Parent Handbook
Miss Meg’s Family Childcare
21 Hughes St.
Plymouth, MA 02360
(781)635-2907
Dear Parent,
I would like to thank you for choosing Miss Meg’s Family Childcare for the care of your little one. We’re excited to have you! This parent handbook outlines the policies and procedures that we follow in order to give great care to your child as well as well as some of the things that we expect from you as a parent. There is a lot of information but please read it thoroughly before filling out the enrollment packet. I’d be happy to answer any questions that you may have. I believe that good communication is the key to a good childcare experience so I always encourage you to express any questions or concerns that you may have and I agree to do the same.
I’m so glad that you’ve joined our group and I’m really looking forward to working with you and your child!
Thanks,
Meghan
Hours:
Monday through Friday 7am-5pm
Rates
Infant/Toddler (2weeks-3.5years) $250/week or $60/day
Preschool/School Age (3.5years-5years) $225/week or $55/day
** Please note that prices reflect a significant full-time discount.
Discounts:
Military discount- 10%
Sibling discount- 20% off of second full time child’s tuition
**Sibling discounts apply to full time slots only
Late pickup fees:
A late fee of $15 for every 15 minutes after 5pm will be charged.
Late payment fee:
Tuition is due by Friday at pickup time for the following week. A fee of $10/day will be charged for late payment. If your child will not be attending on Friday, please plan ahead and submit payment before that time. Timely payment each week is important.
Accepted forms of payment:
Cash
Check
Automatic payment set up through online banking
Holidays:
New Years Day July 4th (close at 12pm on 3rd)
(close at 12 New Years Eve) Labor Day
Columbus Day Veteran’s Day
Presidents Day Thanksgiving (close at 12 on Wed.)
Memorial Day Day after Thanksgiving
Christmas(Close at 12 Christmas Eve) Day after Christmas
Good Friday
Martin Luther King Day
Payment is expected for holidays and all time you wish to take including sick days. Weekly tuition pays for your child’s space in the program and is due each week, regardless of attendance.
Weather Closing:
We follow the closing of the Plymouth Public Schools. If schools are closed because of weather, we will also be closed. Please refer to local news channels for closing information.
Sick Policy:
Please use your best judgment in bringing your child when he/she isn’t feeling well. If your child is too ill to participate in program activities, they should stay home until they are better. To be sure that your child and the other children in my care stay as healthy as possible, please do not bring your child if he/she has had a fever, vomiting or diarrhea. All of these symptoms must be gone for a period of 24 hours without the use of Tylenol before your child may return. If your child develops any of these symptoms while in my care, I will contact you immediately and ask that you pick them up within one hour. If you’re not able to make it within an hour, please have your emergency backup contact come and get your child. I, of course will do everything that I can to make your child feel comfortable until you can bring them home.
Meals:
Please pack your child a healthy lunch daily. Morning and afternoon snacks should also be packed. I always have extra snack items such as crackers and cereals in case children are extra hungry or have forgotten to pack snacks. All items should be ready to eat. Food should be cut up as appropriate and foods that need to be eaten warm should be kept in a thermos. Due to limited refrigerator space, please use an ice pack as needed to keep foods cold. If you wish to have your child eat breakfast here, please pack that as well.
Assistants:
We currently have 2 assistants in our program, Mimi Manson and Nanette DeMarco. They are licensed by the by the Department of Early Education and Care and hold current certifications in First Aid and CPR. They both work part time and schedules vary weekly. They assist with the program as well as care for the children in my absence.
Plan for Meeting Potential Emergencies:
EEC regulations require that I have a plan for meeting potential emergencies that may occur. In the event of an emergency, I will contact the local authorities to determine whether or not to evacuate the program, or to remain sheltered at the program.
Escape route for the upper floor is to come down the stairs and out the door into the front yard. From the lower floor, we would either come up the stairs to go out the front door or out the back door and up the stairs in the back yard, whichever makes more sense at the time.
Should the program need to be evacuated due to fire, natural disaster, loss of power, heat, or hot water, or any other emergency situation, I will immediately notify parents using my cell phone and notify the appropriate authorities.
Children’s Records:
I am required to keep a written record for every child in my care including enrollment information, progress reports, and incident reports. You have the right to access and request that I add, change or delete anything in this record. I would be happy to provide copies of this record upon request.
Safe Sleep:
All infants will be placed on their backs to sleep, unless a child’s physician orders otherwise. Such an order must be given to me in writing.
Parent Notification:
I am required to notify you of certain information about my family childcare home. This includes but is not limited to:
Injury to your child
Allegations of abuse or neglect regarding your child
If another educator will be caring for your child
The administering of first aid to your child
Whenever a communicable disease has been identified in the program
Children being taken off the childcare premises
The existence of any firearms in my home
If there are any changes in my household composition
Prior to any pets being introduced into the program
Whenever special problems or significant developments arise
Mandated Reporting:
As a licensed Educator in Massachusetts, I must operate my program in a way that protects children from abuse and neglect. As such, I am a mandated reporter (under M.G.L. c.119 s51A) and must make a report to the Department of Children and Families (DCF) whenever I have reasonable cause to believe a child in the program is suffering from a serious or emotional injury resulting from abuse inflicted upon the child, or from neglect, no matter where the abuse or neglect may have occurred or by whom it was inflicted.
Open Door:
Please feel free to drop in at any time you wish. We welcome you to stay and observe and to get involved as much as you wish.
What You Need to Bring:
Slippers
Diapers and wipes
A weather appropriate change of clothing
Formula or breast milk and bottles for infants
A healthy lunch
Any napping items that may make your child feel at home
Sunscreen
Bathing suit in the Summer
Snowsuits, gloves, hats in the winter
Raincoats and rain boots in the rain
*Please label all personal items
What Not to Bring:
Too many toys from home
Any weapon related toys
Any items of great value (We don’t want them to get lost or broken)
Termination: Notice must be given 3 weeks prior to the last day of care.
Clothing: Please provide a weather appropriate change of clothing that will be left at daycare. Daily outdoor play for children is important. We like to be able to get the children outdoors in all but severe weather. For summer, please provide a bathing suit for sprinkler play that can be left here. During winter, please provide a warm jacket, snow pants, boots, a warm hat and gloves. It is important that each child have the appropriate clothing every day so that we may all go outside.
Medication:
All medications must be brought in their original containers with labels intact. Medication form will need to be filled out and signed in order for medication to be administered.
We are licensed by the Department of Early Education and Care of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Contact information for the department is as follows:
51 Sleeper Street, 4th Floor
Boston, MA 02210
Main Line: (617)988-6600
Fax: (617)988-2451