VESL for Child Development

Skimming

Now, take a look at the handbook for Davies Daycare, a much smaller family home daycare in Irvine, California.

This handbook is much shorter, but a lot of the information is the same as the previous handbook. This handbook is only 8 pages long, and it doesn’t have a table of contents.


Please skim the handbook quickly and check off the sections that you see included (notice section titles are all-caps and blue).


Davies Parent_Handbook.pdf
Source: Retrieved from the Internet. http://www.daviesdaycare.net/downloads/Parent_Handbook.pdf
PARENT HANDBOOK We welcome you to our family here at Davies Daycare. The purpose of this handbook is to provide you, the parent or guardian, as much information as possible about our daily operations and policies. We strive to ensure the highest quality care for all children. Our goal is to establish a clear line of communication with you and your family. Please read this document carefully. By signing the “Parent Acknowledgement” on the last page, you agree that you have read and understood the Parent Handbook and the policies in it. PHILOSOPHY At Davies Daycare we strive to provide a welcoming, safe, stimulating, creative, and nurturing environment for infants, toddlers, and children of all ages. We encourage children to try new things, ask questions, explore ideas, and discover themselves. We provide exposure to sights, sounds, and experiences to help children learn and grow. We teach children life skills such as learning how to share, taking turns, following directions, and using words to solve problems. We provide unconditional love and emotional security, a sense of routine, and an opportunity to be creative and playful. GENERAL INFORMATION Owner:Diana Davies Address:14 Sweetrain, Irvine, CA 92614 Contact:(949) 679-2468 / (949) 413-7497 Email: diana@daviesdaycare.net LICENSE Diana Davies is licensed by the State of California, #300612717. License is posted on the bulletin board in our playroom. Our licensing record, including licensing inspection reports and any complaint investigations, as well as evaluation forms from the health, building and fire departments that inspect our home, are available upon request from the State of California. CHILD ABUSE REPORTING We are mandated to report child abuse. If we have suspicions that a child is being abused or neglected, we will make a report to the local children’s services agency. Safety of children is our primary concern. CUSTODY AGREEMENTS Any custodial parent or guardian of a child enrolled with us is permitted unlimited access to their child during the hours of operation. A parent who is not the child’s residential parent shall be afforded the same rights as the residential parent unless there is court documentation limiting access and conditions of the nonresidential parent. Upon entering the premises the parent or guardian shall notify the owner or designee of their presence. SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN We do our best to accommodate children with special needs. Please inform us of any/all special needs at the time of enrollment so we can determine if the special needs can be met and quality care can be provided. NON-DISCRIMINATORY POLICY It is unlawful for us to discriminate in the enrollment of children upon the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, or disability in violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, 104 Stat. 327, 42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq. HOURS OF OPERATION We are open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. We offer early arrival and extended stay upon request, with a minimum of 24 hours prior notice (additional fees may apply). Parents arriving later than 5:30 p.m. without prior notice may be subject to late fees. HOLIDAYS We are closed on federal holidays including New Years Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Additional closure days immediately preceding or following a holiday will depend on enrollment for those dates and we will notify you in advance. CAPACITY We are licensed as a Large Family Child Care Home. SCHEDULE Our schedule is attempted daily but under no circumstance is this schedule forced on any child. As a general rule, all infants are changed as needed and/or every two hours. Infants are fed when they are hungry unless the parent or physician has instructed differently. All infants will be placed on their backs to sleep. We will never allow a hungry child to go without food. EARLY ARRIVAL AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST 8:00 AM - BREAKFAST, SELF-DIRECTED PLAY 9:00 AM - MORNING WALK, PARK PLAYTIME 10:30 AM - SNACK TIME 10:45 AM - CRAFTS, LEARNING SKILLS 11:30 AM - LUNCH, OUTSIDE PLAYTIME 2:00 PM - NAP TIME 3:00 PM - AFTERNOON SNACK 3:15 PM - STORIES, MUSIC 4:30 PM - SELF-DIRECTED PLAY 5:00 PM - QUIET INDOOR ACTIVITIES, PREPARATION TO LEAVE EXTENDED STAY AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST ADMISSION / ENROLLMENT A child is considered to be enrolled with us after receipt of the first attendance fee. Before your child’s first day of attendance you must complete the required enrollment and emergency contact information forms. FEES Fees are set before the first day of attendance, but may be changed at other times. Fees may be paid weekly or monthly fees for full-time or part-time attendance. We accept cash or personal check. Sibling discounts are available upon request. ILLNESS OR ABSENCE Whenever possible, parents should provide 7-days advance notice of a vacation or absence. In the event of sudden illness, once the weekly fee has been paid, it cannot be refunded. Under special circumstances a credit can be issued at the discretion of the owner. NSF CHECK FEE A fee of $30.00 will be required if any check is returned for non-sufficient funds. After two returned checks, the owner reserves the right to require payments by cash or money order. WITHDRAWAL NOTICE We request two weeks notice to the owner prior to withdrawal date. REFERRALS We believe your experience with us will be a positive one. As a parent you may be asked to recommend a childcare center to others. We would like to show our appreciation for your recommendation and referral. You will receive a $50 credit for every full-time child enrolled. GUIDANCE AND MANAGEMENT We are committed to enhancing self-esteem; therefore we do not condone behavior that shames or humiliates any child. We will always attempt to use developmentally appropriate techniques to redirect inappropriate behaviors. The following behaviors are taught early and reinforced constantly: • Every child shall respect the body space of others. No hitting, shoving, tripping, pinching, or biting is allowed. • Everyone helps clean-up after eating. We clean up one activity before starting another. • Leaving the play area unaccompanied or straying out of eyesight is not permitted. • Guns or other war-like toys may not be brought or constructed. • We encourage politeness in interaction, especially the use of “please” and “thank you.” • Gum chewing is not allowed DISCIPLINE PROCEDURES We have a positive discipline policy that uses redirection to encourage children to make better choices, and reinforces through praise and encouragement. When there is a need for correction, we will: • Tell the child what behavior is desired and show him/her if necessary. This will be done in a quiet, gentle way, encouraging the child to use acceptable behavior. • Give the child choices. If he/she is disruptive, give him/her a choice between acceptable behavior or be removed from the current activity. • Engage bodily restraint only if a child is in danger or is endangering others. • Request a meeting with parent or guardian if unacceptable behavior persists. We will suggest a plan that incorporates parent/guardian participation into a behavior modification plan. • Suggest professional counseling at meeting with parent/guardian if all other methods have failed. SUPERVISION At no time will a child be left unattended, including nap time. If a child becomes ill, they may be separated a small distance from the other children. The health and safety of each child is our primary concern and we will remain alert to safety needs, attempt to anticipate possible hazards and take necessary precautions and preventive measures wherever possible. Children may not be dropped off on the street outside or sent in alone. At pick up time, the parent/guardian is asked to make contact with owner or designee before departing, after which we are no longer responsible for your child. RELEASE OF A CHILD We will only release a child to the parent or guardian. If an emergency arises, the parent must provide written and signed notification giving another person permission to pick up their child. We will ask for photo identification as confirmation. If a note is not presented, we will attempt to reach you. If we are unable to reach you we will not release your child. MEALS AND SNACKS We provide a nutritious breakfast, lunch and snacks. Please let us know in advance if your child is not permitted to have specific foods due to allergies or religious belief. EMERGENCIES In the event of an emergency we will evacuate or shelter-in-place as necessary. If we evacuate the premises, we will begin contacting parents/guardians. If we are unable to reach you we will begin calling emergency contacts as specified on enrollment forms. If a minor accident/injury occurs, we will administer basic first aid. You will be advised of any incident and/or treatment provided. If emergency medical treatment is needed we will first call 911, then contact the parent/guardian. MANAGEMENT OF ILLNESS We do our best to be supportive while maintaining a healthy environment. We allow a child to attend if they are feeling somewhat under the weather, but children with communicable illnesses other than the common cold may not attend until they have fully recovered. If a child is observed to have signs or symptoms of illness we will immediately notify the parent or guardian of the child’s condition. Signs or symptoms we look for include, but are not limited to, fever, diarrhea, severe cough, difficult or rapid breathing, difficulty swallowing, yellowish skin or eyes, infections, rashes, parasites, and vomiting. ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICATION Medication will only be administered if a physician’s note is provided with complete instructions and the prescription label is attached to the original prescription container with the child’s name, a current date and dosage amount. With written instructions from the parent/guardian and the original container with dosage specified, we will administer the following: • Non-prescription fever/pain reducing medication that does not contain aspirin • Cough/cold medication that does not contain codeine • Non-prescription topical product/lotion TRANSPORTATION We will provide transportation for field trips and routine trips back and forth to neighboring schools. Prior to transporting your child we will secure your permission. WATER SAFETY We enjoy water play activities in wading pools and sprinklers. Please supply a bathing suit (and cover-up if needed) and pre-apply sun screen when the weather permits such activity. Activities in bodies of water two or more feet in depth shall be supervised by persons who are currently certified as lifeguards. We will supervise children closely and shall be able to clearly see all parts of the swimming area including the bottom of pools. Children that are unable to swim will be restricted to shallow areas only. Wading pool on the premises is emptied and sanitized daily. The use of saunas, hot tubs and spas by children is prohibited. OUTDOOR PLAY We have a fenced-in play area for our children to enjoy when the weather permits. We encourage play time outdoors every day unless inclement weather prohibits it. Please make sure to send the proper clothing for the season with your child everyday. We make sure that children are dressed appropriately before going outside. Water play with sprinklers and/or wading pool may be included. We encourage parents to send their children wearing comfortable play clothes as they may become dirty or stained. We will change the children into clean and dry clothing if an additional outfit is provided. RESPECT We do not condone disrespect to or from parents or children. We wish to provide a safe, loving and nurturing place for the children in our care. Children lead by example and if they see that you are disrespectful then they too will be disrespectful. PARENT PARTICIPATION We welcome parents to join us during the day to evaluate a child’s care. Please let us know in advance if you wish to spend time with us. We welcome the celebration of a child’s birthday and if you wish to provide a birthday snack or cake please let us know in advance. WHAT TO BRING CHANGE OF CLOTHING Each child should have an extra full set of clothing (pants, shirt, socks and underwear). Please make sure that the extra clothes are suitable for the season and still fit. Each piece of clothing should be clearly labeled with the child's name. BREASTMILK / FORMULA If your infant requires a special diet of breastmilk or formula, please provide enough clearly labeled bottles to last through the day. DIAPERING All children who are not yet completely potty trained must have a full supply of diapers and wipes daily. Diaper rash creams should be included if necessary. SECURITY ITEMS f your child requires a favorite blanket, toy or other item in order to take a nap, please provide it and make sure it is clearly labeled. Please don't forget to take it home with you at pick up time! APPROPRIATE CLOTHING In addition to comfortable play clothing, we encourage you to have children wear sturdy play shoes. Tennis shoes are best. Velcro fasteners are preferred. Please make sure your child has appropriate outerwear such as coat, hoodie, hat, mittens, swimsuit, coverup and sunscreen. DONATIONS Donations of gently used toys, craft supplies, unused diapers or unopened snacks are always appreciated. PARENT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Please note that the policies and procedures in this handbook are subject to revision as deemed necessary by Davies Daycare. “I HAVE READ AND I AGREE TO ABIDE BY THE RULES, REGULATIONS AND POLICIES OF DAVIES DAYCARE AS SPECIFIED IN THE PARENT HANDBOOK.” Please sign below and return this form prior to enrollment. CHILD’S NAME(S): ________________________________________________ SIGNED: ______________________________________ (Mother or Legal Guardian) SIGNED: ______________________________________ (Father or Legal Guardian) SIGNED: ______________________________________ (Owner of Davies Daycare)