Sample Child Care Forms: Parent Handbook

Why home-based infant care?

There are many benefits to choosing a home-based infant care program for your child, some of them are:

Relaxed, comfortable home environment is easy for child to adapt to.
Age group is limited to newborn-2 years old, to better focus on age specific development, care, and safety.
Group size is limited to two infants, which allows for important one-on-one attention.

Mission

To provide a safe, loving environment where infants and toddlers can grow and develop to their full potential.

Philosophy

Quality Infant & Toddler Care:

According to child development theorist Eric Erikson, in his Trust vs. Mistrust theory, the most important thing for an infant to learn is trust. Infants need to know that their environment is safe and predictable, and that they will be cared for and comforted promptly. When an infant's physical and emotional needs are met in a consistent and caring way, they learn to trust the people around them. This trust leads to the courage to explore and learn about themselves and the world they live in.

I believe that home-based childcare can be an excellent foundation for creating a trustworthy environment for infants to grow and learn to their potential. The home is a comfortable, familiar setting that infants can easily adapt to. With a loving, responsible caregiver trained in infant and childcare, and a limited amount of infants, there is opportunity for productive one-on-one care that can be difficult to obtain in a larger childcare center. There is also greater opportunity to create predictable schedules that are flexible to the specific needs of each child.

How Infants and Toddlers learn:

Infant/toddler learning is the foundation of all learning. During infanthood, children learn emotional, social, physical, and cognitive skills that will be built upon throughout childhood. Infants and toddlers learn though interaction and by exploring the environment using the five senses. They should be provided with daily opportunities to discover their world through all of their senses with lots of new and familiar sights, smells, tastes, textures, and sounds.

I believe that infants and toddlers should be included in activity choices. Activities based on the child's interests and abilities limits frustration and promotes excitement and autonomy. Opportunities to make choices can help to further develop their self-esteem and is incentive to continue to explore and learn. It is also important to be careful not to over stimulate, watching carefully for signs of weariness or fear. Balance is key to infant care.

Families:

Respect is the core of successful childcare. Respect of the child and his or her family and of culture, beliefs, goals and concerns allows families and caregivers to come together and create the ideal place for each child to learn and grow.

It is a caregiver's responsibility to strive to maintain open communication with the families of the children under our care. Parents and families should be able to contact the caregiver in person, by phone, through mail and email, and in any other way possible. Good communication between families and caregivers is an important aspect in the outcome of a child's daycare experience.

About Me

I have been caring for children for about 15 years. I have two children of my own, my son is 9 and my daughter is 6. I have completed an Associate's Degree in Early Childhood Education and my most recent professional childcare experiences include a home daycare program that I ran in Indiana and just before that I volunteered at 123 Preschool and ABC Preschool while I finished my degree program.

I have always enjoyed spending time with children and when I began working toward my degree I developed a passion for learning how to provide true quality care for the children I work with. The education and experience I have gained from the Early Childhood Education degree program has proven successful in providing me with the necessary skills to provide the best possible care for young children.

*References are available upon request.

Enrollment

On or before your child's first day, please bring:
Full payment for your child's first week.
At least a one-month supply of diapers and wipes.
At least two changes of clothing.
Enrollment Forms (completed and signed)
- Child Care Contract
- Admission Form
- Immunization Record (please use form provided)
- Emergency Contact Form
- Getting To Know Your Child Form
- Safe Sleep Policy

Days and Hours of Operation
Monday - Friday, 7:00 am - 6:00 pm

Holidays
I will not be available for childcare on the following dates:

New Years Day
Memorial Day
Labor Day
Thanksgiving Day
Christmas Eve
Christmas Day

Vacation

My family lives in Indiana and I may at some point require a week or so to visit them. If this happens, parents will be notified far in advance and will not be required to pay for childcare for those days.

Safety

Baby's Place Home Day Care provides an environment that your child can explore safely.
Some features that help to ensure your child's safety are, though not limited to:

Inside:
Doors will remain locked for security purposes.
Adequate ventilation throughout the home.
Operating smoke alarms and fire extinguishers.
Fire evacuation and severe weather plans posted.
No stairs inside the home.
Toys and equipment will be age appropriate and in safe condition.
Electrical outlets will be covered.
Sharp objects will be kept out of reach.
Harmful chemicals and medications will be kept out of reach.
First aid materials will be available.
Emergency contact information will be posted near the exit.

Outside:
Safe, grassy, fenced in backyard to play in.
Nice, peaceful neighborhood with very limited traffic flow.
Morningside Recreation Center is right next door.

Pick up

Children will not be released to anyone who is not on the child-release list without notification by parent. Picture identification must be presented for anyone I do not know.

Emergencies

In the event of an emergency, you will be called, and if necessary, your child will be transported by ambulance to the nearest hospital. If the emergency is very serious or urgent, I may need to call 911 before contacting you, but you will be reached as soon as possible. You will be responsible for the costs of all medical treatment necessary for your child's well being.

Health & Hygiene

Some features of Baby's Place Home Day Care that help ensure your child's health are:

No smoking permitted in the home.
Good hygiene is stressed at all times
Children are not allowed to carry around bottles or have them in their beds.
Children are prevented from sharing cups, utensils and food.
Every attempt will be made to keep toys and play areas sanitized.
Food preparation will be done in a safe and hygienic manner.

Medication

If your child is on medication and it must be administered while at childcare, the medicine must be in the original container and labeled with the child's name, doctor, name of medication, dosage and when it is to be taken. I will also have a form for you to sign giving me permission to administer the medication to your child. Medication will be given at the time you specify and a written record will be kept.

Hand Washing

Hands will be washed often throughout the day (before meals, after bathroom or diaper changing, etc.) to prevent the spreading of germs.

Rest Time

Infants nap at varying times and their personal schedules take precedence. By the time a child reaches one year of age, they are generally into an afternoon nap routine. Rest time for older toddlers will be each afternoon between the hours of 1:00p.m. and 3:00p.m. However, no child will be forced to sleep when he or she is not tired and all children will be allowed to rest regardless of the general schedule.

Clothing

Child's play is messy work. Your child may be cooking, painting, playing on the grass, or doing various other messy but fun activities while under my care. Please provide clothes that are allowed to get dirty and stained.

Toilet Training

Toilet training is an important milestone for children and their families. It is a time when children need extra attention and positive reinforcement. I believe that with a plan developed between caregiver and parents, toilet training can be a positive, rewarding experience, not an uphill battle. Please see me for more information.

Outside Play

The fresh air and large motor development opportunities included in outside play is very important to the health and development of young children. Please send or leave appropriate clothing for outside play.

Discipline

I believe the most effective way to teach young children good behavior is to use positive discipline methods such as verbal support, non-monetary rewards and positive role modeling. On rare occasions, older toddlers (2 and up) may require a time-out, or removal of non-essential privileges (to be discussed with parents beforehand) to ensure the safety of themselves and the other children. Children under my care will be educated in many positive methods of self-control and conflict resolution that will help them achieve their goals in a positive and peaceful manner.

Assessments

Children, caregivers and the program will be regularly assessed by me to ensure the best possible care for your child. You are welcome to request that an assessment be taken or to see the results of any assessment concerning your child.

Open Door Policy

Please feel free to drop in and check on your child at any time, come and have lunch with your child, or even spend the day with him/her. You are always welcome!

You are also invited to call and check on your child throughout the day. If I am busy and the phone goes unanswered, please do not become alarmed, simply leave me a voice mail message and I will return your call as quickly as possible. You may also communicate any information to me via email at khaarina@yahoo.com. I usually check my email a few times a day.

Separation

Please keep in mind that a child adjusting to a new surrounding or going through separation anxiety may want to leave with you when you pop in for a visit. I would suggest that you limit visits during these difficult times, until your child has successfully adjusted. Even if you have to leave your crying child, it is usually better to make your goodbyes short and sweet so that your child can sooner adjust to the new situation and go on with his/her day. After a few days, your child will realize that you will come back as you say and his/her morning adjustment will go smoother.

Termination of Child Care

If you decide to remove your child from my care, please provide at least two weeks notice. If I can no longer provide care for your child, I will also provide you with at least two weeks written notice.

Communication

It is very important that we work together and communicate often so that I can best care for the needs of your child.

Each day, when you drop off your child, you will be asked to sign in, and provide information, such as time your child last had a bottle, so that I can pick up where you left off and make the transition easier for your child. At the end of each day, you will receive a form that tells you all about your child's day, an example of this sheet will be provided with your information packet.

Please do not hesitate to leave feedback in person, over the phone, via email or a simple note. Feedback about your child's daycare experience or suggestions for improvement is highly encouraged. This information will help me create the best possible environment for your child.

I am always available to communicate with you in person, over the phone, or via email or written notes/letters. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.