the training process. Please keep in mind that the activity level here can distract your child from responding to an urge to use the potty, more so than at your home. Therefore, we may continue to use diapers or pull-ups until your child can and will announce that he/she must use the bathroom (not just at home, but here, as well) and can control his/her bladder and bowels for a few minutes beyond that announcement. Parents need to supply training pants with plastic pants or pull-ups, plus a couple of extra changes of clothing each day including socks. During toilet training, we ask that the child is dressed in “user-friendly” clothing, as much as possible. The best items are shorts and pants with elastic waists or dresses. Try to avoid really tight clothing, pants with snaps and zippers, and overalls. These are difficult for children to remove “in a hurry”. |
|
|
Nap / Quiet Time There will be a designated nap/rest time each day. All children must nap, rest, read or play quietly during this period. Rest time gives children a much-needed break during the day. Without rest time, some children are argumentative in the afternoon, short-tempered with others, and not really happy when they go home in the evening. |
|
|
Parental Involvement There will be times and ways you can get involved in your child’s daycare experience. You are welcomed and encouraged to participate in any or all of these. Some examples of ways to be involved include: · Lending objects for units of study · Coming and talking about your job when asked · Helping your child at home with the concepts we are studying at daycare · Helping your child prepare for “Show and Tell” · Helping to provide treats or other items for our parties |
|
|
Activities / Curriculum Our main objective is to have fun, improve social skills, and encourage creative expression. We will utilize a variety of activities to accomplish this goal. Free play, computer programs, reading, arts and crafts, music/singing, dancing, dramatic play/pretend, puzzles, and educational TV/videos are just some of the activities we will be doing. Music helps to develop young brains and will play a strong role in day-to-day activities. We may have special music activities and may also play music during other activities, for example, during arts and crafts or meal times. Some of the music we will be using may include, classical, children’s songs (by a variety of artists), foreign language tapes and others. Children of all ages will be taught age appropriate curriculum daily. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Indoor / Outdoor Play Indoor play: We provide a variety of age-appropriate toys for indoor play. Toys may be rotated or placed temporarily out of use so that the children do not become bored. Younger children have less-developed organizational skills and can get easily frustrated or upset when there are too many toys to choose from. It is also more difficult for them to help with clean up when there are toys everywhere because it is so overwhelming to them. For this reason, during free play times, each child may select one or two things at a time to play with. They will be shown how to put those things away before selecting something else. Outdoor play: We will be playing outdoors every day that weather permits. Please make sure that your child is appropriately dressed for outdoor play at all times. Our activities will include walks, playground, water play (sprinkler in summer), and others. We do not go outside when the temperature is below -10C degrees (including wind chill), or above +32C degrees (including heat index. Parents who feel that their child is not well enough to participate in outdoor activities must keep them out of daycare until they are able to participate in all activities. |
|
|
Daycare Rules There are certain rules that all children will be taught and expected to follow. This is for the safety and well being of everyone. In addition, we realize that we must expect a certain amount of wear and tear where children are concerned, we do not want to have our centre “demolished”. There will be no running permitted in the centre. Hitting, pushing, biting, grabbing, kicking, spitting, or pinching other children/infants/adults will NOT be allowed. No standing or climbing on chairs or tables. There will be no use of obscene, derogatory or disrespectful language. Children may not walk around the daycare with food, cups or bottles. Respectful treatment of other people and all property, toys, and furniture is expected. Willful destruction of property will be charged to the parent at the cost to replace the item. Please support us in the enforcement of these rules, in order to create a better environment for all. No smoking is permitted on the premises. |
|
|
Guidance Policy Children’s behaviour is influenced by their overall development, their environment, and their caregivers. Each child differs in terms of his/her activity level, distractibility, and sensitivity. Children must learn to develop socially acceptable and appropriate behaviour as they grow to maturity. This policy is the guideline that Art Studio Guelph Daycare will follow to assist children in developing self-control, self-confidence, and sensitivity in their interactions with others. Guidance is required to ensure order, prevent injury, and ensure a child’s activities are not infringing on the rights of others. Guidance Strategies It is important that the caregiver ‘sets the stage’ for a positive atmosphere and maximum opportunities for desirable behaviour. This will be done by: o Explaining to the children what behaviour will be acceptable and be explaining the reason for the limits, doing so in a positive way; o Focusing on the child’s behaviour, rather than on the child; o Allowing the children time to respond to the expectations; o Reinforcing appropriate behaviour; o Being willing to listen and respond in a fair and supportive manner, and; o Observing children in order to anticipate potential difficulties. Intervention Strategies One or more of the following strategies will be used to help create a positive climate and minimize problems in a supportive, rather than punitive way: o By establishing eye contact and calling the child’s name in a calm controlled voice to gain a child’s attention; o By remaining near the child in situations where he/she may be losing self-control; o Children will be reminded of limits taking their feelings into consideration. o For younger children or children with limited attention span and verbal abilities, we will attempt to change the behaviour by distracting or diverting the child. o Verbal and/or physical assistance will be shown by modelling problem solving if a child is discouraged or frustrated. o Children will be offered choices in a non-threatening and nonpunitive way to assist them in meeting expectations or to reinforce limits. o We will clarify the inevitable or unavoidable outcome of the behaviour to the child. o If the child is unable to resolve a problem or take responsibility for their actions, they will be re-directed to another activity, or in special circumstances, be limited in the use of a piece of equipment. o If all else fails, the child will be removed from the situation in a way that ensures that the ‘time out’ is a positive learning experience: o On a rare occasion where a child loses control and could possibly injure him or herself or others. We may be required to hold the child to soothe them until self-control is gained. o When a child is ready, they will be provided with an opportunity to make amends. |
|
|
Discipline We maintain a positive discipline policy, which focuses on prevention, redirection, love, consistency, and firmness. We stress two main patterns of behaviour: respect for other people and respect for property. The children have explained the rules of the centre frequency, so they are all familiar with the guidelines. Please keep in mind that there WILL be disagreements between children. Young children have a hard time expressing their feelings. Sometimes they hit, throw toys, bite, etc. We will try to prevent problems, redirect when appropriate, discuss inappropriate behaviour, encourage making amends when the offence involves another person, and sometimes withdraw privileges based on the principle of “natural consequences”. An example might be where a child is missing a toy then he/she will not be allowed to play with the toy for a period of time. The timeouts are not used as per of our discipline. Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES will there be any spanking, physical abuse, verbal abuse, name calling or isolation used. Neither food nor sleep will ever be withheld from children as a means of punishment. If a discipline problem arises that does not respond to the above-mentioned techniques, we will hold a conference with the parents. Together, we will try to find a solution. You may be called to remove your child if his/her behaviour prevents us from being able to properly care for the other children. If the problem continues, other arrangements for the care of the child will have to be made, for the safety and well-being of all. |
|
|
Illness Policy Parents agree to keep their child/children at home or seek alternate care arranged for the following conditions:
It is required to keep (or take) a child home when the child:
ULTIMATELY THE CARE OF THE CHILD IS THE PARENT’S RESPONSIBILITY Parents will inform the daycare within 24 hours of a diagnosis of a serious illness or contagious disease of a communicable nature in the family. This is to protect my family and the other families who attend the daycare. Failure to do so is grounds for immediate termination of care. Parents agree that a child will be symptom-free, without the aid of symptom reducing medications such as Tylenol, for a full 24 hours prior to returning to daycare. We reserve the right to ask for a note from your family doctor, depending on the illness/disease. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Medications Prescription medications will only be given to a child in care with the following conditions:
Care of a sick child and notification of parents When a child becomes ill, I will make the child comfortable in a quiet place where he/she can rest and will be closely supervised. Parents will be notified immediately and agree to begin to making alternate work arrangements or arrangements for alternate care. If your child is seriously ill, you or an alternate must come for the child IMMEDIATELY. If I cannot reach a parent, I will call an emergency contact listed on the registration form or the child’s doctor may be contacted depending on the seriousness of the illness. |
|
|
Medical Emergencies Minor bumps and scratches are inevitable, but we make every effort to keep the children safe through supervision and childproofing. Minor injuries receive appropriate first aid, and if an emergency injury or illness occurs, you will be contacted as soon as possible. If necessary, your child will be taken to the nearest hospital where you will be asked to meet us. If you are not going to be at your usual place of employment, or at home, please make sure that we have a number where you can be reached. |
|
|
Termination Policies We reserve the right to terminate a child for the following reasons (but not limited to): · Failure to pay · Routinely late picking up your child · Failure to complete the required forms · Lack of parental cooperation · Failure of child to adjust to the centre after a reasonable amount of time · Physical or verbal abuse of any person or property · Our inability to meet the child’s needs · Lack of compliance with handbook regulations · Serious illness of child The provider reserves the right to give written a notice of immediate termination where there are extreme circumstances that affect the well-being of the provider or other children in attendance. Anyone who terminates daycare and has a balance that is outstanding will need to have the account settled within 30 days. All accounts not settled within 30 days will be turned over to a collections agency regardless of the amount owed. All accounts turned over to collections will have a $20 per week late fee plus 35% collections fee added to the amount due. |