Grow to Be ME

Learn and Play Care

Policies and Procedures Handbook

This handbook has been written and provided and will be implemented in order to protect your child, you, as well as Grow to Be Me Learn and Play care and its employees and Director.

Table of Contents:
Introduction....Page 3 The Program About Us Quality Care Communication...Page 4 Safety and Protection..Page 4-5 Child Abuse or Neglect Sick Child Policy Medications Confidentiality Behavior Expectations and Discipline/RewardsPage 5-8 Birth-11 Months 12-24 Months 3-5 Years Tuition...Page 8 Payment arrangement Charges and Notes Hours of Operation...Page 9 Early pick-up/Late drop-off Receiving and Releasing Your Child From Care Parent Involvement..Page 9-11 You are Welcome Here Photos Infant Feeding and Meals Special Occasions Professionalism...Page 11-12 Termination of Contract What We Ask of Parents Changes to the Contract

Introduction
The Program:
Grow to Be ME Learn and Play Care offers a Portuguese/English Dual Immersion Program. Half of our days activities will be held in English and the other half will be held in Portuguese. This will alternate each week so that the children will learn and acquire new vocabulary in each language. At "Grow to Be ME, Learn and Play Care" the focus is on the individual needs of each child. Every child is unique and treated as such, with the philosophy that they should always be encouraged to explore, play, learn, and grow to become their BEST selves. Of utmost importance is the safety, health, and happiness of each child as they are in my care. Safety and health include caring each child's physical health (including providing healthy meals & snacks as well as active and outdoor play)for but as a health educator I also focus on their mental, emotional, social, and spiritual health. LOVE is constantly shown, it is central to health and well-being and fosters a sense of safety and security with the world around us. As each child senses this security he/she knows they are safe to explore the world which leads to love of learning, self, and life. My goal is to be an extension of your home, an extension of your love, and a safe haven; even a home away from home for your child. I want you and your children to feel comfortable and welcome here. Parents and child care providers should work as a team to meet their children's needs. My goal is to provide the highest quality of care in a loving in-home environment. The child care policies and procedures provide insight into your childs day at Grow to Be Me and help you understand the high quality care your family will receive.

About Us:
Being a child care provider is not always glamorous but it is definitely rewarding. In my "office" adventures happen daily through the pages of a book, a hands-on science experiment, discovery and dramatic play. I will teach children tolerance, acceptance and accountability. We practice manners, respect and positive social behaviors in all that we do.

Quality Care:
Child care is my chosen profession. I am a licensed teacher and I have worked with children and youth in various capacities such as a school teacher, care taker, health counselor, youth group leader, nanny, and mom. Children are very important to me and it is my sincere desire to be a beneficial part of your childs young, learning years. I truly enjoy talking with and playing with children as well as meeting their physical and emotional needs. I will show love to each child and treat them like a valued individual.

Communication
Quality care is best reached with open communication between parent and care provider. Feel free to contact me to see what kind of day your child is having, what success and milestones they are reaching, you may also drop by the care center any time to visit your child. Please also share with me your thoughts; whether positive or negative they are important to me to provide the highest quality care for your child. I will keep and share daily notes for your child. For children under the age of two the daily notes will be given in a documentation including; feeding times, nap times, changing times, and other 3

information. Parents of children over the age of two will be verbally informed at the time of pick-up unless otherwise requested. I will hold a parent/teacher conference twice a year which is a great opportunity for us to discuss goals, successes, and concerns about each child. These meetings will be held in September at the beginning of the school year and in April to evaluate the year. Provider and/or parents can schedule an extra parent/teacher conference if needs be.

Safety and Protection

Grow to be Me will provide clean and well-supervised play areas. The lay-out of the center provides the opportunity for me to know where each child is at all times. Sleeping infants are monitored by a sleep monitoring device approved by the bureau. During outside play all children are actively supervised to minimize the risk or injury. All toys and bedding is washed weekly or as needed. Outlet protectors will be in all outlets not being used. All harmful chemicals, medications, or dangerous items are kept out of reach and/or locked up. There are NO SMOKERS in this household. I do have one dog that is friendly towards children and kept current on their vaccinations she is also kept in a separate area during daycare hours.

Child Abuse or Neglect:

I am morally and legally obligated to report any suspected child abuse or neglect.

Sick Child Policy:

Grow to be me is "Well child care home"! This means if your child in not feeling well, for whatever reason, you must make other arrangements for their care until they are feeling well and no longer contagious. For the health and protection of your child and all other children in my care, do not bring your child if they have a fever, diarrhea, vomiting, or any other contagious illness. The child(ren) will not be allowed back into care until they are symptom free for 24 hours. If they are too sick to go outside, they are too sick to be at child care. If your child is sick enough to require Prescription medication Pink-Eye, Strep Throat, Bronchitis, Pneumonia, etc We will require you to keep your child(ren) home until he or she has been on medication for 48 hours and they are no longer contagious. If your child has a common cold slight cough, sneezing, or a runny nose, you can bring them to childcare. However, when the cold reaches the point when your child will not play, cries, or has a contagious cough, you will be required to keep your child home. If a child is brought "too sick" you will be contacted by phone to pick your child up.

Medications:
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If there is any need for medication (prescription or otherwise) to be administered you must complete an authorization form BEFORE I will give the medication to your child. Please give all medications at home whenever possible. Medication must be in it's original container with a pharmacy label and doctor instructions. This is for the protection of all those involved. If you are not sure if your child should be brought, feel free to call us ahead of time.

Confidentiality:
Information given to me about your child or family will be kept strictly confidential. If a communicable illness occurs, each family will be told of possible exposure but no names will be given. Please dont ask questions that could breach this confidentiality agreement. If you need information about another family, please talk to them directly. Insurance As with all professional businesses, Grow to Be Me carries general liability insurance on the premises. Professional liability insurance is also carried for substitute and additional caregivers as well as for the business itself.

Behavior Expectations and Discipline/Rewards

All behavior expectations and corrections or rewards will be based on the childs developmental stage and understanding. I am a firm believer in positive reinforcement and will find opportunities to reward good behavior, I have a prize box in which I will randomly allow a child to choose from if I catch them being good. Every parent wants their child to be happy respectful and respected by others, children must learn and be held accountable for their actions at a developmentally appropriate level. Based on research and experience discipline should be matched with the childs age, these are the three basic guidelines to my methods: 1) Understand the developmental stage (also take into account any situational behavior outbursts and what may be contributing).

Birth - 11 months:
Expectations:

They need love, cuddles, and security that needs will be met They cry when they are in need of something: food, diaper change, relief from pain, sleep, etc. They cry when under stress and are expressing their need, it is their means of communication They may cry when dropped off because of separation anxiety 5

They put everything in their mouth because they explore through taste They also touch and grab everything as they use all five senses to explore They become attached to parents and caregivers because they trust them They show pleasure when learning something new and when given praise They can cry if they are bored, not receiving enough attention, or stimulation Babies need frequent touch and positive interaction (every 20 min.)

Behavior Management:

Babies cry when they need something, it is important to tend to a crying baby. When a baby cries the stress hormone cortisol is released which can make the brain vulnerable to a process that destroys brain cells and reduce connections as the brain develops. Infants can be calmed by picking them up, singing to them or talking to them in a calm voice, swaddling, swaying, using their name Infants are not able to understand or benefit from time out Redirecting infants to another activity, including by placing them in a different area if needed, if they are in harms way

Toddlers 12 - 24 Months:
Expectations:

They are still exploring the world with all five senses, they will put things in their mouths and touch everything They are learning how to understand and express emotions which results in tantrums when feeling frustrations because of a lack of verbal skills They may show anxiety when there are changes or when parents leave They are beginning to develop social skills and enjoy playing with others, but do not know how yet They say no and mine a lot as they are learning to assert themselves and becoming more independent They have a hard time sharing and are learning how to interact socially
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Behavior Management:

For toddlers and twos, redirection is often more effective than time out Redirection means calmly redirecting children's attention or moving children away from a problem area or activity to a new area or activity If behavior problems persist, providers may want to evaluate the environment to see if children are being over stimulated or if there is not enough space for children. Providers should also check to see if more toys of the same kind are needed, because toddlers and twos are not old enough to understand sharing and taking turns with toys. Praise and positive reinforcement can also work very well with this age group Another good way to help toddlers and two year olds learn how to play appropriately with other is for adults to model appropriate behavior

Preschoolers 3 - 5 Years Old:

Expectations:

They have a desire to please adults and receive praise They are learning to take turns, share, and play well with others They may still have outburst of emotion when they are overwhelmed because they are still learning how to express themselves They often tell on others in order to demonstrate their knowledge of what is good v.s. bad They like peer interaction and playing in small groups, guidance is still needed as they are developing their social skills They find it difficult to wait a long time regardless of the promised outcome They want attention and show positive and negative behavior in order to get it

Behavior Management:

Preschoolers benefit from having a few simple classroom rules When a behavior problem arises, adults can use this as a teaching opportunity and calmly remind children of the classroom rules Positive reinforcement and redirection also works well with this age group. For example, if a preschooler is throwing blocks, even after being reminded of the rule, he or she can be required to leave the block area and choose a different activity for now 7

They benefit from choices and structure which includes consequences if the rules arent followed (choosing a new activity or a short time-out)

2) Build a foundation of good behavior. This is done by modeling and rewarding the desired behaviors, ie. Prize box. 3) Understand brain development (closely related to information listed in step one).

Tuition

$30 full day care for all age groups, with a 5% discount for families with two or more children enrolled ($28.50 per day). This rate is calculated on a daily attendance basis. $20 - half day childcare for all age groups, with a 5% discount for families with two or more children enrolled ($19 per day). Half days is 4 - 4 hours of care. There is a $30 enrollment fee and a $35 annual supplies fee due in September when parent/teacher conferences are held. Scheduled drop-offs are currently welcome and are based on an hourly rate of $5/hour per child.

Payment arrangements:

Payments are to be agreed upon in the child care contract. Payments can be made weekly or bi-weekly (twice a month) and are to be made Friday at pick-up for the following week. Service will only be rendered if payments are made. I will supply you with a receipt for tax purposes, and a yearly summary. If paying by check, please make it payable to Grow to Be Me Learn and Play Care. Please give me proper notice for days of vacation, sick, emergency, etc. Do not take it for granted that I know your days off or vacation days. This will save on confusion, hard feelings, and money!

Various Charges and Notes:

There will be a $3 charge for each day your payment is late. There will be a $30 charge for checks returned for any reason. If a check is returned due to insufficient funds I will require you to pay in cash. I also require the account to be made current before I will resume childcare services. Please pick up your child by the time agreed upon. If for any reason you are unable to pick up your child by the agreed time, a phone call is necessary. A late fee will be applied if you do not pick up your child by the agreed time. Due to traffic or other things beyond your own control, a 15 minute grace period will be allowed. After the grace period, you will be charged a late fee of $5 for every 15 minutes late, rounded up to the nearest quarter.
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Hours of Operation
Grow to Be Me Learn and Play Care is open from 6:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. There may be circumstances that arise when I must be absent or on a family vacation, should this happen a substitute caregiver will be arranged whenever possible. If a caregiver is provided and families choose not to bring their child the daily rate will still be charged. If a caregiver is not available families are required to have a backup plan and will not be charged Grow to Be Mes daily rate.

I will be closed for the following holidays: July 4th, July 24th, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Years Day. These are paid days off and the standard daily tuition will be charged. I will typically take up to one week off for family vacation per year. You will be informed at least one month ahead of time if a substitute will not be provided, if a substitute is not provided I do not require that you pay tuition. I ask that you give me the courtesy of 3 week prior notification when you will be taking a vacation. I do allow one vacation week off for each family without charge. The week is equivalent to the days in a week your child is enrolled; ie. if your child attends 3 days a week, you have 3 tuition free vacation days a year.

Early pick-up Late drop off:

If you decide to pick your child early for whatever reason, please notify me before you pick them up. You will still be billed for the full day. This also applies if your child is brought late for any reason. Please have the courtesy to let me know when you will be running late or picking up early. This aids in ensuring the safety of your children and can affect our daily schedule.

Receiving and Releasing Children from Care:

For your childs protection I will only release them to people that are listed on the child care contract. If there are extenuating circumstances that require anybody else to pick up your child I will need a verbal go ahead from you as well as your family code in order to release your child. If your child is dropped off by someone other than the parents, notice is appreciated. When you pick up your child please understand that the primary responsibility for their safety is now yours. Please ensure that they do not go upstairs and/or out the front door without you by their side.

Parent Involvement
You Are Welcome Here:
Parents and guardians are always welcome at Grow to Be Me. You may come visit and observe or to stay and play, unless restricted by a court order. If there is a restriction, we will need a copy of the order. If you visit at nap time be aware that your child will most likely be sleeping. Parents are encouraged to be involved here as it will be a big part of your childs life. You are welcome to volunteer at Grow to Be Me. The kids are so happy when you come and happy to show you their world 9

here. There will be specific volunteer opportunities that come up throughout the year such as gardening, preparing bulletin boards, lesson plan preparation, family culture show and tell, preparation for parents night out and any annual family activities held at Grow to Be Me. A sign-up form will be posted to volunteer for something specific which will include the details of what is needed. Please bring a family photo to display in the classroom and keep us up to date on important and exciting news. You may email the picture to me as I am happy to print them off on your behalf. We celebrate various holiday traditions and invite your family to share your cultural customs too. As I have lived in Taiwan and Brazil and traveled to many foreign countries, I will share some fun traditions that I have loved celebrating and learning about from other cultures as well. A monthly calendar will be emailed every month (you may request a paper copy) which will highlight upcoming events, for example show and tell, spirit days (pajama day, hat day, superhero day, etc), holidays, birthdays, and so forth. Please read your newsletter, pertinent information and updates about Grow to Be Me will be included. Parent, grandparent, other family member and family friend volunteers at Grow to Be Me will receive an orientation following the state required orientation form, and will sign that each area on the form was covered. No volunteer will be left alone with children unless he or she has fulfilled the licensing requirements for a substitute caregiver.

Photos:
I will take photos of your child throughout their time here at Grow to Be Me. These photos will be emailed to you periodically in order for your family to keep and enjoy. If you are comfortable and sign the authorization form some of those photos will be put on Grow to Be Mes blog, website, and/or Facebook page, or other promotional items. I will make annual arrangements for a more professional personal and group photo which parents can purchase if desired.

Infant Feeding and Meals:

I support you in whatever decision you make for your child, as a mother myself, I nursed my daughter and am happy to accommodate that. I have a freezer to store frozen breast milk and there is privacy in the nursery room if you need to nurse your child at anytime. If your child is taking formula please provide that as well. As children become ready for solid food I will provide healthy meals and snacks each day. Please keep me informed on any allergies or special dietary needs. If dietary needs are very specific we may have to make arrangements for parents to provide a sack lunch. With my degree in Health I am very mindful of what I feel your children. I will make weekly menus based on dietary recommendations including servings of protein, healthy carbohydrates and grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and dairy. That being said there will be occasion for treats, again, please notify me of any dietary specifications.

Special Occasions:
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As mentioned, holidays and birthdays will be celebrated at daycare. I will also hold periodic family events as a way for parents to mingle with other families and meet each other. Other outings might take place throughout the year such as excursions to the zoo, thanksgiving point, wheelers farm, and such. During these outings I ask that parents are present and responsible for their own child (these are separate from field trips that are held during daycare hours). I will sometimes plan a parents night out this will typically be four hours long and require an additional fee. Priority for the spots will go to enrolled families. Summer camps may also be provided.

Professionalism
Many parents prefer the option of in-home childcare because we are able to provide their children with consistent care, a small family focused environment, and loving individual care. I love being able to provide this for each child we do, however, strive to be professional in all areas. I am a licensed educator in the state of Utah and I am currently allowed to care for up to four children (not including my own) at one time. We follow all licensing rules and regulations which includes standards for the facility as well as my continued education each year. Substitute Caregivers On occasion there will be a need for a substitute caregiver; at these times Grow to Be Me will arrange for a qualified caregiver. This person will be experienced in caring for children, familiar with our policies, and have fulfilled licensing requirements. Each substitute provide will receive training and if occasion allows will come in and meet the children beforehand and parents are welcome.

Termination of Contract:
This contract may be terminated if any one or more of the following occur: 1. Serious illness of a child preventing attendance 2. Accounts become delinquent 3. If I determined that I am unable to meet the needs of the child or family 4. Failure of parent to cooperate with policies if determined serious enough to warrant termination 5. Parental termination- Required to give a written three weeks notice for which you will be charged your normal child care rates. Advanced payment is required for the entire three weeks and due when written termination notice is given. Many of the policies and procedures are standard in most daycare facilities and are based on experience and situations encountered. With that said I am always open to suggestions and I want everyone to be happy and comfortable with my child care.

What We Ask Of The Parents:

1. Doors are kept locked throughout the day for the protection of your children. When picking up your children we will highlight your childs day. 2. Abide by the prearranged hours. If you will be running late, please call/text and let us know as soon as possible.

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3. Financial arrangements must be kept according to the contract. Should there be any questions regarding your bill, I will be glad to discuss it and go over it with you. PROMPT PAYMENT IS REQUIRED as I have a budget to follow and scheduled payments to make as well. 4. Please bring a change of clothing for your child Underwear, pants and a shirt. 5. A childs birthday is an important day. We will have fun treats a little gift and activities in honor of your childs birthday. 6. We emphasize the importance and practice of good manners. Every young child is capable of learning some of the most important phrases Thank You, No thank you, May I / Please and You are welcome. We thank you for reinforcing the practice of using good manners in the home environment. 7. Diapers and wipes are not provided. I will have general lotion on hand but any diaper cream or special ointments will need to be provided. 8. When potty training, clothing should be easy to manage to encourage self help and independence skills. 9. A Water Bottle preferably with a lid or closable top. 10. A new Toothbrush to keep at school as we wash up after meals. 11. Please do not leave diaper bags, toys, and car seats at the center during the day as we dont have sufficient space to accommodate. Coats and boots may be left as well as one special toy or blanket if you feel it is needed.

Changes to Contract:
As the Director of Grow to Be Me I do reserve the right to make changes in rates and policies when necessary. You will be notified in writing and given at least one months notice of any changes and when they will go into effect.

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