Fee Payment. Policies & Procedures GENERAL POLICIES:

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1 Fee Payment Policies & Procedures GENERAL POLICIES: The Region of Waterloo pays for care provided to subsidized children via an automated system called the Ontario Child Care Management System (OCCMS). Early Learning and Child Care program are paid based on matching information from the submitted Record of Attendance with the information contained in OCCMS. Child Care programs submit their request for payment via the internet, using a program called WEBROA. If a child care centre does not have access to a computer, attendance can be submitted by faxing the Record of Attendance to the Region s Finance Department. See the attached Submitting a Manual Record of Attendance. Child Care programs receive a Confirmation of Fee Assistance letter for each subsidized child in attendance. This letter contains the start date as well as an end date. These dates are very important. Payment will not be made prior to the start date or after the end date unless the centre has received authorization from our office. Each child s name placed at the Child Care program will appear on the WEBROA, along with their Child ID number, the rates (care codes) the child has been approved for and the Parent Contribution, if applicable. Each family is assigned to a Child Care Subsidy Caseworker and the Caseworker s name and phone number will appear at the bottom of the letter. Communication with the Child Care Subsidy Caseworker can occur by telephone or . **** Listed below are the important points to be remembered when submitting attendance through WEBROA: A Child Care program submits their attendance through WEBROA: A training manual and ongoing support will be provided to enable child care operators to submit their attendance via WEBROA. All subsidized children placed at the centre will appear on the WEBROA. If a child does not appear on the WE- BROA or if the Confirmation of Fee Assistance letter has not been received, the Caseworker should be contacted. Only days and care codes/rates specified on the Confirmation of Fee Assistance letter will be paid. Special attention must be given to the code letters which correspond to the category of care which has been approved by the Child Care Subsidy Caseworker. Weekends and additional days through the week that the child is not scheduled to attend are left blank. DOCS New Operator Business Plan

2 General Policies Continued... Some families make a partial payment towards the cost of their child care, called a Parent Contribution. The daily contribution will be noted on the Confirmation of Fee Assistance letter and will also show in the column on the WEBROA. In cases where more than one child attends the program, the Parent Contribution may be split between the children. WEBROA will show the care code/rate that has been approved for each child. A child may be approved at more than one care code/rate. The Child Care Subsidy Caseworker must be advised if there is a discrepancy between the care codes that are approved on the Confirmation of Fee Assistance letter and those that appear on WEBROA. Attendance is submitted for each child, under the appropriate care code/rate, for each day the child is enrolled to attend. Only code letters and reasons for absence which correspond with the categories of care included in your current Fee Subsidy Program Description Schedule can be used. Fee Subsidy Code Definitions: I Infant: 6 hours + M-JSK JK/SK: less than 2 hours U Infant: less than 6 hours J School Age: 6 hours + T Toddler: 6 hours + G School Age: 4-6 hours P Toddler: less than 6 hours E School Age: 2 4 hours F -Preschool: 6 hours + M School Age:less than 2 hours L Preschool: 4 6 hours Withdrawal Withdrawal Without Notice N Preschool: less than 4 hours Sick Child Sick Days F-JSK K/SK: 6 hours + Absent Child Absent Days L-JSK JK/SK: 4-6 hours Vacation Child/Parent Vacation E-JSK JK/SK: 2 4 hours Preschool categories apply to children 31 months to 67 months of age & include kindergarten children. Preschool rates will be applied to children in care until the end of the school year (June 30) after their 6 th birthday. Questions concerning payments are directed to Finance at (519) ext.3000 or questions regarding your Service Contract are directed to Children s Services Administration at Questions regarding days of coverage, rates paid, or information concerning parents and children are directed to the Child Care Subsidy Caseworker identified at the bottom of the Confirmation of Fee Assistance letter. DOCS New Operator Business Plan 2

3 Submission of attendance for payment, through WEBROA must be completed by the 3 rd business day of the month following the month in which care was provided. Child care program have a copy of Child Care Subsidy Guidelines and Information for Parents Receiving Child Care Subsidy which is given to all subsidy eligible parents. This information ensures that both parents and Child Care Programs have a better understanding of the child care subsidy system as it relates to children enrolled in licensed centres, Home Child Care, and recreational programs. PAYMENT POLICIES FOR DAYS WHEN THE CHILD IS PRESENT: Programs complete WEBROA under the appropriate care code/rate. The centre is paid according to the child s Enrolled Rate(s) as identified on the Confirmation of Fee Assistance letter. Parents are requested to contact the Child Care Subsidy office if the Enrolled Rate(s) on the letter does not match the actual hours of care required. PAYMENT POLICIES FOR DAYS WHEN THE CHILD IS ABSENT: Programs will be reimbursed according to the child s enrolled rate. Child Care programs will receive payment on days that the child is absent as detailed in the following policy. The intent of Payment by Enrolment is that the Child Care program receive a guaranteed payment for each child in their care while the family is eligible for Child Care subsidy. Sick Days - Child Centres receive payment for all days that the child is sick. The Child Care Subsidy Caseworker must be notified when a child is away due to illness for more than a week. Vacation or Absent Days Program will receive payment when the child is absent for up to 30 days in a calendar year. These days will include all reasons that the child is absent with the exception of the child s sickness or withdrawal without notice. Vacation/absent days are prorated for children who begin care during the year. The table below outlines how the days are prorated. For example, if subsidy is approved for a child to begin care in January, 30 vacation/absent days are allowed for the year. If a child is approved for Child Care Subsidy in the month of August, 12 vacation/absent days are allowed for the remainder of the year. Month of Subsidy Approval Number of Vacation/ Absent Days Month of Subsidy Approval Number of Vacation/ Absent Days Month of Subsidy Approval Number of Vacation/ Absent Days January 30 May 20 September 10 February 27 June 17 October 7 March 25 July 15 November 5 April 22 August 12 December 2 Examples of days when the child may be absent include: Parent vacation Child vacation (visiting a relative, etc.) Parent has a day off of work (bad weather, statutory holiday, etc.) Parent Contributions will continue for all periods of illness/absenteeism during which the service provider is eligible to bill. DOCS New Operator Business Plan 3

4 GENERAL POLICIES - CONTINUED If all of the 30 vacation, absent days are used before the year is complete, no further payments for vacation and absent days will be paid. Child Care programs should not bill for days they know are not eligible for payment. The computer program counts the vacation/ absent days starting January 1 st of every year and will not allow days in excess of the 30 vacation and absent days to be paid. WEBROA will verify the number of vacation and absent days for each child. This number is accurate as of the end of the previous month s billing. Unusual Child Care Subsidy Situations: Occasionally, there are situations, such as snow days, where the parent has dropped the child off at the centre or the caregiver s home and the School Board announces that busses are cancelled. In these situations, the centre or provider is required to contact the parent to ensure the parent is aware of the bus cancellation and request direction as to the child s care. If the parent is unable to pick the child up to bring them to school due to unsafe road conditions or employment issues, the exception will be to allow the child to remain at the centre, or the caregiver s and the Region will provide for the child s cost of care. This is an exceptional situation where The Region is providing funding outside of the approved time as identified in the CFA letter. If the applicable rate is not reflected on the CFA letter, kindly contact the Child Care Subsidy Caseworker to request the rate be added to the child s attendance. Full fee parents should also be contacted by the centre or the provider to discuss child care arrangements. Withdrawal Without Notice The Service Provider shall require Parents to give at least two (2) weeks notice to the Service Provider before withdrawing their Child from the Service Provider's care. If, however, notice is not given, the Region shall make payment to the Service Provider for a maximum of two (2) additional weeks of care in lieu of notice, unless the space can be filled by the Service Provider before the two (2) week period lapses. In this case, payment shall be made only until the space is filled by another child. If a child is absent for more than three days and the centre has not been contacted by the parent, the centre must telephone or the assigned Child Care Subsidy Caseworker. If the Child Care Subsidy Caseworker is unable to contact the parent, a notice of withdrawal will be given to the centre and the child s subsidy terminated. If the centre fails to advise our office after the three day period, payment will be stopped at the end of the two week period following the child s last day of attendance. If a child has been approved and scheduled to start at a centre but does not attend, the centre will receive payment for up to two weeks in lieu of notice if the space is not filled. DOCS New Operator Business Plan 4

5 Unusual Fee Subsidy Situations Job Search Parents who are already in the Child Care system may be granted Child Care Subsidy while they job search. If a child s rate of care changes for the job search period, a new Confirmation of Fee Assistance letter will be issued. If a Parent Contribution has been in effect prior to the job search, the new letter will advise if the Parent Contribution will continue, is reduced or will cease. Parents must inform the Child Care Subsidy Office as soon as they find a job. Layoff There will not be any payment for periods of layoff if two weeks notice has been given. Parent Sickness Centres can continue to care for a child when the parent is sick. The usual enrolled rate will apply. If the parent informs the centre that the illness will require more than three days off of work or school, the centre must inform the assigned Child Care Subsidy Caseworker and request that the parent contact their Child Care Subsidy Caseworker to determine ongoing eligibility. The Child Care Subsidy Caseworker will inform the centre if continued coverage is affected. Parent Contributions If the parent is required to contribute a partial payment towards the cost of child care it is the centre s responsibility to collect this money. Parent contributions must always be paid by the parent for each day the centre is eligible to bill even if the child is absent. Centres should establish a system to collect parent contributions from parents as the Region s Accounting staff will automatically deduct the parent contribution amount from the payments. School-Aged Children Families of school-aged children may use the Enrolled Rate for all school days starting from September through June, and a Full Day rate for the days that a school is closed; such as Professional Development days, March Break, Christmas Break and summer vacation, as approved by the Child Case Subsidy Caseworker. DOCS New Operator Business Plan 5

6 Unusual Fee Subsidy Situations Continued Job Search Parents who are already in the Child Care system may be granted Child Care Subsidy while they job search. If a child s rate of care changes for the job search period, a new Confirmation of Fee Assistance letter will be issued. If a Parent Contribution has been in effect prior to the job search, the new letter will advise if the Parent Contribution will continue, is reduced or will cease. Parents must inform the Child Care Subsidy Office as soon as they find a job. Layoff There will not be any payment for periods of layoff if two weeks notice has been given. Parent Sickness Centres can continue to care for a child when the parent is sick. The usual enrolled rate will apply. If the parent informs the centre that the illness will require more than three days off of work or school, the centre must inform the assigned Child Care Subsidy Caseworker and request that the parent contact their Child Care Subsidy Caseworker to determine ongoing eligibility. The Child Care Subsidy Caseworker will inform the centre if continued coverage is affected. Parent Contributions If the parent is required to contribute a partial payment towards the cost of child care it is the centre s responsibility to collect this money. Parent contributions must always be paid by the parent for each day the centre is eligible to bill even if the child is absent. Centres should establish a system to collect parent contributions from parents as the Region s Accounting staff will automatically deduct the parent contribution amount from the payments. School-Aged Children Families of school-aged children may use the Enrolled Rate for all school days starting from September through June, and a Full Day rate for the days that a school is closed; such as Professional Development days, March Break, Christmas Break and summer vacation, as approved by the Child Case Subsidy Caseworker. DOCS New Operator Business Plan 6

7 Designation For Web Enabled Record of Attendance NOTE: One person from each agency should be designated as the Head Office Administrator for the WEBROA. The Administrator s name must be provided to The Region of Waterloo, Children s Services Administration. The designated administrator would be responsible for: assigning rights to staff who will input the Record of Attendance ensuring the attendance is submitted each month providing attendance information/clarification to the Childcare Subsidy Program when necessary notifying Children s Services Administration with changes to designated Head Office Administrator Name of Designated Administrator: Name (please print) Title Agency Authorized Signatures: Signature of Signing Officer Name / Title Date Signature of Signing Officer Name / Title Date Region of Waterloo Authorized Signature: Name / Title Date DOCS New Operator Business Plan 7