My Philosophy:
I believe my job as a family child care provider is to support the role of families in children's lives. I strive to enhance the physical, cognitive, and emotional growth of each and every child in my care through a wide variety of activities. A stimulating environment assists young children in developing strong skills that will later be critical to school success. It is very important to me to maintain a quality child care setting. I continually strive to maintain this.
License:
I am a group family child care provider licensed by Stearns County Social Services. I operate my day care home in compliance with the State of Minnesota Rules 9502.0315-9502.0445 for Family and Group Family Day Care. My home meets or exceeds all licensing, fire, health, and safety requirements. I must pass an annual inspection by the county licensor, three yearly inspections by a representative of the Child and Adult Care Food Program, and continue my education.
Accreditation:
Learn 'N Play Preschool and Child Care is accredited by the National Association for Family Child Care. This was a process that I went through in 1998 that further ensures parents of high quality child care in my day care home. As part of this process, I was observed working with the children in my day care on 2 separate days by 2 separate individuals. There are fewer than 2000 accredited family child care homes in the United States. I am the first family child care provider in central Minnesota to attain my accreditation.
Current Enrollment:
At this time, I have the following numbers of children in my care:
______infants (6 weeks to 12 months)
______toddlers (12 months to 24 months)
______preschoolers (24 months to 1st day of kindergarten)
______schoolagers (1st day of kindergarten through age 10)
*These numbers include my own children who are younger than 11 years old.
Hours of Operation:
6:30am to 5:30pm Monday through Friday. I do not provide evening or weekend child care.
Meals: I participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program sponsored by Providers Choice, Inc.. I serve nutritionally balanced, high quality foods at no additional cost to you. The children are offered food and encouraged to try new foods. They are not forced to eat or to clean their plates. Children who choose not to eat will not be served food until the next scheduled meal or snack. Parents are responsible for feeding their children if they are not dropped off by scheduled meal times. The exception to this would, of course, be infants. I pre-plan lunch menus one month in advance. All parents receive a copy of the menu to refer to at home. I choose breakfasts and snacks at random, so no menu will be sent home for those. I do, however, send home daily notes with all infants, toddlers, and preschoolers which indicate foods served at breakfasts and snacks. Please note that children need to arrive by 8:00 in order to be served breakfast.
******Please no NOT send any food, candy, gum, chips, or sweets with your child unless this has been previously arranged with me and unless there is enough for all the children who are present. If a child arrives with gum in his or her mouth, he or she will be asked to throw it into the garbage.
Illness Policy:
When a child is sick, the best place for him or her is at home. I understand that this is sometimes difficult due to parental obligations at work. I cannot, however, accept children into care who have any of the following symptoms:
-severe diarrhea
-vomiting due to illness
-fever over 101 degrees (or 100 degrees under the arm)
-severe cough
-strep throat
-staph infection
-conjunctivitis (pink eye)
-head lice (Learn 'N Play Preschool and Child Care observes a no-nit policy similar to the schools)
-impetigo
chicken pox (until all sores are completely scabbed over)
-scabies
-exposed patches of ring worm
If your child is too ill to participate in the normal activities at Learn 'N Play (including playing outside), he or she needs to stay at home. Feel free to call me after 6:30am if you have a question regarding your child's ability to attend child care on any given day.
If your child becomes ill during the day, I will notify you as soon as possible. If he or she exhibits any of the above mentioned symptoms, you will need to pick him or her up within one hour of my call. If I am unable to reach you, I will call the person you designate as your emergency contact on the Admissions and Arrangements form. Please make sure I always have your current emergency phone numbers.
When my own children are ill, they rest in their own rooms or in our living room on the upper floor of my home.
I post notices of contagious illnesses on the Parent Board near the door in the day care.
Medication:
I will administer medication to your child if it is over the counter or prescription medication in its original container. If your child needs any kind of medication, you need to provide it and fill out a permission form with is available on the Parent Board. This needs to be completely filled out before I can give your child any medication. I can only give your child the age and weight appropriate dose of any medication unless you have a doctor's note stating other instructions. Please bring your own medicine cup, measuring spoon, or liquid medicine syringe to help prevent the spread of germs. All medications need to be labeled with your child's name.
Program:
These are some of the things we fit into our days:
-morning preschool time
-computer time
-free play
-story time before nap
-daily outdoor play (weather permitting)
-very limited television viewing
-weekly cooking activities
-science activities
-small and large muscle activities
-singing, finger plays, and poems
-individual quiet or nap time
-occasional neighborhood walks
-dramatic play activities
-holiday and birthday celebrations
**Note: our play room is designed to make free play a learning experience as well as just plain fun. The toys are arranged in learning centers. These include the House Corner, Block Corner, Story Loft, Computer Area, Art Area, Manipulative (small muscle toys) Area, Sand/Water Table, Music Area, and the Infant/Toddler Area. The children direct their own play during this important time.
Professionalism:
I am dedicated to promoting the growth and development of the whole child. I care for children because I truly enjoy them. I am currently the president of the Stearns-Benton Child Care Association, a member of the Minnesota Licensed Family Child Care Association, and the National Association for Family Child Care. I was named the Family Child Care Provider of the Year in 1999 in Stearns County. In addition to being accredited by the National Association for Family Child Care, I also have my Child Development Associate (CDA) credential. In 1999, I completed over 120 hours of child care training at Rasmussen College. I subscribe to several publications which expand my knowledge of all aspects of child care, child development, and early childhood education. I strongly believe that, the more I learn, the better provider I can be.
Experience and Training:
I have been a licensed child care provider since 1988 and still enjoy it immensely. Over the years, I have participated in several hundred hours of relevant training, including many hours of college child development, psychology, health and safety, and education classes. As a Group Family Child Care Provider, I am required by the State of Minnesota to attend at least 6 hours of training each year. I always attend much more than this. I am also required to attend 2 hours of nutrition training each year to participate in the food program. I maintain my certification in both Community CPR and First Aid.
Substitute Care:
I will have a qualified substitute care for the children if I need to leave during the day because of an emergency or if I need to go out for some reason. Whenever possible, I will notify you of this in advance.
Emergency Procedures:
I practice monthly fire and storm drills with the children. My storm shelters are in the crawl space under our stairs and in the day care bathroom. For fire drills, we go over the rules of evacuating a house that may be on fire. We leave the house and meet in the front of the house near the basketball hoop. After returning to the house, we practice "stop, drop, and roll." There is a log of fire and storm drills on the Parent Board.
Insurance:
I carry the recommended day care liability insurance. This covers your child while at my house, in my yard, on neighborhood walks, and walking to and from the bus stop.
Pets:
I have the following pets in my home: 1 dog, 1 cat, 1 rabbit, and a fish. All my pets are up-to-date with their vaccinations. The dogs are kept separated from the day care children.
Discrimination:
I will not discriminate against any child on the basis of sex, religion, national origin, or disability.
Abuse and Neglect Reporting:
I am required by law to report all cases of suspected neglect and abuse to the proper authorities.
Outdoor Play:
Except in extreme weather conditions, all the children will be playing outside every day. Please dress them appropriately for the weather including boots, warm mittens, hats, scarves (or knit face masks), and snow pants in the winter. It's also a good idea to send an extra pair of warm socks to keep those little toes warm.
Discipline:
There is no physical punishment in my day care. When a problem arises, we talk with the child or children involved and explain what they have done wrong. If this doesn't correct the problem, we try to redirect the child or children into another activity that doesn't cause problems. As a last resort, a time-out period of not more than 1 minute per year of age is imposed. I strongly believe that time-outs should not be over-used in order to remain effective. If a child has a chronic behavior problem, I will contact the parents to discuss how to solve the problem. Courtesy and respect for others and for property are values which I believe in and teach to the children.
Potty Training:
If you or I feel that your child is ready to begin potty training, we will discuss the ways we can work together. Training your child takes a great deal of effort on your part and on mine, so we need to wait until your child is really ready. When your child is truly ready to take this step, I can give you hand-outs which explain the way I prefer to potty train children.
Extra Clothing:
Each child, regardless of age, needs to have a complete change of seasonally-appropriate clothing on hand at my house at all times. This needs to be kept at my home in a Rubbermaid box I have designated for your child. The exception to this is infants. Until your child turns 1, you can keep the spare clothes in his or her diaper bag and bring them daily. I will send home reminders when you need more spare clothes for your child. This gives your child something to change into if he or she has an accident, spills on his or herself, gets wet outside outside, etc.. If your child is in the process of potty training, please send several changes of clothes each day.
Diapers:
Parents are responsible for purchasing packages of diapers to be left at my home. These diapers will be labeled with your child's name and only used for him/her. I will let you know when your supply is running low so you can purchase more. We change diapers every time they're soiled and at least every 2 hours (not including when diapered children are sleeping). Please keep a sufficient number of diapers at day care at all times--your child needs and deserves comfort. I supply baby wipes at no extra cost. I also have Desatin and A & D Ointment on hand. If you would like an alternative diaper ointment used on your child, you need to supply it.
Nap Time:
All preschool children will lay down for a nap/rest period at approximately 12:00. Children who do not sleep are expected to rest quietly. Please explain this policy to your child before his or her first day with us.
**I supply every child with his own mat, pillow, and flannel sheet. I encourage you to bring a favorite blanket, stuffed animal, or whatever else your child likes to sleep with at home. I do provide blankets for children who don't have one of their own. Our sleeping arrangements are as follows:
-infants: portable play pen (no pillows or large blankets are used for infants to
reduce risk of SIDS)
-toddlers: play pen or rest mat
-preschoolers: rest mat
-kindergartners: rest mat
Your Vacation Days:
I require payment for all hours and days your child is normally scheduled to be here. If you choose to take the day off for any reason, you still must pay me to keep your child's spot open. The exception to this would be days I choose to take off, excluding holidays. I require full payment for holidays which fall on weekdays. For 2000, these include: Memorial Day (May 29), Labor Day (September 4), Thanksgiving Day (November 23), the day after Thanksgiving (November 24), and Christmas Day (December 25).
Termination of Care:
Out of respect for each other, a 10 working day termination notice must be given in writing if you decide to remove your child from my care for any reason. If you choose to leave before the 10 days are up, you are still responsible for paying for the full 10 days of care. I will also give you 10 working days notice if I am no longer able to provide care for your child. This 10 day notice does not include weekends. This allows you time to find a new caregiver and me time to find a new family to fill your spot. I reserve the right not to give 10 days notice if the reason for termination is failure on your part to pay according to the terms outlined in this handbook or contract.
Parent's Night Out
One Friday night each month, I will give you a chance to drop off your child and have some time to yourself. All children will need to be picked up no later than 8:00pm. The specific day that I will offer this service will vary from month to month and will be posted in the monthly newsletter. There will be no charge for this service. You will only need to pay for the time until regular day care hours are done at 5:30pm. I will provide a nutritious supper for all children. You will need to reserve a spot for your child by the Wednesday before the Night Out. I still need to remain within my licensed capacity, so this will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note that this service is only for my currently enrolled day care children. Also, I cannot send a child home with an intoxicated parent. If a parent arrives in this condition and insists on picking up their child, I have no choice but to call the police for the protection of the child.
Consideration:
Please be considerate of my family and our home. Although this is a business, it is also our home. You are welcome to visit us during day care hours, but I do ask that you remove your shoes before leaving the rug near the day care entrance and do the same for your child. Also, please be on time to pick up your child. I have 4 children of my own who share me all day. Please don’t take away from their time. Your child is expected to follow the same rules in my house regardless of whether or not you are here. If your child is doing something wrong, please correct him or her. If you don't, I will. Sometimes children will test their limits during transition times like drop-off and pick-up. This is normal, but they do need to learn that the same rules apply regardless of who is here. As with most aspects of raising a child, consistency is very important.
Parent Communication:
All families will receive a monthly newsletter and lunch menu. This will contain a summary of our preschool activities for the month, things we need from home, policy reminders, important dates, etc.. All families also receive a more detailed listing of each day's preschool activities in our weekly newsletter. Families of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers will receive a daily send-home note about their child's day, including foods eaten, length of nap, etc.. Please read everything I send home. All families will be provided with a small notebook to be kept in the child's bag labeled with your children's names. This is for parents to write notes to me. Drop-off times are sometimes hectic, so this helps you get important notes to me. Please don't allow your child to write in this notebook and keep it in his or her bag so it doesn't get lost. Parents should also check the Parent Bulletin Board located inside the day care entrance for important information.
Emergency Phone Numbers:
Please make sure I know where you are at all times in case of an emergency with your child. If you need to leave work for any reason during the day, please leave the phone number where you can be reached with me. Also, make sure the person you chose for your emergency contact on the Admissions and Arrangements form is available during the day and let this person know that you've written their name down for this purpose.
Backpacks:
All children need to have some sort of bag to bring things back and forth from day care. This can be just about anything from an actual backpack, a canvas bag, to a plastic shopping bag.
CHILD CARE CONTRACT
This is an agreement between Tammy Oveson and ______________________________for the care of _____________________________________which will begin on ______________. The fee will be _________per __________ and will be payable in full each Friday no later than 5:30pm. A late fee of $5.00 per day including weekends will be charged for any unpaid balance you have with me. This fee will be charged beginning at 5:31pm on Friday.
You may pay with either cash or check. However, if you choose to pay with cash, please be aware that I will not have change. You are welcome to call me ahead of time to get your balance so you can get the correct amount of money before coming to pick up your child.
There will be a $20.00 fee for each returned check. You will also be responsible for any and all charges incurred to my account due to your returned check. If I receive more than 2 NSF checks from you, you will be required to pay in cash for the remainder of your child's time in my care.
Any late pick-ups after your scheduled time will be charged at double the normal part-time hourly rate (which is currently $2.50/hour). However, if you call me and I agree to the late pick up, your normal rate will apply. All pick-ups after 5:30pm will be charged at the rate of $1.00 per minute and will be due immediately when the child is picked up. Frequent lateness will result in termination of this child care arrangement. These late fees do not apply if the roads are bad and you arrive within a reasonable amount of time. Your safety is more important.
If your schedule varies at all, you will need to provide me with a written schedule for the week by the previous Friday by 5:30pm.
I do accept drop-in, kindergarten, and primary grade children when I have the available space. I am not willing to care for children third grade or older.
If your child will not be coming to day care for any reason, please call me by your normal arrival time. You can call me between the hours of 6:30am and 9:00pm.
Failure on my part to enforce any of these policies does not void the rest of the of the parent handbook or contract.
You will be responsible for all court, lawyer, and collection agency costs if it proves necessary to bring you to court to collect any unpaid balance.
This contract is effective January 1, 2000 through December 31, 2000.
I have read and received these policies. I agree to abide by all of them.
Date: _____________________
Parent Signature:______________________________________
Other Parent Signature:__________________________________
Provider's Signature:_____________________________________