Parent Handbook

Discipline Policy

We focus on positive reinforcement and helping children process and deal with their emotions. Positive reinforcement consists of The Three R’s. We remind the child of the proper behavior. The number of times a child is reminded depends on age; a 1- year-old is going to get more reminders than a 5-year-old. If the negative behavior continues, we redirect their attention to something else. If the behavior continues or is transferred through to the redirect, we enforce a reset (timeout), as a last resort. Skipping the reminder happens when any child’s safety is in question at that point I go straight to redirecting or reset (timeout). For reset (timeout) there is a specific ‘reset chair’ or ‘reset spot.’ The amount of time a child sits in timeout depends on their age. Most experts agree that one minute per year of age is an effective and appropriate length of time up to 5 minutes. 

Children are never punished for lapses in toilet training or accidents. If it is an accident such as spilled milk, we may ask the child to help clean it up, not as a punishment but to teach responsibility. 

You can guarantee that your child will be treated just as if they were my own. I do not have any expectations or rules for my child care, that I do not have for my own children and home.

Days Off and Benefits

Just like any other full-time salaried job in the work force there are benefits for paid time off and paid holiday time. These benefits are paid by the parents except when specifically listed otherwise, meaning your monthly tuition will not be discounted for these closures.  

Holiday’s

These Holiday's we are closed and paid as part of our benefits, these include: (in order of occurrence in the year.)

2024

Monday, January 1st 

Monday, May 27th

Thursday, July 4th

Monday, September 2nd

Thursday and Friday, November 21st & 22nd

Monday-Friday, December 23rd – 27th

2025

Wednesday, January 1st

Monday, May 26th

Friday, July 4th

Monday, September 4th

Thursday and Friday, November 27th & 28th

Monday-Friday, December 29th – January 2nd

If the holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, I will take either the Friday or Monday surrounding the holiday off, you will always receive notice and reminders of days that are planned closures. We coordinate these closures with our families. 

Benefits

As a provider, we allow 15 paid personal days throughout the year, taken consecutively or individually. Families will be provided at least 2 weeks’ notice of any personal days. Personal days are scheduled and do not include days we close due to illness. Sick days are unlimited per our illness and exclusion policy. As a family we follow the same illness policy we expect our families to adhere to.

You are required to have an alternate care plan for all listed holidays and scheduled personal days. This is not the child cares responsibility. The child care will not be held responsible for any days you miss work for illness, holidays or personal days.

Medical and Maternity Leave

The amount of time needed for Medical or Maternity Leave is never known; I will do my best to limit the amount of time taken off. The health of the provider or provider’s children's will not be jeopardized to return to work or reopen the child care.

Medical Leave can be unpredictable and unscheduled. Maternity Leave will be taken for as long as a medical professional recommends and decides is adequate.

An estimated timeline for maternity leave will always be provided to parents as soon as it is known there is a pregnancy. A more solid timeline will be provided around 30 weeks into the pregnancy.  

When Medical or Maternity Leave regarding families, the family will be required to pay half of their normal fee to hold their spots for when the child care reopens.

If a family chooses to not pay the half rate;

·         They forfeit their spot and it will be advertised as open; if the spot is not filled family's will be offered to have the spot back upon reopening.

·         In the event of Medical or Maternity Leave if a family chooses to forfeit their spot, they also forfeit their previously paid deposit. family choosing to retake a spot will be required to repay a deposit.

If a family needs to take Maternity Leave, they have the choice to forfeit their spot or pay half rate to hold their spot. If a family chooses to forfeit their spot, they will be required to give proper 2 weeks’ notice to receive their refunded deposit. If the family has a medical emergency that requires a forfeit of their spots the deposit will be refunded on a case by case basis.

Illness

Our Expectations for Brown Family and Employees

Please have a backup plan for when and if the provider or their family become ill. If this happens, the provider will let you know as soon as possible, typically between 5am-7am. We will always try to notify families of illness closures the night before, if we wake-up sick you will know prior 7am. If we fall ill during business hours you will be notified immediately to come pick up your child, you will have 1 hour to pick-up your child. After 1 hour, you will receive a probation notice or termination of care notice at pick up.

When we fall ill we will close until our family and staff have been symptom free for 24 hours. If we can properly and safely quarantine the ill family member we will open as soon as we feel that is possible.

We follow a typical 24-hour policy; we will open back up once we have been symptom free for 24 hours.

Expectations for Our Families

I require that you notify me before your scheduled drop off time, prior to 9:00am, that your child is ill and will be out until they are symptom free for a minimum of 48 hours.

The child care will not care for a child that is feverish (99.9 or higher) or showing signs of infection. This is for the safety and health of the providers family as well as the other children in care and the child cares employees; it is also State Mandated.

If your child does not feel well do not cover up the symptoms with medication, this will result in immediate termination.

Our child care is a symptom free program. Children that are vomiting, have diarrhea, have a temperature of 99.9 or higher, have green discharge from their nose, have conjunctivitis (pink eye,) have yellow or green discharge from their eyes, unusual rash and/or have a new unusual for them cough will not be allowed in care. Any illness will require your child to remain home. Please do not try to blame a cold on allergies or teething; we know the difference and will send your child home.

If you drop of your child and we feel they are too ill to be around the other children; we will either turn you away at the door or call you immediately to return and pick them up.

If your child falls ill while in care or we feel they are too ill to be in care, the parents will be contacted. If the parents were not reached, there will be a 30-minute window for the parents to return the call before the emergency contacts listed on their enrollment will be called. The child must be picked up within 1 hour of the initial telephone call/text (you may only have 15 minutes if you did not answer the call/text immediately,) this conversation does not have to be with the parent, it can be with an employer, coworker, or emergency contact. Ill children will be separated from the other children but always be within sight and sound of the adults.

We follow a strict 48-hour policy symptom free policy. Your child is not welcome to return to the program if in the last 48 hours they have had any symptoms related to illness; diarrhea, vomiting, green nasal discharge, unusual rash, infection of any form (including ear and sinus infections,) Conjunctivitis (pink eye or eye cold,) or cough.

Any illness that is treated with antibiotics; they must have 24 hours worth of the medication before returning to care.  For any other illness (viruses) I have a 48-hour policy for my families, this is for everyone else in this homes safety.

Your child is also not welcome if they have knits or head lice. Not only must your child be treated but I must close my child care and treat my home, myself and my children. This can take 3-4 days to complete.

The common cold is going to happen, that is unpreventable. Your child is welcome in my care if the previously listed symptoms are not present.

I do require a copy of your child’s vaccination status to be on file always, this is per state law, for emergency situations and safety reasons. I have access to Alertiis and can access your child’s vaccine record; there is no need to provide me with a copy. When your child is enrolled, I will locate their record in the database and add it to their fill.

 If the child care is closed due to illness it is the family’s responsibility to have a back-up plan for child care. There is no discount, credit or make-up day offered for closures. You pay for your child to be enrolled, not for your child to attend. If a family shows up to be dropped off after being contacted, your family will be placed on probation. I expect respect to be given to my family and our privacy. Showing up when we have closed for any reason is disrespectful. I contact all families via text and HiMama message to announce closure. It is your responsibility to check your messages prior to drop off. When we are open, we are expecting families to come and enter without knocking but on days where I am closed, planned or due to illness/emergency, it is not respectful to show up and walk in our home.

Meals and Snacks

I serve breakfast, lunch and afternoon snack.

Meals are served in accordance Licensing Standards set by Child Care Licensing Division.

Meals are served during the following times:

Breakfast 8:00am-8:30am, 

If you drop off after 8:30am, your child will not receive Breakfast

Lunch 11:30pm-12:00pm

Afternoon Snack 3:00pm

If your child has food allergies it is EXTREMELY important that I am aware of these allergies, so that I can properly accommodate their dietary needs. Any strict diets or severe allergies will require the parents to provide their child’s meal so that there are no confusions.

Your child will never be forced to eat everything on their plate. They will be encouraged to try a bite or two of everything, especially new foods.

If you choose to provide snacks or treats for your child’s birthday or another special occasion, please let me know ahead of time so I can plan the menu accordingly. If you do not provide something I will, especially for birthdays.

Water is provided to children all day.

Nap or Rest Time

Nap time and Rest time is from about 12:00pm-2:30pm

Nap/Rest time is required. If your child does not nap any longer they will be offered a book to read or look at after laying quietly and allowing the nappers to fall asleep. They will not be allowed to disrupt napping children. They will be required to lay quietly from 12:00pm-2:30pm to ensure that the other children get an adequate nap. Children that will be transitioning Kindergarten in September will begin transitioning away from their nap the June before they start school; this will look different for every child. 

Lillio

Lillio is an online service/mobile application that we pay for. It is a very neat tool that provide parents with daily information about their child’s day.  Parents are invoiced for their tuition, fees, and deposits via Lillio. Parents will also sign in and out their child through Lillio on the tablet by the cubbies or on your mobile device.

Drop Off and Pick Up

Upon arrival, the adult dropping of the child will sign the child in using the HiMama app on the tablet provided or your personal mobile device. The adult picking up will sign the child out in the same manner. This process gives me a record of attendance, hours and who dropped off and picked up your child.

Drop off and Pick up should be kept brief, less than 10 minutes. Brief drop offs make it easier on children that have a hard time leaving the adult dropping off. Please do not allow your child to go out to your vehicle while you remain in the house or backyard.

Our drop off window is 7:00am-9:00am; at 9:00am children will not be allowed to be dropped off any longer. The only exception is school-agers coming from school or children with appointments. If your child has not arrived by 9:00am, we will mark them absent for the day and plan to see them tomorrow.

  Releasing Your Child

Your child will only be released to adults that have been approved by you and verified by ID. If someone other than you are to pick up your child, you must notify me before hand and the person must added to your pick-up list. You can update you pick up list at any time in writing. If a person is to pick up your child and is not on the list you must provide written consent. These measures are simply for your child’s safety.

Transportation

I will need to take your child in my vehicle. It may be to run an errand or to go on a field trip. All children will be restrained according to the law including children under 2 rear facing.. Children will rear face in my vehicle until the maximum weight and height are reached on the car seat they are using or until they are 4 years old; this is not optional. There is no consent form for this policy; by your child being in my care you are consenting to them being able to travel in my vehicle.  When we travel, I will carry an emergency binder that will have your child’s information, a picture of your child, your emergency contact information and any information about your child that will assist emergency personal.

School Age Children

Little Swans Child Care is in the Mills Elementary School. The child care is close enough for the children to walk to school. Children will be escorted to school and retrieved from school by an adult.

When taking a child to school I will always make sure I know the schools drop off policy and follow it. Normally, the first couple times I drop off I will walk the child in so that I know the procedure as well as letting the school staff know who I am. After those first drop offs, if the school allows; I will do curbside drops according to the school’s procedures. Once a child is dropped off at school, I assume the school accepts responsibility for the child.

 Injuries and Other Emergencies

Minor cuts and abrasions suffered while in my care will receive proper care, washed with soap and warm water and properly bandaged. Treatment will be logged, and we will communicate with you how it happened and how it was treated. A picture will be taken and sent to you if we feel it is necessary.  

If a medical emergency arises, we will always put the safety of the children first. If it is needed, we will call for emergency services. Our priority is your child, as soon as your child is safe, we will work to contact you.

Infants

Children under 24 months of age or younger are considered infants by the State of Oregon Department of Education Early Learning Division Office of Child Care and the USDA Food Program. Formula, bottles and infant food are to be provided by you. This home is breast milk friendly; We just ask that your child has made the transition to accepting a bottle prior to the first day of attendance. Please provide more breast milk than you anticipate your child needing, we can store in the freezer and refrigerator. We never put a child in the crib or playpen with a bottle or cup, it is state rule. We will feed baby before setting down in bed. We will never offer anything but formula or breast milk in your baby’s bottle. 

You must provide diapers. This home is cloth diaper friendly and you are welcome to keep your child in cloth while in attendance, just provide enough diapers for the day and a wet bag to store dirty diapers in. 

At meals, unless an infant is asleep, they sit with us at the table. We will begin offer food at no earlier than 6 months of age and when you as the parents are ready for me to offer food. At 1 year old, we begin offering a bottle less, like only before naptime. It is important for your child’s teeth and gum health that they not be given a bottle for a prolonged amount of time past 1 year. Sippy cups of water are always available and offered starting at about 6 months old. A sippy cup with either breast milk or formula are offered during every meal starting at 6 months old.  

Potty Training

I leave potty training up to you as the parent. However, I will follow through while your child is in my care. When your child is ready for underwear to be utilized they must come with plastic underwear over them until the child is accident free for 1 month while in care. 

Please bring extra clothing to have on hand for accidents, 1-2 per day of the week. I will let you know when and if more outfits are needed. 

A child is considered potty trained when less than 3 accidents a week are occurring, and the child uses the restroom as they need and when reminded. If your child refuses to use the restroom or has a tantrum when asked to use the restroom like before a meal, trip outside the home or nap they will be placed in a diaper or pull-up. If refusal happens more than 3 times in a day they will remain in a diaper or pull-up. 

Accidents will occur occasionally. It is part of potty learning. More than 3 accidents a day and more than 3 accidents in a week will result in the use of diapers or pull-ups. For sanitation reasons there are limits on how many accidents can occur before returning to a diaper or pull-up must happen.   

If your child turns 3 years old and has not started the potty training process you will be charged at the 6 weeks old-24 months old rate. If there is a medical reason as to why your child has not begun the potty learning process a doctor’s note will be required.

Termination of Care

If for any reason you decide my care is no longer needed, I require 30 day written notice, on a piece of paper, any other form of notice will not be acceptable. This will give me time to prepare exit paperwork, advertise the spot as open etc. You must pay for those 30 days, whether your child attends during that time or not. Any outstanding fees must be paid on or before your child’s last day.

If it becomes necessary for me to resort to legal action to collect fees, the parents will be responsible for any legal fees incurred by my business, Little Swans Child Care.

If for any reason I can no longer care for your child, I will provide a minimum of 2-week written notice. There are certain circumstances that will require immediate termination.

As we both know and understand finding quality child care is not an easy task, it is EXTREMELY important that policies are understood and followed.

Reasons for immediate termination are as follows but not limited to the following:

●      Failure to complete forms

●      Lack of parental cooperation

●      Child’s lack of adjustment to care after a reasonable amount of time, 2 weeks is standard, Behavior is included in this category.

●      Our inability to meet the child’s needs without additional staff

●      Lack of Payment

●      Lack of respect for provider or other children, by parent or child, this includes and is not limited to verbal abuse

●      Violence or threat of violence upon any adult or child, by the parent or child.

●      The provider will not tolerate being guilted into caring for your child or being threatened of your child being removed from care due to closure for     vacation, leave, illness or emergency.

●      Repeated violation of any policies as for mentioned in this handbook

●      Probation Notice requirements not being followed

There is rare occurrence where if we cannot provide care due to the loss of an employee, we will be forced to terminate care immediately to remain in compliance with Office of Child Care ratio rules. If this happens, we will do EVERYTHING in my power to find replacement care for the family.   

Return of any deposits made will be at the discretion of Anthony and Vanessa Brown. Cases of immediate termination by the provider forfeits the deposit. The deposit is forfeited if the family has any outstanding balance on their account. Other cases of forfeiting the deposit have been disclosed in this handbook.

Supplies

This is a list of supplies you are required to bring for your child.

• Change of clothes

• Outdoor appropriate clothing and gear, seasonal (Including a Swimsuit) 

• Any security needs pacifier, blanket, stuffed animal (if issues arise, they will be asked to stay at home,) etc.

• Infants: If you are providing formula you must supply at least a full week supply at the beginning of each week. 

If you prefer not to leave supplies here, you must provide everything on the list every day. 

Diaper Bags and Backpacks are not allowed. 

Personal toys are NEVER allowed. If they are brought, they will be put in a special place to be returned at pickup.