Thank you for considering Mount Currie View Family Childcare as an option for the care of your child.   At Mount Currie View Family Childcare your child will always be growing, learning and engaged.  Our activities are based around science, math, music and movement, literacy, art and dramatic play.

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Included in this package you are reviewing the policies and procedures agreement for Mount Currie View Family Childcare. By agreeing with these policies and signing a contract you will have formed a caregiving partnership that has one main goal-quality care for your child.

 

A partnership works best when those involved understand one another and are aware of the other's expectations. It is important for you to realize this contract is a legal document. Family Child Care is the Caregiver's business. As a client, your responsibility to the child care provider includes paying fees on time and following policies agreed upon.

 

As a partner in this caregiving relationship, you must be willing to invest some of your time to ensure the continuing quality of your child's care. You will need to plan time at the beginning and end of each day to spend a few minutes communicating information about your child. If you have concerns about specific things, it is best to schedule time to discuss these when your child(ren) will not be present or schedule time when you can arrange a call.

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The enclosed information outlines the policies and procedures required by licencing, please read through this package carefully, and discuss any topic or concern you have.

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HOURS OF CHILDCARE:

 

The contracted hours of care are between the hours of 9:00 am and 5:00 pm Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. 

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FEES:  Starting September 2023 the childcare fees will be 80 dollars daily.   Fees are reduced through the Childcare fee reduction and parents can apply for childcare subsidy to drastically reduce parent fees if they qualify. 

 

HOLIDAYS:  Mount Currie View Child care is closed for the following holidays.  Family Day; Good Friday; Easter Monday; Victoria Day; Canada Day; BC Day; Labor Day; Thanksgiving Day; Remember Day.    

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VACATION LEAVE:  Mount Currie View Family Child Care is closed for Christmas break starting the week Christmas falls on for two weeks. We also close two weeks in the Spring for Spring break while school is out; around March 14-25.  We also book two weeks holiday time during the summer dependant on others vacation dates.  It is the parents’ responsibility to obtain substitute care during such times.  

 

CHILD ABSENT:  The parent should inform the provider as soon as possible if the child is to be absent due to illness or vacation.   We realize that sometimes a child wakes up sick and there will be short notice in those situations. If a child is continuously missing childcare each week for multiple reasons than discussions will need to be had to determine if the childcare arrangement can continue working.  Families are responsible to pay fees when their child is absent.  Parents can sell their day to families or a registered friend if they can not use them themselves.  

 

SUPPLIES:  The parents will provide milk, lunches, snacks, diapers and wipes. 

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If the weather looks like full sun children should arrive at daycare already wearing sunscreen and extra sunscreen needs to be packed to reapply.  

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Please send your children with appropriate clothing for the weather with an extra change of clothes. 

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A registered child will need a shirt ( stained one of course!) for art and painting.

 

 

NOTE:  Please write your child’s name on all of his/her belongings!

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Be a buddy; don't be a bully.  At Mount Currie View family childcare I believe in a positive approach; I provide guidance that will help your child learn social skills so that they can get along with others in social situations.  Our three main house rules are to listen, be kind to others and to be kind to our things.  To encourage appropriate behaviour I will do the following:

 

• When a child models appropriate behaviour it’s important that they know that they are doing a great job

• Allow children to feel good about themselves and to be able to appropriately express their feelings and frustrations 

• Provide attention, affection and to be kind; I always care and value a child’s trust

• Provide a clean, organized environment where children can play freely; areas a child should not be are closed and things a child shouldn't touch are out of the way.

• Provide age appropriate toys and activities to avoid behaviour associated to frustration

• Teach how to respect other’s belongings and the things in the environment

• Be there for a child when issues arise.  Encourage a child to ask for help when they need it

• Always model good behaviour myself to help children learn what acceptable behaviour is

• Always get down to their level when speaking and be clear as to what is expected

• Understand child development and consistently enforce realistic developmentally appropriate rules and limits for behaviour

• Allow a child to make mistakes if it will not harm them or others; allow them time to solve their own problems

 

In situations where inappropriate behaviour arises I will apply strategies to help ensure guidance is supportive by doing the following:

 

• Remind children of what we discussed appropriate behaviour is

• Always get down to their level and make sure they understand how their behaviour has had an impact on something or someone

• Recognize the root of the problem and offer appropriate choices to come up with a solution

• Understand a child and why they may have acted this way.  Encourage communication.

• Be aware of the environment and situations that may arise.  Redirect a child’s attention when needed.

• Always be aware of my own feelings and a child’s feelings; always be a positive model

• Allow enough physical activity so they can burn off excess energy

• Encourage a child to deal with the situation.  Maybe they need to hug somebody they just pushed over or they need to wipe up a cup of water they dumped on the floor. 

• Communicate with the parents.  Maybe a child is having problems at home which is affecting how they behave in social situations

• Inappropriate behaviour will never see that a child is punished physically, emotionally or psychologically

 

It is extremely important that every child feels good at the end of the day; daycare should always be a fun place for a child to enjoy their friends and play.

 

 

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A healthy child is a happy child.  At Mount Currie View Family Childcare healthy habits and healthy practices are followed to ensure children can feel at their best.  To prevent sickness we:

 

• Model regular and proper hand washing

• Soiled diapers are properly disposed and change area is sanitized 

• Toys are sprayed with a light bleach solution 

• Ledges and surfaces that are touched often are wiped daily

• Children are encouraged to cough into their arm

• Children are always encouraged to drink water 

• Families are informed of any outbreak of a contagious disease

 

Communication is essential to provide your child with the best possible care.  If your child has any allergies, medical conditions or needs regular administered medications it is important that I am aware so that appropriate discussions take place.  If your child has become ill within 24 hours of care it is important to notify me when a diagnosis has been made.  The following would be some symptoms of illness that would exclude your child from attending childcare in my home:

 

• nause

• diarrhea

• vomiting

• difficulty breathing

• fever of 38.3 degrees Celsius or more

• sore throat or difficulty swallowing

• infected skin or eyes or an undiagnosed rash

• severe itching of body or scalp

• any known or suspected communicable disease

 

Ultimately, the care of a child who is ill is the parent’s responsibility.

 

If your child becomes ill at child care, I will separate your child from the other children ensuring that they are comfortable and cared for until you or your alternate can come and pick them up. A child can return to care only when all symptoms of an illness has passed and their well-being is lively; certain serious illnesses may require a doctor’s approval.  If the child is in an emergency situation I will call an ambulance and then contact you or your alternate immediately.

 

It is recommended that children in my care are up to date with immunizations.  Parents are required to provide emergency contact information including the child’s physician and who the alternate person to consent to medical treatment is if the parent cannot be reached.

 

If your child becomes seriously ill or has been in contact with a communal disease within 24 hours through other family members it is important to notify me immediately so necessary precautions can be taken.   I will need to notify other families and warn them of the potential spread of illness.  I may call the local health authority for advice in these situations.  If a child has a reportable communicable disease I will contact  the local Medical Health Officer within 24 hours of it being brought to my attention. 

 

    •    Food bourne illnesses (all causes e.g. salmonella)

    •    Diphtheria

    •    Giardiasis

    •    Hepatitis A, B and C

    •    Measles

    •    German Measles (Rubella)

    •    Bacterial or viral meningitis

    •    Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (the E-Coli toxin of Haemorrhagic Colitis or Hamburger Disease)

    •    Meningococal disease (bacteraemia or meningitis)

    •    Mumps

    •    Pertussis (Whooping Cough)

    •    Tuberculosis

    •    Sexually transmitted diseases (need to be reported due to abuse issues)

    •    Waterbourne illness (all causes)

 

Signed parental consent is required before any medication can be administered by the child care provider. The parent must also provide in writing the following information:

 

• The name of the medication

• How often it is to be given

• The dosage

• Any special instructions

• Possible symptoms or side effects

• The expiry date of the medication

 

Prescription medication must have the original prescription label adhered to the bottle and must be clearly marked with the child’s name, date of prescription, doctor’s name, name of medication and dosage.

 

All medication will be stored as per instructions and will be kept out of children’s reach at all times.

 

In the event of my illness or if my child is contagious I will provide you with as much notice as possible when symptoms of an illness first appear.  I will inform you of the facts and you can make a decision about whether you want to bring your own child. Unfortunately, many conditions are contagious before children even start to show symptoms.  In the event that I have to close the child care due to my illness or injury, you are not required to pay.  It will be your responsibility for finding alternate child care arrangements.  

 

 

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Mount Currie View Family Childcare will do everything we can to protect your child from a COVID-19 outbreak.  It is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT that families follow guidelines for protection in their own homes and keep their families in a safe feeling bubble.  At this time the virus is not too present in our community, but, it's very important to keep the children on track and aware of how to protect themselves and their friends as the virus will most likely be more present in the Fall.  (fingers crossed it's not!!) If you have travelled outside of Pemberton and are feeling unsure wether you or your family has been exposed then you will need to stay home.  SO PLEASE PLAN SAFE!!  Avoid traveling out of the community if you don't need to. Continue shopping for large amounts of groceries to minimize transmission!  Most importantly, WASH YOUR HANDS AND DO NOT TOUCH YOUR FACE!

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To minimize the possible spread of this virus:

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• Follow hand washing guidelines that engage children in frequent hand washing with soap and water for at least twenty seconds throughout the day after going to the washroom, before eating and after getting hands dirty. 

• Enter from each entrance if two families arrive at the same time

• Use routine practices that follow regulations for cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting. 

• Play outside often for snacks, learning activities and play time

• Keep windows open indoors for good ventilation and air exchange

• Offer children reminders to not touch their eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands

• Use hand sanitizer when no soap and water is available before eating food on a walk or after using a playground

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A parent  or child may not enter a childcare space if they are sick, even if the symptoms resemble a mild cold.  Symptoms to look for include:

• fever

• cough

• shortness of breath

• sore throat

• runny nose

• nasal congestion

• headache

• a general feeling of being unwell

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If a child begins to present these symptoms after drop off I will make immediate arrangements for the child to be picked. During that time the child will be separated from the group and made to feel comfortable.  If I myself start to feel ill; I will contact everyone immediately to arrange pick up of all children.  

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We have a kitten in our home named Coco.  She is extremely friendly and comfortable around children.

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Children are responsible for their own rides to and from daycare.

 

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My childcare recognizes the importance of physical activity for young children and aims for healthy guidlines.  I always encourage children to participate in a variety of physical activity opportunities daily to support proper health and development by:

 

-Support child led free flow play

-Organize outdoor games/ sports

-Visit local playgrounds and bike tracks

-Frequent walks and bike rides on nature trails and throughout the neighbourhood

-Provide a variety of play materials (both indoors and outdoors) that promote physical activity

-Practice kid friendly yoga and exercise routines

-Get moving with music and movement songs that are age appropriate

 

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The Canadian Pediatric Society discourages screen based activities for children less than two years of age. A child’s brain develops rapidly during these first years and young children learn best by interacting with people.

 

Studies have shown that that excessive media use such as TV, cell phones and internet usage can lead to:

 

* Attention problems

* School difficulties

* Sleep disorders

* Eating disorders and obesity.

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In my daycare, the use of electronic media will be limited to 30 mins a day and shows chosen must have some educational value or a relation to the weekly theme.  Most often the children love preschool songs.   It is during this time that I eat some food, clean and prepare for activities and outings. I often feel like superwoman after those thirty minutes!

 

TV is not permitted under the following circumstances:

* When children are in daycare for four hours a day or less.

* When children are under the age of two (tv time falls while they nap)

 

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Our home is a smoke free environment; my partner and myself do not take part in this habit.  At no time is smoking ever permitted on our property while children are present.

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Emergency supplies on hand are:

 

    •    First aid kit

    •    plastic tarp or a small tent.

    •    Blankets, extra clothing.

    •    Water at least four liters per person

    •    A flashlight and spare batteries.

    •    A battery-operated radio.

    •    Papers and pencils.

    •    Photographs of all family members and child care children.

    •    Paper towels, wet wipes, hand sanitizers, 

    •    Enough food.

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I will practice my evacuation procedure once a month. My drill procedure will teach children the Stop, Drop (down to the floor or ground ) and roll (on the ground to put out the flames  as well  as place  hands  over their face) procedure if there’s  any  fire caught  on their clothes  or part  of their body. To make them understand I would be visiting a local fire station as a field  trip.

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• Always be consistent in my response to the smoke detector, even if it is inconvenient.

• If the alarm goes off we will be practicing our drill and never consider it just okay and ignore it – we will RESPOND! Children will be taught to always respond quickly.

• When ever smoke alarm goes, we will immediately EXIT out of the house. I will demonstrate to the children what we take outside with us: our bodies. We don’t  worry about toys or blankets.

 

All drills will be recorded with the date, time, number of children in attendance and the outcome of the drill.  This record will be available for inspection by Licensing.

 

 

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Emergency  preparedness drills  will  be  performed  once  a  month  to  reinforce  children’s knowledge   of our  meeting  place  and  safety  rules.  When  a staff  member yells (( EARTHQUAKE)) the  children will  be  taught  to  crawl  under  a table, crouch  and cover  their  heads.

I will   talk to children as this is happening so they know  they  are safe. Once  the shaking  has  stopped and it feels safe  to do  so they  will  exit  from  their  safe spot . My responsibility is to walk around the room  to ensure the  room  is safe  for children  to come out  and exit  the daycare.  The  children  and I  will exit  the home through  the  nearest  or safest  exit  if  safe  to do so.  I will  collect  the  emergency  disaster  basket  before exiting  the  daycare.

 

In executing the earthquake  procedure.  I will:

 

• Try to get the emergency disaster basket before exiting the  daycare.

• Try to get the emergency attendance clip board and emergency  cards.

• Try to stay calm through the situation to help children stay calm.

• Try to yell out to the children when an earthquake occurs to tell them  to get under  the     tables.

• Stay with children at all times .

• Follow any direction from an emergency responder.

• Care for children if needing medical attention or comfort.

• Ensure all decisions are made in the safest way as possible.

• Practice the earthquake drill once a month.

 

All drills will be recorded with the date, time, number of children in attendance and the outcome of the drill.  This record will be available for inspection by Licensing.

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Attention should be paid to the message left by the door to tell the parents about where the alternative meeting location is

 

 

 

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Every effort is made to ensure the safety of your child while at Mount Currie View Family Child Care, as well as on field trips to the park and other destinations.  This policy sets out my procedures for maintaining safety and dealing with the unlikely event of a child going missing.

 

- I will ensure the gate in my backyard is latched properly and the children are well supervised.

- I will ensure they are under constant visual supervision while at a park, or other public place.

- I will not allow strangers in my home or allow them to come in contact with the children in my care.

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If a child does become missing, I will:

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Search for the child for 2 minutes in the area the child was in, while supervising the other children in my care.

Contact an employee if at a store or library to have the exits locked and search performed.

Contact the parents.

Contact the police.

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When the child is found, I will:

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Talk to the child in a calm voice, bearing in mind that the child might not have realized that wandering off was wrong as it scared me and  provide comfort with hugs if the child is in distress.

All of the children in my care will be given verbal reminders of how important it is to not leave the premises, and why.

The incident will be recorded in detail in my business journal, and a detailed account of the incident logged on an Incident Report and sent to my liaison at the Child Care Licensing Department.

 

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While caring for young children I will be very close with the families, they will likely share their joys and sorrows with me.

Confidentiality is critical to building trust in my relationships with families, and is my professional responsibility.

 

Confidentiality will be maintained in the following ways:

 

All documents, contracts and information regarding the child will be kept in a filing cabinet, which will be inaccessible to everyone except the caregiver and Licensing

 

At no time will the care provider talk about a child or their family with anyone within the facility, including other clients, and will never talk about a child or their family outside the facility.

 

 

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It is my obligation to ensure that children in my care are supervised at all times.

 

I will not release a child from my care to anyone except the parent of the child or a person authorized by the parent as an alternate, as set out on the Registration Form.

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Child abuse is broken into four categories.  Abuse my be one, or a combination of any of these, physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse and neglect. At Mount Currie View Family Childcare, as a care provider, it is my duty by law to report any situations which would cause me to suspect that a child is being abused or neglected to the local Ministry of Children and Family Development immediately at 1 800 663 9122.  To prevent any concerns for parents and to ensure your Childs safety and well-being in my home a criminal record check has been completed for both me and my partner.    As a care provider I encourage children to express their feelings in our positive environment.   As a childcare provider I could be the person a child turns to for help; I WILL NEVER QUESTION A CHILD.  If a child discloses abuse they are to be comforted, supported and believed.  If I am unsure if a child has been abused I will contact a Child Protection Social Worker to discuss a situation.  To help a child I will contact the Ministry of Children and Family Development or Licensing without your permission for advice on the next steps to be taken.  Any suspected abuse or neglect incidents will be recorded in a secure and safe space with dates and times as well as any other observations of the Childs behaviour to support the reasons for placing a call for help.

 

If anyone suspect abuse or neglect has taken place in the child care centre, they are to contact Vancouver Coastal Health Community Care Facility Licensing at 1 (866) 884-0888.

 

 

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-Parents will be responsible to provide all meals and snacks themselves.

-Water will be available all day 

-To encourage healthy eating, all lunches should include items from each food group

-Please minimize packaged 'convenient' foods to help encourage healthy eating practices for all children eating.  

-It is my role to provide a schedule for snacks and lunch, but it is ultimately a child’s choice how much he/she eats from the foods that are offered

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-To prevent choking:

-eating will be supervised at all times, and I will model good eating habits

-food will be eaten while sitting

-mealtimes will be relaxed to discourage rushing

-I leave it to the responsibility of parents to cut their food age appropriate to prevent choking. 

-round items (e.g., wieners, pepperoni) will be cut lengthwise into 4 strips

-hard items (e.g., carrots) will be finely chopped

-chunky foods (e.g., meat and cheese) will be cut into small pieces

-peanut butter will be spread thinly

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-I will never:

-force a child to eat

-threaten or discipline a child for not eating

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I am well known in my community, and, as a childcare provider it is vital that the parents of the children I care for can trust, support and recommend my service to other families in our community.  I value a positive partnership between parents as well as the friendships amongst the children and myself.  

 

The roles and responsibilities of the families I care for are as follows:

 

• Communication.  If there is a problem address it with me directly

• Inform me of any changes to address, doctors or emergency contacts

• Provide appropriate clothing, spare clothes, diapers and wipes

• Provide a lunch and two snacks, milk if they drink it, and a water cup.

• Inform me if your child has an illness or if there is a possibility of a contagious disease

• Be consistent with drop off and pick up times; inform me if you are running late

• Provide appropriate notice before leaving for a holiday or removing your child from childcare

• Provide payment on time for each week unless other arrangements are in place

• Have read and understand the family childcare policies and have signed documents required

 

The roles and responsibilities of me as a childcare provider are as follows:

 

• Children are guaranteed fun activities and outings every day that support healthy growth and development

• Children at no time are left alone with no supervision

• All monies collected are reported to the government and receipts will be issued for childcare      

• Families will be noted well in advance of planned holidays. If I suspect my child might be sick I will inform you of the symptoms and allow you to decide if you want to drop your child off.

• Communication of our day. I will send a group update at the end of each day with pictures and videos taken on my I-phone of various activities and adventures

• Liability insurance for the children and home are current

• Follow the guidelines of childcare licensing regulations

• Care for your child with their best interests in mind; a healthy, clean and safe, loving and caring environment at all times.

• Provide an environment which is conducive to health, safety, development and quality care of children and which is capable of meeting the individual needs of children

• Provide a range of activities and experiences which are designed to promote the physical, social, emotional and intellectual development of each child. Such activities must include a range of indoor and outdoor activities.

• Use positive behaviour management techniques with children.

• Maintain necessary confidential records concerning the children in our child care.

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