Child Care Centre
Safe Arrival and Dismissal Policy and Procedures
Name of Home Child Care Agency: 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 home child care providers, staff (e.g., home child care visitor, home child care agency administrators, etc.), students and volunteers with a clear direction as to what steps are to be taken when a child does not arrive at the home child care premises as expected, as well as procedures to follow to ensure the safe arrival and 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 and Procedures
Accepting a child into care
The home child care provider is responsible for signing children in on the attendance record as children arrive at the home premises where care is provided.
The home child care provider is responsible for ensuring any communication from parents/guardians related to drop-off or absences is noted on the daily written record.
Where a child has not arrived in care as expected
- Where a child does not arrive at the home child care premises and the parent/guardian has not communicated a change in drop-off or that the child will be absent (e.g., left a voice message or advised the home child care provider at pick-up) the home child care provider must:
- contact the child’s parent/guardian not later than [include time of day here (e.g., 10:00 am).] Home child care providers shall [include method of contacting child’s parent/guardian (e.g., telephone call, send text message or email), how long do home child care provider’s continue to contact parent/guardian for if no response is received (e.g., must call at least once and leave message, must make contact with an adult to confirm absence etc.).]
- [include additional steps for home child care provider where they are not able to reach any parent/guardian to confirm the child’s absence from care (e.g., contact home child care visitor, home child care agency administrator, police, etc.).]
2. Once the child’s absence has been confirmed, home child care provider 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
The home child care provider shall only release the child to the child’s parent/guardian or another individual that the parent/guardian has provided written authorization that the child may be released to.
Where the home child care provider does not know the individual picking up the child, the home child care provider must 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 provided by parent/guardian.
Where a child has not been picked up as expected
- Where a parent/guardian or authorized individual who was supposed to pick up a child from care and has not arrived by [include time or timeframe for when home child care provider shall proceed with contacting parent/guardian (consideration to be given where the provider has alternate operating hours (e.g., overnight care)).], home child care provider shall ensure that the child is given a snack and activity, while they await their pick-up.
- [Include next steps such as, home child care provider shall contact the parent/guardian or home child care visitor or agency, who will then contact 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, [include who should contact the individual (e.g., home child care visitor, agency, etc.) and steps to follow such as, contact the parent/guardian first and then Where the home child care provider is the person contacting the parent/guardian and they have been unable to reach the parent/guardian or authorized individual who was responsible for picking up the child, the home child care provider shall [insert next steps (e.g., contacting the home child care visitor, home child care agency, authorized individuals listed on the child’s file, etc.).]
- Where the [insert role (e.g., home child care provider, home visitor, etc.)] is unable to reach the parent/guardian or any other authorized individual listed on the child’s file (e.g., emergency contacts) by [insert time], the home child care provider shall proceed with contacting the local Children’s Aid Society (CAS) [include contact information here]. The home provider shall follow CAS’s direction with respect to next steps. The home child care provider shall also advise the [insert role (e.g., home child care visitor, licensee, etc.).]
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: Home child care provider 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 and signed authorization for their child to be released from care without supervision, home child care provider must be responsible for dismissing the child from care. Prior to dismissing the child from care, the home child care provider 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 home child care provider 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
Home Child Care Provider: The person in charge of the children in a premises where home child care is provided.
Home Child Care Visitor: An employee of the home child care agency who will provide support at and monitor each premises and will be responsible to the licensee.
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 home child care 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 home child care agency 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.