Operational Hours

Infant, toddler and preschool programs are open weekdays from 7:00am – 6:00pm. Before and after school programs for kindergarten and school age children are open weekdays from 7:00am to the morning school bell and from the afternoon school bell until 6:00pm.

Safe Arrival and Departure

Parents must bring their children into the program each day and come into the program to pick them up, so that their child(ren) can be signed in and out.

A parent/guardian may request that a child who is in Grade 4 or older, may arrive or be released from child care without supervision. Parent/guardian must provide written and signed authorization and instructions for the arrival or release of the child including time of arrival/dismissal. Where a parent/guardian provides written instructions for the release of their child from care without supervision, the parent/guardian is aware that the child care is no longer responsible for that child upon their dismissal. Please see specifics under the Independent Departure section below.

Where a child does not arrive in care as expected or is not picked up as expected, staff must follow the safe arrival and dismissal procedures which involve calling the parent/guardian by 10:00am for full day programs and within 15 minutes of the bell time for before and after school programs. See details below.

Arrival Policy

• Where a child has not arrived in care to a full day program as expected and the parent/guardian has not communicated a change in drop-off, the following must occur:
  o Staff must inform the Program Supervisor or Program Leader.
  o Staff must commence contacting the child’s parent/guardian no later than 10:00 am. Staff shall communicate with the parent/guardians via phone call, text message/email, or through the program’s communication app to confirm the absence of the child.
  o After 30 minutes of attempting to contact the parent/guardian, if no response is received, staff must contact a listed emergency contact (on the child’s registration form), to confirm absence.
  o If an adult has still not confirmed the absence of the child by 11:00 am, the Program Manager will be contacted to advise on the next steps.

• Once the child’s absence has been confirmed, program staff shall document the child’s absence on the attendance record and any additional information about the child’s absence in the Daily Journal.
• Where a child who is expected before school, but does not arrive by ringing of the bell, signaling the start of school, and the parent/guardian has not communicated a change in drop-off, the following must occur:
  o Inform the Program Supervisor or Program Leader.
  o Check in with the school office to confirm if the child’s absence has been reported.
  o Staff must commence contacting the child’s parent/guardian no later than 15 minutes after the school bell rings to signal the start of school. Staff shall communicate with the parent/guardians via phone call, text message/email, or through the program’s communication app to confirm the absence of the child.
  o If contact is not made within 15 minutes, the staff shall contact the school personnel to inquire if the child has arrived at school or if an absence was communicated to them by an adult.
  o After 30 minutes of attempting to contact the parent/guardian, if no response is received, must contact a listed emergency contact (on the child’s registration form), to confirm absence.
  o If an adult has still not confirmed the absence of the child by 11:00 am, the Program Manager will be contacted to advise next steps.
  o Once the child’s absence has been confirmed, program staff shall document the child’s absence on the attendance record and any additional information about the child’s absence in the Daily Journal.

Child Missing After School Program

For any child who is expected after school, but does not arrive within the first five minutes of the bell ringing to signal school dismissal, begin to initiate these steps:

• Staff must notify the Supervisor that they require assistance in locating a child.

• Staff check the hallways of the school or in other program rooms in case the child has reported to the wrong room.

• Staff check the bus lines to see if the child went to the bus by accident. If the busses have left, staff will ask the school secretary to call the bus company to inquire if the child went on the bus by accident.

• If the child was at school and was NOT picked up, staff will ask the school secretary to page the child or inquire with the child’s teacher to see if the child’s whereabouts are known.

Calls to Police and Parents

If the child is not located within ten minutes from the time the school dismissal bell and staff have taken the steps above, staff will:

• Call the parents at home or work to notify them that the child has not arrived. Ask if the parent is aware of child’s whereabouts.

• Call the Police Department and advise them that a child is missing; request their assistance in locating the child.

• As soon as reasonably possible following the call to the police, the Supervisor or Program Leader in charge must notify the Program Manager.

• If the parent, Supervisor or Program Manager cannot be reached, staff will notify Head Office immediately at 905-312-9836.

Prior to School Dismissal

• Designated staff will check with the school office to obtain the names of any children who were absent from school that day, who were picked up early by a parent or their designate, or who the school was advised should go home on the school bus.

• Designated staff will check the Daily Journal and voice mail for messages.

Authorized Pick Up Persons

• Parents will discuss their child care needs with centre staff during the enrollment process and identify the people who will be responsible for the arrival and departure of their child(ren) on the Registration Form, including alternate adults who may hold this responsibility on occasion.

• If someone other than the parent or authorized person is to pick up the child, staff must be notified in advance, in writing. In case of emergency, staff may be notified by telephone when an alternate person will be picking up the child.

• Designated persons picking up a child will be required to show identification until staff become familiar with them.

• UFCC staff members are required to follow current custody orders when releasing children. Families are asked to work with the centre Supervisor to ensure the information on file is up to date.

• Should the person picking up the child demonstrate behaviour that suggests the individual may be impaired and is planning to drive with the child or does not appear capable of caring for the child, the staff member will call one of the child’s emergency contacts.

• Should the parent insist they are taking the child from the centre, the staff member will attempt to discourage the parent but will not prevent the child from leaving the centre. If the staff member is concerned for the child’s safety, they will call the Children’s Aid Society for advice on next steps.

Independent Departure

• Parents may authorize the centre to allow an older school age child (Grade 4 and up) to leave the centre at a predetermined time. The parent needs to provide written authorization in advance specifying the time of departure.

• Children with parent authorization for independent departure must sign themselves out of the centre. Staff will note time of departure and/or any parental direction in the Daily Journal.

Extra-Curricular Activities

• Older school age children may want to participate in after school activities prior to returning to child care. Parents need to provide written authorization in advance of the activity.

Late Pick Ups

• If a child has not been picked up at the end of the day, staff will attempt to contact the parent and emergency contacts with the goal of developing a safe plan to have the child picked up.

• If more than an hour has passed and contact has not been made or there isn’t a plan in place for safe pick up of the child, the Program Manager will be contacted for advice on next steps. (CAS may be contacted for advice on how to proceed.) This time can be shortened should an individual action plan for a child identify this. This planned would be discussed with and signed by the parent before it would be enacted.

• Child care staff may not remove the child from the centre.

• Parents who are late picking up their child will be charged a late fee of $5.00 per child, plus $1.00 per child for every minute expired beyond the centre closing time. Supervisors will issue these fees via the child care billing app.

Taxis

It is preferable that children are delivered by a parent or designate; however, it is understood that emergencies may occur. While it is essential we work with families based on their individual and unique needs, the child’s safety must not be compromised.

Taxi Delivery of a Child:

If a child must be delivered to a UFCC program by taxi, the following procedures will apply:

• The parent will call the centre in advance of the child being sent in a taxi to alert them of the situation, and inform the centre of the driver’s name, if available.

• The parent will inform the taxi driver that the child must be delivered directly to the child care centre staff.

• Staff may request to check the I.D. of the driver. 27

• UFCC accepts no responsibility for the child until a staff member has been notified in person of the child’s arrival.

Taxi Pick Up of a Child:

In the event of an emergency which results in a parent arranging for a taxi to pick up his/her child, the following procedures will apply:

• The parent will first attempt to have a designate pick up the child and notify the centre of this situation.

• If the only alternative for pick up is a taxi, the parent will notify the centre of these arrangements.

• The parent will call the taxi company to arrange the time of the pick-up and to determine the name of the driver who will pick up the child.

• The parent will then call the centre back to confirm the time of pick up and the identity of the taxi driver.

• Before the child is released, the taxi driver must provide proof of identification to a staff member. UFCC accepts no responsibility for the child after the driver has assumed care of the child and has left the centre

Appropriate Clothing

Please ensure that your child has appropriate clothing for daily outdoor play in all seasons.

For safety reasons, children are required to wear shoes with closed toes and heels. Running shoes are preferred. Flip flops and shoes with heels are not safe for active play, especially outdoors.

First Aid

If your child sustains a bump or bruise while playing, appropriate first aid (e.g., disinfectant, bandage, etc.) will be applied. Staff will complete an “Accident/Incident Report Form” . This may be recorded on paper or on our online communication app. Parents receive a copy of this report.

If a child becomes seriously ill while in attendance at the centre, or suffers an injury requiring immediate medical attention, the staff will call the parent immediately to inform them of the situation. Whenever possible, a joint decision will then be made regarding the medical treatment required.

If the parent cannot be reached, child care staff will seek immediate medical advice and follow through as directed. If necessary, the child will be transported by ambulance to the nearest hospital emergency department. A child care centre staff member will accompany the child, and the staff remaining in the centre will endeavor to contact the parents by telephone to inform them of the situation. Parents will be required to report to the hospital to complete the necessary forms.

Emergency Contacts

Parents are required to keep Umbrella staff informed of their current work and home telephone numbers, as well as emergency telephone numbers, which are recorded in the child’s file in the program. Should staff not have appropriate contact information, care may be paused until this requirement is met.

At least two (2) emergency contact telephone numbers are required for each child at all times. It is also critical to inform the program if you will be out of town for the day, or unavailable at the usual number.

Fire Drills and School Protocols

Each Umbrella program has a written procedure for fire drills that has been approved by the local fire department. Every staff member is familiar with this procedure, and each room has specific instructions for moving the children safely out of the building. The procedures are posted in each room and unannounced fire drills are carried out once per month in full day sites and once per month during the school year in extended day programs.

Every school has procedures in place to protect students and staff in the event of a serious incident in or around a school. Depending on the event, responses may range from Shelter in Place, Hold and Secure or Lockdown. These procedures are communicated to all users of the building and are practiced several times a year. Umbrella staff and children are included in the procedures and participate in the practices when they occur.

Emergency Evacuation

Each program is required to obtain an emergency evacuation site, the location of which is posted in the Parent Information Area. In the event that the building becomes unsafe, children will be evacuated from the school and moved to our emergency location. Once staff and children are safely at the evacuation site, parents will be notified by phone. Staff will remain with the children until their parents pick them up. A copy of the Emergency Evacuation procedure at your child’s centre can be found in the Parent Information Area or requested from your site’s Supervisor or Program Leader.

Snow/Emergency Closures 

When the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board makes a decision to close schools for the day due to a snowstorm or other emergency, Umbrella programs are also canceled. Please check the HWDSB website for information regarding school closures. Should the Board of Education make a decision to close schools in the middle of the school day, the parent is responsible for making arrangements to pick their child up from the school/program as soon as possible.

Extreme Temperatures and/or Smog Advisories 

For the well-being of both children and staff, outdoor play will be reduced or eliminated when Environment Canada issues an advisory based on weather conditions (e.g., heat and humidity, wind chill, smog advisories, etc.).

Child and Family Services Act

In compliance with the Child and Family Services Act, any staff member or person who has reasonable grounds to suspect that a child has suffered – or may be suffering from – abuse or neglect, must report the suspected abuse to the appropriate Children’s Aid Society (CAS or CCAS). Under the Act, a “child” is defined as a person under the age of 16 and “abuse” occurs if a person who is providing care of the child causes or allows the child to suffer physical harm, emotional neglect or sexual interference.

Suspected abuse MUST be reported to CAS/CCAS by the staff member on the day the suspicion occurs. The Supervisor will also be notified of the action taken. The CAS/CCAS will then commence an investigation as appropriate, and will contact the family, usually within 24 hours. CAS/CCAS will often ask the reporting teacher not to inform the family that a report has been made, as this may interfere with the investigation.