Policies

Fees

Parents/guardians agree that all monthly fees will be paid by the last Friday of each month in advance. Drop in fees are payable per occurrence.

Unpaid fees are subject to late fees, immediate suspension or termination of care unless reasonable arrangements are made and agreed upon by both parties.

Parents will be issued one receipt at the end of the year for tax purposes or upon end of contract date for care.

Deposit/Registration

A non-refundable deposit of $400 (per child) is required upon the completion of registration to secure your child’s placement in care. This deposit is non-refundable and will be applied to your child’s last month’s fee upon termination of contract. Spaces will not be held unless the deposit is paid in full.

Registration is not complete and care will not begin until all the paperwork has been completed. Prior to the start date of care the following must be received by Ready Spaghetti! for each child.

•Registration Form with 2 current photos of your child

•Consents Signed

•Immunization Record (to be kept up to date as well)

•Parent/Caregiver contract

•Non-Refundable deposit

•Daycare subsidy request form (if applicable-parent is responsible for picking up these forms at the Subsidy office for Ready Spaghetti! FCC to sign. Preferable for the parents to have already started the process and know that they are covered and for how much by the time of care to begin)

Diapers, two changes of clothes, formula or breast milk for infants and two bottles for infants. The parents have to provide lunch and snacks. Food can also be kept in our fridge and reheated in the microwave.

EMERGENCY/EARTHQUAKE BAG: The parents will need to supply an Emergency Bag for the child before care begins. In the case you cannot reach us, we need to be prepared and ready for at least 72 hours.

A 30 day attended “trial period” for the child in Ready Spaghetti! FCC will give both parent and caregiver the time to decide whether the child care works for both parties involved.

Termination Policy

Ready Spaghetti! FCC reserves the right to suspend or terminate care of any child without notice, should it be deemed necessary for the overall safety of the other children in care and/or for my family and home.

Withdrawal Policy

Parents agree that a minimum notice of 1 full months (notice to begin on the first of the month) will be given for permanent withdrawal of any child from care

If a parent would like to hold a spot (for example while on extended holidays or while on maternity leave etc) and the child will not be in attendance, then half the months fees for each month the child will be away will be accepted to hold that spot. (max 4 months)

Affordable Child Care Benefit Formerly Subsidy

Parents who qualify for ACCB must pre-pay for the daycare month while waiting for their payments to begin. Ready Spaghetti! FCC will reimburse the amount covered when/if this benefit arrives. Any difference that ACCB does NOT cover is the responsibility of the child’s parent/guardian by or before the 1st of every month in advance.

Repayment Policy

When a parent or guardian withdraws their child with proper notice (please see withdrawal policy) and has prepaid for following months any prepaid fees applicable will be refunded to that parent or guardian by the first of the following month to end the contract of care.

If there is a situation where any Public Health Authority requires your child to be absent for more than 10 concurrent days from care, those days over the initial 10 will be credited to the parent/guardian on the next month’s invoice (limited to 2 weeks credit). If you require your space to be held for over up to 4 months of absence, please see the second paragraph of the Withdrawal Policy.

Late Arrival/ Pickup Policy

Please advise the child care prior to 7:30 am if your child will be arriving earlier or later than the pre-arranged time.
Please advise the child care immediately if you will be arriving later than the pre-arranged time to pick up your child. It is the parent’s responsibility to ensure that children are picked up no later than your contracted pick up time. If you are not able to pick up your child by this time then you must make alternate arrangements. The time afterwards is very important for my own family time.
Written permission must be received before a child will be released to anyone who is not authorized on the registration form.
In the event that a parent cannot be contacted, it is the policy of Ready Spaghetti! FCC to call an alternate pick up contact should a child remain in care after their contracted pick up time.
A late fee of $2 per minute hour will apply if a child remains in care after 5pm unless prior arrangements have been made. This late fee is due before the next day of care.
If a child remains after 5pm and you or your alternate pick up contacts can not be reached then by law I must contact the Ministry of Family and Child Services to pick up your child.

Safe Release of Child Policy

If someone whom I deem incapable of providing safe care arrives to pick up a child, reasonable efforts will be made (with the safety of myself and the others in care)to deny that person from taking the child from my property. This may include intoxication, emotionally incapable etc. I will call one of the emergency contacts in your childs file to come and pick up the child and the incapable person to get them home safely. If an alternate cannot be reached within a reasonable length of time, I may be able to supply a ride home myself or call you a cab home. If you insist on taking the children yourself, I will release them to your care and immediately call the RCMP.

If someone who is on your “no access to the child” list shows up to pick up a child, reasonable efforts will be made with the health and safety of myself and the others in care, to refuse this person access. I will contact you or your emergency contacts if you are not available and the RCMP also if the person refuses to leave or takes the child from my care.

Food Policy

****Please do not send sugar snacks, gummies, juice or candy in your child’s lunch******

We are also a waste free location. Please try and send as little packaging as you can in your childs lunch. Waste and leftover food will be sent back home.

Please provide your child a healthy lunch and am/pm “snack time” snack. Ready Spaghetti! FCC will provide water to drink throughout the day. If your child has an allergy, please advise me so.

Guidance Policy

Guidance policies are in line with the BC Ministry of Health Handbook “Guidance for Young Children”.

In my care, each child is expected to be a respectful, responsible, and safe member of our group. This ranges from children cleaning up toys used, to using manners when speaking and playing and creating safe play.

I use specific strategies that include setting clear and consistent boundaries, modeling appropriate behaviors, consistent guidelines, offering choices and being respectful. I will encourage children to verbalize their emotions and to figure out problem solving themselves when appropriate.

Repeated refusal to follow safe limits may require the child to be redirected from the activity. The child will be redirected from the activity and asked to pick a different activity or sit quietly in my vision until they can calm themselves. Before rejoining the group, we will briefly talk about the appropriate/safe behaviors of the group. This is an age appropriate guidance situation. If a younger child who cannot understand the situation (generally under 3 years old) is not playing safely, redirection to a different activity will be used with consistent “Gentle hands to our friends and toys” or another appropriate verbal guidance will be used.

I do keep a log book in which I make note of any undesirable constant behavior, or communications with parents regarding anything I might deem necessary to make note of.

Illness

Parents agree that a child is too ill to attend childcare when they are suffering from (any) illness and will not return to care until they are 48 hours symptom free of Fever, Vomit and Diarrhea, without the aid of medication or OTC aids and 48 hours after first dosage of antibiotic treatment if prescribed. Return to care may require upon my request a Doctor’s note with their specific illness limitations defined for their return to care. A Dr note does not guarantee their return to care. This will be your responsibility if there is a fee involved.

Illness, including but not limited to.

- Fever (100 degrees F (37.7C) or chills - Runny nose - Sneezing

- Cough -Difficulty breathing - Sore throat

- Diarrhea - Nausea/Vomiting - Extreme fatigue/listlessness

- Headache - Body aches - Loss of sense of smell or taste

- Weeping skin, undiagnosed rash or swelling of the body - Pink Eye or discharge from the eyes

- Headache and stiff neck (should see a physician) - Inability to take part in normal routine

***Parents are required to inform me of any serious illness, or communicable disease or infection in the household within 24 hours. Any communicable health issue may be reported to the proper Health Authority for guidance, but the child or family involved will not be named to support confidentiality.

Just like anyone, myself or my immediate family members may get sick. Parents will be notified no later than 7am if I have warning and I do need to close. There is always the possibility of an illness beginning without warning

HEAD LICE: I reserve the right to do daily head checks on the children in my care to prevent the spread of the nuisance bug to my home or other children. If live nits or eggs are found, children must be treated, and may not return until they are cleared by myself or staff to be nit/egg free

Consent to Administer Medication Policy

Only medicine prescribed by the child’s doctor if prescription strength or provided by the parent if ”over the counter” strength will be given to the child. It is preferable to me that you ask your child’s doctor to prescribe medication that can be given at am and pm when they are not in my care.

Medicines must be in the original packaging and labeled with the following details

•The Child’s name

•The exact dosage required

•Time or times of day to be given

•refrigerate or room temperature storage

Consent must be given for each medication, and separate consent to administer medication forms will be provided for each instance. Medicines will only be given by an adult caregiver, and all medicines will be kept away from children and stored appropriately.

If you have pre medicated your child before they arrive at daycare, please make note of when/what/how much and for what was given on the sign in sheet. This is to ensure that I am not surprised by any negative reaction or sudden mood changes in your child.

Home Toys Policy

Vast arrays of toys are provided for your child to play with. Please do not bring any toys from home. A blanket or stuffed animal or other comfort item may be brought for nap/comfort times. These will be kept accessible to the children when needed.

Toilet Support/Cloth Diapering

I will work in conjunction with parents during training or cloth diapering. If you have a method that has been working for you, please let me know and I will practice it with your child. Should you discontinue training at home, please let me know. If a child shows no interest in training or has great issue with, I may decide to discontinue and try again at a later date. Please do not ask me to offer “treats” to the child for using the toilet. We may use a sticker chart for encouragement.

Parents are required to provide all diapers and creams, I will supply wipes. A full change of clothes, sun hat, sunscreen, and proper wear for the weather will be required. Anything that remains at Ready Spaghetti! FCC will be placed in the child’s own “bin” for their use only.

Damages

I will repair or replace broken daycare equipment and toys due to normal wear and tear. Should your child purposely break equipment or toys, or cause damage to my home the repair or replacement cost will be the responsibility of the parents and added to the next month’s fees.

INSURANCE FOR ASSISTIVE DEVICES:

The daycare will not be held responsible for any lost, damaged or broken assistive devices, such as hearing aids, contact lenses or glasses. We ask you to have adequate replacement insurance for such items should they become misplaced, damaged or broken.

Sunscreen/ Lotion and Repellants Policy

Ready Spaghetti Child Care is aware of how damaging UV rays from the sun can be to your child’s skin, and we are part of a “Be Sun Safe Initiative”. During the summer months or when otherwise necessary, Ready Spaghetti! FCC will apply sunscreen/repellants provided by the parents approximately 15 minutes before going outside.

Ready Spaghetti! FCC requires that parents supply one bottle of sunscreen prior to expiration date with their child’s name labeled on the bottle. Parents will be informed when a new bottle is needed. This also applies to lotions and repellants. If your child has an allergy to sunscreen, a doctor’s note must be provided and will be attached to their registration and emergency information. Ready Spaghetti! FCC will take other precautions to protect your child from over exposure to the sun, such as wearing a hat and long sleeves, playing in shaded areas and avoiding extreme heat times during the day (11-2) outside.

Child Abuse Reporting Policy

Ready Spaghetti! FCC offers a safe and loving environment for your children full of imaginative play, learning and inclusion of everyone. We take great pride in ensuring children feel safe and comfortable in our care. Here they can express themselves and feel high self-esteem and self-worth. We are setting up the children to succeed in the coming years of school and interaction with others.

On occasion we are in the position where the children explain (or we see the physical markings) of how they have been bullied by others or are feeling unsafe at home or in a situation maybe outside of the home. This may result in Ready Spaghetti! FCC feeling there has been a situation of child abuse or neglect.

The four areas covered under the term child abuse are physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and child neglect. It is the legal responsibility (as outlined in the Child, Family and Community Services Act) of all child care providers to report any suspicion of child abuse to the local Ministry of Children and Family Development office to ensure the child’s safety and well-being.

If there is any suspicion of child abuse or neglect, we will approach the situation carefully, relaxed and neutral, being good listeners and keep the situation private. If a child tells us about abuse, we will talk with the child in private, and listen to what they are saying calmly, being sensitive about changes in the child’s behavior. We will be completely neutral and not ask them questions about the situation.

We are legally bound to call the Ministry at 310-1234 and speak with an intake worker who are staff trained to deal with complaints of child abuse.

Confidentiality Policy

A child’s record/file is considered privileged and confidential. The right of every child and family to privacy is recognized and protected to the greatest extent possible. Parents have access to their child’s records at any time. Written consent of a parent is required prior to the release of personally identifiable information to third parties. A release of information form is to be used. The file will be kept on site for 2 full years after the contract of care has ended

Emergency/Fire Evacuation Policy

Ready Spaghetti! FCC practices monthly earthquake and fire drills to ensure the children are aware of what could happen in both situations. We will practice out to the basketball hoop in front of our home with a fire drill and count to 60 seconds twice under the tables for an earthquake drill.

In the event of an emergency requiring us to leave site or fire, Ready Spaghetti! FCC will evacuate the building according to our emergency/evacuation plan which is posted by the daycare entry door and will meet parents/guardians at the playground of Pleasant Valley School.

Parents/guardians will be contacted from the emergency info cards which are available in the First Aid Kit that is with me at all times when leaving the child care center. If communications are down within our area, your out of town/province emergency contact person will be called.

After your child completes the “30 day in attendance trial period”, parents will be asked to provide a few key items for their child for a larger 72 hour earthquake kit.

Missing Child Policy

In the event that your child becomes missing while under the care of Ready Spaghetti FCC, I will follow the following procedures

•I will secure the other children with a responsible adult and begin search of the immediate area

•After two minutes, I will expand my search and if we are in a public building I will have the child paged if possible

•After 10 minutes I will call the police and inform them of the child’s name, age, weight, height, clothing and footwear, give them the copy of the photo you have supplied me with in the event of such and emergency and record the file number that they will give me.

•Then I will call the parents and inform them of what has happened, what is being done and that I will call them back in a few minutes to update them.

•When the child is found; I will call the parent/guardian, alert everyone else involved, and hold a debriefing as soon as possible.

•As a follow up, I would assess the problem and make changes, if necessary to avoid the risk of a similar incident. As well, I would further educate the children in my care about the importance of staying with the group.

Pet Policy

Here at Ready Spaghetti FCC, there are pets. They are healthy and up to date with their immunizations. The food/water/feces are kept out of reach of the children. They are in the same space as the children inside the child care, but have a separate yard outside.

Smoking Policy

Smoking as well as assisted smoking devices are prohibited on the property when daycare children are present. The house will always be smoke free. We are a smoke and 420 free home.

Field Trip Policy

Ready Spaghetti! FCC regularly takes the children out for adventures in town, to beaches, parks and walking trails. We always carry our First Aid Kit when we leave the daycare center which also has our emergency info cards and pictures of your children just in case. Please see “Care and Supervision Policy"

If there is a special field trip that Ready Spaghetti! FCC plans on taking the children to, and you as the parent/guardian are not comfortable with your child attending, you are welcome to join along or keep your child from care that day and as per the Repayment Policy, your daily fee will not be refunded to you. Ready Spaghetti! FCC will always have the safety of the children in mind.