Further to my post from a couple of weeks ago, for those of you who DO transport your daycare children, what wording to you have in your contract to seek permission from parents?
Thanks!
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Further to my post from a couple of weeks ago, for those of you who DO transport your daycare children, what wording to you have in your contract to seek permission from parents?
Thanks!
I have a permission to transport form I get all parents to sign.
fruitloop...just a standard, kinda, "I give permission for fruitloop to transport my kid X during normal daycare hours" kinda thing?
I'll post it in a bit for you. It covers where we're going...school, field trip, emergency...and it also talks about car seats. I'm on my BB so don't have access to it.
As usually mine is long and anal ;)
Quote:
Vehicle transportation Consent
The program is equipped with a van that has the capacity to fit four tethered car seats as well as one lap belted booster seat for a child over 40 pounds. From time to time the program may be required to go on outings in a vehicle, either the van or public transport via bus, in order to transport school age children to and from a local area school, to enhance children’s learning experiences by visiting the library, museums, OEYC, local farms and so forth.
As above, outings to public venues will only be taken once good group control is established. When possible notice will be given via the monthly calendar of any planned special outings taken via a vehicle/bus however do to the emergent needs of the program and enhancing children’s learning and interests as they arise the program reserves the right to take spontaneous outings as required.
The program van is equipped with additional home childcare liability insurance as well as ALL the car seats used meet current safety standards and carry an expiry date. Both are available for parental inspection.
The program has chosen to provide the car seats to reduce the necessity of seats to be coming in and out of the van daily, as well as to allow them to be installed and inspected regularly by a certified car seat specialist. Parents are free to inspect the placement and security of car seats at anytime.
Children will be placed in the car seat in the car seat style and position required by the law for safety. As children grow and require new position within the vehicle parents will be informed and sign off on the change for all future outings. Cars seat directions as of today’s date are: (please initial beside your choice)
- My child is under a year and weighs less then 20 pounds and will be placed in a rear facing 5 point harness.
- My child is over a year old and weighs more than 20 pounds however I prefer them to remaining rear facing as long as the weight of the seat will allow - so 35 pounds.
- My child is over a year old plus weighs more then 20 pounds but less then 65 pounds and will be placed in a forward facing 5 point harness car seat.
- My child weighs more then 40 pounds and is more than 40 inches in height however I would prefer them to remain forward facing in a 5 point harness for as long as the carseat will allow - so 65 pounds and until their ears reach above the top of the seat back.
- My child weighs more then 40 pounds but less then 80 pounds or is shorter then 140 cms /4’ 9” tall and will be placed in a booster seat with a lap/shoulder seatbelt.
My signature below serves as consent that my child may attend any off site outings as per the policy and in the car seat directions checked above.
Thanks, Reggio.
After reading that, I wonder...what do you think re children now being kept rear facing in vehicles til they're 3 or 4 years old? This is a new concept to me, as when my youngest was a baby, the rule was 20 lb and 1 yo. I was reading a message board the other day where people were claiming that there are studies that prove the spine is not mature enough to deal with FF impact until after a child's 4th birthday or so, regardless of their weight and height. I was blown away. I mentioned it to one of my daycare parents (who also happens to be studying sports medicine), and she said that this was common accepted knowledge in her friends group. HM.
Ok, here is mine. It's not as long as Reggio's but covers what is needed...at least for me since I rarely transport them.
Quote:
Permission to transport
I HEREBY GRANT MY CHILD CARE PROVIDER ____________________ _______ TO TRANSPORT MY CHILD IN LICENSED INSURED VEHICLES, USING GOVERNMENT APPROVED, UNEXPIRED CHILD SAFETY SEATS AND BELTS ACCORDING TO GOVERNMENT LAWS..
I UNDERSTAND THAT MY CHILD IS BEING TRANSPORTED FOR THE FOLLOWING REASON:
___ TO TRANSPORT THE CHILD CARE PROVIDER'S CHILDREN TO SCHOOL/BUS STOP.
___ FIELD TRIPS.
___TRANSPORTING MY, OR ANOTHER CHILD TO OBTAIN MEDICAL ATTENTION.
IF PARENTS ARE SUPPLYING THEIR OWN GOVERNMENT APPROVED, UNEXPIRED CHILD SAFETY SEATS, IT IS WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE SEAT WILL STAY IN THE CHILD CARE PROVIDER'S VEHICLE AT ALL TIMES DURING THE WEEK. SEATS MAY BE TAKEN OUT ONLY ON FRIDAYS AFTER DAYCARE HOURS (5PM) AND MUST BE RETURNED MONDAY MORNING AT DROP OFF. IF A SEAT IS FORGOTTEN, CARE WILL NOT COMMENCE UNTIL THE SEAT IS RETURNED.
PARENTS SIGNATURE
____________________ __________________ Date_________
PROVIDER SIGNATURE
____________________ __________________ Date_________
I am an advocate for extended rear facing as well ... unless a parent absolutely refuses I prefer them to rear face until they reach the 35 pound max on my car seats! I also will not move them over to the 'high back booster' just because they have reached the 40 pounds and 40 inches because the 5 point harness is the SAFEST seat belt option out there and if I have one empty than you sit in it until you are 65 pounds and too tall for my 5 point harness ;)
Ideally ALL belts in cars should be the 5 point hardness style ... this is why race cars and other high speed vehicles have them because they help ensure 'even impact' to the spine in an accident ... however society is just so use to the lame ass ones we have because initially we had NOTHING so they think these are 'fine' but unfortunately there are more cars on the roads and going FASTER than ever so the incident for death and severe injury are higher which is what is leading to more and more 'stringent' safety rules in vehicles cause too many people die needless everyday :(
I took the Carseat Installation and Inspection course to be a Installer at Clinics .... the videos of accident simulations are HORRIBLE with the forward facing impact and the amount of force on the neck and spine of a young child ... I would rather have a child with a potential broken leg from rear facing than a broken neck or spine from forward facing too early!
Same with watching children in just the lap belts being thrown from the vehicle entirely because they seat belt was not worn properly and so forth!
I have had to 'educate' every single one of my parents on proper seat belt position in their carseats because every single one had them TOO LOOSE and had they ever been in an accident their kid would have flown out of the seat regardless of being rear facing or forward facing :(
Thanks Reggio. I just basically plagiarized you. Hope you don't sue. :D
I take my daycare children on the bus all the time and we walk everywhere but I've never had a permission form for field trips or anything like that! These sorts of things are covering your butt, I understand, but once again I say it comes down to trusting the provider. The parents trust us not to let their child choke on their food. Do you have a form that gives you permission to feed the children? Do you see what I mean?