Help Me with my NEW Sick Policy

[sunnydays]

One note, you should not refer to them as "paid sick days" as that makes it an employee/employer relationship and then your clients technically have to pay CPP etc. You could instead word it as "4 paid closures" which may be used if you are sick or have an appointment. Personally, I wouldn't do the 75% pay for sick days, although I understand that you are trying to encourage them to keep sick kids home. If they are too sick to be in care, just call the parents and have them pick the child up immediately. If they disregard your policies, terminate them. Keep in mind that things like coughs can go on for months and do not mean the child can't be in daycare. However, fevers, vomiting, diahrea etc would constitute an immediate call to parents and 24 hours sympotom free before returning to daycare.

[Momof4]

Good points kangaroomama and I agree. In my contract I word it like this: Fees are due no matter if the client has sick or missed days for any reason or there are stat days or other holidays listed that the daycare is closed.

Unfortunately, we have to allow children into care with viruses all the time and if the nose is running clear and the cough doesn't sound like it is into the child's lungs and they aren't tugging at their ears then you pretty much have to let the child come in. However, if there is green mucous that usually means bacteria and the child should see a doctor for a bacterial infection. I know this from raising 4 children of my own and that just comes from experience.

Vomiting and diarrhea are no question! Stay away until symptom free for 24 hours as you already stated or they are spreading it to 5 other families and the daycare provider. Don't be afraid to stress that to your clients so they learn to be more considerate. Most people will get it with reminders once in a while.

[CPST_Manda]

Well she showed up this morning and her son had a cough and a runny nose. She was wiping his nose at the door and told me that it "just started this morning". I didn't look to see what color his boogers were and I don't care if his cough isn't in his lungs. He went home. She was upset and I don't care. My business, my rules. It states in my policy that coughing + snot + stay home or get seen by a doctor who can assure me that they aren't contagious. They are sick every friggin week. I would just like to tell them to find another DCP.

[Judy Trickett]

The key to not having sick children in care is NOT to charge dcparents for YOUR sick time but to enforce your sick policies to the degree that they are afraid NOT to follow them.

For example, my illness policy says that after diarrhea or vomiting a child is excluded from care for 24 hours. It's in the contract and the parents SIGNED that contract. So, if I saw what you saw on FB then I would have terminated that family. AND, next week, when all the other dcfamilies asked why little Tommy is no longer attending I would tell them that Tommy got terminated for not following the illness policy.

Oh, YES....I WOULD and HAVE done that. And when OTHER parents realize you WILL terminate someone who does not follow the contract (especially the illness policy) they do NOT violate the policies.

[CPST_Manda]

Thanks Judy,

That is a very good point and I agree it will probably deter more parents from bringing sick kids in the future. I am definitely going to terminate this family... any ideas on how? Do I email her? Do I tell her at the door next time we see each other? I'm so embarrassed to have to do this but she helped me learn many valuable lessons, some I'm embarrassed to even admit here! lol

[playfelt]

I would write a letter that basically says I take the safety and well being of the children in dacyare very seriously. Therefor due to continued disregard for the policies at _______daycare, in particular the illness policy, it is necessary to terminate care for ________. The last day availabe for care will be ________________.

Don't mention your own family in the letter because then she will think it is about you and not about the daycare. Using only the daycare keeps it professional.

[Crayola kiddies]

When the parent comes the next time you explain that you are terminating care for ... And list your reasons and then hand her a written letter in a sealed envelope explaining that due to lack of compliance of your illness policy and a general air of disrespect towards you and your business you are terminating care on what ever date ....two weeks or what you have set out in your policy.
Take a photocopy of the letter for your records. If you want to term immediately then bring up the face book thing because I would be furious if they blantently got my whole family sick and all the other daycare kids

[sunnydays]

Although I certainly agree that you should terminate if the parents are disrespecting you and your policies (ie. bringing the child with a fever and diahrea knowingly), I would not turn a child away for a cough and runny nose. Some kids have coughs and runny noses all winter...the parents cannot stay home for the whole winter because of continuous colds. If there was no fever or other signs of a more serious illness, I would have been upset as a parent as well to be sent home. However, if she did drug the child and bring him with fever and all, that is totally unacceptable and is definitely grounds for termination.

[CPST_Manda]

Although I certainly agree that you should terminate if the parents are disrespecting you and your policies (ie. bringing the child with a fever and diahrea knowingly), I would not turn a child away for a cough and runny nose. Some kids have coughs and runny noses all winter...the parents cannot stay home for the whole winter because of continuous colds. If there was no fever or other signs of a more serious illness, I would have been upset as a parent as well to be sent home. However, if she did drug the child and bring him with fever and all, that is totally unacceptable and is definitely grounds for termination.

I have it in my contract that children are to stay home if they are contagious. I agree with you about a common cold but her kids have only been in care for 6 weeks and they are always sick. They came to me coughing and on puffers for 10 days (she didn't mention this little gem until I asked her about the stomach bug!)... then the stomach bug debacle and now her son arrives coughing and snotting all over my front porch... NO THANKS. Another red flag went up when she told me she's "never had to keep her kids home" and "it's a problem because I work" That to me just affirms what I think she has done and will continue to do; send sick kids to daycare. I'm done with this family!!! I definitely understand your point about the common colds, but if there are kids in my daycare that are sick every few weeks then I will ask them to leave too. Most kids are sick 1-2x/year not 1-2x/month.

[carla]

green mucos does not mean a infection. I just went to the Dr and had green stuff coming from my lungs. the dr said it was not contagious and i was fine. your provience should have a sick child policy and you should follow it. in Alberta our policy is :Potential health risk
8(1) Subject to subsection (3), where the licence holder or other
care provider knows or has reason to believe that a child is
exhibiting signs or symptoms of illness as set out in subsection (2),
the licence holder must ensure
(a) that the child’s parent arranges for the immediate removal
of the child from the program premises, and
(b) that the child does not return to the program premises
until the licence holder is satisfied that the child no longer
poses a health risk to persons on the program premises.
(2) Signs or symptoms of illness exhibited by a child include the
child
(a) vomiting, having a fever, diarrhea or a new or
unexplained rash or cough,
(b) requiring greater care and attention than can be provided
without compromising the care of the other children in the
program, or
(c) having or displaying any other illness or symptom the
licence holder or other care provider knows or believes
may indicate that the child poses a health risk to persons
on the program premises.
(3) Subsection (1) does not apply if the child’s parent provides
written notice from a physician indicating the child does not pose a
health risk to persons on the program premises.