Do you provide parent handbooks?

[Inspired by Reggio]

WAHM - not sure the regulations in Alberta but in Ontario our Day Nursery Act requires a 'parent handbook' and lists what it must contain - most 'exceed' that but having clear WRITTEN expectations on policies will help to keep conflict and miscommunication to a minimum in your program!

In Ontario for example every centre parent handbook I worked in roughly covered the following - I would have to double check which were 'required' and which just got added over the past 20 years as centres learned from prior conflicts what to 'explain more clearly' to future parents to avoid that

Anyway the list off the top of my head ... been over 5 years since I worked in a 'centre' however my own handbook still covers most of the things I learned from over the years to avoid conflict ...

• Mission Statement of the Organization
• Philosophy for Curriculum / Learning
• Hours of Operation and Closures
• Payment policies including vacation, stat holidays, late payment of fees, NSF, over hours charges, security deposit, withdrawal from care notice clients must provide, grounds for terminating the contract etc.
• Release procedures - protocols for who children will be released to other than parents
• Emergency protocols - medical emergency, fire emergency, no power to the centre, weather emergency such as snow storm, tornado and so forth requiring closure or early pick ups
• Immunization, Illness while at home, while in centre care and Medication policies
• Nutrition philosophy / Meals / Snacks and Allergy protocols
• Physical activity and Outdoor play policies including field trips and outings off site, inclement weather policies and safety practices for large motor play
• Toilet training and washroom policies
• Behavior and Guidance policies - behaviours that could be grounds for 'termination of service'
• Staffing (training, ratios to expect and so forth)

[WAHM]

WAHM - not sure the regulations in Alberta but in Ontario our Day Nursery Act requires a 'parent handbook' and lists what it must contain[/LIST]

In Alberta, we are required to follow and have the procedures approved by a licensing officer and explain how we will communicate our policies to the parents but there are no requirements to provide them in writing. This can be done verbally, in writing, displayed, printed on website etc..

My website and registration form cover a lot but not ALL policies. We have a binder that is kept in centre at the front counter with all the policies and procedures but I haven't physically given copy to every parent. ESPECIALLY since policies and procedures required by the government (in alberta anyway) change a few times a year