Starting a daycare can be a daunting task. There are so many things to think about, from finding the right location to creating policies and procedures that will keep both children and parents happy.
A childcare center is only as good as its policies and procedures. That's why it's important to have a solid parent handbook along with a daycare contract in place before your daycare or childcare center opens its doors.
Before we get started on the policies you need in your parent handbook, If you're new here, My name is Dena, and I have been a center director for 21 years and love what I do, but it is WORK! My goal is to help other providers with their child care programs and help relieve the stress that the daycare world brings.
Don't forget to snag my FREE Interview Guide to hire the right staff for your daycare or child care center! Reduce turnover with my 12-page Interview Guide with Questions and Job Position Descriptions designed for child care hiring!
This policy should detail the requirements for admission to your child care center and the process for enrolling a child. For example, include what ages you accept, what forms are required to enroll, such as the enrollment forms and current immunization record, and any required fees, such as a registration fee and book or curriculum fee.
This policy should detail your tuition rates, how you will bill parents for childcare services, what forms of payments you will accept, and your policy on late payments. In addition, include information on any discounts you offer, such as a sibling discount and the absent rate policy, if any.
This isn't a policy, but make sure to include a short paragraph about your program, what it believes in, and the vision you have for your families and community.
This policy should detail the days, and hours your child care center is open.
I have a separate section listed in my parent handbook for holiday closings. My policy reads like this "We are closed for the following holidays: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and the day after, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. If the holiday falls on a weekend, we will close the Friday before or Monday after. If we close for any other reason, you will be given a two-week prior notice."
Detail how you will decide on closing for inclement weather and how you will notify parents. Most programs follow their local school system for inclement weather closings.
This policy should detail the process for dropping off and picking up children. In addition, you should consider implementing a cut-off time such as 9:00 or 10:00 am for dropping off children, unless prior approval or a doctor's excuse.
You will want to include that children should be escorted to their class or room by an adult and not be dropped off in the parking lot or outside the facility, along with the policy for releasing children to authorized pick-ups only.
Make your late pick-up fee hefty, and consider having a policy that states you will terminate care after three late pick-ups within 30 days.
An example late fee policy may look like this: The charge will be $15 for the first 5 minutes and $2 per minute thereafter. If we have not been in contact with a parent or guardian and the child has not been picked up within 1 hour, we are obligated to inform the Division of Family and Children Services and the appropriate local authorities. Any family with more than three late pick-ups within 30 days will be subject to termination.
Will you have an open-door policy allowing parents to visit the center unannounced whenever their child is in care? Check with your state's requirements and detail this policy in your parent handbook.
This policy should detail what you will do if a child becomes sick at your childcare center. Include procedures for parents to follow if their child is sent home sick and policies on when a child can return after being ill.
If you have classroom cameras, let parents know if they can view their child throughout the day and how to log in. If the cameras are for security purposes only, detail that policy.
Detail your scheduled nap times for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Include what you provide, such as a cot or mat, and list any supplies the parents should provide, such as a blanket to be washed and returned weekly.
Certain infectious illnesses must be reported to the health department. These illnesses are referred to as notifiable communicable diseases. Have a policy explaining how you will communicate disease exposure and the protocol for notifying the local health department of notifiable diseases.
Detail your Immunization policy. Check with your state to make sure you stay in compliance. In most states, each child will need to maintain a current immunization record on file. Sometimes, a notarized exemption form can be used in place of an immunization record.
This policy should detail your state requirements and qualifications for hiring staff along with the background check, annual training, and CPR & First aid certification requirements.
This policy should detail your procedures for administering medication to children. Include what types of medicine you will administer, how parents need to provide the medication, and the documentation you require from the doctor.
This policy should detail your procedures for handling emergencies, including but not limited to severe weather, loss of electrical power or water and death, serious injury or loss of a child, a threatening event, or natural disaster which may occur at the child care center or daycare.
Because this information is so lengthy, I detail our safety drill schedule in this section and mention that we have a detailed copy of our emergency plans available upon request.
My policy reads like this, "The center will conduct drills for fire, tornado, and other emergency situations. The fire drills will be conducted monthly, and tornado and other emergency situation drills will be conducted every six months. In addition, the center has in place procedures for evacuation, relocation, shelter-in-place, lock-down, communication and reunification with families, and continuity of operations. A copy of our emergency plans is available upon request.”
Include a policy that no person shall smoke, vape, or use tobacco or prohibited substances on the premises or in any vehicle used to transport children during operating hours.
This policy should give details on times and events that you will require written parental authorization or parental permission. For example, include that you require written permission for children to participate in routine transportation, field trips, special activities away from the daycare center, and water-related activities occurring in water more than 2 feet deep.
Detail your hand washing policy for all children and staff and your cleaning and disinfecting policy for surfaces, toys, and frequently touched objects.
Let your parents know how much television and computer time will be allowed, if any. Detail the type of children's shows that will be allowed. Check with your state licensing department to determine the regulations for your state.
Explain to your parents that biting is a normal stage of development and common among young children. Detail how you will communicate to both families and how you will handle a biting situation. Click here for a biting report to give to parents.
Here is my biting policy:
"Biting is a normal stage of development that is common among infants and toddlers and sometimes even among preschoolers. It is something that most young children will try at least once.
When biting happens, our response will be to care for and help the child that was bitten and to help the biter learn more appropriate behavior.
Our focus will not be on punishment for biting but on effective behaviors that address the specific reason for biting.
Supervision and prevention will be the number one way we help change the behavior.
Notes will be written to the family of the child who was bitten and the biter's family. We will work together with the families of each to keep them informed and to develop strategies for change."
Let parents know how their infant will be cared for and what is expected from them. Here are some things to cover:
Detail your center's toddler care practices. Here are some things to cover:
Include that parents should notify you of any special needs. Let parents know if you can handle special needs and the ratios you offer. I would specify that enrollment acceptance will be determined on a case-by-case basis depending on the child's needs and current staffing qualifications.
Detail your school's curriculum for each age. Let parents know what their child will learn and what to expect from your program. Highlight some activities on the schedule, such as outside times, center times, morning circle times, etc.
Explain how you will help children with behavior issues and problems. For example, will time-outs be used, or will re-direction be your primary focus? Will you use the Conscious Discipline techniques? Explain what you will do for aggressive behavior and how you will communicate with parents.
Include your policy for communicating with parents about their child's day, diaper changes, meals, supplies needed, etc. Will you have a daily communication log or sheet? Will you provide a behavior sheet for older children? Will you use a parent app to communicate?
Give details of what meals your program will provide and the times of each meal. Include whether or not you will accept outside food and your procedure for food allergies.
Here is my policy: Our center will provide breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon snack. Milk or juice is served with all the meals and snacks, and water is offered throughout the day.
The meals and snacks for each week constantly vary to ensure the children receive a well-balanced diet. The children are offered food but will not be forced to eat. Our goal is to offer nutritious meals and snacks to the children in our care, as nutrition is vital to a child's health.
Children should not bring food except in case of allergies or special diets prescribed by a physician. A doctor's note is required for all food brought from home, including special milk and snacks. Food allergies can be life-threatening, and each child with a food allergy should have an action plan for emergency care completed by the family physician.
Weekly menus are posted on the bulletin board and are available at the beginning of every week. All food products are purchased weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. The perishable products are bought fresh weekly. Our meal times are as follows:
Breakfast: 8:00 AM – 8:30 AM
Lunch: 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Snack: 2:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Notify parents that you are required by law to report any suspected child abuse, child neglect, exploitation, or deprivation to the Department of Family and Children's Services. Include that if any abuse is suspected, the parents will be notified as soon as possible.
Once you have established your policies and have a parent handbook in place, you must create a parent/center agreement known as a daycare contract. The parent should sign this contract at the time of enrollment, stating that they agree to and will abide by your policies.
Let’s talk more about why having a daycare contract is a must!
This is just a basic outline of the things you may want to include in your child care center's policy manual. It is important to be as detailed as possible so that parents know what to expect from your program and ensure their child will be safe and well-cared for while in your care. Be sure to consult with your state's licensing regulations to ensure that you are including all of the required information in your policy manual.
If you would love a "done for you" parent handbook to edit for your childcare business, check out my Policies and Procedures here.
