2nd Home Family Childcare
Parent Handbook
Introduction
Welcome to 2nd Home Family Childcare. I am so glad that you are considering us for your
childcare needs. I have a passion for working with children; I love to watch them grow and
discover new things. I have over 10 years preschool experience and look forward to caring
for, teaching, and getting to know your child and his or her individual needs.
Objectives
My goal is for all the children in my care to have an enjoyable day where they are provided an
opportunity for learning, playing, and developing relationships with the children around them.
I want your child to feel like this is their 2nd home. Our goal is to provide a safe and happy
environment with nurturing loving caregivers. I will provide a semi-structured play based
program, which will include: daily crafts, songs, stories, circle time, science & math, music and
much more….
Communication
I will seek to keep the lines of communication open. If you have a question or concern about
anything, I encourage you to ask!
Enrollment Policy
The forms listed below must be filled out before your child begins care with 2nd Home
Childcare. Some of these forms may need to be updated annually.
Registration Form
Childcare Agreement
Childcare Policies
Health Report
Child’s Record
Infant or Toddler Information Form
Medical Emergency & Transportation Authorization Form
Activities Permission Slip
State Immunization Record (Yellow Card)
If you need help filling out these forms, please feel free to ask.
Fees
A $50.00 non-refundable registration fee (per child) applies to all new children enrolling in my
home daycare.
Daycare Hours
2nd Home Childcare is open 8:00am to 5:30pm, Monday through Friday. Please make sure your
child is picked up by 5:30pm or a late fee will be assessed. Our daycare does maintain an open
door policy for you to stop by anytime. We will take daily walks to our local park so if we are
not home please call the cell phone to locate us (408) 375-9961.
Holidays/Center Closures
The following days are paid holidays/Center Closures for the Day Care Provider. On these
days the Day Care Center is closed. Substitute care is not provided
1. New Year’s Day
2. Martin Luther King Jr. Day
3. Presidents Day
4. Spring Break (1 week following Easter)
5. Memorial Day
6. Independence Day
7. Labor Day
8. Veteran’s Day
9. Thanksgiving Day and Friday after
10. Christmas Break (2 Weeks)
*FULL TUITION IS DUE FOR ALL DAYS
INCLUDING
MISSED, SICK, HOLIDAY, AND CENTER CLOSURES *
Rate Changes
If at anytime I decide to change my rates you will be given four weeks notice.
Changing Your Child’s Schedule
If your child is attending part time and you would like to add a day or extend your child’s
schedule we will accommodate you if space is available. If you are reducing your child’s
schedule you must give us two weeks notice of the change or you will still be responsible for
full tuition for two weeks whether your child comes full time or not.
Late Payment
Tuition is due on the 1st of the month and considered late on the 5th. A $20.00 a day late
payment fee will be assessed every day after the 5th until full tuition is rendered.
I reserve the right to refuse care for your child if your tuition payment is not made. If
payment is not received within 10 business days I may terminate services without prior notice.
Late Pick Up
I am very understanding and can overlook an occasional late pickup. However, if it becomes a
routine behavior I will be forced to enforce the following policy: Late pick ups will be
assessed a fee of $1.00 per minute.
Insufficient Check Charge
A charge of $30.00 will be assessed if a check is returned for insufficient funds. In the event
of a second returned check, we will need to be paid in cash or money order for the next six
months. Otherwise services may be terminated.
Sick/Absent
Parents are asked to call us at (408) 375-9961 if their child is going to be dropped off later than
their normal morning drop off time. If your child is not coming to daycare, please call us. You
are still responsible for payment even if your child does not attend. We go on outings daily and
we leave anytime after 9am. If we have left before you arrive, please call the cell phone (408)
375-9961 and we will let you know where you can meet up with us.
Pick Up Time
Please let us know if someone other than the normal pickup person will be picking up your
child. I will not release a child to someone who is not authorized if I do not hear from you
first.
If you have any concerns or questions about your child’s day, please ask us when picking
him/her up. If we are busy you can always give us a call in the evening. If it is something that
should’t be discussed in front of the children, please call us so we can discuss it over the
phone or set up a meeting.
Custody
Unless you give us court papers stating that you have been grated sole custody, we have no
legal authority to tell either parent that he/she can not pick up their child. Please make sure
we have these papers in your child’s file. Please make sure you tell us if there is anyone that is
not to pick up your child under any circumstances.
Dress Code
Please send your child in a clean/dry diaper and dressed ready for play. Please dress your child
in comfortable clothes that are allowed to get dirty. I believe that exploration is one of the
key ways that children discover and learn about new things; therefore I do not want to have
to worry about a new outfit that is not allowed to get dirty.
Supplies
Infants: Diapers, wipes, pacifier, bottle, formula, baby food (until child eats table food), bibs
and a complete change of clothes.
Toddlers & Preschoolers: Diapers, pull-ups, wipes and a complete change of clothes. If
clothes are soiled we will leave them in a plastic bag in your child’s box to be taken home
and cleaned.
Daily Schedule (Subject to Change)
Our daily schedule is designed to help the children learn what to expect while in our care. We
also feel it is important to be able to abandon structure in exchange for extra time with
activities the children are really enjoying. Here is a basic schedule for a typical day:
Daily Schedule
8:00-8:30am Quiet play-puzzles, blocks, books etc
8:30-9:00am Breakfast
9:00-12:00noon Free Play, Activities, Outing time, Snack
12:00-1:00pm Lunch
1:00-3:00pm Nap/Rest Time
3:00-3:30pm Snack
3:30-4:30pm Activity/Craft
4:30-5:30pm Free Choice Activity
Food
I will provide nutritious morning and afternoon snacks such as:
Meat, cheese, & crackers
Fresh fruit & Vegetables
Cereal
Pretzels
Yogurt
Milk, 100% juice, water
Breakfast: Will vary daily and include, but not be limited to
Cereal
Oatmeal
French toast
Toast topped with peanut butter/jam or honey
Waffles with fresh fruit or syrup
Yogurt
Muffins
Eggs
Milk, 100% fruit juice, water
Lunch: Will vary daily and include, but not be limited to
Grilled cheese sandwiches
Peanut butter & jelly sandwiches
Deli meat and cheese sandwiches
Pizza
Chicken strips
Fish sticks
Macaroni and cheese
Various soups
Milk, 100% fruit juice, water
Meal times
Breakfast 8:30am
Morning Snack 10:00am
Lunch 12:00pm
Afternoon Snack 3:30pm
Cleanliness/Hygiene
I will do my best to maintain a clean house and clean children. We have the children wash
their hands after they go to the bathroom and before meals and snacks. If you want your
child to brush his/her teeth here they will need to come with their own tooth brush and tooth
paste. They will also need to be able to brush their teeth unattended.
Infants and toddlers sleep in separate cribs or pack and plays. Beginning around 2-2.5 years old
children are placed on mats. Each child has a separate mat and mats are wiped and
disinfected daily.
Quiet/Naptime
All children will have a rest period from 1:00 -3:00pm everyday. No child is forced to sleep;
however, they must remain quiet and on their nap mat. If your child no longer takes naps
they will be offered quiet activities during this time. Children will be allowed to sleep longer if
they are not ready to wake up with the group.
Infants set their own nap schedule.
Television
On occasion I will show age appropriate programs with educational or developmental value.
Outdoor Play
Part of everyday will be spent outside, weather permitting. We will go for walks around the
block and to the local park. The children should be dressed appropriately to stay warm and
enjoy being outside.
Illness
Sick children will not be accepted into daycare. If a child was sent home because he/she was
ill, he/she will not be able to return for 24 hours. Sick children need additional care that I
cannot provide. If your child isn’t feeling well enough to play, your child is too sick for
daycare. If your child is brought to daycare and is not able to participate, you will be called to
come get them.
For the health, well being and safety of all children the following illness policy will be strictly
enforced:
Illness Policy
Children with contagious illnesses will not be permitted at daycare. Examples of associated
symptoms include, but are not limited to:
Fever (100 F. Or higher) Child needs to be fever free for 24 hours before
returning to childcare.
Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea: runny or watery stools, 2 or more loose stools within last 4 hours
Sore throat
Loss of voice
Hacking or continuous coughing
Runny nose with colored discharge
Unexplained rash
Excessive crankiness, whining or crying, that requires more attention than I can provide.
Lice (May not return to childcare until no more nits are spotted)
Communicable diseases (chicken pox, Rosella, conjunctivitis, mumps, measles,
influenza, etc.)
These policies benefit your child and the other children; your help with keeping your sick child
home is appreciated. Parents of a child with a diagnosed contagious condition (measles, head
lice, pink eye, mumps, chicken pox,etc.) are asked to notify us as soon as possible so that we
may alert parents to watch for symptoms in their own children.
Medication
If your child is on medication and it needs to be taken while he/she is at daycare, the medicine
must be in the original container and labeled with the child’s name, doctor’s name, name of
medication, dosage, and when it is to be given. A medication form will need to be filled out
for us to administer the medicine. Do not leave medicine in hubbies or diaper bags. ALL
MEDICINE MUST BE HANDED TO US FOR SAFE STORAGE.
Injuries
Despite our attentive efforts to prevent accidents, they will occasionally happen. Minor cuts
and bruises suffered while at daycare will receive proper care; they will be washed with soap
and warm water and properly bandaged.
If a serious accident should occur, you will be contacted. We will also reach out to the
proper emergency response facility. Please be aware that we will document all injuries and you
will be asked to sign the documentation for my files.
Fire
In the event of a fire, we will evacuate the house immediately and gather outside on the front
sidewalk or across the street at a neighbor’s house.
Termination of Service
I reserve the right to terminate care if the terms of our contract and the policies in our
handbook are not followed.
Withdrawal
Parents are required to submit two week’s written notice before withdrawing a child from the
program. If no notice is given, parents will be responsible for payment of two weeks tuition
whether or not their child is in attendance.
Guidance
In case of disciplinary measure, I use re-direction first, and if necessary, the time-out method.
Time out is removing the child from the situation and placing him/her by him/herself for a
period of one minute for each year of the child’s age. Time out is not used for infant/toddlers
under two years of age.
If a child has a disciplinary problem, parents will be notified so I can decide on a course of
action to correct the behavior or situation.
Suspected Child Abuse
I am obligated to report to the State if I suspect any child abuse/neglect.
Records and Forms
All forms must be signed and turned into me before the first day of care. Please give us a
photocopy of your child’s immunization record. Forms will need to be updated yearly.
Drop Ins
I will allow drop in care if space is available. The rate is $15.00 an hour and rounded to the
half hour. The minimum charge is $30.00.