Health and Safety

Inclement weather policy

Inclement weather is described as heavy snowfall and storms that potentially can affect the safe commute of staff and families. Leq’a:mel Childcare Centre will be for inclement weather when the school district announces school closure.

Unforeseen Closure

Unforeseen closures can occur sometimes with advanced notice or short notice. For instance, if city crews give advance notice for the shut off our water or power, we will inform families as soon as possible of the planned closure and instances where short notice would be given is when a water pipe bursts. Leq’a:mel daycare staff will do our best to inform families as soon as we possibly can in unforeseen closures.

Power Outage

Leq’a:mel Childcare Centre will be closed in the occurrence of a power outage. Our procedure:
If the power outage has occurred during the night and is still out by 6:00 am, Leq’a:mel Daycare will remain closed. If the power outage occurs during operation hours, we will first contact BC Hydro for an estimated time for restoration of power. If the estimated time is more than two hours, we will contact parent(s) to pick up as soon as possible and close. If power restoration is less, then 2 hours and we are losing heat fast then we will contact parents for pick up as soon as possible. Leq’a:mel Daycare will not accept any drop from any children when the power is out.

Emergency Preparedness

Fire Drills

Leq’a:mel Childcare Centre will implement and practice Fire drills monthly.
We will evacuate the facility to our muster zone.

Fire Drill Procedure:

1. Gather children and exit the building through the safest exit out. Infants will be placed as a group of 4 into a crib and wheeled out the safest exit.
2. Staff will grab the emergency backpack, attendance and cell phone or cordless phone.
3. Last staff out will take one more look around in bathrooms and areas where children could hide and proceed outside the safest exit, closing doors behind them and meet in the muster zone.
4. Head count and attendance will be taken to ensure all children have been evacuated
5. Body checks over all children to ensure no injuries have occurred
6. Wait in muster zone until fire fighters’ clear entrance back into the facility. If it is not clear for re-entry. Staff will begin contacting parents for immediate pick-up

Earthquake Policy

Earthquake kits contain enough survival materials for all children and staff in the daycare for 72 hours. Earthquake drills will be practiced once a month with songs that encourage the child to hide like a turtle or be a sleeping bunny. Parents will provide comfort kits containing a family photograph, a letter, a small toy, small blanket, a small non-perishable snack, and small water in a large storage Ziploc bag.

Earthquake procedure:

1. When ground begins to shake, staff will immediately gather the children closes to them and proceed to singing the songs that encourage children to curl into a ball, tucking in their legs and placing their hands over their head.
2. Continuing all songs until shaking has stopped.
3. Once shaking has stopped, staff can begin procedure by using judgement and critical thinking of safest action to evacuate to designated building or if safest action is to stay at the daycare facility.
4. If evacuating, staff will grab emergency backpack, attendance and cell phone and earthquake survival kits.
5. Staff will try contact the parents/emergency contacts and arrange pick up or meeting at designated facility as soon as possible. If parents are unreachable, staff will contact out of province contact to relay messages either designated center our of province contact or parents out of province contact.
6. Staff will stay with children until all children are reunited with parents.

Gases and Bomb Threat Evacuation Policy

In the event where gas smells are in the air, staff will follow Fire Drill Procedures to evacuate the building.

1. Gather children and exit the building through the safest exit out. Infants will be placed as a group of 4 into a crib and wheeled out the safest exit.
2. Staff will grab the emergency backpack, attendance and cell phone or cordless phone.
3. Last staff out will take one more look around in bathrooms and areas where children could hide and proceed outside the safest exit, closing doors behind them and meet in the muster zone.
4. Head count and attendance will be taken to ensure all children have been evacuated
5. Body checks over all children to ensure no injuries have occurred
6. Wait in muster zone until fire fighters’ clear entrance back into the facility. If it is not clear for re-entry. Staff will begin contacting parents for immediate pick-up

Illness Policy

Parents are required to keep their children at home when their child is sick and if they have experienced any of the following symptoms within the past 48 hours, as recommended by the centre for disease control.

• Fever over 38.3°C / 100°F
• Complaint of unexplained or undiagnosed pain
• Cold with a fever, runny nose, teary eyes, coughing or sore throat
• Difficulty breathing wheezing, or persistent cough
• Sore throat or trouble swallowing
• Infected skin or undiagnosed rash and infected eyes
• Headache or stiff neck
• Diarrhea, vomiting, or upset stomach
• Severe itching of the body and scalp
• Any child unable to participate fully in the program.
• Children with know or suspected communicable diseases or viruses

If a child comes to Leq’a:mel Childcare Centre exhibiting any of these symptoms and is not well enough to participate in the program, the child will be required to be picked up immediately.

If your child is sick, we require your child to be symptom free without the aid of medication (Tylenol, Advil) and homeopathic medicine for 48hrs before returning to daycare.

If your child becomes Ill at the daycare, we will remove them from other children to prevent spreading of the illness. The child will be placed in an area for comfort and rest and monitored by staff, parents are contacted for immediate pick-up of their child. If parents are unavailable, emergency contacts will be called. We will notify the parent who picked up on the emergency contact list.

Immunization Records

We require that parents indicate on their child’s registration forms whether their immunizations are up to date. As best practice we will ask for a copy of your child’s immunization records. If your child is not immunized, we will need a signed letter stating your preference.
If a communicable disease outbreak occurs children who are not immunized may be excluded from care for the duration of the communicable disease. Covid 19 is excluded from this policy at this time

Headlice

Parents have the primary responsibility for the detection and treatment of headlice. Because head lice spreads so easily children with lice cannot attend childcare. If your child is found to have headlice or nits we will require you to pick up your child immediately. In the event that you discover headlice at home please let us know immediately so all other children in the centre can be checked. If your child does have lice this information will be kept confidential as to whom had lice in the centre. Please keep your child home until they are lice and nit free.

Prescription Medication Policy and Non-Prescription Policy

Children will be required to have been on prescription medication for 48hrs prior to returning to daycare.
Parents are required to fill out a permission to administer medication form before staff can give their child any prescription medicine. If your child is on prescription medicine and if they are sick and cannot participate regularly in the daycare programs, we will require you to keep you child home. Non-Prescription Medicine like Tylenol and Advil can be given if prescribed by a doctor and is acceptable for pain relief in teething. If your child is ill with any other flu like symptoms and has a fever, we will require you to keep your child home. They will need to have no symptoms for 48hr prior to returning to daycare.

Allergies

For all food allergies and food sensitivities, dietary restrictions and seasonal allergies and the reaction will be posted in eating areas of the classrooms. If your child is allergic to peanuts. We will become a nut free facility and policies will be amended to ensure a peanut free facility. Peanut Free Signage will be posted in eating areas of the daycare. If your child requires Epi-pen to prevent Anaphylaxis, we will require the parent to supply the Epi-pen and staff will follow the Epi-pen Procedure.

Reportable Incidents and Non-Reportable Incidents

Leq’a:mel Childcare Centre are required to submit a reportable Incident to Fraser Health if a child has had a fall or severe injury, has choked on food, Emergency restraint, food poisoning, medication error, missing wandering child, motor vehicle accident, neglect, or has aggressive behaviour that caused significant physical Harm. We also report communicable diseases and Power Outages.

Non-reportable Incidents are minor injuries and does not fall under the reportable Incident list. Parents are notified either by phone or by a form that is filled out by a staff that describes the minor Incident. The parent signs the minor incident form that they have been notified of the minor incident.

Medical Emergency and Emergency Transportation

In a medical emergency where a severe injury has occurred and ambulance has been called, a staff will apply first aid until Paramedics arrive. Emergency Transportation consent is required for Leq’a:mel Daycare staff to transport your child by ambulance or allows Leq’a:mel Daycare staff to provide transportation in a medical emergency.

Non-Medical Emergency

When an injury has occurred and is a non-emergency, the staff will administer first aid and then the parent will be notified, and the parent will make the decision to come pick up their child and bring them in to see a doctor for further assessment or if they allow their child to stay at daycare and continue out their day.

Custody

Legal parents are permitted to pick up their child at anytime with proof of identification. We require a copy of the court order and must state the conditions of the custody order of your child and state the prohibition of a parent that is restricted from custody.

Suspected Abuse and Neglect

Every citizen is required by law and have a duty to report any suspected abuse and neglect of a child. At Leq’a:mel Daycare staff are required by law and have duty to report any suspected abuse or neglect of a child. The Leq’a:mel Daycare staff are not required to consult with management if they feel they have reason or concern enough to report abuse or neglect.

Under the Influence of Substance use or alcohol

If a parent is suspected to be under the influence of substances or alcohol, we want to ensure safety of you and your child, therefore.

1. We will check-in and see if you are okay
2. We will ask you if you would like us to call you a family member to come pick up you and your child
3. We will ask you if we can call you a taxi
4. We will recommend against driving while intoxicated
5. We will notify the police about your current state
6. We will follow-up and check-in as soon as possible

Rest/Nap Policy

Children will have a daily rest time where they can relax their body and play with quiet activities after lunch or can lay on a cot for a nap. Children are not required to sleep; they are required to have a rest time. Parents are to provide bedding for their child, and they will need to take home weekly for a wash. Parents can send comfort item such as a stuffed animal, binky, or a pacifier. Pacifier must come in a container labeled with the child’s name on it. During naptime, staff will pat gently on child’s back, rub child’s back or caress head and will also cuddle with the child if needed.

Bathroom Policy

Children ages 3 and up are provided with access to the bathroom for their bath rooming needs. Children are assisted if they ask for help. Children under 3 years old are diapered at a change table. Children can start potty training at 2yrs old and will need to wear a pull-up until they are able to communicate that they need to go to the bathroom. Once the child learns to verbally say they need to go to the washroom is when the child can be switched to being in underwear.

Diaper Changing Procedure:

1. Gather diapering supplies.
2. Put gloves on.
3. Pick up child from under the arms (arm pits) and place on diaper change table.
4. Remove child’s shoes and pants and set aside.
5. Pull open the diaper straps and remove and place into garbage nearby.
6. Hold child legs up for wiping their bottom, wiping front to back and dispose wipes.
7. Apply the child’s diaper cream if needed
8. Remove gloves and toss into the garbage.
9. Place new diaper on child and put their pants and shoes back on.
10. Place child back down to the floor by lifting under the arms.
11. Sanitize hands with nearby hand sanitizer.
12. Staff and child proceed to bathroom sink to wash hands.

Active Play Policy

Children are required to engage in active play for a minimum of 60 minutes a day. Active play can be indoor or outdoors to get the body moving and hear rate up. Indoor active play activities would be music and movement, yoga, or busier play in designated area. Outdoor play consists of many active play options for the child. Running, jumping, climbing, and playing with outdoor toys to get their body moving.

Field Trips and Walks

Leq’a:mel Childcare staff will plan field trips that encourage learning experiences related to monthly themes or Aboriginal culture. When a field trip is planned, parents or alternate family member will transport their own child to and from the field trip location and will stay with their child for the duration of the field trip. Leq’a:mel Childcare staff will meet parents at the field trip location. Cost of the Fieldtrips will be covered by fundraisers and/or parent. If a parent opts out of the field trip, a staff will be available to provide childcare if there are enough children not attending the fieldtrip or the possibility the parent will need to find an alternate care for the day.

Parents have an option to sign consent to take your child out on nature walks into the community. Leq’a:mel Childcare Centre will require permission to take your child out on a walk in the event of evacuation.

Photographs and Videos

Parents have an option to sign consent for your child to have their photograph and/or video taken for advertisements, Childcare promotions, Childcare website, and social media pages. Parents have an option to sign consent for practicum students to take photographs and videos.

Devices and Screen time

Leq’a:mel Childcare Centre will not be allowing any screen time in the childcare facility unless it is for Educational Purposes, or special occasions if not for educational purposes parents will be notified prior to and all programs will be rated G. Children are encouraged to engage in daycare program activities. Leq’a:mel Childcare staff request you keep your child’s device at home.
Leq’a:mel Childcare Centre is not responsible for any broken, lost, or stolen devices brought into the Centre.

Home Toys Policy

Children are required to keep home toys at home. Leq’a:mel Childcare Centre has a variety of toys supplied at the daycare for the children to play with. Leq’a:mel daycare is not responsible for any broken, lost, or stolen toys that are brought into the daycare.

Late Pick-up Policy

When Children are pick up late past closing. Parents are charged $10 in the first 5 minutes and then charged $1 for every additional minute late.
(Example: 10 minutes late past closing would be $10 + $5($1/min) = $15)

Guidance and Behaviour

Leq’a:mel Childcare staff will guide your child behaviour with a variety of strategies. Our environment is set up to peek your child’s interest in play. Leq’a:mel Childcare staff will engage with the children and develop relationships with your child. The children are valued, their emotions are acknowledged and Leq’a:mel daycare staff listen to what the child has to say about what they need. Leq’a:mel Childcare staff redirect behaviour by guiding the child into play and focus on acknowledging and encouraging the positive behaviour. Children will hit and push or fight over a toy and this is common as they are learning how to resolve conflict. Sometimes the children have disagreements, Leq’a:mel Childcare staff encourage communication between children to resolve their conflicts. We help the child develop the words they want to say to each other.

Biting

Sometimes children bite. Children with less vocabulary to express what they want and/or being able to express their feelings, the child is frustrated, they will bite. Sometimes biting occurs because a child is teething and other instances where in defence if another child is hitting or pushing.

Aggressive Behavior

Aggressive Behavior defined as punching, choking, kicking, throwing toys and furniture that is exhibited by a child that causes serious physical harm to other children and staff. Every effort will be made to try to implement behaviour strategies to reduce/eliminate aggressive behaviour. Care Plans and Referrals made to Child Resource and Referral on reserve or off reserve will be made for support for the child. Leq’a:mel Childcare Centre reserves the right to suspend services until the child is approved for a support worker and reserves the right to terminate childcare immediately where strategies are not working with a child with aggressive behaviours. Care Plans are developed to help design an individual strategy or plan to meet the needs of the child. Care plans are developed between Leq’a:mel Childcare staff and parents and with other professionals if required. Referrals can be made by Leq’a:mel Childcare staff and parents to seek support for a child with aggressive behaviours or seek assessments for special needs. Children with Special Needs will possibly need a support worker to help them with participating in the daily routine.

Trial Period and Termination of Services Policy

Leq’a:mel Childcare Centre has a 60-day Trial period. Leq’a:mel daycare will terminate services effective immediately when parents refuse to work cooperatively with the care plans and support services for their child. Leq’a:mel Childcare Centre will not tolerate disrespectful and hostile parent behaviour and will terminate services effective immediately.