Child Care Centre
Safe Arrival and Dismissal Policy and Procedures
Name of Child Care Centre: Click here to enter text.
Date Policy and Procedures Established: Click here to enter text.
Date Policy and Procedures Updated: Click here to enter text.
Purpose
This policy and the procedures within help support the safe arrival and dismissal of children receiving care.
This policy will provide staff, students and volunteers with a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities for ensuring the safe arrival and dismissal of children receiving care, including what steps are to be taken when a child does not arrive at the child care centre as expected, as well as steps to follow to ensure the safe dismissal of children.
This policy is intended to fulfill the obligations set out under Ontario Regulation 137/15 for policies and procedures regarding the safe arrival and dismissal of children in care.
Note: definitions for terms used throughout this policy are provided in a Glossary at the end of the document.
Policy
General
• [Name of child care centre] will ensure that any child receiving child care at the child care centre is only released to the child’s parent/guardian or an individual that the parent/guardian has provided written authorization the child care centre may release the child to.
Please select which of the below policy statements apply to your program with respect to the dismissal of children from care without supervision. Please delete or edit those bullet points as you see fit.
• [Name of child care centre] will only dismiss children into the care of their parent/guardian or another authorized individual. The centre will not release any children from care without supervision.
• A parent/guardian may request that a child who is [insert age] years old or older be released from child care without supervision. Parents/Guardians must provide written and signed authorization and instructions for the release of the child including the time of 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.
• 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 set out below.
Additional Policy Statements
Consider including additional policy statements, as applicable. (e.g., children may only be released to an adult, etc.)
Click here to enter text.
Procedures
Accepting a child into care
1. When accepting a child into care at the time of drop-off, program staff in the room must:
- greet the parent/guardian and child.
- ask the parent/guardian how the child’s evening/morning has been and if there are any changes to the child’s pick-up procedure (i.e., someone other than the parent/guardian picking up). Where the parent/guardian has indicated that someone other than the child’s parent/guardians will be picking up, the staff must confirm that the person is listed on [insert name of document where child’s release information is documented] or where the individual is not listed, ask the parent/guardian to provide authorization for pick-up in writing (e.g., note or email).
- document the change in pick-up procedure in the daily written record.
- sign the child in on the classroom attendance record.
Where a child has not arrived in care as expected
1. Where a child does not arrive at the child care centre and the parent/guardian has not communicated a change in drop-off (e.g., left a voice message or advised the closing staff at pick-up), the staff in the classroom must:
- inform the [include which staff (e.g., supervisor, program staff, extra support staff, etc.)] and they must commence contacting the child’s parent/guardian no later than [include time of day here (e.g., 10:00 am).] Staff shall [describe method of contacting child’s parent/guardian (e.g., call parent/guardian, send text message or email via program’s communication app), how long do staff continue to contact parent/guardian if no response is received (e.g., must contact at least once and leave message, must make contact with an adult to confirm absence etc.).]
- [include additional steps for staff should they not be able to reach any of the above to confirm the child’s absence from care (e.g., centre supervisor, licensee, police, etc.) .]
2. 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 written record.
Releasing a child from care
1. The staff who is supervising the child at the time of pick-up shall only release the child to the child’s parent/guardian or individual that the parent/guardian has provided written authorization that the child care may release the child to. Where the staff does not know the individual picking up the child (i.e., parent/guardian or authorized individual),
- confirm with another staff member that the individual picking up is the child’s parent/guardian/authorized individual.
- where the above is not possible, ask the parent/guardian/authorized individual for photo identification and confirm the individual’s information against the parent/guardian/authorized individual’s name on the child’s file or written authorization.
Where a child has not been picked up as expected (before centre closes)
1. Where a parent/guardian has previously communicated with the staff a specific time or timeframe that their child is to be picked up from care and the child has not been picked up [include time for when staff shall proceed with contacting parent/guardian], the [include which staff (e.g., supervisor, program staff, extra support staff, etc.)] shall contact the parent/guardian [include means of communication (e.g., phone call, text message, etc.)] and advise that the child is still in care and has not been picked up.
- Where the staff is unable to reach the parent/guardian, staff must [include next steps (e.g., call again and leave a message for the parent/guardian]. Where the individual picking up the child is an authorized individual and their contact information is available, the staff shall proceed with contacting the individual to confirm pick-up as per the parent/guardian’s instructions or leave a voice message to contact the centre.
- Where the staff has not heard back from the parent/guardian or authorized individual who was to pick up the child the staff shall [include next steps (e.g., contact emergency contact, wait until program closes and then refer to procedures under “where a child has not been picked up and program is closed”).]
Where a child has not been picked up and the centre is closed
1. Where a parent/guardian or authorized individual who was supposed to pick up a child from care and has not arrived by [insert time], staff shall ensure that the child is given a snack and activity, while they await their pick-up.
2. One staff shall stay with the child, while a second staff proceeds with calling the parent/guardian to advise that the child is still in care and inquire their pick-up time. In the case where the person picking up the child is an authorized individual, the staff shall [include steps such as, contact the parent/guardian first and then proceed to contact the authorized individual responsible for pick-up if unable to reach the parent/guardian].
3. If the staff is unable to reach the parent/guardian or authorized individual who was responsible for picking up the child, the staff shall [insert next steps (e.g., contacting authorized individuals listed on the child’s file, etc.].
4. Where the staff is unable to reach the parent/guardian or any other authorized individual listed on the child’s file (e.g., the emergency contacts) by [insert time], the staff shall proceed with contacting the local Children’s Aid Society (CAS) [include contact information here]. Staff shall follow the CAS’s direction with respect to next steps.
Dismissing a child from care without supervision procedures
Note: Please select from the below which option fits your program and delete all other options.
Option 1: Staff will only release children from care to the parent/guardian or other authorized adult. Under no circumstances will children be released from care to walk home alone.
Option 2: Where a parent/guardian has provided written authorization for their child to be released from care without supervision, one staff in the program must be responsible for dismissing the child from care. Prior to dismissing the child from care, the staff shall review the written instructions for release provided by the parent/guardian and release the child at the time set out in the instructions. The staff shall document the time of departure from care and as well as their initials on the attendance record.
Additional Procedures
Consider including additional procedures, as applicable.
Click here to enter text.
Glossary
Individual authorized to pick-up/authorized individual: a person that the parent/guardian has advised the child care program staff in writing can pick-up their child from care.
Licensee: The individual or corporation named on the licence issued by the Ministry of Education responsible for the operation and management of the child care centre and home child agency.
Parent/guardian: A person having lawful custody of a child or a person who has demonstrated a settled intention to treat a child as a child of his or her family.
[insert additional definitions]
Regulatory Requirements: Ontario Regulation 137/15
Safe arrival and dismissal policy
50. Every licensee shall ensure that each child care centre it operates and each premises where it oversees the provision of home child care has a policy respecting the safe arrival and dismissal of children that,
(a) provides that a child may only be released from the child care centre or home child care premises,
(i) to individuals indicated by a child’s parent, or
(ii) in accordance with written permission from a child’s parent to release the child from the program at a specified time without supervision; and
(b) sets out the steps that must be taken if,
(i) a child does not arrive as expected at the centre or home child care premises, or
(ii) a child is not picked up as expected from the centre or home child care premises.
Disclaimer: This document is a sample of a policy and procedure that has been prepared to assist licensees in understanding their obligations under the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014 (CCEYA) and O. Reg. 137/15. It is the responsibility of the licensee to ensure that the information included in this document is appropriately modified to reflect the individual circumstances and needs of each child care centre it operates and each premises where the licensee oversees the provision of home child care.
Please be advised that this document does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied on as such. The information provided in this document does not impact the Ministry’s authority to enforce the CCEYA and its regulations. Ministry staff will continue to enforce such legislation based on the facts as they may find them at the time of any inspection or investigation.
It is the responsibility of the licensee to ensure compliance with all applicable legislation. If the licensee requires assistance with respect to the interpretation of the legislation and its application, the licensee may wish to consult legal counsel.