Carla’s Kids Daycare
Handbook and Policy Manual
Created March 2010
Updated July 2011
Introduction – Welcome
Hi Our Names are Carla and Mark Hugenberg. We own and operate Carla’s Kids Daycare out of our home. Carla and I have been working in a hands on way with children and adults, both typical and those with special needs for the past ten years. We opened Carla’s Kids Daycare in order to serve typical children, and those who have not been successful in other childcare settings, and their parents.
Carla and I met at Wright State University in 1997. Carla graduated in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology. I graduated in 2001 and 2004 with a bachelor’s in Elementary Education and a Master’s in Special Education (Mild to Moderate and Moderate to Intensive) respectively. Carla and I married in 2008 and moved to Cincinnati. In addition to our professional credentials, Carla and I have both been fingerprinted and FBI background checked, hold a current Infant and Child CPR and First Aide certificates and Delegated Nursing Certificates. Finally, Carla and I have an IO Waver, Independent Provider, and Rest bit certificates. With these credentials, and the variety of programs that we are offering, we are sure you will find the right fit for you and your child.
Carla and I believe parent/provider communication is key to a successful child care relationship. Beyond communication, we provide a healthy, safe, and loving home-like environment for all children where they can learn and grow on a daily basis. The information in this handbook is well thought out and comes from many years of experience. Our policies are in place to ensure a peaceful environment for all parents, all children, and us.
Enrollment Policy
Carla’s Kid’s Daycare will work with any child and their family. However, we do specialize in providing care for children with special needs and behavior concerns and their families. Every effort will be taken to work with you and your child to make your experience with us as pleasant and meaningful as possible.
There are forms that we must have completed and in our possession before we can assume the responsibility of caring for your child. You are required to keep us informed of any change in job changes, addresses, telephone numbers, additional childhood immunizations, or other pertinent information as it arises.
Before your child is admitted into child care, a security deposit equal to one week of child care must be paid, unless otherwise arranged with a daycare owner. Your deposit will be credited towards your last week’s fee provided you are in compliance with this handbook and your contract. In the event your child does not start care by the agreed upon date, your position will be forfeited and your deposit to hold the position will become non-refundable, unless a different start date is agreed upon and is part of your signed contract. We will hold a future spot for your child with a deposit and signed contract for no longer than two-weeks. Beyond that, full child care tuition is due.
OPEN DOOR POLICY
We maintain an open door policy for parents during your specific contracted child care hours. My front door is kept locked for the safety of the children. Please take into consideration our schedule when dropping in or calling, and remember that visitors (even parents) usually cause the children to react in an excited manner that does not normally occur when we am alone with them. You may drop-in to visit at other times during the day, but please be prepared to take your child with you if your child's personality is such that they will become upset with your departure. This may be especially upsetting to children who are adjusting to child care.
Parents must sign in and initial for both drop offs and picks ups each day. A sign in/out sheet and pen are located at the bottom of the basement steps for your convenience.
TRIAL PERIOD
All new children will be cared for on a two-week (14 calendar days) trial period beginning on your child’s first actual day of care. During that time the parent or provider may terminate the child care agreement with 24 hours notice. No pre-paid fees will be credited upon cancellation during the Trial Period. After the trial period, a two-weeks written notice is required by either party to terminate the agreement (See Termination Policy). Your security deposit is not refundable if services are cancelled during your Trial Period.
Communication Policy
Communication between parents and caregivers is vital to the success of any childcare arrangement. For this reason, each child that attends Carla’s Kid’s Daycare on a regular basis will have a communication book that will be used to describe your child’s day at daycare. This notebook will also have room for communication between parents and caregivers. In the event that you have a problem or concern, you can always put a note in your child’s communication book. If the issue is something that cannot be resolved in a note, please feel free to call us at (513) 680-3001. You can also use this number to call to let us know that your child will be absent.
ARRIVALS -- DEPARTURES
It is normal for some children to have difficulty separating from parents in the morning or not wanting to leave when it's time to go home. Please be very brief (no more than 5 minutes is sufficient) during these transition times. The longer you prolong the departure the harder it gets, and we need to focus our attention on the other children. A smile, cheerful good-bye kiss, and a reassuring word that you will be back are all that is needed in the morning. In our experience, children are nearly always quick to get involved in play or activities as soon as parents are gone. This is a time of testing when two different authority figures are present (the parent and the provider). All the children will test to see if the rules still apply. During arrivals and departures, we expect parents to back up our rules (see House Rules). If you do not, we will remind the child that their behavior is inappropriate and take action to correct, if needed. Please be in control of your child during pick up times.
Children may be picked up for an appointment and brought back to the house. Parents will be charged the standard fee if the child stays into the time of another scheduled program, regardless of the extra time that they stay – unless a different pickup time was arranged with daycare staff.
Children are not permitted to go out to their car unattended at pick up times. When picking children up at the end of the day, parents are asked to come to the front door, ring the door bell and wait to be invited in by an adult. This may take a moment as the main area used for daycare is located in the basement of the home. If there is a note on the door saying we are ALL out back, then please proceed to the backyard gate to pick up your child. We will only release your child to you or someone else you designate. If someone else is to pick up your child, pleasenotify 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, we will need to ask for photo identification. We will not let a child leave without a parent’s verbal permission even if that person is listed as one of your designated pickup people - including relatives.
HOURS OF OPERATION
Upon enrollment in Carla’s Kid’s Daycare, we will discuss child care hours based upon your individual needs. Those hours will be specified in your Contract. Additional hours may be negotiated ahead of time. The parents of children receiving additional hours will be charged the full program fee regardless of the amount of time used during that program time slot.
We require a minimum of two-week’s notice in writing if you need to change your enrollment hours. We reserve the right to terminate our child care arrangement if your new hours will not work well for our child care business. In addition, we reserve the right to terminate a part-time child care arrangement if your current hours no longer work for the benefit of our business. For example, but not limited to, if we cannot fill in days opposite of yours and/or we have the opportunity to fill the slot with a full-time child. We will work with families to try to avoid these types of cancellations.
We require a minimum of 3 days notice if you decide to bring your child after you've told me your child will not be in attendance on any particular regularly contracted day. In addition, if you've given us less than 3 days notice of your upcoming absence, you may not change your mind and bring your child anyway. You are still required to pay normal fees for your unattendance if either of these situations occur.
MATERNITY--TEACHERS--EXTENDED LEAVE
In cases of your potential absence due to maternity or extended leave from your job (teachers for example); we require two weeks full child care payments for the time of your absence to hold your child’s position. For example, if you remove your child from a program for 10 weeks, and intend to return your child to the program, you must pay 2-weeks of child care fees. We reserve the right to fill your child’s slot in their absence. Your child’s start date may need to be flexible to ensure a smooth transition for another child transitioning out of the program.
If you elect to place your new baby with us after a maternity leave, we will require a two-week deposit to hold the slot for periods longer than two weeks.
FEES
Payment is due no later than drop off time on your first contracted care day of each week. If this day is a holiday, a vacation or planned day off for the parent or the provider, payment is due the previous business day. If you or your child are ill, your payment is still expected unless other arrangements have been previously made. If we close the child care due to our own illness or emergency, payment will be accepted on your first contracted day back to child care. There will be a late fee of $15 per child for each calendar day (including weekends) that payments are received late beginning the following morning for all payments not made before your contracted drop off time. This includes the weekends.
Payments may be made by cash or check payable to Carla Hugenberg. No post-dated checks will be accepted.
If there is a change in your child care fees due to your child's age, the new rate will go into effect the first full week after your child's birth date. A new contract must be signed at this time before the new rate will take effect.
If you (or any of your designated drop off or pick up persons) drop off before or pick up after your contracted hours, you will be charged a late/early fee of $1 per child per every minute that you are late or early. Please respect our time and choose your drop off and pick up times carefully.
If your check is returned to us for insufficient funds (regardless of the reason), you will be billed $35 plus all bank fees we incur as a result. This bill is due upon receipt. We have the right to request future cash only payments should this occur.
There will be no refunds given for early closing days.
Please do not put us in the uncomfortable position of having to ask for our money, including late fees. You will be given a minimum of two-week's notice of any increasesin your child carefees. A year-end statement of all daycare fees paid during the year will be given to you in January of the next year for tax purposes.
SUBSIDIZED CHILDCARE PROGRAM
Carla and I are able to be paid for services in a variety of ways. These methods include:
- Cash
- Personal Checks – see policy above.
- Vouchers through Job and Family Services- Clement
- OI Waver
- Independent Provider
- Respit Care
The HOMEFRONT’S RULES REGARDING SUBSIDIZED CHILDCARE
YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY REGISTRATION FEES ASSOCIATED WITH THESE ALTERNTE METHODS OF PAYMENT. THERE ALSO WILL BE A YEARLY FEE OF $10 FOR PROCESSING PAPERWORK PAYABLE ON YOUR ANNIVERSARY DATE.
YOU PAY YOUR CO-PAY PLUS ANY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT THE PROGRAM CHARGES AND OUR CHARGES.
EX: YOU HAVE A 2 YR OLD ENROLLED: SAY YOUR CHARGE FOR THE DAY IS $20. CDS PAYS $14 FOR THIS CHILD AND YOUR CO PAY IS $1, WHICH MEANS CDS ACTUALLY PAYS US $13. YOU ARE THEN RESPONSIBLE TO PAY $7 FOR THE DAY.
PAYMENTS FROM YOU ARE DUE ON FRIDAYS FOR THE FOLLOWING WEEK, ACCORDING TO THE SCHEDULE OUTLINED IN YOUR CONTRACT.
YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY LATE FEES OR LATE PICKUP CHARGES AS OUTLINED IN THE HANDBOOK. CDS ONLY PAYS FOR ACTUAL TUTITION.
THEY WILL ONLY PAY FOR ONE SHIFT PER DAY, FIVE DAYS PER WEEK.
CDS WILL PAY FOR 5 EXCUSED ABSENCES DURING THE MONTH, YOU ARE STILL RESPONSIBLE TO PAY YOUR CHARGES WEATHER OR NOT YOUR CHILD IS PRESENT AS OUTLINED IN THE HANDBOOK.
SHOULD YOUR CHILD BE OUT FOR MORE THAN 5 DAYS YOU WILL BE RESPONSIBLE TO PAY FULL CHARGES FOR THESE DAYS. SHOULD CDS DECIDE TO PAY FOR THESE DAYS AS PAYABLE EXCUSED ABSENCES YOU WILL BE CREDITED ONCE I RECEIVE PAYMENT.
UNTIL I RECEIVE APPROVAL FROM CDS THAT YOU ARE ON THE PROGRAM YOU WILL BE RESPONSIBLE TO PAY FULL TUTITOIN AS OUTLINED IN CONTRACT.
IF YOUR APPROVAL ENDS AND YOU HAVE FAILED TO REAPPLY IN TIME FOR CONTINOUS COVERAGE YOU WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FULL PAYMENT UNTIL I RECEIVE APPROVAL AGAIN.
CDS GIVES YOU PLENTY OF TIME TO RENEW AND I WILL REMIND YOU ONCE- TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO YOUR EXPIRATION – IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILTY TO BE SURE YOU DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO.
FAILURE TO DO SO WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE TERMINATION.
IF THIS HAPPENS AND YOU WISH TO REGISTER AGAIN WITH ME AT A LATER DATE, YOU WILL NEED TO PAY 1 WEEK’S AVERAGE TUTITION AS A DEPOSIT PLUS ANOTHER NON-REFUNDABLE $50 REGISTRATION FEE. ALSO ANY FEES OWED WILL NEED TO BE PAID BEFORE I WILL ACCEPT YOUR CHILD BACK IN CARE.
SHOULD YOU THEN HAVE CONTINUIOUS CARE WITH ME FOR 6 MONTHS I WILL APPLY THE DEPOSIT TO YOUR CO-PAY EQUALLY OVER A 4-5 WEEK PERIOD.
EX: A DEPOSIT OF $100 WILL BE DIVIDED OVER 5 WEEKS SO THAT YOUR CO PAY WILL BE REDUCED BY $20 PER WEEK FOR 5 WEEKS.
SHOULD YOU LEAVE CARE BEFORE 6 MONTHS YOUR DEPOSIT WILL NOT BE REFUNDED. SHOULD YOU LEAVE AFTER 6 MONTHS WITHOUT NOTICE THE BALANCE WILL NOT BE REFUNDED IT WILL BE APPLIED. IF YOU LEAVE AFTER THE SIX MONTHS WITH NOTICE BEFORE IT CAN BE APPLIED THE BALANCE WILL BE ADJUSTED AND REFUNDED.
ONCE AGAIN:
YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE TO MAKE SURE ALL YOUR PAPERWORK IS IN ORDER AND FILED PROMPTLY SO THAT YOU WILL HAVE CONTINUOUS CARE.
YOU ARE EXPECTED TO PAY YOUR PART ON TIME ON FRIDAYS, SINCE I AM ONLY RECEIVING PAYMENTS FROM CDS ONCE A MONTH IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU ARE NOT LATE WITH YOUR PAYMENTS, A $10 PER DAY LATE FEE WILL BE APPLIED, AND IF NOT PAID BY MONDAY MORNING YOUR CHILD WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED FOR CARE UNTIL PAYMENT IS RECEIVED AND CDS WILL BE NOTIFIED.
I HAVE A NO PAY NO PLAY POLICY –WHICH I WILL ENFORCE.
YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL CHARGES LISTED ABOVE UNLESS OTHER ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE AND ARE INCLUDED IN YOUR CHILD CARE CONTRACT.
YOUR ABSENCES -- NOTIFICATIONS
You are required to notify us prior to your contracted drop off time if your child will not be coming for the day or if you will be late in arriving. We reserve the right to fill your spot with a last-minute drop in, leave for a scheduled field trip or errand, and/or close child care for the day if no other children are coming in the event you do not call me by your contracted drop off time. You will not be notified if this occurs; it is your responsibility to call.
There will be no refunds or adjustments made to your child care fee for your time missed due to illness, holidays, days off, or your failure to call when late resulting in our leaving the premises or closing child care for the day. A place has been reserved for each child that cannot be filled on a short-term basis.
You are required to inform us if you are at any other location than what is listed on your Enrollment Record and to provide a telephone number for that place.
DROP-IN CARE
For those families using drop-in care, we reserve the right to cancel an agreed upon drop-in care date with a minimum of 48 hours notice to you except in cases of illness or emergency. You are required to give us a minimum of 48-hours notice if you would like to cancel time you've requested me to care for your child(ren) on a drop-in day. If this notice is not given, regular drop-in fees will still apply.