Health and Safety
Illness:
Children in any child care setting average eight to ten upper respiratory illnesses in the first year. We recognize that illnesses can be stressful for the parent and the child. However, our program serves “well children.”The decision as to what constitutes “ill” will be based on the observation of the Provider. If the health of the child is in question, the child will not be permitted to stay on a particular day.
The facility staff takes pro-active actions against the spread of illness. This includes consistent practices of hand washing, cleaning and disinfecting.
When a child becomes ill, he or she will be isolated from the other children, and the parent/guardian will be notified to pick up the child within an hour.
If the parent/guardian cannot be reached, the facility staff will contact the person indicated by the parent/guardian on the child’s emergency card.
A parent/guardian will be contacted to pick up a sick child when the child exhibits any of the following symptoms at the Childcare:
• Fever – 100.0 degrees F. or higher
• Diarrhea – 3 loose stools in one day or 2 in one hour
• Vomiting – 2 episodes in one day
• Rash – that is unexplained, except for diaper rash
• Pink Eye – when the eye is red or pink with white or yellow eye discharge. Other symptoms are matted eyelids, eye pain, and redness of the eyelid or skin surrounding the eye.
• The staff that will call the parent will note irritability – or listlessness, which is not consistent with the child’s temperament. The child does not have to leave the Childcare.
If your child contracts any of the following infectious diseases he/she must be excluded until the following occur:
• Chicken Pox – After all blisters have scabbed over.
• Coup – After the cough has subsided.
• Ear Infection – After three doses of medication or after 24 hours
• Fever – After the fever has returned to normal without the aid of fever reducing medication.
• Head Lice – After on complete treatment and removal of all nits.
• Impetigo – After 24 hours of medication.
• Pink Eye – After the child has been on medication for 24 hours and has no matter in his or her eyes.
• Ringworm – After medical treatment with a fungicidal ointment.
• Roto Virus – After the child has had on formed stool.
• RSV – After the wheezing and coughing have subsided.
• Shingles – After blisters have scabbed over (same as Chicken Pox)
• Strep Throat – After the child has been on medication for 24 hours.
• Thrush – after 24 hours on medication.
If your child contracts any communicable disease, please inform the facility staff.
If your child is exposed to a communicable disease while in care of the facility, a notice will be posted.
Medication:
In order for a provider to administer a medication at the Childcare facility, either prescription or non-prescription, the parent/guardian must fill out the Medical permission form.
All medications must be labeled with the child’s name and be in the original container.
Prescription drugs must be the child’s name on the label.
Only the facility staff is permitted to administer medications.
Accidents and Injuries:
Whether indoors or outdoors, the children are watched carefully. Accidents, although, occasionally occur. Any accident is reported to the parent/guardian. If emergency medical care is necessary the Provider may take the following steps:
• Attempt to contact parent or guardian
• Attempt to contact the child’s physician.
• Attempt to contact the parent or guardian through any of the persons listed on the emergency information form completed upon admission.
If the staff is not able to reach a parent/guardian or child’s physician, we will do any or all of the following:
• Call another physician.
• Call an ambulance.
• Have the child taken to the nearest hospital.
Any of the expenses incurred will be the responsibility of the child’s parent(s)/guardian(s).Health & Safety
Goals
Our overall goal is to promote the social, emotional, intellectual and physical development of each child. A child will benefit from a program that is concerned with all aspects of his/her development.
The Child Care has broad and specific goals for each child.
Each child should appreciate him/herself as a capable person.
Each child should build his/her problem solving skills.
Each child should feel comfortable exploring and expressing curiosity.
Each child should be able to make choices.
Children should love learning.
Guidance of Young Children and disciplinary practices
Our Rainbow Kids Child Care strives to build each child’s self-esteem, independence and ability to socialize in a group. This is done, primarily, through developing a child’s self-control. All guidance techniques are based upon knowledge of child development and familiarity with the child. In our program we use non-punitive forms of discipline and guidance:
1. Positive Environment
• There are choices for activities, supportive staff and an appropriately stimulating curriculum.
• Staff acts as role models, treating children and each other with respect.
• Staff and Children set reasonable and fair limits.
• Staff reinforce positive behavior.
• Flexibility is exercised.
2. Natural and Logical Consequences
• Children are not punished. Rather, there are consequences that naturally or logically follow. For example, if a child is throwing Legos he is showing that he is not able to play with them appropriately. The teacher will remind him that Legos are for building. If the action continues then the child is done with the Legos for a period of time.
3. Redirection
• Staff help/allow children to choose alternative activities. This diffuses the situation when the children do not have the abilities to deal with the situation.
4. Separation
• When a child is enraged or extremely upset, he/she may need time and assistance in calming him/herself. This is done by sitting with a child, often with a book or soothing activity. The child may always rejoin the group as soon as he is ready to do so. “Time-out” is not used in this program.
The Staff of Our Rainbow Kids Childcare believes that “Time-out,” as it is currently practiced in society, is nothing more than punishment, similar to the “dunce cap” of previous generations. If a child in the program harms another child, the caregiver will first attend to the child who is hurt, then proceed with the other child. The staff will inform both families of the incident. However, because confidentiality is a keystone of our program, we will not disclose another child’s name or information to the other family. Both the State Department of Public Health and the National Association for the Education of Young Children recommend this practice.
Communication with parents occurs on an on-going basis. Therefore, parents should always know how their children are adjusting. When parent(s)/guardian(s) and/or provider feel that behavior or another issue is not improving, a meeting to discuss next steps will be scheduled between parent(s)/guardian(s) and a provider. After this meeting the provider may give four weeks notice for either resolution or termination of services. If the Provider feels that there is an extreme problem, the child may be expelled immediately from the program.