Hummingbird Program Highlights
Students, Volunteers and Visitors
HCC values and supports local learning endeavors and opportunities. From time to time high school and college students may contribute to the care of your children. This enables them to receive practical training in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECCE). Each person will be carefully monitored and high standards of care and safety are always considered when placing a student in the program. All volunteers and practicum students will have passed all the necessary criteria before spending time in our facility. This includes Criminal Records Check, Reference Checks, Doctors approval, orientation, confidentiality contract etc. At times we expect community members, interested families and people from other programs to visit us to learn about our centre. Our staff will ensure that only appropriate volunteers / students will interact with our HCC children. We will not allow these visits to interfere with the care of your child.** Please note that for safety and liability reasons work experience students or visiting adults (this includes fellow HCC parents) MAY NOT pick up the children in our program.
Confidentiality
Confidentiality at Hummingbird Child Care Centre is of utmost importance. Staff may need to share information with each other, which will benefit you or your child. All involved participants (ex. Volunteers, Staff etc) will be required to sign a confidentiality form. If the safety or the well being of you or child is of concern, staff may ask for help from other community resources.
Orientation
It is very important for you and your child to feel comfortable in the child care programs. As a new parent you will be given a tour of the centre to introduce you to the staff and to complete the application forms. Children are offered the opportunity to have a gradual entry to allow them to feel
comfortable with the staff and the program. The adjustment will be easier if you spend some time with your child for the first few days. This will allow him/her to get to know and feel comfortable in their new environment, the other children and staff, while having you nearby. All children differ in their ability to adjust to a group and each child will be treated respectfully and according to their individual needs. This will be discussed with the Coordinator at your initial visit.
Arrival
Daily contact with your primary caregiver will give you the opportunity to share any special instructions that will help your child during their HCC day. Please check his/her diaper when you arrive. If he/she needs to be changed, please do so before you leave. It is centre policy to use the daily sign in sheets that will give the staff pertinent information regarding your child. Staff will complete these sheets throughout the day for you to take home upon your departure.
Departure
Please make personal contact with your caregiver when you are taking your child home so that she can share information with you regarding your child’s day. HCC asks that you call the child care centre if you are going to be late picking up your child. Children become anxious when a parent does not arrive when expected. If someone else is picking up your child we must have written authorization from the parent. If our staff has not met the alternate pick up person they must provide our staff with their picture ID. HCC staff will not be able to release your child unless proper procedure is followed. It is also crucial for parents to inform us if there is anyone who is NOT permitted access to your child. If there are custodial issues, court documentation will be requested and
kept on your childs individual file.
Daily Routine
At HCC we value that children learn through play experiences. Each day is planned to provide your child with a variety of activities to encourage their physical, emotional, social and intellectual development. Indoor and outdoor play, active and quiet times, stories, songs, blocks and art etc are provided to encourage your child to pretend, explore and enjoy the company of other children. He/she will be encouraged to express his/her feelings in a safe and acceptable way and to develop a positive self-concept. All children will have an outdoor play period every day.
Meals and Snacks
Infants are fed according to their individual needs. Parents are required to provide breast milk or formula, in ready made bottles DAILY. All bottles are to be clearly labeled with your child’s name. If you are exclusively breastfeeding your child, we will support you in any way to make this an achievable and comfortable time for both you and your baby. **We will not include nuts, popcorn, potato chips, raisins or raw carrots in our menu planning. These are unsuitable for children under three years of age as they may cause choking. Please make sure that the staff is aware of any food allergies that your child may have.
Toddlers and Preschool aged children eat meals with their caregiver, while sitting at small tables. Nutritious and healthy foods will be prepared and offered by our staff in accordance with Canada’s Food Guide. Meal times will be an enjoyable time for your child where they will learn to interact socially with other children and adults. We will provide a nutritious snack for your child in the morning and the afternoon, with milk or water. We also provide home made meals for lunch. We do not provide juice in respect to children’s dental health an individual family choice. At times children will have some opportunities to assist in the preparation of food.
Clothing
Please dress your child in clothing that is comfortable, suitable for messy play / activities and easily washed. Please leave two complete changes of clothes in your child’s cubby. Wet or dirty clothes will be put into a plastic bag and put into
your child’s cubby to take home. We have a limited supply of extra clothes for emergencies. Please return any borrowed clothing items as soon as possible. We will spend part of each day outside and your child will need suitable clothing:
Winter – Warm jacket, boots, hat, and mittens
Summer – Hat and light weight, long sleeve top (for sun protection)
**Please mark all of your children’s clothing and belongings with his/her name or initials.
Diapering & Toileting
Cloth diapers will be provided while your child is in the centre. They will be changed frequently to ensure your child is in a clean dry diaper. The staff will use changing times to relate with your child on a one to one basis, making it a positive experience to both child and caregiver. If your child requires the use of diaper cream it is parent responsibility to provide for their child. Licensing regulations requires that diaper cream must be provided by the parents. If you choose to use disposable diapers during the day, you must supply the diapers. Please remember to supply a diaper for your child to wear going home
each day. We do not keep a supply of disposable ones in the centre, so any parent who does not keep a spare one in their child’s cubby will have to ask and borrow one from another family. As toddlers begin to show an interest in using the potty or toilet, caregivers will work with the parent to make toilet learning a positive experience for the child. We will encourage your child with ‘routine toileting’ and adhere to their toileting demands throughout the day.
Health and Safety
The health and safety of your child is top priority at Hummingbird. We have established policies to ensure a healthy and safe environment to prevent illness and accidents whenever possible. Children and caregivers will wash hands frequently especially before preparing or eating food and after diapering / toileting times. Disposable gloves are also provided for staff when changing diapers. All toys and equipment will be washed frequently and safety checks will be ongoing through out the facility and playground. Children will always be carefully supervised as they explore and play. The
primary caregiver will make sure her group is safe and healthy by providing a proper balance of exercise, rest and healthy age appropriate foods. Children and staff will prepare and practice for emergencies on a regular basis. This includes monthly fire drills, evacuation procedures and earthquake drills. In the event of a major emergency Hummingbird staff will stay with your child until you are able to pick them up. We are prepared with emergency supplies. BC Legislation requires that all children require an age appropriate safety seat when traveling in a car. Please make sure your child is properly buckled up before leaving our parking lot.
Illness
In order to maintain a high level of health care in our centre we ask that you do not bring your children when they are ill. Our staff can refuse to accept a child when they feel there is a risk of infecting others. We also ask that you do not
visit the centre when you are ill. A child may not attend the Centre if he or she:
Is too ill to participate in regular programs (indoors or outdoors)
Has a temperature of 101’F/ 38.3’C or higher
Has been diagnosed with a communicable disease (e.g. mumps, measles,
chicken pox)
Has an unexplained rash that has not been seen by a doctor
Has pink eye (conjunctivitis)
Has diarrhea (watery or greenish bowel movement)
Has a severe cold where rest and home care are necessary for comfort
If your child has had surgery or been hospitalized we will require a doctors note stating that he/ she is fit to return to the centre.
When a child becomes ill while attending the child care centre, we will notify the parent immediately. If we cannot reach the parent we will call the emergency contact person. We then expect your child to be taken home as soon as possible. We will make your child as comfortable as possible until you arrive but we cannot administer medications without a doctor’s written permission. (This includes Tylenol, cough medication, teething ointments / drops etc). A child with an unexplained rash must be seen by a doctor before returning to the program. HCC will require a written doctor’s note upon return to ensure that they are no longer contagious.
Medication
Non prescription drugs will not be administered by the staff under any circumstance. Staff can apply diaper cream or sunscreen lotion. These must be provided by parents. Sun screen may be can be provided by HCC but parents
must have signed the permission form. Our staff can administer prescription medication to your child. All prescription
medication must be in the original container, which is clearly marked with a current date and dosage on a drugstore label. A medication consent form must also be signed by the parent, for each prescription. These forms will
be kept on file. It is important to let us know if your child has been given any medication before leaving home (e.g. name of the drug, brand name and dosage and the time the drug was administered) – this should be documented on your childs day sheet. This is important information and can be crucial in the event of an emergency.
Visiting your child
We have an open door policy. You are welcome to visit your child at any time. For our young parents these visits must not interfere with your responsibilities at school (e.g. if you are scheduled to be in class), or if you are ill. Parents are welcome to join their child during lunch hour.
Guidance policy
At Hummingbird Child Care Centre, all children are treated with care and respect.
We see the physical and emotional well-being of each child as most important
We will listen to you and your child, and hear what is being said
We will respect individual feelings and points of view
We will see you and your child as unique with special qualities and needs
We will provide clear messages of how we feel and what we expect, to foster a sense of independence and security.
We will set appropriate limits on behavior ( not hurting self, other people, or things) and provide support to achieve self-control and social-awareness
We will state reasonable limits clearly, consistently, and in a non-threatening way.
We will never place your child in isolation for any reason.
If a child’s behavior necessitates temporary removal from the group for safety, an adult will stay with your child and help him/her settle into another activity. There will be no spanking or other physical punishment permitted in the
daycare. No child will be subjected to ridicule, sarcasm, labeling, or moralizing. Staff members do not use “time outs.”
Child Abuse
We are required by law to report suspected or disclosed sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, and/or neglect to the Ministry of children and Families. These reporting procedures are to protect the child. Our concern is the safety and well being of all the children in our programs. Staff has a duty to report by law.
Custody Documentation
Hummingbird Child Care staff cannot, by law, deny a parent access to his or her child unless a copy of a relevant court order is in the child’s file. If you are concerned about this issue, please talk to the Coordinator. We will make every effort NOT to allow non-custodial parents to remove your child from the daycare without your permission.
Late Pick-up of your child
If your child has not been picked up by the time the Centre closes we will attempt to reach you immediately. If you are not able to be reached we will phone your emergency contacts listed on your file and ask this person to pick your child up. Hummingbird Child Care Centre closes at 4pm. We ask that you call the centre in the event of an unforeseen circumstance that you are going to be late picking up your child. Children become anxious when a parent does not arrive when expected. It is also important that our staff is treated with fairness and respect in this matter. If you have a chronic issue with late pick ups, you will be spoken to.
Please note: If we are unable to locate anyone to pick your child up and we do not know where you are, we are required to contact the Ministry of Children & Family Development for further instructions. If you are unable to pick up your child please call and let us know your alternate plans. It is important for families to give HCC any changes in personal information such as phone numbers, employers and current address.
Admissions & Withdrawal of your child
To be eligible for Hummingbird Child Care programs your child must be newborn to five years of age. To enroll, you must complete a registration form and attend orientation meetings as they are scheduled. Before leaving your child at the centre, all forms concerning your child must be completed. Staff will be available to assist you. If you are withdrawing your child from Hummingbird Child Care Centre, we require one month’s notice. If the centre is full, children will be admitted on a first
come, first served wait-list.
Fees
Parents who do not receive the childcare subsidy, are required to provide post- dated cheques dated for the 1st day of each month. These cheques will be returned, if your child is withdrawn, once you have fulfilled the required month’s notice as stated in your financial agreement. No refunds will be given for Centre closures due to extreme weather conditions, Stat holidays and individual holiday time or sick days. (Rates attached)
10:30 Deadline
Hummingbird Child Care Centre has a daily arrival deadline for all families. We ask that all children must arrive in our programs no later than 10:30 am daily. This assists us with maintaining appropriate staffing and enables us to provide
your child with a quality program. If you know you are not attending the program due to illness etc. we would ask that you call the Centre (daily) by 9:30 am. If you arrive past 10:30 am, without prior arrangements/communication, HCC will have assumed that you are not attending for that day and will staff accordingly. Your child will not be able to stay and we will not be able to provide you with care for that day.
