Number of Children in My Care
I follow the State of Connecticut regulations for a Family Day Care Home, which limits the total enrollment to six children, 2 children under 2 yrs old, 4 children 2-5 yrs old and 3 children school age for before and after school care. When it comes to filling vacancies I will always give preferential consideration to the families I currently serve. I would certainly welcome the opportunity to care for new siblings as they arrive!

Communication
Communication is very important to me. When I accept a new family into my home, I like to be sure that we can share any concerns or questions that may arise. It is important that there is a similar child care philosophy between us. I welcome questions, feedback, or discussions of any kind that oriented towards a positive outcome for the children. Sensitive issues will be discussed in private outside of regular childcare hours either by telephone or conference.

Enrollment Policy
There are several forms that I must have completed and in my possession before I can assume the responsibility of caring for your child NO EXCEPTIONS. This is to ensure that your child will get the very best care possible from me.

Changes
Families frequently have changes - new homes, new jobs, and new telephone numbers. Please keep me informed. Accurate information is critical for efficient, professional handling of emergencies. You are required to inform me if you are at any other location than what is listed on your Enrollment Form and to provide a telephone number for that place

Pre-Enrollment Visits
I feel that children, provider, and parents do best when everyone participates in a "get-to-know-you" session prior to the first day of care. This will help your children get used to me and allows parents plenty of time to ask question. It also helps everyone feel more comfortable with the situation. This benefits the child by allowing us to approach the first day of care with ease, which helps reduce stress for everyone.

Trial Period
There is a two-week trial period for each child, beginning the day your child actually begins care. This is to ensure harmony throughout my daycare. It is important that we all have a working relationship with total cooperation from children and parents. Either party may terminate this agreement within this trial period, with 24 hours notice, with or without cause.

Tuition and Hours of Care
FunTime Home DayCare will be open Monday - Friday from 6:00 am to 6:00 p.m. If care is needed outside of these hours please discuss the needs with me and I will try to accommodate you.
Full Time rates are based on a 40 to 50 hour week:
Part Time rates are based on a 30 to 40 hour week:
Before/After school rates are based on 3-hrs or less per day, 15 hrs per/week additional fees will incure when there are days off.

Rates:
Infant Full Time…$140.00 Part Time…$90.00 Part Time…$4.00 per/hour
Pre School Full Time…$130.00 Part Time…$80.00 Part Time…$3.00 per/hour
School Age Full Time…$60.00

Due to the fact I can have only 6 children full time, ALL before and after school age children will have to have alternate care for the summer vacation BUT if I have available space they are welcome to stay for the summer at the pre-school weekly rate.

Unless prior arrangements are made, there will be a late pick-up charge of $5.00 per 15 min or part of, if you arrive after your agreed pick-up time. I will attempt to be lenient on this since I realize job pressures, traffic, and weather conditions occasionally affect your ability to arrive on time. Please feel free to discuss arrival and drop-off times with me if your needs vary, I will attempt to be flexible to meet your needs for occasional early arrival and late pick-up times. But these will need to be exceptions, rather than a general rule.

Payment Terms
Unless other arrangements are made in advance, payments will be due on Friday for the next week’s care. This will enable me to purchase food and supplies over the weekend for the coming week. A late fee of $5.00 per/day including Saturday and Sunday will be charged for late payments. I do not remind parents to make payments to me. Payment is preferred in cash however; personal checks will be accepted when drawn on a local bank. In the unlikely event of a returned check there will be a $20.00 charge and I will require repayment of all bank charges that I am charged as a result of the insufficient funds. Subsequent payments will need to be made in cash or money order. In January of each year, I will provide you with a summary of all fees paid for the previous calendar year. I will also provide you with a proper tax form (W-10) showing my taxpayer ID number and the full amount of any charges for the previous calendar year so you may claim this expense on your taxes.

Holidays
The daycare will be closed for the following PAID holidays Memorial Day, July 4^th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and the day after, Christmas Day, New Years Day they will only be charged if they fall during the workweek

Sick-Days
Although I will do my very best to be available every business day, it is conceivable that I may be forced to close occasionally due to illness, or other emergency. Working with exposure to many families and especially children, it is expected that I will become ill occasionally. Therefore, I reserve the option to take up to three (3) paid sick-days per calendar year. I will not take these days unless I am genuinely ill, and I will always give as much notice as possible when I am forced to close my home due to illness. Please make it a point to have a back-up caregiver in the event that I have to close

Vacation
Each child will be allowed (5)five days of vacation annually, with a two-weeks written notice. Anything beyond the (5) five days will require payment of ˝ the regular tuition to hold your child’s spot. I will take (5) five days of paid vacation with a two-weeks written notice.

Illness Policy
Although I am not a trained medical professional, I have been educated in the recognition of infectious childhood diseases and I will attempt to alert you at the first sign of any illness. If your child exhibits any of the following symptoms: fever over 100 degrees-excessive diarrhea for 2 consecutive diapers or bathroom use-vomiting in excess of typical infant spit-ups-conjunctivitis (pink eye), I will call you at work and request that you pick up your child within one hour. If I can not reach you by phone I will call the next person on the pick-up list. He/she will not be allowed to return until they have been symptom-free for a full 24 hours. This policy is intended to help prevent the unnecessary infection of the other children in my care. Although it may seem inconvenient when your child is sent home, you will appreciate knowing your child's exposure is minimized when other children become ill. I will not send a child home with a common cold, unless accompanied by a fever or other severe symptoms. Please keep in mind that when small children are not feeling well, the thing that they need most is TLC from mom or dad. If a child is too ill to participate in "regular" daily activities, he/she is too ill to be left in my care. You should expect that any time a new child is introduced to the group, colds and other minor illnesses are likely to occur until everyone's immune systems have adjusted to the new exposures. You are required to notify me by 8: am if your child not becoming for the day or will be late arriving. You will have(3)three unpaid sick days per calendar year.

Medical Emergencies
In case of EMERGENCY, I will administer the necessary first aid. The Enfield Police Department or Paramedic Unit will be called and your child will be transported to the hospital designated on your enrollment form. YOU WILL BE NOTIFIED IMMEDIATELY. If an ambulance is called to transport your child, the cost of the ambulance will be your responsibility. I am prepared with an emergency caregiver in cases of unplanned absences of short duration caused by unanticipated circumstances such as illness or accident. You will be notified when an emergency caregiver will be used.

Administration of Medicines
At this time I do not have the necessary training required by the state to administer medications to any of the children in my care. What I am allowed to administer is non-prescription topical medication, which is limited to diaper ointment, medicated powders, teething lotion, bug spray, and sunscreen. Anything I can use on your child must have been used on them prior to my using it with no adverse side effects. I have a permission slip that must be filled out before hand. I also have to keep a record of any non-prescription topical medication put on your child; it will become part of their health record. You will need to bring the non-prescription topical medication to me in the original container with your child’s name, type and how to administer.

Personal Belongings
No toys should be brought from home. Little ones have a difficult time sharing with others, and it is even harder with their own special toys. Exceptions being their special blanket and/or stuffed animal for nap time, which will be put up until naptime. All personal items must be clearly marked with the child's name.

Supplies
You are responsible for supplying diapers, wipes, formula, and food if the child does not eat table food, and also a full change of clothing (including socks and underwear) appropriate for the weather, and any other supplies that your child may need. You may bring a whole package of diapers to be stored in the changing table (I will let you know when your supply runs low). I will request certain items for certain times of the year such as boots or snowsuits, bathing suits to be kept at the childcare home All items need to be labeled with your child's initials. If there is a special occasion that calls for special clothing (a party right after child care or a trip to the photographer), please send the special clothing with your child and I will clean them up and dress them prior to your arrival.

Open Door Policy
I maintain an open door policy for parents. This means that you are always welcome to call or drop in to see your child at any time during childcare hours.

All children are required to lie down for a rest period in the afternoon. All children must nap or rest quietly during this period. I provide nap mats and child-sized blankets. If your child has a special blanket or stuffed animal that he/she sleeps with, please send it along.

Field Trips
Occasionally, we may have the opportunity to take a field trip. All children will be placed in safety-approved car seats as required by Connecticut State law. You will be required to sign a permission slip that I will carry with me. I also carry copies of the emergency forms with a picture of each child attached. In the event of an emergency away from the childcare home, your child will be cared for and you will be notified. It is not required that your child attends the field trip, but it will be your responsibility to find alternate care if you do not wish for them to attend. You must still pay your regular childcare fees.

Fire Safety
I have a written fire evacuation plan and practice a fire drill with the children at least once each month. In addition I incorporate fire safety curriculum into my program yearly.

Arrivals & Departures
I required having all parents’ to sign in/out for pick-ups and dropping off each day. A sign in/out folder, pen, and a clock are located by the front door for your convenience. This gives me a written record of the child's attendance, hours, and the person who brought and picked up the child each day. All children must be brought into my home by an adult each day and will only be released to an adult. Please inform me of any pertinent information when you drop off your child. (I.e. medicine given woke up early, last feeding, etc.) Children are to arrive clean and dressed. If your child needs to be picked up early for a doctor’s appointment, etc. please call ahead so that I may have your child ready for you. It is normal for some children to have difficulty separating from parents or cry when being dropped off. Please be very brief (no more than a couple of minutes are sufficient) during drop-off times the longer you prolong the departure the harder it gets. A smile, a cheerful good-bye kiss, and a reassuring word that you will be back are all that is needed. In my experience, children are nearly always quick to get involved in play or activities as soon as parents are gone.

Please be very brief at departure times also. This is a time of testing when two different authority figures (parent & provider) are present and all the children will test to see if the rules still apply. I do expect you to back up my rules, but if you do not, I will remind your child that their behavior is inappropriate and take action to correct, if needed. Please be in control of your child during these times.

When picking children up at the end of the day, you are asked to always come to the front door unless we are in the back yard. Please knock, I lock the front door for the children's safety. Please do not go into the backyard unless I am out there with all of the children. This is for everyone's safety. Do not allow your child to run out to your car while you are still inside or while you are in my backyard. The safety rule is "No one goes outside without their parent with them." My normal procedure is to release the child only to his/her parents or someone else the parents designate. If someone other than the parent is to pick up the child, you must notify me ahead of time. A verbal notice is fine on that day if this person is on the list of people who are authorized to pick up your child. If the person is NOT on that list, I MUST have written permission to release your child. Please inform emergency contacts, or people designated to pick up your child, that if I do not know them. I will need to ask for photo identification. I do not mean to offend them. This is simply a measure taken for your child's protection. I will not let a child leave without a parent's verbal permission even if that person is listed as one of your designated pickup people.

Toilet Training
I ask that you begin toilet training at home during a weekend or vacation. I will assist you when your child is ready to enter the toilet training phase. This is an important period for your child and is most successful when we work together. I ask that you provide at least (2) two complete change of clothing, including socks, and an adequate supply of training pants or pull-ups for your child. Pull-ups are required until the child is completely toilet trained. Clothing for this stage should be selected for easy on and off.

Food & Nutrition
I will provide all meals and snacks, with the exception of infant formula and baby food. Breakfast is served from 8:00 until 8:30. Lunch is served from 12:00 until 12:30. Afternoon snack is served from 3:30 until 3:45. If your child eats table food, and is brought after a mealtime, he/she should be fed prior to arriving. Food can not be brought from home unless there is a specific medical condition requiring special meals, such as an allergy or temporary condition. A doctor’s statement must be provided by the parent to verify need. No food and especially candy may be brought from home except for food brought for special days and parties. Infants will be feed to your schedule. Written feeding instructions are required from parents of infants including type of food and/or formula, amount of food and/or formula, and feeding times. Please feel free to discuss you child's need for food outside these times, such as for medical reasons. All foods will be cut into safe-size pieces and served in child-sized portions. Children are expected to try one bite of any food served, unless the child has an allergy or sensitivity to that food. If, after trying a bite, the child does not like that food, he/she will not be forced to eat any more of it at that meal. I have found that children often like foods they did not initially want to try, once they have been exposed a few times. Children may have second helpings of any or all foods upon request, after they have finished all foods on their plate. No child will be required to eat more than one bite of anything. Please alert me to any suspected food sensitivities or allergies so that I can accommodate your child's dietary needs. Also, if you avoid any foods or combinations of foods for religious, cultural, or health concerns, please let me know your needs and I will accommodate your requests for your child.

House Rules
Please respect my profession, my home, and me. The respect that you show me including my home, furnishings, equipment, yard, and other children will communicate itself to your child and will make for a better working relationship. There are certain house rules that all children will be taught and expected to follow. The following rules are enforced for the safety and well being of everyone. There will be no running in the house. Hitting, pushing, biting, grabbing, kicking, spitting, or pinching other children and or adults will NOT be allowed. No standing or climbing on chairs, tables, or furniture. There will be no use of obscene, derogatory or disrespectful language. No shoes will be allowed in the playroom, you may send slippers for your child to wear if you wish. Children may not walk around the house with food, cups, or bottles. Children are not permitted to lift and/or carry other children while in my home or on my property. Respectful treatment of other people and all property, toys and furniture is expected. Willful destruction of property will be charged to the parent at the cost to replace the item. Please support me in the enforcement of these rules, in order to create a better environment for all.

Guidance & Discipline
The program’s goals are to promote independence, self-esteem, and caring toward others and the physical environment. We use redirection when possible. This means that if a child is in a potentially harmful situation to him/herself or to another child, I will remove him/her and try to get the child interested in something else. Time-out (a quiet, relaxed, neutral break a cooling-off period for the child to regain self-control) is used when a child is loosing control and refuses redirection - for example, acting aggressively, throwing a tantrum, complete defiance. If I feel there is a chronic behavioral issue that needs attention, I will let you know so that you and I are handling it in the same way and your child has continuity in discipline between our homes. These types of behaviors might include such things as biting, use of bad words, chronic hitting, etc. Together, we will try to find a solution. You may be called to remove your child if his/her behavior prevents me from being able to properly care for the other children. If the problem continues, other arrangements for the care of the child will have to be made, for the safety and well being of all. Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES will there be any spanking, physical abuse, verbal abuse, name-calling or isolation used. Neither food nor sleep will ever be withheld from children as a means of punishment. As a home care provider. I have a responsibility by law to recognize and report any evidence of child abuse—physical or emotional or neglect. This is strictly for the benefit of your child.

Termination Policy
I reserve the right to terminate for the following reasons (but not limited to): Failure to pay, Physical or verbal abuse of any person or property, Lack of compliance with handbook regulations. You are required to give two-week's written notice when you decide to terminate childcare. I reserve the right to give written notice of immediate termination where there are extreme circumstances that affect the well being of other children or myself. Termination notice will not be accepted while provider or parents are on vacation.

Revisions to Handbook and Contract
From time to time there will be revision to this handbook and the accompanying paper work. I reserve the right to make changes in rates and policies, as I deem necessary. You will be notified, in writing, of any changes that may occur. All families will sign a new contract each year.

Summary
Children are tender, curious, wonderful beings who need a safe and enriching environment to grow and thrive. I will do my best to ensure the safety, comfort, health, and happiness of all children in my care at all times and will present them with the opportunity to learn at their own pace. In order to meet my goals, I will attempt to gain as much continuing education and training as possible. I will also strive to keep the lines of communication open between myself, and the families I serve. Please feel free to discuss your needs for improved childcare with me at all times.