Julie's House
Childcare with Heart!
August 2008 – December 2009
Parent Handbook
A place for children to grow in a safe, stable family environment putting parents' minds at ease!
I offer quality care at a reasonable rate.
I am certified in Infant, Child, Adult CPR and First Aid, Also SIDS.
I have my food handler's card, and actively participate in a USDA food program.
I have my CDA (child development associate).
Inside Activities: Pre-school activities, Colors, shapes, letters, and numbers. Reading, Writing, Music, Painting
Projects, Cooking, Crafts, Coloring, Play-dough, Holiday Parties,
Outdoor Activities:
Fenced Yard, Park, Walks
If you have any questions; Concerns, or would just like more info, please feel free to contact me at the phone number listed below.
503-538-6596
E-mail: Julie@julies-house.com
View web page at www.julies-house.com
What a Parent / Guardian can expect:
Safety for your children: I will take all possible precautions to keep your children safe.
Open Communication: I will give you frequent and full updates on your child's progress and of any problems. I welcome all questions, comments and suggestions.
Open Access to my Home: Parents are welcome to drop in or call at anytime.
Honesty and Confidentiality: I will not make commitments that I cannot or do not intend to keep.
Acceptance of parent wishes: I will abide by parents wishes on matters such as discipline; TV, watching and toilet training. (Except, there will be no spanking)
Advance notice of any changes: Since it is often very difficult to find adequate care, I will tell parents well in advance if I am going to change my hours or if I am going to stop or limit to care the time of caring for a child.
No interference: There will be no, interference in the child's family or family problems.
(Unless you ask for help) I will not take sides or discuss custody battles, discuss lifestyles or anything else with your child. And I will not judge parenting practices.
I assure you: that everyone in contact with the child is trustworthy and supervised. I am responsible for everyone who enters or visits my home. You can rest assured; I will not have any surprises regarding your child's care. (No sudden changes, ext).
What your provider expects:
Open Communication: Please explain all of your Childs care needs and any wishes or expectations about your child. Please, also, generously provide updates on problems and activities progress that your child is making. Please give me information about your child like routine care needs, activities and preferences. Good communication will help all parties involved.
Honesty and You're Trust: Be honest about how you believe the suitable arrangements are going.
Advance notice and agreement to any modifications: I have to make a decent living too, so at least one week advance notice if you are going to stop using my services or vacation time please. Pick- up and drop - off on time and follow through with what you say.
Respect: Please note that I know caring for children, is a permanent job. As the provider I am a worker or just like everyone else, I am not a baby sitter.
Payment: I have to pay mortgages, buy food and pay bills too, so please pay on time or late fee will be charged.
No Surprises: Let us keep each other notified on everything going on so that we never have any surprises.
I plan on giving all the children in my care a warm and loving family environment, so they can grow into caring individuals.
Rates:
Per. Hour | $. 2.75 | You are responsible to pay Hrs. your child is scheduled for care. |
Per Day | $ 25.00 | You are responsible to pay Days your child is scheduled for care. |
When multiple Children are involved, there will be a 10% discount for each additional child.
I call you sick and not able to care for your kids, you will not pay.
Trial Period: The first two weeks in childcare will be considered a trial period. During this time either the client or provider may end the contract immediately, with out a written notice. Client will pay for only for days childcare has been received. Amount due on last day of child’s care.
Termination after trial period: Client must give a two week written notice to finalize the end of this contract. Payment is due for last two weeks of care when written notice. Payment to cover this care is due on the day notice is given. Julie of Julie’s house has the right to terminate this contract without notice at any given time.
Extended Hours: A charge of $.5.00 per. Hour when your child extends 10 hours on any given day.
Drop in rate: A fee of 30.00 per day. To any family who needs care on a drop in basis.
Late payment fees: When your childcare bill is not paid in full on due date. You will acquire a $.5.00 per day fee for each day until payment has been received in full.
Insufficient funds: Julie of Julie’s house will charge $.25.00 plus any bank fees inquired due to your insufficient check.
Paid Holidays (Julie’s house closes for all major holidays)
If you are, scheduled to attend Julie’s House on a holiday you will be billed as a normal day. January: New Years Day February: President Day May: Memorial Day July 4th
September: Labor Day November: Thanksgiving, day after Thanksgiving
December: Christmas Eve and Christmas day, and day after.
A holiday schedule will be given at the beginning of the year.
Provider Vacation: Julie of Julie’s house will bill you one extra day on the first pay period of every month this ensuring that Julie will have 12 paid days of vacation. This way you are paying one provider at any time.
A provider vacation schedule will be sent out shortly after beginning of year.
Provider / Client Sick days or time off: The client will not pay provider for any sick days Provider may acquire. The client will receive 10 unpaid days per calendar year. After these 10 days have been received client will pay for regular scheduled day. It is the parent’s responsibility to notify Julie of Julie’s house prior to the start of day, when child is not going to be in care. Failure to comply will result in payment of Childs regular scheduled day. When your child has been brought to Julie’s house and returns home due to illness Parent is responsible to pay for that day.
Billing:
Billing will be on a weekly basis for the first 4 weeks so that we can establish a provider / parent relationship.
I will send out invoices on Friday or your last day for the week, payment will be due the next day your child arrives at Julie’s House. If not paid in full at this time or returned to me due to insufficient funds there will be a $25.00 charge added to the next week’s bill along with any other charge that I may occur because of the insufficient check. If this happens more than once, I will no longer accept a check. Payment will need to be with cash or money order.
Julie's House creates a Family environment with lots learning fun.
Infants: Each infant will be on his/her own individual schedule, depending on the infant's immediate needs and the parents' desires. Infants will have an environment that stimulates small and large motor skills, floor time to help them build their senses, creative expression and socialization skills. Infants will be held during all bottle feedings.
Toddlers: Toddlers will be encouraged to join in all activities to help stimulate all of their senses, emotions and to help develop their social skills.
Small Muscle Coordination: Coloring, puzzles, play-dough, and a variety of blocks and other activities.
Large Muscle: Crawling, marching, running, jumping and sports participation Such as bowling, softball, basketball, kickball, games, Ext.
Creative Play: (Imagination and Language skills): Kitchen, house, store, post office, dress-up, puppets, whatever their imaginations allow them.
Arts & Crafts: Projects emphasize creativity, technique and most importantly “trying” rather than the outcome. I want everything to be a fun learning experience.
Music: Daily use of songs, rhymes, poems, and or recorded music. Dancing, scarf rhythm, and interments.
Language Arts: Story time will occur daily. Children can bring books from home if they would like. I will actively encourage the children to participate in group conversations, social conversations, story telling, puppet play and role-play. Speaking in full sentences, taking turns, expressing one fluently and being an attentive listener will be encouraged. Reading is such an important role in everyone's life, I will encourage it and making it as fun as possible so that the children cannot wait until they can read!
Structured Preschool Program: I have set out time from each day for a preschool program. There will be reading, writing, numbers and the alphabet. Giving children a head start into Kindergarten!
Computer Skill’s: There will be an opportunity for all children to gain some computer experience from various games or educational programs they can play on the computer daily.
Outdoor Play: We will go outside daily weather permitting so, please make sure your children are dressed appropriately.
TV / Rest Time: All care children will be required to rest. No child is required to take a nap (depending on the parent's wishes, each child is different). Non-napping Children will have movie time; Children can bring movies to Julie's house to watch at this time. One movie will be played daily, usually starting around 1pm. When movie is over children will have quiet activities until other children wake-up
Arrival Procedures: Parents must accompany their children into the house each time they are dropped off. A cheerful good-bye a smile and a reassuring word that you will be back is a nice way to leave your child each day. Parents need to remember to sign in and out their children along with their arrival and departure times everyday. The state of Oregon requires a full signature.
Departure Procedures: If regular pick-up procedures change Provider should be notified and
Id will be required to person picking up child. Children will not be released until parent is
Contacted and notification is given to provider.
Personal Items: Please never allow your child to bring pop, chewing gum or candy. Children are welcome to bring personal items from home as long as there are no sharp or broken edges and that there is never a toy small enough to fit through a toilet paper roll. To insure it is not a chocking hazard. Children should always be willing to share these toys unless of course they are comfort items (blankets, stuffed animal, and ext). I will not be responsible for any broken or lost personal items.
Supplies: Each child will have a designated space for personal items, Please mark names on all children’s
Items.
1. Formula if needed.
2. Baby food or any special needs food.
3. Pacifier
4. A good supply of diapers and wipes.
2. A complete change of clothes.
3. A special blanket or animal to rest with.
5. Hygiene products: hair brush, toothbrush.
4. Children who are being potty trained should have a good supply of underwear and extra clothes.
5. Children need to have appropriate clothing for the weather.
6. Car Seat if needed.
Meals: I participate in a state food program. All meals are nutritious and are monitored by the state. Meals are served as follows:
Breakfast 7:30 AM
AM Snack 9:30 AM
Lunch 12:00 PM
PM Snack 3:30 PM
Please be aware of these times and when your child arrives after a meal that they bring or have ate.
Special Diet: If a child has a particular dietary need, substantiated by a medical evaluation I must be informed, and given a doctors note. Substituted meals will need to be brought in.
All infants will supply own formula and food.
Daily Schedule:
The daily schedule is as follows, please be aware of what will be going on when your child arrives. It is important that you feed your child.
In addition, if they arrive during quiet / TV time it helps if your child knows that they will need to finish out the movie and that you come and go quietly.
5 AM Open
7:30 Breakfast
8:00 Pre-school /art
9:30 AM Snack
10:00 free time
12:00 Lunch
12:30 Naptime
2:30 Free Time
3:00 PM Snack
3:30 Art
4:30 Free Time/ready to go home
5:00 PM Julie’s House closes.
Our schedule is busy but I try to stay as flexible as possible however the day is a lot smoother if we stay on schedule.
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Health Information: The state of Oregon says that I need to have a copy of everyone’s shot records before they enter my care and their shots must all stay current. I do have forms from health department if you need one. I must also have the form authorizing emergency care no later than their first day in my care. Emergency numbers for reaching parents or guardians along with another authorized individual must be on file.
Sick Children: I cannot always give a sick child the attention they need and deserve when they are ill. It is in everyone’s best interest that a sick child stays home. No child that arrives to Julie’s Family Day Care noticeably ill, with a rash, fever or head –lice (all nets must be gone before they re-enter my care) will be admitted for that day. If a child has any of the symptoms listed below, they will also not be permitted to attend care until they have had 24 hours of antibiotics or they are no longer contagious.
v Fever of 100 or more.
v Severe diarrhea (cannot be contained by a diaper or toilet/more than 3 in a day).
v Unexplained rash.
v Vomiting.
v Pink eye or eye drainage.
v Green drainage from nose.
v Chicken pox, until child has a medical release.
v Head lice, until child has a medical release.
Medication: Cold, Allergy, and teething medication should be brought at the first signs of your child becoming ill. Your child should be as comfortable as they can be when they are sick. Please remember that I can only administer medication with written Parent / Guardian permission. Permission must contain the Child’s name, the name of the medication, how much and at what time it must be administered along with a signature. From parent / guardian to ensure I have consent to administer the medication. (I will provide a form for this purpose.*) Should your child become ill while in my care, you will be notified immediately? A parent, guardian or other authorized persons should pick up the child with-in one hour of notification. I will try to keep sick children separated from the other children. In case a child has a communicable disease and exposes other children a notice of such an exposure will be posted and parents will be notified when children are picked up. The ill child will not be allowed to return to care until the period of contiguousness, and or medical release has been issued to provider. In case of emergency, first aid will be administered and the parent / guardian will be notified. If medical attention is required, I will call the local 911 services that will transport the child to the local hospital.
Oregon law: Requires; that a child’s parents notify the provider with-in 24 hours of the diagnoses of a serious Contagious, or parasitic infection. Failure to comply will be terms for immediate dismissal from Julie’s house. I will Post a notice of exposed condition the same day I am notified. (No names will be given)
Behavior / Discipline: When a child is having a difficult time following directions or treating others or the equipment without respect appropriate positive guidance is used. I will first try talking it out with the child and try to redirect their attention to another activity. If that does not work and the child ends up doing the same thing again then the child will be in time out for the appropriate amount of time (1 minute per year of the child not to exceed 5 minutes). The time out will be followed with a time in. A time in will give the child a chance to talk to me and figure out how to handle the situation and how to come to a conclusion to the problem so that it does not happen again. If a child has constant problems behaving inappropriately, I will try to work with the parents to find ways to help the child adjust. If attempts to correct the behavior and the child have not adjusted, removal from my care is expected.
If you have any questions please contact
Julie Murff 503 - 538 – 6596
Thank you,