Parent Handbook

PARENT HANDBOOK

The following is a list of rules and regulations governing our child care agreement. Please read this handbook thoroughly as it contains many important policies and procedures that pertain to the care of your child. If you have any questions or need clarification, please ask prior to signing! The contents of this contract and all forms required for enrollment are non-negotiable.

ENROLLMENT PROCEDURES

A pre-admission interview with the child and the child’s parent(s) must be made prior to attendance in the daycare home to determine whether the services offered by the home will meet the needs of the child and parent(s).

An explanation of the home policies and procedures, including a payment fee schedule is provided for the parents. It is strongly suggested that all sections of the contract be reviewed together with the provider to insure complete understanding of the contents.

No child shall be discriminated against on the basis of race or religion. A reasonable effort will be made to accommodate children with special needs and to integrate them with other children.

It is of special interest to the provider that the child finds his or her experience at Loki Loki Daycare a pleasant one, so, the first ten (10) days of care are a probationary for the provider, parents, and the child. This agreement may be terminated at any time during that period.

Before care is to start a deposit of $100 will be required to reserve the space for your child. This money will be credited to you the LAST week your child is in the Daycare, providing you give a 30 day notice to the provider.

All necessary forms must be completed and returned to me before I will assume the responsibility of caring for your child. No Exceptions! All forms must be updated at least every year, sometimes sooner according to need. Please inform me immediately of any changes.

Listed below you will find the list of forms that you need to return to Loki Loki Daycare before or on your child’s first day.

Forms needed:

Parent Handbook- last page only
Financial Agreement
Enrollment Form
Medical Information Card
Social Resume


DAYS AND HOURS OF OPERATION

Loki Loki Daycare is open Monday - Friday. Childcare is never offered on holidays.

If you require an occasional earlier drop-off, you must call in advance to authorize this. An extra fee will be charged. Late fees will also be charged for pick-ups past your agreed upon times. (See financial agreement)

SIGN-IN SHEETS

There is a sign in sheet available. Please sign your child in and out each day.

ABSENCES/LATE ARRIVAL

If your child will be absent or late, please call to let me know. Your child’s absence will NOT reduce your weekly fee.

HOLIDAYS

Loki Loki Daycare is closed all major holidays.

The following are observed holidays for 2007-2008:
*New Years Day
*Memorial Day
*July 4th
*Labor Day
*Thanksgiving Day
*Day after Thanksgiving
*Christmas Eve
*Christmas Day
*New Years Eve

Please arrange for back-up care if needed. These are paid holidays and your fee will not reduce during daycare closure. Depending on the day of the week that certain holidays fall, I may also close the day before or the day after. If any normally observed holiday is on Saturday or Sunday, I will take off the Friday before or the Monday after. Generally this would be the same day that most businesses observe.

In case of an emergency or illness, the provider will make every attempt to provide substitute care. However, parents should be prepared with their own backup. I will notify parents two (2) weeks or more in advance of closure due to family vacations. You will not be charged for this time.

Note: *October 18th through October 24th, 2007 is our first planned family vacation.

CHILDCARE RATES

Your weekly childcare rates are outlined in your Financial Agreement. As stated in that document, upon acceptance into Loki Loki Daycare, and the signing of the contract, you will be required to pay a security/holding deposit. This deposit is credited towards your last week of attendance at Loki Loki Daycare.

If a check written by you is ever returned as non-payable, you will only be allowed to pay cash in the future.



EMERGENCIES

In the event of an emergency with your child, you will be called, and if necessary the child will be transported by ambulance to the nearest hospital. You will be responsible for all medical treatment necessary for your child’s well being. This is not limited to emergency room care, ambulance visits and co-pays to your insurance company.

ILLNESS AND SICK CARE

The health and well being of all of the children here are of utmost importance to me. It is for the protection of the children that I must insist on strict adherence to my Health Policy. Please read it carefully.

Children with minor illness may attend childcare at the provider’s discretion. There are also some illnesses that by law exclude the child from attending childcare. Some of those illnesses are but not limited to:

Infectious Conjunctivitis
Infectious Diarrhea
Impetigo
Chicken Pox
Hepatitis A
Scarlet Fever
Scabies
Lice
Ringworm
Strep throat

Otherwise, please do not bring your child in if:
ü He/She has a fever of or exceeding 101 degrees.
ü He/She has vomited that morning.
ü He/She has diarrhea
ü He/She is exhibiting symptoms of illness you would not want your healthy child exposed to, if it were another person’s child who was sick.

MEDICATIONS

If your child is on medication and it must be administered while at childcare, the medicine must be in the original container and labeled with the child’s name, doctor, name of medication, dosage and when it is to be taken. I will also have a form for you to sign giving me permission to administer the medication to your child. Medication will be given at the time or with the meal you specify and a written record kept.

DIAPERING

Loki Loki Daycare supports the use of cloth diapers, if you choose to use them. However, if you use cloth diapers, please supply your own wipes (especially if you use cloth), tea tree oil for wetbag if you use it, and wetbag with zipper to seal in the scent.

If you use disposable diapers, please supply both the diapers and the wipes, along with a box of zip-lock baggies to place the used diapers in.

SUPPLIES NEEDED FOR YOUR CHILD

*Bottles
*Diapers, a full bag
*Wipes
*Plastic Baggies with zip closure if using disposables
*Wet Bag if using cloth diapers
*Cloth wipes if you use them
*A COMPLETE change of clothing for each child, two if not potty trained
*Any ointments, lotions or other products you would like used on your child.
*Baby Tylenol
*A portable crib
Please label all items with Child’s name.

VACATIONS

My Vacation Time
Each year I will take two to three weeks off for vacation. You will be notified at least 2 weeks in advance as to which weeks that Loki Loki Daycare will be closed. You will be charged for one of my weeks of vacation. Child care payments for my paid week of vacation must be left the Friday prior to the start of my vacation. You are required to arrange and pay for your own back-up care.

Your Vacation Time
Please notify me at least 2 weeks in advance as to your Family vacations.

PROVIDER ILLNESS AND EMERGENCY TIME OFF

Please have back-up care available to you. I can never know when to expect an emergency or when I may become ill. The amount of notice I can give you is never known. Please be prepared so less conflicts occur. You are not charged due to this type of closing. Your fee will be pro-rated.

OPEN DOOR POLICY

At Loki Loki Daycare you can always be assured that the door is open to you. Please feel free to drop by and check on your child. There will be times where I am pre-occupied with a child or unable to hear the door. Please be patient. The front door will be kept locked for safety reasons- please knock or ring the bell.

You are also invited to call and check on your child during the day. Please keep in mind there may be times when it is not convenient for me to run to the phone. (i.e. diaper changing, bottle feeding, etc.). If the phone goes unanswered, please do not become alarmed, simply leave me a voice mail message and I do have a visual monitor on the phone which allows me quick notification of a message waiting. I will then return your call as quickly as possible. You may also communicate any information to me via email. There may be those times when something comes to you at work that you don’t want to forget to relay to me. If you have email, please feel free to drop me a line and I will generally reply during rest time.

TRIAL PERIOD

The first two weeks of your child’s enrollment are on a trial basis. During those first two weeks either parent or provider may terminate this agreement at a moment’s notice. The important topic here is that both parties feel this is the best situation for the children involved. After the initial two weeks, a two-week written notice by either party is required to terminate this agreement unless there is a violation of this Parent Handbook or other required forms. See Below.

TERMINATION FROM DAYCARE

If you decide to remove your child from Loki Loki Daycare, I require a two-week written notice. You are required to pay for these two weeks.

If I decide I can no longer provide care for your family I will also provide you with a two week written notice. If violations of this agreement occur, you may be given immediate termination from Loki Loki Daycare and all security / holding deposits will be forfeited by you.

Examples of why I would terminate your child’s care include: (but are not limited to)

#1 Failure of parents to pay fee.
#2 Failure to complete and sign any required forms.
#3 Lack of parental cooperation.
#4 Failure of child to adjust after a reasonable amount of time.
#5 My inability to meet the child’s needs without additional staff
#6 Gross misconduct on the part of the parent or child.

RELEASE OF LIABILITY

You and your child, as well as your heirs, executors and assigns do hereby release me and my family from any and all liability (with the exception of gross negligence or intentional wrongdoing) for any injury, illness or other damage to person or property resulting from the placement of your child in my care.

GOALS

The primary goal of my daycare program is to provide a loving, safe, stimulating environment for your child while you are at work. It is important that we work together as partners and that we feel comfortable discussing your child’s needs. I look forward to a long and rewarding friendship with your child and family. As provider, I reserve the right to make changes in the child care environment without advance notice to parents. There may be updates to this parent handbook occasionally. I will give you a separate addendum as the need arises. Communication is the key, please feel free discussing your concerns with me.

Thank you for your interest in finding the best possible care for your child!