GOLDEN CHILD
DAYCARE
Parent Handbook
Policies and Procedures
1
Table of Contents
Organization Information
Facility Description
Purpose
Hours of Operation
Statutory Holidays
Pg. 5
Philosophy Statement
Pg. 5
Behavior Guidance Policy
Pg. 5
Staff Information
Role of the Manager
Role of the Administrator
Role of the Early Childhood Educators
Staff Absenteeism
Pg. 6
Starting your child with us
Pg. 8
Enrollment Policy
Enrollment Requirements
Pay first months fees
Pay the administration fee
Return completed registration package
Obtain subsidy application
Set up and complete an orientation
Pg. 8
Payment Policies
Provincial Child Care Subsidy
Overdue/Late Accounts
Payment Fees
NSF Fees
Non-Attendance Fees
Outstanding Accounts
Holidays, sick days, statutory holidays
Pg. 9
Financial Disputes
Pg.10
Pg. 5
Pg. 5
Pg. 7
Pg. 9
Pg.10
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Complaint Process
Pg.10
Care Plans
Pg.10
Parent Involvement
Parent Orientation
Phone calls
Communication Board
Suggestions
Communicate
Pg.11
Pick up Policy
From the Daycare
Signing your child in/out
Late pick-up
Late pick-up fees
Pg.12
Daily Schedule
pg.12
What to Bring
Pg.13
Meals and Snacks
Pg.13
Toilet Training
Pg.13
Quiet Time
Pg.13
Medication
Pg.14
Illness Policy
Pg.14
Medical Emergency Procedures
Pg.15
Fire Drills
Pg.15
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Arrival and Departure
Pg.15
Termination of Care
By the Parent
By the Centre
Pg.15
Evacuation and Emergency Procedures
Pg.16
Suspect Child Abuse Policy
Pg.16
Confidentiality Policy
Pg.16
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ORGANIZATION INFORMATION:
Facility Description
Golden Child Daycare is located at 818 – 9th Street North in
Golden, British Columbia. We are licensed to care for a maximum of 16 children
between the ages of 0 months to 12 years of age.
Purpose
At Golden Child Daycare, our main focus is to provide a safe and enriching environment
for all children in our care. We want to provide our community with a service it needs and
allow parents flexibility in their schedules for time to breath and know their children are in
good hands.
We understand that children learn and grow at their own pace and as such we will
provide them with the tools and knowledge they need to achieve this. Our program
planning will be tailored to the needs and interests of the children and will be
developmentally appropriate for all age groups in our care. We will spend time observing
children in play to assess what areas of interest are as well as needs. Based on our
observations we will implement opportunities for Social, Emotional, Physical, Intellectual
and Creative development.
Children will be encouraged to problem-solve during activities and with their peers. Staff
will engage children in expressing their feelings and share their thoughts.
Health and Fitness are main areas of focus for us and we are fortunate to have the
space to give children the freedom to move around in. The Daycare is connected to an
1800 sq. ft. training gym allowing children to experience activities such as karate, Yoga,
Zumba and other fitness related activities. Our outdoor space includes Basketball courts,
2400 sq. ft. of lawn space, a Learning Garden, a concrete games area for wheeled toys
and a playground with obstacles to encourage a variety of gross and fine motor
movements. We will be going outside in the mornings and afternoons, weather
permitting, and utilizing the gym on days we cannot go outside. Please send appropriate
clothing for outside time.
Hours of Operation
The facility is open Monday – Friday 8am – 5pm. The centre is closed on all government
designated statutory holidays, which are listed below.
Statutory Holidays
Golden Child Daycare is closed on the following days:
New Year’s Day, Family Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Heritage Day,
Labour Day, Thanksgiving Day, Remembrance Day, Christmas Day, Boxing Day
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Behavior Guidance Policy
Staff will encourage positive interactions among children, and will
promote a supportive environment in which children's development
and self expression may be stimulated, and the child's assets and
strengths shall be the focus.
Staff will encourage children to be responsible for their behavior by reasoning with the
child and offering set limits. Should the child continue to use the negative behavior, or
lose control and cannot be reasoned with, the child will be removed for a "reflection"
period away from the situation. In all incidents, staff will discuss with the child the reason
for reflection time and the importance of the rule that was broken. In the case where the
staff member is experiencing difficulty with the child's behavior (i.e. total disregard of
authority or hurting others physically) will not be tolerated. The parent will be called to
pick up their child. Management reserves the right to discharge a child from the program
with thirty days written notice, should the disruptions persist.
Staff is not permitted to inflict any form of physical punishment (e.g. striking child,
shaking, spanking). Staff is also not permitted to take any action that results in physical
injury to the child, verbal or emotional (e.g. degrading the child, harsh belittling). Staff is
not permitted to deny the child of any physical necessity, such as, food, shelter, bedding,
or toileting, of any child enrolled in the Daycare. It is the policy of this Daycare that
children are given the opportunity to resolve conflicts themselves through the use of
language and problem solving skills.
All children are expected to stay within the limits of consideration for people and things.
At no time will children be permitted to engage in physical and verbal attacks on each
other or staff members.
Staff will employ measures to deal with situations where the children cannot reach a
solution themselves. These measures will include:
•Redirecting the child and/or the activity, offer the child choices.
•Assisting in the use of problem solving and/or language skills to help children reach a
solution that is age and stage appropriate to their development.
•Allow the child quiet time away from other children along with the opportunity to talk
one-on-one with a teacher
Staff Information
We are a licensed daycare and as such our staff hold their Early Childhood Educator or
Assistant Certification with each group consisting of an Early Childhood Educator. All
staff is required to submit a criminal record check prior to commencement of work at the
daycare and must be trained in First Aid and CPR.
We conduct monthly staff meetings and training to ensure the team is all on the same
page and that any program needs are addressed.
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Role of the Manager
The manager is part of the management team and is responsible
for the day-to-day operations of the Daycare and meets with each
staff member on a regular basis to review their observations and
help with interpretations and problem solving. The manager will
also help to identify any further resources that would be helpful (books, articles,
professional resources, etc.) The manager will act as a resource to the staff and parents
in promoting the child's overall development.
Role of the Administrator
Along with the Director, the Administrator is also a member of the management team
and is responsible for the invoicing of daycare fees, corresponding with parents in
regards to their accounts, managerial/office skills, various accounting duties and all
questions regarding to subsidy for the families attending, as well as payroll and assisting
the Director with day-to-day operations of the Daycare.
Role of Early Childhood Educators
All staff interact in the child's play following the child's lead ensuring supervision of all
children in the room at all times. By encouraging children's self-respect and respect for
others, the primary staff helps the children develop self-control and sensitivity in their
interactions with others. Guiding children's behavior is an important part of the primary
staff member's role and one that takes place continually throughout the day. Appropriate
behavior management methods guide the children's behavior while protecting and
enhancing their self-esteem. Staff uses preventive and intervention strategies.
All activity centres are designed to promote the physical, social, emotional and
intellectual development for each age group. These individuals are dedicated to promote
your child's physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development. As trained
professionals, all of our staff supplement the care provided by the family through
planned activities and by creating a stimulating and caring environment.
During our hours of operation, the Early Childhood Educators maintain their high energy
levels with the necessary support and communication provided from parents, as we
recognize family needs may change or evolve. Please make every effort to provide the
staff with useful information regarding your child (i.e. lack of sleep, fighting illness, family
member away from home, etc.).
Staff Absenteeism
In the event a daycare worker is ill, has an accident or requires time off for training or
personal reasons, a substitute worker may be called in. If the manager is absent an
Alternate manager will assume his/her duties for time they will be away. Where possible,
parents will be notified in advance of any upcoming absenteeism and given the
opportunity to meet any substitute staff.
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Starting your Child with Us
Upon registering your child with us we will ask you to complete our
Registration package; this includes Registration forms, Permission
Forms, Medical Authorization forms and a Child-care Agreement
contract. We will also require your child’s BC Health Care Card
number and a copy of their immunization records. Please ensure you have contact
information for your emergency contacts as well as for adults authorized to pick-up. We
cannot accept children if registration is incomplete for legal reasons, this includes DropIn children. Provincial Licensing also requires us to take a picture of your child’s face for
emergency identification purposes. This picture will only be stored as long as the child is
in our care and will be kept in a confidential computer file accessible only to Daycare
staff.
Enrollment Requirements
To finalize your registration and reserve your space at Golden Child
Daycare, parents are required to complete the following steps:
Return a completed registration package
Signed Daycare/Parent Contract and Registration Form to either the Manager or
Administrator. (Note: a child cannot be accepted into the daycare program without these
completed documents)
Pay the first month of fees
The first month’s fees are due upon parent's acceptance and confirmation of a space in
the Daycare. If not starting on the first of the month, the rate will be prorated to include
only those days in which the child has been enrolled. An invoice for user fees is
distributed by the 15th of the month for the following month's attendance. Payment is
due by the 22nd, 7 days from invoicing (referred to as the 'due date'). The Parent User
agrees to pay dues promptly by the due date. It is understood and accepted that
payment later than the due date will be charged a 10% late surcharge. Payment not
received by the month's end entails forfeiting childcare services with termination of
attendance (unless otherwise arranged with management). Payment options available
are cash, cheque, and money order, e-transfer.
Pay the Administration fee
All new enrollments will be charged a one-time $40.00 registration fee. This will appear
on the first invoice and is in addition to the fee for daycare services. It is non-refundable
and applies to all enrollments (full-time, part-time). A registration fee for drop in is
$40.00. In the event that a family terminates care, and then resumes attendance at the
Daycare within one year of the original admission date, the administration fee will NOT
be charged a second time. A $25.00 administration fee will be charged for re-instating a
terminated enrollment if more than one year has passed since the original admission
date.
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Obtain a current daycare subsidy application (if
applicable). The Manager or Administrator will be happy to assist
families in the completion of the Daycare Subsidy forms. If you want
to learn more about the BC Child Care Subsidy Program please
speak with the Manager or Administrator.
Set-up and complete an orientation
Only after receiving all of these items will your child's space be reserved and held for you
until their start date. Without these items in place the space can be offered to other
potential parents also seeking daycare. Please avoid disappointment and fully complete
the registration process.
Payment Policies
Golden Child Daycare is a community based Daycare for full time, part time and drop in
daycare. All daycare fees are invoiced in advance, with the exception of drop-in care,
which is paid upon arrival at the daycare on the day in which care is requested. All fees
must be paid INFULL in advance of attendance. Administration has structured its
policies to ensure that all fees are paid on time to keep administrative costs at a
minimum. Parents are reminded that these policies are necessary for the longevity of the
daycare. If parents cannot commit to these terms, then the daycare is unable to accept
their child(ren). Please ensure that the following policies are clearly understood and
adhered to:
•Payments can be made by cheque, cash, money order, or e-transfer and made
payable to Golden Child Daycare.
•Payments will be made monthly in advance. Payments are NOT refundable if a
parent terminates care without giving 30 days written notice.
Provincial Child Care Subsidy
Golden Child Daycare will submit the subsidy form each month for the subsidy portion.
Remainder of payment must be made as per the terms in the payment policy.
Overdue Accounts
The following steps will be taken in the event that an account is not paid
IN FULL by the payment date.
Late Payment Fees
Any account that is not paid in full by the payment due date will be assessed a 10%
surcharge.
NSF Fees
NSF cheques must be replaced within five days (later than 5 days will result in a 10%
surcharge to the outstanding invoice) and must include an additional $45.00 NSF fee.
Repeated NSF cheques may result in termination of daycare services.
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Non-attendance
Parents are asked to notify the daycare by 9:00 am if their child will
not be attending on a regularly scheduled day so as to keep our
staff aware of who will or will not be in their care. FEES ARE
STILL APPLICABLE.
Outstanding Accounts
Outstanding accounts are any accounts left owing to the Daycare after the child is no
longer in attendance at the Daycare. In the case of fees left outstanding, Golden Child
Daycare will allow 30 days for parents to make payments. If 30 days have passed and
fees are still owed, our accounting department will forward accounts to a collection
agency.
Holidays, Sick Days and Statutory Holidays
Regular monthly fees are payable for children enrolled, for all days your child would
normally attend, even those missed due to family holidays and sick days. Statutory
Holidays will not be included in fees as the center is closed on those dates.
Financial Disputes
All billing issues are brought to the attention of the Administrator. Administration will
determine which policies apply to the situation and determine an appropriate course of
action. The parent will be informed as to the relevant policies and be provided with an
additional copy of the Parent Handbook for review. They will also be provided with a
copy of their initial agreement, which states they have clearly read and understood all
Daycare policies.
Complaint Process
When an issue arises, we encourage you to contact the manager to discuss any issues
of concern to promptly rectify the situation.
Care Plans
Should a child need a specific care plan requiring extra support, the Manager will
develop one in consultation with the parent and together will review the plan once per
year. A record will be kept to show compliance with the care plan in the areas of dietary
needs met, any medication administered including the amount and time, any
modification to the program activities for the child, behavioral guidance including causes
and effects, and any other information to be recorded which has been discussed with the
parent.
The child’s care plan will include:
- Diagnoses by a medical practitioner
- Courses of action recommended by a medical practitioner
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Resources to be made available to the child while in care, such as changes to the facility
to ensure child’s safety and comfort and changes to the program to enable child to
participate and benefit from it.
Parent Involvement
Parent orientation - Each parent new to the Daycare will receive a tour and a
handbook of our philosophy, and policies and procedures outlining all necessary
daycare information for parent's to review. We also encourage bringing your child(ren)
for a pre-arranged visit prior to your child’s first day to help make them feel more
comfortable.
Phone calls - We welcome phone calls anytime during the day to inquire about your
child's progress. If we are outside please leave a message and a staff member will
return your call as soon as possible. If we are on a field trip our cell phone number will
be left in the event a parent needs to reach us.
Communication board - There is a parent information board located in the
entryway of the daycare. We use this board to post general, relevant information that
needs to be conveyed to parents. All parents are asked to read the posted material on a
regular basis to keep up-to-date on the happenings in and around the daycare.
Communicate -Two-way communication between parents and staff is what helps us
provide the best possible service to you, your child, and family. We are here to support
you and are happy to help in any way we can
Pick up Policy
From the Daycare
Provincial government regulations state that children can only be released to adults
authorized by the child's legal guardian. Upon registration, parents are asked to submit a
list of names of people authorized to pick up their child(ren) from the Daycare. Any
changes to this list must also be made in writing. Children will only be released to those
adults listed. Only in an emergency situation will a child be released with verbal
permission.
When a person unknown to Daycare Staff comes to pick up a child, staff will ask for a
piece of photo identification and compare that person's name to the list of people
authorized by the child's legal guardian. If the individual's name does not appear on this
list then the child will not be released and the person will be asked to leave the program
area and the parent notified by phone. Please remember it is very important to notify
staff of any special circumstances regarding pick up (i.e. custody arrangements,
restraining orders, threat of abduction, etc.).
Signing your child in and out of the Daycare
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Very Important: Please sign your child 'In and Out' each day on the attendance
sheets located at the front. This is a legality procedure, and is essential for safety
reasons as a requirement set out by the Provincial
Licensing Board. Any person signing a child 'In and Out' must be 18 years of age or
older, as this ensures we are aware your child is present and we are now responsible for
their car
Late Pick Up:
If you know you are going to be late due to an emergency situation,
please advise the Daycare as soon as possible. If a child remains at the Daycare after
5:00 pm, the emergency contact person will be called. If the child is not picked up by
5:30 pm, the manager will be contacted (if not still on site) and appropriate
arrangements will be made for your child.
Late Pick Up Fees:
Golden Child Daycare closes daily at 5:00 pm. All parents are
encouraged to pick their child(ren) up prior to this time. Late charges of $1.00 per child
for each minute past 5:00 pm will be charged.
Overdue fees must be paid to the staff member at the time of pick up or the following
morning.
Daily Schedule
8:00 - 9:00
9:00 - 9:10
9:15 - 10:00
10:00 - 10:10
10:10 - 10:20
10:30 - 11:30/45
11:45 - 12:00
12:00 - 12:20
12:20 –12:40
12:40 - 1:00
1:00 – 3:00
3:00 – 3:20
3:30 – 4:30
4:00 – 5:00
Arrival Time
Morning Circle
Activity Time
Washroom/hand washing time
Snack
Outside Time
Washroom time/hand washing
Lunch
DEAR – Drop everything and Read time
Circle Time
Quiet Time
Washroom/Snack time
Free Play
Outside Time
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What To Bring
Parents are required to provide the following:
• Sunscreen
• Insect repellent
• Diapers/wipes/creams
• Baby bottles (if formula, pre-mixed)
• Baby food/Bibs
• One extra FULL set of clothing, including socks & underwear
• Indoor shoes, MANDATORY
• Lunch, we provide am and pm snacks
• Special blanket for quiet time
• Based on weather, sufficient warm/dry outdoor gear with an extra set of mittens for
winter. NO SCARVES PLEASE.
**Please label in black permanent marker all items which you send from home.
Please do not bring toys from home as they can cause children to get upset when they
are requested to share OR can get broken/lost/misplaced.
Failure to provide some items for your child may result in additional fees being charged.
Meals and Snack
Please send your child to Daycare with a healthy lunch/snacks (no candy, pop,
chocolate or chips please). Children are happier, focused and energized when they are
filled with nutritious meals.
Children will be served water at meal times.
Infants will be given bottles according to their schedules at home and will be held by staff
for bottle feedings.
Children will not be forced to eat, but encouraged by means of reasoning. We will notify
you if your child is not eating.
Toilet Training
We are more than happy to assist with toilet training; we ask you provide wipes and
extra changes of clothing for your child as they go through this learning process.
Quiet Time
We will offer a Quiet Rest Period for all children. We recognize that not all children have
a designated nap at home, however we feel that quiet time allows all children an equal
opportunity to recharge their batteries in their own personal way. We have cots
designated for each child and a playpen in the Quiet Room for each infant under 18
months. Cots will be placed in the learning environment for children who wish to lay
down, lights dimmed and soft soothing music played. We will encourage all children to
lay down for a period of 20 minutes with a book they choose; after this time, if they are
awake and choose to get up they may move onto a quiet area. An area will be set up for
children who do not nap with quiet, independent activities such as a craft, coloring,
reading or puzzles.
Medication
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If you have requested the administration of medication, there must
be written consent with the dose and the times that they are to be
administered. Prescribed medication must be labeled with the
pharmaceutical label indicating the child’s name, physician, dose
and times. Over-the-counter medicines must have labels with
dosage information. An employee will always be available to administer medication to a
child as needed or will be able to supervise a child self-administering medication in
accordance with written instructions by parents. Medication will not be accessible to
children, unless a parent has instructed otherwise and that without immediate access to
medication by the child, the child’s health may be at serious risk.
Illness Policy
It is our goal to provide a safe and secure environment for children. This includes giving
children a healthy place to learn and grow. While we understand and sympathize that
keeping a sick child home from daycare is extremely difficult for working parents, it is the
number one contributing factor to the cycle of illness that can occur in a center. We
adhere to strict hygiene policies regarding sanitizing of toys and equipment and the use
of proper hand washing techniques.
If a child falls ill while at the daycare, every effort possible will be made to ensure the
comfort of the child. They will be placed and supervised in the Quiet/Nap room in a crib
or on a cot. Parents/guardians will be notified and asked to pick up their child as soon as
possible.
Do not bring a sick child to daycare. It is unfair to your child, the other children and the
employees as well. A child with the following symptoms should be kept at home:
- Known or suspected communicable diseases (ex: pink eye, chicken pox, lice, etc.)
- Continuous and/or copious amounts of green or yellow nasal discharge
- Persistent and/or undiagnosed coughing and sneezing
- Fever of more than 38.3C (100F)
- Rash
- Unexplained diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Infected eyes or skin
- Discharge from eyes or ears
- Listlessness
- Difficulty breathing
- Severe itching of body and/or scalp
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Medical Emergency Procedures
1. Administer First Aid/CPR
2. Staff will call 911
3. Contact with parents or emergency contacts
4. Contact with physician
Fire Drills
We conduct monthly fire drills in accordance with the Licensing Regulations. We also
teach children about fire safety and hazards. It is a good idea to implement a similar
practice at home for maximized preparedness and safety.
Arrival and Departure
You must accompany your child into his or her learning area, once they have placed
their belongings in the coat area. Children must be signed in and out by their
parents/authorized person to pick up, with arrival and departure times as well as a
signature. Please communicate any pertinent information with the staff.
Termination of Care
By the Parent:
Parents who wish to withdraw their child from the program are required to submit 30
days (one month) written notice. Those who provide less notice will be required to pay
for their space for the term of notice.
By the Daycare:
Golden Child Daycare has the right to cease care of a child for 1
or more of the following reasons:
•If the child is deemed to be a safety or health risk to themselves, other children, or staff
(i.e. despite tactics to change their behavior, the child is continuously biting, hitting, or
hurting his/her friends, the child attacks staff members, physically harming them).
•If the child has been absent from the program for 10 consecutive working days without
the parent giving notice of the situation and a date on which the child will be returning to
the daycare.
•If the child's account is overdue and no arrangement has been made with the
administrator or manager to rectify the situation.
•If parents are abusive to staff (i.e. the child is physically or verbally abusive to staff
causing them harm, the parent is physically or verbally abusive which results in staff
being offended, uncomfortable and/or fearful in the parent's presence).
•If it is deemed that the program and/or services do not meet the needs of the parent or
child (i.e. the child is not prepared for group care, the child's needs are not met in a
group care (Daycare) setting.
In the case that the program discharges a child, the one-month notice may be waived at
the discretion of the manager and remaining funds refunded.
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Evacuation & Emergency Procedures
We will contact parents immediately in the case of emergency. For
this reason, it is imperative that you keep us informed of any
changes in your registration information, such as your work, home telephone numbers,
and/or addresses. This way we are able to reach you at any time.

There is an emergency evacuation policy that is reviewed, practiced, and
recorded by staff on a regular basis.
In preparing for emergency situations:

A first aid kit, an attendance record, a pen or pencil, and an emergency
information card for each child and each staff member is kept beside the exit door
for quick and easy access.

Emergency supplies, including water and food will be kept in an accessible place.
The supplies will be checked and rotated on a regular schedule.

A buddy system will be adopted and practiced regardless of the number of
children in the facility.

All staff will know how to work the fire extinguishers, hydro and furnace.

Children will be taught what to do in case of fire, earthquake and other
emergencies. Evacuation drills will be practiced.

A simple diagram of exit paths from the building to the meeting place will be
posted along with all emergency phone numbers.

There is an assigned designated meeting place outside the building.
Suspect Child Abuse Policy
It is required by law that anyone who suspects (or knows of) child abuse, to report it
immediately. Therefore, any case of suspected abuse of a child or disclosure of abuse
by a child attending the Daycare will be documented and reported to the manager and
the provincial governing body.
Confidentiality Policy
It is the policy of Golden Child Daycare that any information or records held regarding
your family and child will be kept confidential. The only release of information or records
would be for a legal matter that is requested or required by law.
It is also appreciated that any information you become aware of regarding other families
at childcare be kept confidential.
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