Guidelines and Policies

Sign In / Sign Out Procedure

Parents or authorized representatives shall sign in and sign out the child daily. This is a mandatory requirement by the California Dept of Social Services.  If someone other than the parents will pick up your child, please make sure that the person’s name that you authorized to pick up appears or is listed in the Emergency Information Form.  We also require an authorization letter signed by the parents if someone else has to pick up the child other than the parents or the authorized person. We will require identification of the person picking up your child prior to releasing him/her to anyone even if his/her name appears in the Emergency Information Form, if whose identity we have not been able to verify. This procedure must be followed to ensure the safety and security of the children.

Things Parents Should Bring

1.         Diapers or pull-ups

2.         One or two changes of clothing

3.         All milk and main meals

For Toddlers:  Breakfast and lunch (the center provides snacks)

Child’s clothing

Children must have a clean change of clothes, including underwear available at all times. Please provide comfortable play clothing that allows for freedom of movement and appropriate to the weather.  It is suggested that clothing be labeled with the child’s name.

Child’s Personal Belongings

Please have your child leave his/her personal toys at home unless it is toy sharing day or unless your child uses it as a security or sleeping aid.  It is distressing and frustrating to children to lose or misplace their toys or personal items and also difficult for the staff to locate or identify. For the safety of all children, please do not allow your child to carry any food, chewing gums, pins, coins,  jewelry or any items to the center.

Health & Medical Policy

The center is not allowed to give medications of any kind without the written authorization from the doctor. If your child is well enough to be at the center but needs medication, you must complete a medication form with the child’s medication in its original container, clearly labeled with the child’s name, drug, dosage and instructions. If necessary, parents may come to the center to administer non-prescription medication to their child.

Reporting Illness and Absences

If your child shows signs of illness, keep him/her home so that it will not be necessary to return to school for your child. Children showing any of the following conditions should be kept at home.

1. Fever over 100.1 degrees
2. Persistent or severe cough
3. Vomiting
4. Diarrhea
5. Red or inflamed eyes
6. Any skin rash, unless diagnosed as noninfectious by a doctor

We are not equipped to care for sick children, so do have realistic plans for someone to care for your child when he/she is ill and unable to come to the day care center or unable to remain at the center during the day.

Children are to be symptom free for 24 hours before returning to the center.

Please notify the center if your child is going to be absent. If you child has been exposed to any contagious disease, please inform the center so that proper precautions can be taken to prevent an epidemic at the center.

Medical or Dental Emergencies

In the event of accident or medical emergency, the center will call the parents and the physicians of the child.  If the center fails or experiences difficulties in contacting the parents or the child’s physicians and emergency treatment are extremely necessary, the child will be taken to El Camino Hospital (or parent's specified hospital) for treatment. Parent’s authorization is necessary for us to contact the child’s physicians or to proceed to any medical procedures and is part of the medical contract agreement. For minor injuries such as scratch, scrape and bump, we will log it in the injury logbook and treat the incident. The parents will pay ambulance and hospital bills.

Discipline Policies

We believe the best way to handle problems is to prevent them from happening in the first place.

• The physical environments and the programs are set up so that as few problems as possible will take place. Children are kept busy.
• The rooms and toys are arranged so children can handle things mostly by themselves.
• Realistic expectations of children are maintained. Clear and simple limits are provided.
• Appropriate behaviors are modeled. Inappropriate behaviors are redirected toward desired outcomes.
• Children are given choices between two appropriate alternatives.
• Children are encouraged to work together to solve problems.
• Children are encouraged to use their words to solve problems or to elicit peer cooperation.
• Logical and natural consequences are provided for children's actions.
• Activities are age appropriate.
• Ratio of adults to children is kept to be more than adequate; there is plenty of opportunity for interaction and consequently less inappropriate demand for attention and opportunities for problems to develop.

We will not use any of the following as means of punishment:

1. Spanking, hitting, shaking, biting, pinching, or inflicting any form of corporal punishment.

2. Restricting a child’s movement by binding or tying him or her.

3. Inflicting mental or emotional punishment, such as humiliating, shaming, or threatening a child.

4. Depriving a child of a snack, juice or necessary toilet use. Confining a child in an enclosed area, such as a closet, locked room, box or similar cubicle.

There are some situations in which more direct guidance may be needed:

• When a child is in danger of hurting himself/herself.
• When he/she is about to hurt others.
• When he/she is hurting equipment or the environment.

In these cases, children are redirected in positive terms so they understand not only what they cannot do but also what they can do instead. These limits are reinforced by a firm voice and if necessary, physical restraint. In extreme cases, if a child does not respond to these methods, he/she is removed from the situation and given some time by himself/herself with an adult nearby to help him/her if necessary. 

Corporal punishment is not part of our program and will not be tolerated on the part of any staff member.

Child Biting Other Child:   Biting may occur as a result of the child’s inability to express his/her feelings and inability to communicate with his/her peers. A child may become frustrated by a new environment, new acquaintances or overwhelmed by many other children around him/her and may tend to bite as a result.

If biting occurs, the following procedures will be taken.

1.  The child being bitten will be comforted and the bite area will be cleaned with soap and water to prevent infection.

1. The parents of the child being bitten will be notified
2. The incident will be logged in the injury book.
3. The biting child will be closely supervised and redirected to appropriate activities.

Parent Conference:  The parents of the child biting will be notified and discussed with them ways to control and minimize the inappropriate behavior. The identity of the child will not be revealed.

Grounds for termination:  If the inappropriate behavior seem difficult to curb, it may be necessary to remove the child from the program either permanently or for a short period of time. 

Emergency and Disaster Procedures

The center will conduct earthquake and fire drills on a regular basis, so that the children will be aware and be prepared of any precautions to take in case of emergency. Your child will be cared for until a parent or any authorized person comes to pick them up.  If evacuation is needed, we will be posting a written notice to inform you of the site to locate your child.

Birthdays

Parents are welcome to bring special treats for the children for celebration of your child’s

Birthday. Please inform the school ahead of time of the day you’ll be celebrating your child’s birthday. Birthday parties are celebrated during snack time between 2:30 to 3:00 P.M. Please provide sugar free food. Goody bags should contain no candies or gum.

Food 

Parents or the child’s authorized representatives are required to complete the center’s forms for their childs needs and services plan that should include a feeding plan, toilet training (if applicable), and any other special needs for their child.  This will be submitted in writing to, and discussed with, the director or asst director prior to the infant’s first day at the center.  

This plan shall be updated as often as the parents want, or as necessary to reflect changes in any of the areas specified above.  Parents should request for a new feeding plan form when needed.

Bottles, dishes and containers of food brought by the infant’s and toddler’s authorized representatives/parents shall be labeled with the child’s name. 

Infant care food service should include:

• Instructions from the infant’s physician relating to special diet or feeding
• Feeding schedule
• Breast milk or kind of formula
• Schedule for introduction of solid and new foods
• Food consistency
• Food likes and dislikes
• Food allergies
• Schedule for introduction of cups and utensils

1.         Any change from one formula to another shall be reflected in advance on the feeding plan. 

2.            Authorities recommend that honey not be fed to any infant for the first year of life. Honey may carry botulism spores that can be harmful to young infants and has been known to cause infant botulism.

3.         Bottle-fed infants shall be fed at least once every hour hours.

4.                  Introduction of solid foods shall be in accordance with the individual plan.

5.                  Formula or milk shall be bottled before being accepted by the center. Staff of the infant care center shall not prepare infant formula from basic ingredients; they may only heat formula or breast/mother’s milk.

Toddler care food service should include:

• Instructions from the toddler’s physician relating to special diet or feeding
• Food consistency
• Food likes and dislikes
• Food allergies

1.                  Parents are requested to bring breakfast and lunch.

2.                  The center provides nutritious mid-morning, mid-afternoon and late afternoon snacks daily.  State law requires the center to provide snacks to the children.

3.                  The weekly snacks menu is posted on the bulletin board, and parents are requested to refer to these at any time.

4.                  Parents should inform the center if there is any food that the child is allergic to.

Toilet Training for Toddlers 

Written toilet-training plan for toddlers is to be provided (includes methods of toilet training, use of appropriate training equipment and appropriate clothing.)

Napping and Sleeping

All sleeping equipments/supplies - cribs and/or sleeping mats, and all necessary sheets/beddings, will be supplied by the center.

a.      Young infants (non-crawling) will be provided with his/her own individual crib and bed sheets

b.      Infants starting to standup or crawl may either be provided with his/her own crib and bed sheets, or mat with sheets and blanket.

c.      Toddlers will be provided with his/her own individual mat with sheets and blanket.

Cribs and Mattresses:  The center uses cribs that are safe, sturdy, well-constructed free-standing cribs that has a clear view from all side angles. The specific brand of cribs we currently use meet all ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) and CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) standards. It also meets or exceeds all 16 CPR 1632 and 16 CFR 1633 flammability standards. The center uses good, firm, tight-fitting mattress that are at least 2 inches thick and made of washable materials.

Schedule: 

·        Infants rest or sleep according to each child's individual pattern or as discussed with parents. 

·        Younger toddlers take 2 naps at a regular schedule. 

·        Older toddlers take 1 nap a day at a regular schedule.

Individual Sleeping Cribs/Mats: Each crib and sleeping mat is labeled with the name of the child.

Staff Ratio:  While children are napping, the ratio maintained is 1 child care center staff per 12 napping children. 

Sanitation: Cribs and sleeping mats are maintained in clean and sanitary conditions. Bed sheets are wiped clean as necessary, and regularly washed every Friday.

All cribs, and mats are thoroughly cleaned and sanitized with a germicidal solution prior to use by another child (after a child is no longer enrolled). Children are not allowed to share sleeping mat or crib until it is sanitized.

The bed sheets are washed in-house using a washing machine.

Sleeping Position: To minimize the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, infants are placed on their backs when put down to sleep.

When an infant cannot sleep on his/her back due to an illness or disability, a special sleeping arrangement will be made. The parents shall provide the Director with a written instructions, signed by a physician, detailing the alternative safe sleep position or the special sleeping arrangements for the infant.

Infants that knows how to easily roll from back to stomach position and vice versa, will be placed down to sleep on their backs, but will be allowed adopt their own changed position. 

Young Infants who fell asleep on their own or while on the swing, will be moved over to their cribs. They will not be allowed to continue sleeping anywhere else but their designated sleeping cribs or mats.

Sleep Positioners:  No positioning device that restricts movement within the child's bed shall be used without written instructions from the child's physician.

Other Objects Near/Inside Cribs: 

a)      The only items allowed inside cribs are the mattress with tight fitted sheets, and a blanket. No other objects including bumpers, pillows, quilts, comforters, stuffed toys will be allowed inside cribs.  

b)      One hanging mobile toy provided by the center will be attached to the crib and no other strings/cords and/or hanging toys will be allowed.

c)      If blanket is used, the child will be put to sleep with the blanket tucked around the crib mattress (close to the child’s feet), and blanket tucked under the child’s arm reaching (maximum) up to the chest.

d)      Cribs will be located away from any item such as curtains or wall hanging objects (if any) by at least 3 inches.

Lighting:  When children are sleeping or napping, the room will have reduced light but will not be dark.

Supplementary/Optional Services

To enrich the children’s overall activities and the development of gross motor skills, the center may provide supplementary/optional services, such as gymnastics.  The director will inform all parents if such optional service is suggested.  Class fee is paid directly to the independent contractor.

Field-Trips & Transportation

The center does not organize any field trip that require transporting infants and toddlers in motor vehicles.  The center does not provide any form of transportation.