Handbook of Policies and Procedures for

Kid’n’Kaboodle Childcare Facility

(update Jan. 2014)

The Childcare Provider

Although I'm not their mother,

I care for them each day.

I cuddle, sing and read to them,

And watch them as they play.

I see each new accomplishment,

and help them grow and learn,

I understand their language,

and I listen with concern.

They come to me for comfort,

And I kiss away their tears,

They proudly show their work to me,

I give the loudest cheers!

No, I am not their mother,

But my role is just as strong.

I nurture them and keep them safe,

Though maybe not for long.

I know someday the time may come,

When we will have to part,

But I know each child I've care for

Is Forever in my heart!

Goal:

It is my goal to provide a loving, learning environment where the intellectual and social development of each child can be promoted in a positive and creative manner.

Services Provided:

A safe and attractive environment where children can feel comfortable playing, resting, eating and learning. Children will spend time outdoors when weather permits, as well as indoors. They will be allowed to play in the rooms on my home that have been adequately prepared to accommodate children's learning activities. All children will be guided in developing appropriate social communication and home living skills. For the pre-school age child, basic concepts (shapes, colors, letters, numbers and other education choices) will be introduced and children will be able to learn through using manipulative materials, creative dramatics, music, art and movement. An ample supply of toys, books, material and equipment are available for children to use.

Hours of Operation:

The National Association for the Education of Young Children recommends a restriction of ten (10) hours per day for a child in day care for the welfare of that child. Under these guidelines, I will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Any parent who has failed to pick up their child(ren) by 5:30 will be assessed a late fee of $5.00 per child, per 15 minutes late, minimum of 15 minutes. Late charges are due and payable at the time of late pickup. Re-admission to the facility will be denied until and unless the late fee has been paid.

Fees:

Your individual weekly fee is outlined in your financial/contract agreement. All fees are due by close of business Tuesday of pay week regardless of your child's attendance for the week. If it is later than this, the total must include a $5.00 late fee. Any field trips that require a fee will be considered extra and notified on the calendar of activities. This calendar will be distributed at the beginning of each month and is also posted on the Kidnkaboodle website. As owner and operator of a small business, I have no way to accommodate cost of living increases in a fluctuating economy. Therefore I reserve the right to review my rate structure at any time.

If your childcare account remains unpaid for any reason, be advised that your account will be reported to Providerwatch immediately. Providerwatch s a childcare reporting agency. Your delinquent account being reported will likely make it more difficult for you to find childcare providers willing to accept your children until any such accounts have been paid in full..

You may contact Providerwatch if any childcare provider informs you that their decision not to accept your child into care is based in whole or in part on information received from this agency. Providerwatch will disclose any delinquent account information on record so that you may resolve these accounts.

Providerwatch ~ * P.O. Box 1178 * Grants Pass, OR 97528 * (866) 267-3691

Open Door Policy:

Kid'n'Kaboodle has an open door policy. Parents are welcome to drop in any time during regular business hours without securing prior approval to observer their child and/or the program. However, please remember that younger children have a difficult time when parents come to visit and leave without taking the child with them.

Drop –Offs/ Pick-ups

A large part of our program depends on routine . The children thrive on a set daily routine and therefore no children will be admitted to the daycare after 9:30 a.m. unless there is prior notification of a Dr’s appointment or some other unusual circumstance. There will also be no pick-ups before 3:30 unless pre-arranged so as to minimize the disturbance to the other children during naptime.

Vacations and Holidays:

In order to provide your child the best possible care, I must remain in good physical and emotional health. Therefore, the following holidays will be observed as PAID holidays: New Years Eve and Day, Good Friday, Provider Appreciation Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and the day after, and Christmas Eve and Day. In the event one of these falls on a weekend, it will be observed either the Friday before or the Monday after.

10 days of vacation will be observed yearly, five in the summer and five between Christmas and New Years Day. Both weeks will be a paid vacation for the daycare. In addition, each family, after 6 months in care will be eligible for two weeks vacation time in which tuition is not due, at least two weeks notice must be given in order to receive the vacation days, no more than two enrolled children can take the same week and it may not be taken the same weeks the daycare is closed. The daycare will also be closed Wednesday through Friday of Spring Break each year as unpaid mental health days.

Teacher contracts will be observed as follows: summer break will be charged as half tuition with the option of bringing the children up to two days a week in order to keep them familiar with the routine and schedule.

Substitute caregivers names to cover vacation times can be provided upon request. It will be up to the parents to contact the substitute and make arrangements for care during closed vacation days. Notice will be given in January for the closed week of summer vacation and notated on the website thereafter.

The daycare will also reserve five paid personal days a year that will be used for occasions such as workshops for furthering education, medical emergencies, important family events, jury duty etc. These days will not routinely be used, but held in reserve to use as needed.

Weather-Related and Other Unanticipated Closings
I reserve the right to close my child care early or for the day without notice in the event of unanticipated situations such as, but not limited to, power outages, no water, widespread illness, and/or extreme weather conditions. Extreme weather conditions include, but are not limited to, tornado, blizzard, hurricane, flood, and/or earthquake.
These closings will be with pay, limited to 3 per calendar year. The remainder, if they occur, shall be unpaid days. My paramount concern is the safety of the children. If I deem it unsafe for children to stay in my home and/or for parents to get to my home, I will close my child care.

Supplies Provided by Parents:

Bottles, wipes, formula, diapers and ointment if applicable, change of clothes. Children do get dirty and have accidents; it is recommended each child have a change of clothes. Please note, if your child chooses to bring toys or objects of interest for show and tell, I cannot be responsible for missing or broken items. Children bringing in show and tell items will be expected to share with all the children unless it is a special *Lovey* item that is used exclusively for naptime.

Food Program:

Meal times are as follows: Breakfast from 7:45-8:10 a.m., lunch is served 11:30 ~ 12:00 and p.m. snack is 3:45. All times are approximate. If your child is not in attendance early enough to be served at any of these meal times, please make sure he/she is properly fed before arriving at the facility. All meals are nutritious and served according to federal nutrition guidelines. Children are never expected to clean their plate, but are asked to try everything once. If your child has allergies, a written note from the doctor to be kept in their file is necessary.

Animal Policy:

There are two dogs on the premises. Parents understand that the children will have daily contact with Joey and Teddy and that they have been vaccinated according to the state requirements and are under a veterinarians care for all their needs.

llness and Exclusion Policy:

I must provide a healthy environment for all children participating in my program. For this reason, you child will not be allowed to attend if he/she is ill or begins to exhibit certain symptoms of illness.

An ill child must not be admitted `if one or more of the following exists:

1.The illness prevents the child from participating comfortably in all activities, including outdoor play.

2.The illness results in a greater need for care than caregivers can pro- vide without compromising the health, safety, and supervision of the other children in care.

3.The child has one of the following, unless medical evaluation by a health-care professional indicates that the child can be included in the child-care activities:

Oral temperature of 100.1 degrees or greater, accompanied by behavior changes or other signs or symptoms of illness

Armpit temperature of 99.1 degrees or greater, accompanied by behavioral changes or other signs or symptoms of illness;

Symptoms and signs of possible severe illness, such as lethargy, abnormal breathing, uncontrolled diarrhea, two or more vomiting episodes in 24 hours, rash with fever, mouth sores with drooling, wheezing, behavioral changes, or other signs that the child may be severely ill; and

A health-care professional has diagnosed the child with a communicable disease, and the child does not have medical documentation to indicate that the child is no longer contagious.

Communicable disease information:

Communicable diseases that exclude a child from care are defined by the Texas Department of Health (TDH) in 25 TAC 97.9 (relating to Diseases Requiring Exclusion from Child-Care Facilities and Schools). You can access this information from the Texas Department of Health or Licensing staff.

If your child becomes sick while in my care, I will:

Contact the parent to pick up the child

Care for the child apart from other children

Give appropriate attention and supervision until the parent arrives to pick up the child.

Give extra attention to hand washing and sanitation if the child has diarrhea or *vomiting.

Expect the parent or authorized person to pick up the child within 30 minutes.

Procedure for Administration of Medications:

Prescriptions and over-the-counter medications:

Parents must sign an authorization and include times for caregivers to administer each medication according to label directions;

The medication must be in the original container labeled with the child's full name, and the date brought to my child-care home;

I will administer the medication in amounts according to the label directions or as recommended by a physician;

I will administer the medication only to the child for whom it is intended; and I will not administer the medication after its expiration date.

Ointments and Creams:

If you have ointments, creams, lotions or sprays that you would like me to apply to the child's skin (including but not limited to: sunscreen, insect repellant and diaper rash ointment), the ointment, cream, lotion or spray must be in the original container and the child's full name must be on the container. The ointment, cream or spray must be labeled to indicate that it is appropriate for the child. You must fill out a written permission form for that medication but not necessarily for each individual application. I will not apply any ointment, cream, lotion or spray that is past the expiration date.

Health Checks:

A health check is defined as a visual or physical assessment of a child to identify potential concerns about a child’s health, including signs or symptoms of illness and injury, in response to

changes in the child’s behavior since the last date of attendance.

The facility staff will:

Greet the child and look for:

Breathing difficulties

Severe coughing

Discharge from the nose or eyes

Changes in skin color

Bruising or swelling

Cuts, sores or rashes

Give the child a hug or gently feel the child's cheek, forehead or neck (checking to see if child feels unusually warm or cold and clammy)

If the child can talk then ask questions

Talk with the parent/guardian to find about changes in the child's:

Sleep

Eating and drinking

Toileting habits

Mood and behavior at home

Procedures for handling medical emergencies:

If your child becomes critically ill or has an injury that requires immediate attention of a physician, I will:

1.Contact emergency medical services or take the child to the nearest emergency room;

2.Give the child first-aid treatment or CPR if needed;

3.Contact the physician identified in the child's record;

4.Contact the child's parent; and

5.Ensure supervision of other children in the group

Emergency Preparedness Plan

In an emergency, the first responsibility is to move the children to a designated safe area or alternate shelter. This plan discusses the procedure for the safe relocation of the children in care at the time of the emergency to the designated safe area or alternate shelter determined for each type of emergency.

For every type of emergency, staff will do the following:

Determine that all adults and children are accounted for using the daily sign-in sheet located on the table in the front hall. This sheet also is to be used to determine the attendance of child

ren in care at the time of the emergency.

Determine if evacuation is necessary and if so, staff will determine the relocation procedure for each type of emergency.

Tornado or severe weatheror other similar emergency when it is necessary to take shelter from threatening weather within the home, the designated location is the main hall .

Smoke, Fire, explosion, chemical spill, or other emergencythat requires evacuation from the home, but situation is such that it is safe to remain on the property; relocation is the back fence in the backyard play area.

Other emergencies including Medical Emergencies, Communicable Disease Outbreak, Intruder with a weapon:see plans below

If the home and/or property is unsafe for children and adults to remain in and it becomes necessary for the children in care and adults to relocate, the relocation area and shelter is:

Neighbor’s private residence located at
5210 40th St (house on same side of street as this Child Care home)
Lubbock, TX 79414

The children will walk, accompanied by a sufficient number of qualified adults, to the relocation shelter. Staff shall:

Take the children’s records book to the relocation site.

This records book contains parent and emergency contact telephone numbers and authorization for emergency care for each child in care.

If necessary, staff will call 911 to communicate with local authorities (such as fire, law enforcement, emergency medical services, health department).

If necessary, staff will contact parents of children in care.

Upon arrival and frequently during the stay at the relocation site, staff will account for the children in attendance at the time e of the emergency

If necessary, staff will contact Child Care Licensing at:

5121 69th St., Suite A4
Lubbock, Texas 79424
806-698-1640

The procedures for other various types of emergencies including

Medical Emergencies, Communicable Disease Outbreak, Intruder with a weapon:

Medical Emergencies: Staff will ensure the safety and supervision of children in care, will gather the children in the playroom and help them to remain calm, and will follow above procedures as necessary. (Staff will also follow procedures as stated in Section 4 of this document – procedures for handling medical emergencies.)

Communicable Disease Outbreak: Staff will isolate the ill person(s) from the rest of the children in care. Staff will ensure the safety and supervision of children in care, will gather the children in the playroom and help them to remain calm, and will follow above procedures as necessary including contacting the appropriate authorities and the children’s parents.

Intruder with a weapon: Staff will gather the children in the playroom (or other safe area if access to playroom is not possible) and help them remain calm. Staff will call 911 and will follow instructions of emergency personnel. Staff will remove the intruder from the premises as quickly as possible. Staff will follow above procedures as necessary including contacting the appropriate authorities, the children’s parents, and local Child Care Licensing at (806) 806-698-1640.

Behavior Policy:

Behavior problems will be handled with firm guidance in cooperation with you, the child's parent/guardian. The usual form of discipline is time-out or redirection. If your child is so disobedient or disruptive that it jeopardizes his/her welfare or