Parent Handbook

Welcome

Owned and Operated ByRebel Wheeler Owned and Operated ByRebel Wheeler

Owned and Operated By

Rebel Wheeler

Owned and Operated By

Rebel Wheeler

Welcome to Little Fingers Childcare!

Dear Parents,

We want to thank you for considering Little Fingers Childcare for your childcare needs. We offer a loving, safe, and educational environment for your child to grow, learn and play.

We understand how difficult it can be for working parents to balance all of their commitments and responsibilities in their lives. For this reason, we strive to offer a home childcare that will enrich your child’s development while putting your mind at ease.

We will do our best to assist your child in developing important values such as: good manners, caring, sharing, patience, responsibility as well as communication and teamwork. We believe that children learn best through play and we will implement these important values throughout our day. We also offer preschool activities such as learning the alphabet, shapes, colors, numbers, and we also work on name recognition.

It is our goal to offer your family the quality childcare experience you deserve. Please feel free to openly discuss any problems or concerns you may have at any time. An open and honest relationship is the key to a happy childcare experience for everyone involved.

Please help us operate our childcare business in a professional manner by carefully reading through the parent handbook and filling out all the necessary forms. It is particularly important that you are aware of all of our policies, as we would like you to make your decision about childcare based on the terms for which we will provide care.

Again, we thank you for considering Little Fingers Childcare. We look forward to providing your child with the best possible care.

Sincerely,

Rebel Wheeler-Felts

About Little Fingers Family

Little Fingers Childcare is a family owned and operated childcare. My name is Rebel Wheeler-Felts, and I am a mother of 4. My goal is to become the best childcare and preschool I can offer you. I started my childcare business in 2004 and have over 20 years of childcare experience. The decision to start a childcare was an easy one. The main reason was so I would be able stay at home with my children. I have since learned that I enjoy teaching and nurturing children. I love watching them grow into the best person they can be. In the last 17 years I have realized that most parents in today’s society do not have the opportunity to stay home with their children, so I intend to offer the next best option for working and growing families.

Our Childcare Philosophy

As a family childcare, our goal is to provide a safe and happy place for children where they can learn and grow physically, emotionally, intellectually, and socially at their own pace. We believe children learn through playing with others and benefit from a stable yet flexible schedule. Activities will be offered which stimulate sensory motor development, language development and social interaction.

The development of strong self-esteem is also a major goal. It is important that children feel they are a welcome part of, not only their own family unit, but also of their "extended families" (Ex. friends, school, childcare, church, etc.) Today, a child's family may take on many forms, all of which are of equal importance to the child. We believe that family childcare is an especially important extension of you and your child's family. As your child becomes involved in the daily routines, they will see the connections between home and family childcare in a friendly and supporting way. A flexible daily program will respond to the needs and interests of the children, individually and in a group setting. Children will learn to respect themselves, each other, adults, and property. We believe a child’s early experiences enrich and stimulate future growth.

We do not believe in pushing any child to learn at an accelerated rate and will not make a child feel pressured to achieve developmental milestones. We believe children should be allowed to grow and blossom at their own pace. We also feel children deserve to be treated and respected as individuals in an environment that welcomes reason, exploration, question and imagination. We respect each child’s need for love, security, acceptance, warmth and stimulation.

What We as Providers Expect From You

Open communication:

Explain clearly and carefully your wishes and expectations about how you would like us to care for your child. Also provide updates on problems and progress that you child is making. Good communication helps us work together in the best interest of your child.

Agreement on Terms or Arrangements:

You should fully understand the terms of the contract and the policies and procedures that you as the parent are agreeing to.

Honesty and Trust:

This includes being honest about how you believe the arrangement is working. Although you need to be vigilant in order to safeguard your child, you should trust us as your childcare providers to do the best for your child. Show your trust by asking questions rather than jumping to conclusions if apparent problems develop.

Pick Ups/Days Off/ Payments:

We have personal lives too. We ask that you do not run errands after work. We do understand that you may get off work late or be stuck in traffic; we ask for a courtesy phone call at these times. Please understand that our days off are for our family time and we will be closed with no exceptions. We also expect payments to be on time because we also have bills to pay and food to buy. This will help to insure the best care for your child.

Respect:

Please realize that taking care of children is a job and that we are not only workers, but also working parents. Recognize that this is not an easy job. We are not “just a Baby-sitter”. Last but not least, we are only human; we are not “superheroes”. Please do not expect us to do things that you yourself would not want to do or could not do.

Number of Children in Our Care

We believe that children receive the best possible care when there are six or fewer children under the age of 12 per adult. Ideally, we would prefer to keep the ratio closer to four children per adult, depending upon the ages of the children. Except with prior agreement from all parents using our services, we will try not to care for more than two infants (under the age of 12 months) at a time.

When it comes to filling vacancies or increasing the number of children we care for, up to the maximum of twelve, we will always give preferential consideration to the families we currently serve. We would certainly welcome the opportunity to care for new siblings as they arrive!

Children need to feel they are getting quality attention from the adults in their lives, and they benefit from lots of one-on-one care. Therefore, for your children’s benefit and ours, we will attempt to keep the group as small as possible. From time to time, in order to accommodate the families we serve, it may be necessary to accept a few extra children for a day or two, such as in the case of a public school closing due to weather conditions. On these days, we reserve the right to accept older children for temporary care at an additional fee. To the extent possible, we will notify all parents in advance of such days, so that you can decide if you wish to keep your child in care on that day.

Please keep in mind that we have a license that restricts the number in attendance. The state of Idaho realizes “emergency” situations and can be quite forgiving at times. Be assured that we will never accept more children for care than we believe would be safe and in the best interest of all the families, we serve. We anticipate that this will be a rare event and not a routine situation.

Communication

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

Conferences will not be scheduled as a routine part of your child's care; however, should you like to have a conference, you may request one at any time.

Parents of infants will receive a daily note upon request. Some typical things you may find on this paper would be feedings, diaper changes, schedule, temperament and things to remember.

Parents of toddlers can also receive a daily note upon request. Some typical things you may find on this paper would be things to remember, rest schedule, activities, temperament and meals.

Parents of kindergartners and older will not receive a daily note unless there is an unusual reminder or a situation we need to make you aware of.

You are encouraged to call or text me at any time between the hours of 7:00 a. m. - 8:00 p. m. For emergencies, please feel free to call any time. If you call during the day, please be aware that we may be busy with the children and may not be able to answer the phone. If you leave a message on our voice mail, we will call you back as soon as possible.

Facebook and text messages are not an acceptable form of contact for emergency or important communications. Please do your best to keep us updated with your current contact information. We are looking forward to a terrific relationship with you and your child!

Goals

While in our care, your child will have the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of activities, which promote all aspects of development. Family childcare provides for children the comfort and experience of belonging to an extended family. We provide a home like setting; therefore, we do not follow a strict routine but we do try to follow a time schedule outlined later in this handbook.

Our approach to childcare is child centered and child directed. The children will receive choices whenever possible. Your child may bring home a newsletter each month which will give a brief overview of what we will be doing. Just because you are not seeing anything in the way of papers does not mean that we have not been busy all day.

Enrollment Policies

There are several forms that we must have completed and in our possession before we 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 us. The forms are as follows:

• Enrollment Fee of $40.00 per child that is nonrefundable
• ICCP Enrollment is $40.00 per child and may be reimbursed by the state
• Executed Contract and Payment Agreement
• Authorization for Medical and or Dental Treatment
• Authorization of Prescription Medicine (when needed)
• Authorization of Non-Prescription Medicine
• All About Me Child Enrolment
• Handbook Acknowledgement
• Emergency Card (provided by us)
• Field Trip Permission Slip (as needed)
• Photo and Water Permission Slip
• Immunization Records (current and up to date)
• Pick Up Authorization
• Copy of Adult Photo ID
• Copy of insurance cards for emergency treatment
• Behavior Management Letter
• Pet on Premises Letter

All information given is confidential and will be stored in a locked filing cabinet and will only be used for Little Fingers Childcare financial purposes. You are required to keep us informed of any change in addresses, telephone numbers and other pertinent information listed on any of the above forms. If you have any questions regarding the completion of these forms, please feel free to ask.

Hours of Operation

Little Fingers Childcare will be open Monday through Friday from 5 AM to 6 PM with the exception of the holidays listed on our annual calendar. Extended hours and weekends will be a case-by-case basis and your specific hours will be outlined in your Contract and Rate Agreement.

We require two weeks notice if you need to change your enrollment hours. We also reserve the right to terminate if the new hours will not work well for our childcare business.

Little Fingers Childcare will be closed on the days and hours listed on our annual calendar. The calendar is posted on the time clock and the sign-in counter.

• New Year’s Eve and Day
• Easter Sunday
• Independence Day
• Memorial Day
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving and day after
• Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

The above are paid holidays for Little Fingers Childcare if they fall on a contracted day for your child. In addition, Little Fingers Childcare may close for up to 14 days of unpaid vacation per year and 10 personal/sick days per year. Please know we have never closed due to sickness in over 12 years. Also, please note we do not always use the full 2 weeks or take the days consecutively, but when we do take vacation time it will be unpaid by you.

Notification of at least 2 weeks will be given prior to any closed days, with the exception of emergencies or illness. Please have a backup childcare provider for these occasions. Little Fingers Childcare is not responsible for finding alternate care for your child.

In the event that I will be away for a period, less than three hours (Doctor Appointments, errands, etc.) substitute care will be provided. If we are unable to use one of our substitute providers, then it may be necessary for us to close for half the day or the full day. Our substitute provider is authorized to carry out the terms of this contract. There will be NO refunds or adjustments made to your childcare fee for your time missed due to illness, holidays, or days you take off. A place has been reserved for each child that cannot be filled on a short-term basis.

Although we will make every attempt to be available each day, there may be occasions when we or another family member may be ill and we are unable to provide service. You will be notified as soon as possible of any personal or family illness, funeral or emergency. It will be your responsibility to obtain substitute care on such occasions and to arrange payment to the substitute. We strongly suggest that you have a family member, friend or a substitute provider lined up for the times we are closed due to illness or emergency.

Enrollment

There will be an enrollment fee of $40.00 per child and a discount with two or more per family. This is to show good faith and to guarantee your enrollment into Little Fingers Childcare. This fee will also cover the costs of paperwork and all other associated fees.

** THIS FEE IS NONREFUNDABLE AND DUE AT THE TIME OF ENROLLMENT **

Childcare Rates Part Time (25 hours or less per week)

$400 per month per child up to 108 hours a month. Over 108 hours we will be Full Time rate for that month.

Full Time (26- 45 hours per week)

$500 per month per child up to 193 hours a month. Over 193 hours we will bill $4 an hour per child.

Drop In (4-18 hours per week)

$40 per day

Late Pick Up

If you are more than one hour late, you will be billed an extra $5.00 per hour per child after the contracted time, unless I receive a courtesy call or have prior arrangements. This fee is payable when your next payment is due. All times are “contracted” meaning you pay for these times whether your child/children attend or not to assure their spot in Little Fingers Childcare, unless we are ill or have an emergency. We require two weeks’ notice in writing when terminating childcare. Payment is still required for this time whether your child/children attend or not.

Late Payment

If you are late paying your bill, a late fee of $30.00 per day up to five days will be accessed to your current bill for each outstanding billing month. Please contact us to plan arrangements if your payment will be late. These late fees will not exceed $150.00 in a current billing month. If your account is still delinquent after 5 days, services will then be terminated, and court action may begin. Late fees will continue to be charged up to the time of court action, generally about 90 days. All court fees will then be your responsibility.

Childcare Subsidy/ ICCP

Parents who qualify for the childcare subsidy/ ICCP must have full approval in place prior to attending Little Fingers Childcare. Any fees not covered by subsidy/ ICCP are the parents responsibility and are payable by the 10th of each current month.

Proof of qualification must be presented to Little Fingers Childcare prior to attending. Any termination, refusal to pay or rate changes by subsidy/ ICCP are and will be the full responsibility of the parent.

Payments

All payments are due on the 1st and late on the 15th of the month no later than 7:00 PM for the current month.

For ICCP clients, your ICCP portion is due upon receipt and your portion is due by the 7th of each current month.

**PAYMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED IN CASH, BANK CARD OR IN A MONEY ORDER ONLY!!!**

We will consider accepting checks if you bill is paid on time for a consecutive 6 months. Paying by debit or credit card requires full payment in advance.

Maternity Extended Leave

In cases of your potential absence due to maternity or extended leave from your job, I still require a sum of 1/2 of the current contract per month for the entire time of your absence to hold your child's position.

In cases of maternity leave where you will be placing your new baby into my care, you will be required to fill out all necessary enrollment forms no less than two weeks prior to the baby's starting date.

Arrivals & Departures

Children are to arrive clean and fed unless arriving just before a mealtime. 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 5 minutes is sufficient) during drop-off times; the longer you prolong the departure the harder it gets. A smile, cheerful goodbye 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 pickup times also. This is a time of testing when two different authority figures are present (the parent and the provider). All the children will test to see if the rules still apply.

An early arrival to pick up your child does not mean you may stay until the close of business. If you would like to stay and visit, please arrange this with me beforehand. Typically, pickup time needs to be kept brief.

When picking children up at the end of the day, you are asked to come to the front door. We have an open door policy, meaning if you child is here you may walk in without knocking first. Sometimes, the older children are out back and we are inside with the younger ones. We need you to come into the house from the front and we will call your child into the house to leave. Please do not go into the backyard unless we are out there with all of the children. This is for everyone's safety.

We will try our best to send your child home with a clean diaper and would appreciate the same consideration when you drop off your child.

During arrivals and departures, we expect you to help enforce our rules (see House Rules), but if you do not, we will remind your child that their behavior is inappropriate and take action to correct them if needed. Please be in control of your child during these times.

We prefer that there are no pickups or drop offs during the designated daily quiet time, but if it is necessary please be as quiet and brief as possible. Children who arrive during quiet time will be expected to remain quiet (they may play/read quietly) until quiet time is over, so that others will not be disrupted from their naps.

Do not allow your child to run out to your car while you are still inside or while you are in our backyard! The safety rule is "No one goes out front without their parent or an adult with them. "

Drop off and pickup times are not good times to discuss problems. Little ears and minds hear and understand everything. We are not comfortable discussing children in the presence of anyone except their parents. Topics that concern day to day events or lighthearted discussion are fine.

Our 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, please notify us ahead of time. A verbal notice is fine on that day if this person is authorized to pick up your child.

If the person is NOT on that list, we MUST have written permission to release your child. Please inform emergency contacts, or people designated to pick up your child, that if we do not know them, we would need to ask for photo identification. We do not mean to offend them. This is simply a measure taken for your child's protection. We will not let a child leave without a parent's verbal permission even if that person is listed as one of your designated pickup adults.

Signing In & Signing Out

We are required by state and city law to sign in and out all children for pickups and drop offs each day. This gives us a record of the child's attendance and hours. All times will be logged by the Little Fingers Childcare Clock only! If for some reason the “dependable” computer systems fail, there will be a pen and paper on the sign in counter for you to sign in or out.

Electronic Check-In & Check-Out Procedure

Once all required paperwork has been completed, each parent and authorized pickup person will be entered into our secure electronic attendance system. A unique personal identification number (PIN) will be generated for each authorized adult. This PIN is typically the last four digits of the adult’s phone number but may be customized upon request, provided the number is not already in use.

Once enrolled, a tablet is located by the front door and must be used for both daily check-in and check-out.

The process is the same for both:

Parents or authorized pickup persons will enter their PIN on the keypad and select the checkmark. On the next screen, all enrolled children associated with that PIN will appear and will be color-coded to show their current check-in or check-out status. Select the child or children you are checking in or out and tap “Next.” You will then be prompted to provide a signature, which is required by state law. After signing and selecting the checkmark, the check-in or check-out process is complete.

Little Fingers Childcare maintains detailed electronic attendance records, including timestamps and the identity of the person who checked each child in or out. These records are maintained in compliance with state regulations. If attendance records are ever required, please contact us in person and we will be happy to generate them as needed.

If you need to add or remove an authorized pickup person, this must be done in person so our records remain accurate and up to date.

It is essential that parents and authorized pickup persons check children in and out every day they attend Little Fingers Childcare. It is also essential that you not share your PIN. If multiple people regularly pick up your child(ren), each person MUST have their own PIN. If they do not have one, please contact us immediately.

State law requires accurate attendance records to be available upon request, and failure to properly check a child in or out may result in compliance issues.

If your child is transported to Little Fingers Childcare from school, staff will check the child in upon arrival. However, parents or authorized pickup persons are still required to check the child out at pickup each day.

House Rules

We at Little Fingers Childcare have just a few house rules that everyone including parents need to follow:

• Always come with happy, smiling faces!
• Take shoes off at the door
• No fighting
• No running in the house
• No jumping on the furniture
• No throwing balls inside
• No gum
• No biting, pinching, or spitting
• No name calling or harsh words
• Never go outside without an adult
• Respect yourself, others, and property
• Always use kind words

Quiet Time

All children not in school will have a rest period or quiet time. No child is forced to sleep, however they must remain quiet and lay down. Older children, and those who wake early, will participate in a quiet activity until Rest Time is over. Please try not to schedule pickups or visits during this time to lessen disturbance to the resting children. All children will rest on their individual blankets with brought stuffy if required.

Daily Schedule

Young children, toddlers and babies enjoy a structured schedule that allows for flexibility. A schedule helps the day to flow more smoothly, allowing the children to anticipate coming events and aids in achieving a variety of goals. We will adhere to our schedule to the best of our ability; keep in mind that anything can happen when children are involved. There will be times when we have to make adjustments to the schedule.

We would appreciate it if you consider our schedule when picking up or dropping off your children. It is preferred if arrivals and departures do not occur during quiet time or meals, but when they do, please take note of the fact that children may be sleeping or eating. Come and go as quietly and quickly as possible. Children who arrive during these times will be expected to rest or play quietly until quite time or meal is over.

Daily Schedule Breakdown:

6:30am-8:30am

serve breakfast

8:30am-10:00am

free play, story time and interaction

10:00am-10:30am

morning snack

10:30am-11:30am

free play, story time and interaction

11:30am-12:30pm

serve lunch

12:30pm-2:30pm

play, quiet or naptime times will vary

3:30pm-4:00pm

serve snack

4:15pm-6:00pm

free play until pick up

7:00pm-8:00pm

serve supper

Meals

Little Fingers Childcare provides three meals a day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner when contracted. We also provide a healthy morning and afternoon snack. Because Little Fingers Childcare offers full rounded and healthy meals for several children, we cannot accommodate fussy eaters and all children will be fed the same meals.

We will accommodate special food diets and food allergies. To do this we may ask parents to bring food items for their child. There will be times when we have special goodies. NO outside food will be allowed unless prearranged with us and enough is provided for all children attending that day. If you would like to provide special snack please be sure to make sure there is enough for everyone on your chosen day. If there is not enough food to accommodate all the children the food brought will be put up for your child to take home.

Sample menus are available upon request. If you are planning on your children being here for a meal please have them here 30 minutes earlier. If feeding them before coming, please be sure all food is finished upon arrival. Please do not drop off your children with food in hand. We will take it away, store and you leave with it. All meals will be served between the scheduled times only. Please feed your children before arrival if coming after this time to avoid interruption to our schedule.

We will not serve meals outside of the set schedule due to the strict USDA rules, regulations and guidelines.

If you are running late and know that you will make it please call 30 minutes early and let us know so a meal will be waiting.

Meal times are as follows:

6:30am-7:00am

Breakfast (school age only)

8:00am-8:30am

Breakfast

10:00am-10:30am

Morning snack

11:30am-12:30pm

Lunch

3:30pm-4:00pm

Snack

7:00pm-8:00pm

Dinner (if contracted)

Little Fingers Childcare is a part of the Nutrition Works Program. This program is to ensure your child gets a full healthy and nutritious meal all the time. It is provided to you at no extra cost.

Please understand that some of our food rules fall under the guidelines of this program and we must all abide by the food rules set in place. For example we have set meal times because we are required to keep a daily log of all children receiving each meal.

For your convenience sample menus will be available upon request. If you do not want to participate in the food program your contract amount will increase by $100 full time and $50 part time. This will accommodate the changes in the food cost and meal planning.

Any special dietary food must be provided by parent to be served. There will be no waiver in the cost associated with any change.

Preschool

Little Fingers Childcare would love to announce Little Fingers Preschool. At this time we offer 1 class 5 days a week from 9 AM to 10:30 AM.

Please be advised class amounts and time may vary depending on how many children are enrolled for preschool. We would also like to state that all children enrolled into our childcare would receive preschool at no extra cost.

Each family should receive a monthly calendar with a newsletter. We may send out more newsletters during the month with exciting things that are happening. We hope that you are ready to join us on this new and wonderful adventure.

Homework

At Little Fingers Childcare, homework is a priority. We always have the kids do their homework right after school at the kitchen table. If homework should take more than an hour, then we ask that the extra homework be completed at home so that the children can have their snacks.

Please understand that Little Fingers Childcare is not a learning facility nor are we educators. It is not our responsibility to complete homework with your child. We will help your children to the best of our ability, but we will not force the children to do their homework.

As the parent, it is your responsibility to enforce your child’s education and educational habits. We will let you know if they refuse to do homework and ask how you would like us to ensure the work is done.

Damages

Our home is childproofed to the best of our ability however, accidents do happen. Any damage to our home or personal belongings that is willfully caused by your child will be replaced or repaired at the cost of the parents.

Little Fingers Childcare will repair or replace broken childcare equipment & toys due to normal wear and tear. Little Fingers Childcare will give one verbal warning to the child and one written warning to parents for destructive behavior.

However, should your child purposely damage or break equipment or toys, then the item will be repaired or replaced at the cost of the parents.

Personal Belongings

No toys should be brought from home. If toys are brought from home, they will immediately be put up until the child leaves. Little ones have a difficult time, sharing with others, and it is even harder with their own special toys. Exceptions being their "lovey" for nap time, which will be put up until naptime, and Show and Tell and other special activity days.

We are not responsible for any loss or breakage of your child's personal items. All personal items must be clearly marked with the child's name.

Dress Code

Please dress your child appropriately. The activities may be messy. Do not send your child in clothing that you do not want stained. Weather permitting, we will spend a lot of time outdoors. You also need to supply a complete change of clothing in case of an accident; we do not supply clothing for daycare children. If the child has no spare clothing, the parent will be called to bring some.

Water Play: We have house sprinklers for summer water play (children will not play in irrigation water). We require a permission slip signed before the child is allowed to play in the water. A swimsuit, towel and little swimmer pants (when needed) will be requested for these days.

Supplies

You are responsible for supplying diapers, wipes, 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 and baby wipes to be stored in the childcare closet (We will let you know when your supply runs low and you can check this yourself). All of your supplies will be name labeled. You are required to supply a blanket for your child to be kept at the childcare home if on overnight schedules. All blankets and bedding will be laundered every weekend.

Good clothing (brand new clothes, etc.) is not recommended. In cases where no clothing has been supplied, your child may be sent home in temporary daycare clothing. These clothes items are expected to be returned to us. Soiled clothing may be sent home and a clean change of clothes should be brought back the next day (as we sometimes are not able to get the laundry washed).

If there is a special occasion that calls for special clothing, such as a visit or party right after child care or a trip to the photographer, please send the special clothing with your child and we will help them clean up and get dressed prior to your arrival. We may request that you bring a bathing suits and towel for your child to use on our sprinkler/pool days during summer.

We will request certain items for certain times of the year such as boots or snowsuits. All items need to be labeled with your child's initials. You must maintain these items at all times. Failure to do so is grounds for termination. Please keep in mind that if you do not bring a needed item, it may prevent all of the children from going outside or participating in activities. If it becomes necessary for us to purchase supplies and or requested items for your child/children, you will be billed on your next payment due date. All supplies must be labeled with your child’s name.

You will need to provide the following things to be left here:

• 1 complete change of clothing (more if we are toilet training) to be left here up to age 6. This includes shirt, pants, socks, and underwear.
• Any over the counter medication that you may wish to be used. EX. : diaper cream, baby powder or Tylenol This medication must have the child’s name on it. Remember, I will always ask your permission before administering unless a consent form is signed.
• A comb or brush that only your child will use.
• A toothbrush and paste in a plastic baggy or travel case with name.

**FOR CHILDREN YOUNGER THAN 18 MONTHS (and those not yet potty trained and/or weaned from the bottle)

• Diapers or Pull-ups, 1 full package. They will be stored in your child’s cubby and I will notify you when the supply is low.
• 1 box of baby wipes. You will be notified when supply is low.
• 2 bottles and 1 pacifier with fastener to be left here. It will not be necessary for you to send bottles daily.
• 2 changes of clothing (T-shirt, sleeper, outfit and socks). Careful attention must be made to maintain current sizes left here. I will launder these as needed and notify you when more are needed.
• Any cream, powder, etc. that you wish me to use.
• Baby Tylenol or Oragel, if you wish it to be used.
• Formula if different than what is provided.

**Note: If you prefer not to supply these items to be left here, you may send them daily in a diaper bag. The option of leaving these items here is for your convenience and is not required. Any items provided will be labeled with your child’s name and will only be for their use. However, all of the above items are required for us to care for your child, so they will need to be brought daily.

Again, if you choose not to supply us with the required items, we will purchase them for you and you will be responsible for the cost of the items, travel time and the fuel for us to purchase them. The charge for travel time and fuel will be $10.00 a trip plus the items needed.

Toilet Learning

We will assist you in toilet training your child with the understanding that it will be successful only if we work together. We will use cotton underwear or pull-ups supplied by the parent. Send your child ONLY in easy on/easy off clothing until they are able to completely undress and dress themselves. We required at least 5 complete changes of clothing during Toilet Learning. Please try to avoid real tight clothing, pants with snaps, zippers, belts, overalls, and onesies. These are difficult for children to remove "in a hurry". Do not bring your child in panties or underwear until he/she has naptime and bedtime control established. Please bring pull-ups or diapers for this time.

We will not always launder soiled items and will sometimes send them home in a plastic bag. Please replace any clothing sent home the next day. We ask that you begin toilet training at home during a weekend or vacation. We will follow through and encourage your child while in our care. When a child is ready, the process should go quick. If your child does not have immediate success, he/she will be put back into diapers, and after a respite, the process will be attempted again. We will not force a child to potty train. The child should be kept in pull-ups or 5ply training pants at all times.

Putting a child in diapers part time, and training pants part time, can be confusing and delay the training process. Please keep in mind that the activity level here can distract your child from responding to an urge to use the potty, more so than at your home. Therefore, we will continue to use diapers or pull-ups until your child can and will announce that he/she must use the bathroom (not just at home, but here, as well) and can control his/her bladder and bowels for a few minutes beyond that announcement.

Your child's readiness is something we can discuss because consistency between our homes will be very important. This is a special time for your child, a sign that he/she is growing up. Toilet training should be a good experience for the child.

Birthdays & Parties

Each child's birthday is their "Special Day.". If you feel you must purchase a personal gift for the birthday child, we ask that you give this outside of the childcare home. It will be your responsibility to provide a cake, cupcakes, or treats for your child's special day. We will let you know which day we will celebrate.

We also have holiday parties occasionally throughout the year. Signup sheets will be posted at the front door for your assistance with these days as needed on a voluntary basis.

At Christmas time, parents may be asked to purchase and wrap a toy or book gift to be presented to the children at our Christmas party. If we do this, each child will draw a name and age of a child to be a “Secret Santa” for another child. We ask that you not spend more than $5.00 on the gift and that it be age appropriate. The dollar store is the best place for these gifts.

Field Trips (This Section is Pending Restructure)

Occasionally, we may have the opportunity to take a field trip. All children will be placed in safety approved car seats as required by State laws. You may be requested to provide a car seat for the day and/or pay any fees associated with the trip. You will be required to sign a permission slip that we will carry with us. We will 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. When a field trip is planned, we will post a volunteer sheet by the front door three weeks prior.

IF we do not have enough help the trip may be cancelled. It is not required that your child attends the field trip, but it will be your responsibility to find and pay for alternate care if you do not wish for them to attend. You will still be required to pay your regular child care fees.

Discipline Policy

I use the following discipline methods to handle any dangerous or hurtful offense:

For children under the age of about 18 months, we find it most effective to remove the child from the situation and redirect their attention elsewhere. Although we will most likely explain to the child that the offending behavior was inappropriate, children of this age are rarely able to fully understand what they have done. Fortunately, their attention span is also usually shorter than with older children, so simply showing them a different toy or activity usually does the job.

For children of about age 2 and over, we will alert the child to the offense by saying firmly “NO”, explaining why the behavior is unacceptable, and offering the child the choice to behave. If the child chooses not to behave appropriately, we will first explain to the child why their behavior is not acceptable, and then we will place the child in a chair in the timeout corner, under isolated observation for a period of about 1 minute per year of age.

At the end of the time-out, we will ask the child if he or she understands why they had a time-out, ask if they understand why they shouldn’t do that behavior, then ask if they are ready to play nicely again. This method not only stops the offending behavior, but also teaches the child consequence, responsibility, and empathy in a positive manner.

Dangerous and hurtful offenses include hitting, biting, kicking, pushing, spitting, hair pulling, throwing objects at someone, climbing on an inappropriate structure, willful destruction of property, tantrum throwing and not following reasonable requests. These relatively minor offenses will be handled as described above, depending upon the child’s age and developmental stage.

To a point, kids will be kids, but only as long as the emotional and physical safety of all of the children in our care is protected. In the rare instance that we feel, any child in our care has a serious discipline problem; we will request a conference with the parent(s). If an understanding cannot be reached, we reserve the right to terminate our contract with as much notice as possible in order to guarantee the comfort and safety of the other children in our care.

House Cleaning

Our house is not always spotless and we are not “Superheroes”, though sometimes it would be nice. Our main concern is the care of the children. We clean our home during Quiet Time, if all are asleep, during non-business hours, and occasionally with children's help. The children will be expected to help clean up toys before meals, naps and before leaving for the day.

Notice of pets on Premises

In our home your child will be exposed to various types of pets by either direct or indirect contact. The animals we choose to care for can and will change from time to time do to the life expectancies. Some of the more permanent are dogs, cats, hedgehogs, guinea pigs, fish, hamsters, lizards and turtles. All of our animals receive their annual vaccinations through a licensed veterinarian if required.

Cleanliness & Hygiene

We do our best to maintain strict cleanliness and hygiene standards. Children's hands are washed before, after meals, and after toileting. We use paper towels for drying hands, so children do not have to use the same towel. If parents provide a toothbrush and toothpaste, teeth will be brushed, as well. We wash our hands frequently and use antibacterial gel.

Infants sleep in separate cribs or pack and plays, with clean sheets used only by them. Beginning at about age 2, washable nap mats or blankets are used. Each child has a separate blanket and pillow that are washed weekly (unless soiled, then they are washed as often as necessary). Parents may also bring a special blanket for their Childs use.

Children use separate cups, plates, bowls and eating utensils that have been washed in the dishwasher and dried on the heat setting. High chair trays, tables, etc. are disinfected with a bleach water solution after each use. It is not necessary to bring sippy cups for your children as they sometimes are mixed up with the many we provide.

Illness Policy

Under no circumstances will parents be allowed to bring a sick child to our childcare. Sick children expose other children, as well as our family, to their illness and require additional care and attention that we are unable to give. Moreover, sick children want care from their parents in the comfort of their own homes. If other children become ill due to exposure to your sick child, either because he/she was returned to childcare before full recovery or because he/she was not picked up promptly upon notice of becoming ill, other parents will be unnecessarily inconvenienced.

If we become ill due to exposure to a sick child, all of the children may need to arrange alternate care, and it is possible that we will lose a portion of our income. Because this is disruptive to other children and their families, as well as our own, your cooperation on this issue is extremely important. The following illness policies will be strictly enforced, for the health, well being and safety of all concerned. So please pay attention to this section.

Symptoms Requiring Removal from Childcare

Fever:

Fever is defined as having a temperature over 98. 6°F taken under the arm, over 99.5°F taken orally, or over 100.4°F taken rectally. A child needs to be fever free for a minimum of 24 hours before returning to childcare; that means the child is fever free without the aid of Tylenol or any other fever reducing substance.

Diarrhea:

Runny or watery stools, or two or more loose stools within 4 hours.

As for infants with fevers and/or diarrhea and as it pertains to teething, we will only accept a child with these symptoms back into care after the child has seen a doctor and a note is sent from the doctor stating that these symptoms are due to teething.

Vomiting:

No child will be allowed if vomiting occurs. You will be contacted for immediate pickup.

Runny Nose:

Your child may be brought to care if he/she has a common cold (slight cough, clear runny nose, occasional sneezing). Discharge of any color other than clear is not acceptable in childcare.

Runny and/or Crusty Eyes:

Watery, matted, and/or red/pink eyes are not acceptable in childcare. You will be contacted for immediate pickup.

Unexplained Rash

Head Lice:

You will be contacted for immediate pickup.

Excessive Crankiness:

Child is irritable, excessive whining or crying, wants constantly held, or requires more attention than we can provide without jeopardizing the health, safety, or well-being of the other children in our care.

Your child will not be accepted into childcare if he/she has had any of the above symptoms within the last 24 hours. A sick child should be allowed to recover fully after an illness so that other children in the group do not risk exposure and so that the child is able to fully participate in childcare activities.

If you are unable to remain at home with your sick child, it will be necessary for you to make substitute child care arrangements at your own expense. If your child becomes ill while in our care, we will notify you immediately. You are required to pick up your child within 60 minutes of notification. If you cannot be reached, then your emergency contact will be called.

** If your child is out ill regular fees still apply. We reserve the right to determine when a child should be sent home due to illness. Children may return to care 24 hours after symptoms of illness end or with written authorization from your doctor stating the name of the illness and when child may return to childcare. Please notify us as soon as possible when your child becomes ill so that I may notify the other parents.

If your child is thought to have a communicable disease, you will be notified and asked to pick him/her up. He/she will be isolated from the other children and given special attention and comfort until you arrive. Your child will be accepted back into care when no longer contagious. All other parents will be notified of the possibility of a communicable disease and what symptoms to watch for.

If someone in our family has any of the above symptoms, we will call you the previous evening, or as soon as we are aware of the situation, so that you may determine whether or not you want your child exposed to such symptoms. However, we reserve the right to ask you to make other arrangements if we feel the illness/es in our family will hinder the quality of care for your child.

Absences by your choice qualify as your sick or absent days and are to be paid as stated above. We do not expect to be paid when we not available for care due to illness for more then three days. However, we have set aside time in our schedule to accommodate your schedule and feel that we should be compensated for the time that we are available.

Many times the childcare may be blamed for the illness of a child, meaning that we have "allowed" sick children to come here. Parents may not stop to think that when sick children are brought to our home, our entire family is also at risk of exposure. How would you feel if another parent brought their sick child and exposed your child? We will always respect your need to be at work. We ask, however, that when deciding if your child should be at home, you consider the other children. Ask yourself how you would feel if another child were as ill as your child was. Would you want your well child exposed to these symptoms?

Further, there are times when a child is not that ill, but is terribly uncomfortable, and really needs some "one on one". At those times, we strongly urge you to consider keeping your child at home. If your child is unable to participate in the normal activities of the daily schedule, then your child must stay home.

Covid 19 Policy

Little Fingers Childcare is considered an essential service and business that is able to provide childcare and meal services to children. For your children’s safety and ours, we will conduct daily health checks.

Upon entering Little Fingers Childcare, all children will have their temperatures taken to insure that no fevers (100.4f or higher) are present.

Should you or any household member have any of the following Covid-19 symptoms during the last 72 hours, we ask that your children remain out of care and that you notify Little Fingers Childcare as soon as possible.

Common Covid-19 Symptoms:

• Cough
• Sore Throat
• Chills
• Difficulty breathing
• Headaches
• Muscle aches
• New loss of taste or smell
• Fever of or above 100.4f
• Diarrhea and/or vomiting

A symptomatic household will be required to remain out of Little Fingers Childcare for 10 days, unless clearance to return is provided. This can be done by a medical provider that can determine that there is an alternate diagnosis such as an ear infection or a negative Covid test.

Families must comply with all mask/face covering protocols at Little Fingers Childcare, based on the state and local guidelines, which may or may not include the following precautions:

Adults:

Adults must wear a mask/face covering in the presence of caregivers and children.

Care Givers:

Care givers must wear a mask/face covering at all times when care is in session, except during breaks or when eating.

Children:

Children 5 and over should wear mask/face coverings while in childcare.

This guideline does not apply to children under the age of 5, or to those who are advised not to wear a face covering for other health reasons.

Notify Little Fingers Childcare immediately if you become aware of any suspected or confirmed cases of Covid-19 in your household occurring within 14 days before or after any member of the household has been present during childcare.

The final decision on whether or not to exclude a child from care due to illness will be made by Little Fingers Childcare.

Suspension of childcare is sometimes necessary to reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission.

If a child becomes sick while at Little Fingers Childcare, for their comfort and to reduce risk of contagion, we ask that your child be picked up within one hour of notification of illness.

Medications

Both nonprescription and prescription medications, ointments and creams can be given to your child if needed. Parents are required to fill out the proper forms and to supply all medications in their original containers with the child’s name. All written instructions shall be valid for six months unless a shorter period is designated by the physician, dentist, or parent. These must be labeled with the child's name. NO EXCEPTIONS!

We will not exceed the manufacturer's recommended dosage unless with written physician's instructions when administering nonprescription medication. WE will not administer nonprescription oral medication for longer than three consecutive days. We may not administer nonprescription topical ointments, creams, or lotions for longer than 14 consecutive days when used for skin irritations.

Any types of cough drops, chap stick or etc., given to your child to keep in their pocket will immediately confiscated.

Please Note: Medications such as Tylenol, Benadryl or cough medications will not be administered to children under 2 years of age unless written by a doctor. All medications must come in original bottles or packaging and be age appropriate. Medication will only be given during childcare hours if all of the above requirements have been met. At any time the providers feel uncomfortable administering medications for any reason, they will notify the parents so other arrangements can be made.

Medical Emergencies

In case of EMERGENCY, we will administer the necessary first aid. The Caldwell Police Department or Paramedic Unit may be called as needed and your child may be transported to the hospital designated on your Emergency Transportation Authorization form. YOU WILL BE NOTIFIED IMMEDIATELY.

If an ambulance is called to transport your child, the cost of the ambulance will be your responsibility.

We are prepared with emergency caregivers in cases of unplanned absences of short duration caused by unanticipated circumstances such as illness or accident. We will notify you when an emergency caregiver will be used.

If an emergency caregiver cannot be located, you may be requested to pick up your children.

You are responsible for all costs involved in emergency medical treatment, including emergency transportation, if required. The owners of Little Fingers Childcare or our family will not be held liable for any sickness/injury of either parent/guardian or child while on these premises, or while the child is in the company of volunteer parents or us during field trips or outings.

Immunizations

All children are required to have all of their immunizations and a copy needs to be provided to Little Fingers Childcare for their records. This copy will be compared to the IRIS database prior to enrollment. If there are any shots missing you will be notified and given a copy of the required immunizations to enter a childcare facility. NO EXCEPTIONS!!!!

For parents that wish to be exempt from immunization you must have a signed exemption form from a medical doctor. If you do not have this form, we can provide one for you to be signed.

For the safety of our providers and their families the Varicella Vaccine (Chickenpox Vaccine) will be required to attend Little Fingers Childcare.

Emergencies

Fire:

There is one fire extinguisher located in my home. It is located in the kitchen next to the refrigerator. If there is a fire that cannot be extinguished quickly, the children will be evacuated immediately before calling 911. We will practice fire drills monthly so the children will be prepared in the event of a fire. The fire escape plan is located on the wall by the front door and you are free to view it at any time.

Tornado:

In the event of a tornado warning, the children will gather in a windowless room. We will remain in this room until the inclement weather has passed.

Power Outage:

There are flashlights located in the kitchen and throughout the home. If the power remains out for some time, there are non-perishables located in the kitchen that will be used to eat. If the weather is inclement and the house is getting too cold for the children, you will be called to pick up your child.

Termination Policies

We reserve the right to terminate for the following reasons (but not limited to):

• Failure to pay
• Failure to complete the required forms
• Lack of parental cooperation
• Failure of child to adjust to the child care after a reasonable amount of time
• Physical or verbal abuse of any person or property
• Our inability to meet the child's needs
• Lack of compliance with handbook regulations
• Serious illness or assault of a child or provider
• False information given by parent either verbally or in writing

We appreciate as much advance notice as possible when terminating and will give the same courtesy in return. You are required to give two week's written notice when you decide to terminate childcare. The two weeks will be paid in full, regardless of whether or not your child attends, but we do hope for attendance. This will allow the child to learn a fact of life and say goodbye to the friends they have made along the way.

We will give two week's written notice of termination for which full tuition is due, whether or not your child attends. I reserve the right to give written notice of immediate termination where there are extreme circumstances that affect the wellbeing of ourselves or other children in attendance. Termination notice will not be accepted while provider or parents are on vacation. You may pay two week's fees in lieu of two week's notice.

Child Abuse/ Neglect

Unfortunately, this is a topic that must be addressed in today’s society. It is understood that We will not knowingly allow any form of sexual, physical or emotional abuse of any child in my care at any time. This includes the time that the children are in their own home. On the surface, this may sound like an invasion of privacy, but we cannot ethically turn a blind eye toward such abuse.

We have been trained in the recognition of all forms of child abuse and will do everything in our power to prevent any instances from occurring. If we notice any signs of abuse at any time, we will alert that child’s parent (s) immediately, both verbally and in writing, along with a full description of the symptoms. (Bruising, sores, sudden extreme behavioral changes, etc.). We will document this same information for ourselves, and if necessary, alert the proper authorities after first attempting to handle the situation discretely.

You may get notes about your child having bruises or scrapes without needing to fear that we suspect you of abusing your child and we do know that children do get bruises from time to time. Be assured, if we think your child has been abused, we will let you know! The notes we send home are just to alert you in general of any instances that may come up, and to protect us from mistaken accusations of abuse.

We would prefer not to have to deal with this issue, but we feel it is best that we handle it openly and honestly to avoid any possible misunderstandings. We both want what is best for all the children. Please feel free to discuss this or any other issues with us at any time.

Please be aware that we are required by law to report any suspected signs of child abuse and/or neglect. This includes any form of physical punishment by the parents in our home. Any request to use physical punishments by the parents will be noted in the child’s file along with a written refusal from Little Fingers Childcare, signed by the parent and provider.

Non-Discrimination: As licensed providers, we shall not discriminate in relation to admissions based on race, creed, color, national origin, religion or sex.

ATTENTION PARENTS

Little Fingers Childcare would like you to be aware of our policy against illegal activity on behalf of the precious children we provide care for.

Since Little Fingers Childcare follows all conditions of the state program ICCP and Idaho Stars. We take much pride in our young ones. We will follow all state laws in reporting illegal situations to the proper authorities for follow up.

Little fingers childcare tries very hard to do our job 110% and in doing our job of protecting your child, we are sometimes forced into protecting them from their own family or friends. Little Fingers Childcare would like your understanding and cooperation in this matter and hope you understand the legal obligation that Little Fingers Childcare must comply with in order to operate.

You have been notified of this and you must agree to comply.

Revisions to Handbook and Contracts

There may be yearly or monthly revisions to this handbook and the accompanying contracts. All families may be required to sign a new contract each year. We reserve the right to make changes in rates and policies, as we deem necessary. You will be notified, in writing, of any changes that may occur. Every attempt will be made to give at least two weeks notice of changes.

OUR GOAL IS TO PROVIDE YOUR CHILD/CHILDREN WITH A SAFE, CLEAN AND LOVING ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH ALL CHILDREN WILL FEEL LOVED, VALUED AND WANTED. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE US WITH ANY COMMENTS OR SUGGESTIONS!!!

ONCE AGAIN, WE THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING LITTLE FINGERS CHILDCARE!