Department of Early Education and Care. Family Child Care Parent Handbook

Transcription

1 Department f Early Educatin and Care Family Child Care Parent Handbk Prgram Name: Prgram Address: Prgram Phne Number: Prgram Dear Parent, As a licensed Family Child Care Educatr, I wuld like t cngratulate yu n chsing licensed Family Child Care. Yu have made an imprtant child care decisin fr yu and yur family. The Department f Early Educatin and Care (EEC) and I invite yu t jin in a partnership with us t ensure a high quality child care envirnment. This parent handbk and enrllment packet utlines many f yur my plicies and prcedures that relate t the care f yur child, as well as the infrmatin I am required t give t yu when yu enrll yur child in my care. This handbk will als acquaint yu with sme f the key EEC standards designed t ensure a safe, healthy and educatinal child care experience. I encurage yu t maintain an pen dialgue with me, as cmmunicatin between parents and Educatrs is the fundatin fr a slid wrking relatinship, and a gd child care experience. Befre filling ut yur child care enrllment frm, please read thrugh the infrmatin cntained in this parent handbk.

2 A Wrd frm EEC EEC is the agency that versees the early educatin and care and after schl services fr families in Massachusetts. As the agency that licenses child care, EEC has quality standards fr all licensed prgrams t ensure high educatinal value, as well as health and safety. Having a license means that I have demnstrated that I meet the standards utlined in the EEC regulatins. T btain yur wn cpy f EEC Family Child Care Regulatins, yu may dwnlad them frm the EEC web site at: Fr infrmatin abut my regulatry cmpliance histry, yu may cntact ur lcal EEC reginal ffice, whse cntact infrmatin is as fllws: Enrllment/Capacity My current licensed capacity is, which is psted n my license. At any ne time, I can nly care fr the number f children that I ve been licensed fr, which may include my wn children, depending n their ages. In additin, EEC regulatins state that I cannt care fr mre than three (3) children under the age f tw (2) withut an assistant, with ne f thse children being at least 15 mnths ld and walking unassisted. If yu have cncerns r questins abut the number f children in my care, please feel free t discuss them with me. Use f Assistants I may have an assistant t help care fr the child care children, prvided they are apprved by EEC. If and when I use an assistant, I will let yu knw ahead f time, and yu will have an pprtunity t meet the assistant that will be wrking in the prgram. I may als use vlunteers frm time t time, and althugh they will nt be directly respnsible fr the care f children in the prgram, they will be n the premises and assisting me.

3 [ ] I am nt currently utilizing an assistant. [ ] The assistant(s) / vlunteer(s) I am currently using in my prgram are: Name Certificate # (fr assistants) Prgram Hurs / Clsures (See Attachment A) Attached t this handbk is a parent / educatr agreement that utlines my plicies regarding hurs f care, late fees and terminatin. We will review this tgether and nte any additinal infrmatin that is specific t yu and the care f yur child(ren). Sick Plicy I can care fr mildly ill children in my prgram, hwever there will be times when yu will need t keep yur children ut f the prgram due t illness. If yur child has a fever, diarrhea r vmiting, yu shuld keep them ut f care until thse symptms have reslved fr 24 hurs. My additinal plicies regarding caring fr ill children are as fllws: Plan fr Meeting Ptential Emergencies EEC regulatins require that I have a plan fr meeting ptential emergencies that may ccur either during child care hurs r at any time if they may affect the peratin f the prgram. In the event f an evacuatin emergency, I will cntact the lcal authrities t determine whether r nt t evacuate the prgram, r t remain sheltered at the prgram.

4 The escape rutes frm each flr f the licensed child care space are as fllws: In the event that a child ges missing frm the prgram, I will d the fllwing: Shuld the prgram need t be evacuated in the case f a fire, natural disaster, lss f pwer, heat r ht water, r any ther emergency situatin, we will meet at an alternate lcatin. The designated meeting place(s) utside f the prgram fr emergencies are: If the prgram needs t be evacuated, I will ntify all parents, as well as the apprpriate authrities (fire, plice, etc.) and EEC. My methd f ding that is as fllws (cell phne, neighbr s phne, payphne, etc.): I will ensure that n child has been left at the prgram after an evacuatin by:

5 Children s Recrds EEC regulatins require me t maintain an individual written recrd fr every child I have in care. These recrds include the infrmatin that parents cmplete at enrllment, as well as prgress reprts, incident reprts and ther dcumentatin regarding yur child s care. Recrds are updated at least annually, but may be updated as frequently as is needed. As a parent, yu have access t the recrd that I maintain fr yur child, and yu have the right t add infrmatin r t request that infrmatin in yur child s recrd be changed r deleted. Yu als have a right t receive a cpy f yur child s recrd; hwever I may charge a reasnable fee fr that cpy. EEC regulatins require that I make children s recrds available t EEC at any time that EEC may request these recrds, such as during a licensing/mnitring visit, a cmplaint investigatin, r a financial review f my prgram. Failure n my part t prvide these recrds t EEC culd result in EEC citing me fr regulatry nn-cmpliance r taking legal actin against my license. When EEC staff members review children s recrds in rder ensure that I am in cmpliance with EEC regulatins, at times they may cpy and keep the infrmatin fund in these recrds in rder t review my cmpliance with all EEC regulatins and plicies applicable t my prgram. This infrmatin will be kept in my EEC Licensing file r in EEC s financial mnitring file if the infrmatin invlves issues related t subsidized care. EEC is required by law t keep cnfidential any persnally identifiable infrmatin fund in children s recrds cllected and maintained by EEC staff members. EEC has a Privacy Plicy which discusses hw EEC keeps such infrmatin cnfidential. That plicy can be fund by ging t the EEC website at Please let me knw abut any questins yu have regarding yur child s recrd. Maintaining a Safe Envirnment EEC has a number f licensing standards related t safety in a Family Child Care Hme. Mst f these standards utline cmmn safety precautins such as making dangerus materials inaccessible t children, cvering utlets, having a first aid kit, practicing evacuatin drills, gating stairs, windws, r heating elements, psting emergency numbers, and maintaining a clean, hazard-free indr space. Als, the utdr space must be safe and hazard free and there shuld be n access t a busy street, water, cnstructin materials, rusty r brken play materials, debris, glass, r peeling paint.

6 Lead Pisning Preventin All Family Child Care Educatrs are required by EEC t prvide parents with infrmatin regarding the risks f Lead Pisning. The fllwing are sme facts that all parents shuld knw abut lead and lead pisning: Lead pisning is caused by swallwing r breathing lead. Lead is pisn when it gets int the bdy. Lead can stay in the bdy fr a lng time. Yung children absrb lead mre easily than adults. The harm dne by lead may never g away. Lead in the bdy can: Hurt the brain, kidneys, and nervus system Slw dwn grwth and develpment Make it hard t learn Damage hearing and speech Cause behavir prblems Mst f the lead pisning in Massachusetts cmes frm lead paint dust in lder hmes. Many hmes built befre 1978 have lead paint n the inside and utside f the building. When ld paint peels and cracks, it creates lead paint chips and lead dust. Lead dust als cmes frm pening and clsing ld windws. Lead dust lands n the flr. Lead gets int children s bdies when they put their hands and tys in their muths. Children can als breathe in lead dust. Children between the ages f 9 mnths and 6 years are mst at risk. Imprtant: Hme repairs and renvatins als create lead dust. Mst children wh have lead pisning d nt lk r act sick. A lead test is the nly way t knw if yur child has lead pisning. Ask yur dctr t test yur child fr lead. Sme children may have: Upset stmach Truble eating r sleeping Headache Truble paying attentin

7 As mentined earlier, if yur child is ver nine (9) mnths f age, yu will need t prvide dcumentatin t me that yur child has been screened fr lead pisning. Mst children will be screened annually until either age three (3) r fur (4), depending n where the child lives. I am required t disclse t yu if I am aware f any knwn surces f lead in my hme. Infrmatin regarding knwn surces f lead in my hme is as fllws: Fr mre infrmatin n lead pisning, yu can visit r call the Childhd Lead Pisning Preventin Prgram at (800) Supervisin Supervisin is critical t keeping children safe. I and any assistants in my prgram will apprpriately supervise children in rder t ensure their health and safety at all times. I will use gd judgment and cnsider several factrs in determining the apprpriate level f supervisin fr children including age, develpmental needs, behaviral characteristics, the nature f activities and the space we are using, as well as the number f caregivers present at any given time. If yu have any questins abut hw I supervise the children in my prgram, feel free t ask me. Safe Sleep Supervisin f children is equally imprtant during the times that a child is sleeping at the prgram, particularly when that child is an infant. EEC has very specific regulatins arund safe sleep practices. All infants are placed n their backs t sleep, unless a child s physician rders therwise (such an rder must be given t me in writing). I check n children every 15 minutes during naptime. If yur child is less than six mnths ld, I will directly supervise them during naptime fr the first six weeks they are in care. Fr mre infrmatin regarding Safe Sleep, please feel free t review the Family Child Care Plicies sectin f Curriculum and Prgress Reprts All Family Child Care Educatrs must carry ut a rutine that is flexible and respnds t the needs and interests f children in care. The rutine must include things such as; meeting the physical needs f children in care, sixty minutes f physical activity every day, child-initiated and Educatr-initiated activities and daily utdr play, weather permitting. Additinally, the Educatr must develp a curriculum that engages children in develpmentally apprpriate activities by planning specific learning experiences. The curriculum must include things such as; learning self-help skills that fster independence, pprtunities t gain prblem slving and decisin making cmpetencies and leadership skills and pprtunities t learn abut prper

8 nutritin, gd health and persnal safety. I am als respnsible fr prviding an envirnment that prmtes cultural, scial and individual diversity. In additin, prgress reprts must be cmpleted peridically fr all children in care. Fr infants and children with identified special needs, I will be cmpleting prgress reprts every three mnths. Fr tddlers and preschlers, thse reprts are cmpleted every six mnths, and schl age children will have a yearly prgress reprt cmpleted fr them. I will be sharing yur child s prgress reprts with yu, as well as ffering an pprtunity t meet and discuss yur child s prgress. Feel free t ask me abut curriculum and prgress reprts and hw they are implemented in my prgram. Child Guidance When it cmes t interactins and the guiding f children s behavir, the gal f all Educatrs is t maximize the grwth and develpment f children, as well as keep them safe. My Child Guidance Plicy is as fllws: Medicatin Administratin EEC has regulatins requiring Educatrs t have a plicy regarding the administratin f medicatin t children in care. As a licensed Family Child Care Educatr, I am als required t take medicatin administratin training. The fllwing guidelines are cmmn t all prgrams that are licensed by EEC: Prescriptin Medicatin Prescriptin medicatin must be brught t the prgram in its riginal cntainer and include the child's name, the name f the medicatin, the dsage, the number f times per day and the number f days the medicatin is t be administered. This prescriptin label will be accepted as the written authrizatin f the physician. The prgram will nt administer any medicatin cntrary t the directins n the label unless s authrized by written rder f the child's physician. The parent must fill ut the Authrizatin fr Medicatin Frm befre the medicatin can be administered.

9 Nn-prescriptin Medicatin The prgram needs written parental authrizatin t administer ral nn-prescriptin medicatin. The parent must fill ut the Authrizatin fr Medicatin frm, which allws the Educatr t administer the nn-prescriptin medicatin. The statement must be renewed n a weekly basis. In the case f unanticipated nn-prescriptin medicatin that is used t treat mild symptms (e.g., acetaminphen, ibuprfen), the prgram must still have written parental authrizatin, hwever it must be reviewed annually. The Educatr will make every attempt t cntact the parent prir t the child receiving the nn-prescriptin medicatin unless the child needs medicatin urgently r when cntacting the parent will delay apprpriate care unreasnably. Tpical Ointments and Sprays Tpical intments and sprays such as petrleum jelly, sunscreen, diaper rash intment and insect repellant will be administered t the child with written parental permissin. The signed statement frm the parent will be valid fr ne year and include a list f tpical nn-prescriptin medicatin. When tpical intments and sprays are applied t wunds, rashes, r brken skin, the Educatr will fllw the written prcedure fr nn-prescriptin medicatin which includes the written rder f the physician, which is valid fr a year, and the Authrizatin fr Medicatin frm signed by the parent. All Medicatins The first dse must be administered by the parent at hme in case f an allergic reactin. All medicatins must be given t the Educatr directly by the parent. All medicatins will be stred ut f the reach f children. All medicatins that are cnsidered cntrlled substances must be lcked and kept ut f reach f children. The Educatr will be respnsible fr the administratin f medicatin. In his/her absence, the designated persn will be. The prgram will maintain a written recrd f the administratin f any medicatin (excluding tpical intments and sprays applied t unbrken skin) which will include the child's name, the time and date f each administratin, the dse, and the name f the persn administering the medicatin. This cmpleted recrd will becme part f the child's file.

10 All unused medicatin will be returned t the parent if pssible, r dispsed f in accrdance with Department f Public Health guidelines. My additinal plicies regarding medicatin administratin are as fllws: Oral Health Prper ral health begins at hme, and I will be reinfrcing gd ral health practices with yur child each day. If yur child is in care fr mre than 4 hurs per day, r he/she will be receiving at least ne meal while in care, I am required t assist yur child with tth brushing at the prgram. [ ] I wuld appreciate it if yu wuld prvide me with a tthbrush and tthpaste fr yur child, which I will stre in a safe and sanitary manner at the prgram. [ ] I will be prviding tth brushing materials at the prgram. Parent Ntificatins I am required by EEC regulatins t ntify yu f certain infrmatin abut my family child care hme. These ntificatins include, but are nt limited t: an injury t yur child; allegatins f abuse r neglect regarding yur child; if anther educatr will be caring fr yur child; the administering f first aid t yur child; whenever a cmmunicable disease has been identified in the prgram; children being taken ff the child care premises; the existence f firearms in my hme; if there are any changes in my husehld cmpsitin, prir t any pets being intrduced int the prgram; whenever special prblems r significant develpments arise.

11 Mandated Reprting As a licensed Educatr in Massachusetts, I must perate my prgram in a way that prtects children frm abuse and neglect. As such, I am a mandated reprter (under M.G.L. c.119 s51a) and must make a reprt t the Department f Children and Families (DCF) whenever I have reasnable cause t believe a child in the prgram is suffering frm a serius physical r emtinal injury resulting frm abuse inflicted upn the child, r frm neglect, n matter where the abuse r neglect may have ccurred r by whm it was inflicted. What I Need Frm Yu The first day yur child attends child care, I need a cpy f the attached Family Child Care Enrllment Packet. Withut these cmpleted dcuments, which must be updated annually, I cannt care fr yur child. The reasn fr this is s I have all the imprtant infrmatin and phne numbers I will need in rder t prvide the best pssible care fr yur child. Medical Infrmatin Medical infrmatin abut yur child must be given t me within ne (1) mnth frm the day yur child begins care. There are three (3) pieces f medical infrmatin I will need: 1. A statement frm a physician r health care prfessinal that says that yur child received a physical exam within the past year; 2. Evidence that yur child has been immunized as recmmended by the Department f Public Health; 3. If yur child is nine (9) mnths f age r lder, a statement frm a physician r health care prfessinal which says that yur child has been screened fr lead pisning. Please nte: Yur child's immunizatin recrd must be updated and given t me in accrdance with the Department f Public Health's immunizatin schedule. Als, yur child's lead screening reprt must be updated as required by Department f Public Health Regulatins. This reprt must als be given t me. If yur child is schl age, I can accept a written statement that the required infrmatin is n file with the child s schl. Cmmunicatin and Staying Invlved It is imprtant t keep an pen dialgue with me as yur child s Educatr, and t maintain an active rle in yur child s care. Feel free t visit, nt just at pick up and drp ff time, but at a variety f times during yur child s day it s yur right as a parent. Please als make sure t fllw-up with me if yu have any questins abut the prgram r yur child s care. I lk frward t wrking with yur family and prviding a great experience fr yur child(ren)!

12 ATTACHMENT A---PARENT / EDUCATOR AGREEMENT Prgram Name: Name f Child(ren): Prgram Address: Prgram Hurs / Clsures My nrmal hurs f peratin: The hurs yur child will be receiving care are as fllws: If fr any reasn the prgram will be clsed, I will ntify yu by: Additinal schedule infrmatin (hlidays, training days, vacatin, etc.) is as fllws:

13 Fee Schedule Belw are my Family Child Care rates, as well as any plicies regarding late fees and terminatin: By signing this, yu are dcumenting that we are in agreement abut the hurs yur child will receive care, and the rates yu will be paying fr that care. Yu are als stating that yu understand my plicies regarding late fees, terminatin, and any ther issues dcumented abve. Parent Signature Date