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Health and Safety

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Health and Safety

Information regarding health concerns (e.g., allergies, asthma, dietary restrictions, special needs) is collected from each family upon registration of their child in a UFCC program. It is extremely important that UFCC staff are kept informed regarding the individual needs of each child. Please notify the Supervisor or Program Leader in writing using the appropriate UFCC form if the child has allergies or other health concerns.

Appropriate Clothing

Please ensure children have 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 wheels are not safe for active play, especially outdoors.

Immunization

As required by the Hamilton Public Health Department and the Ministry of Education, UFCC staff are required to forward proof of immunization to the Hamilton Public Health Department for infant, toddler and preschool children before admission.

Daily Health Check

To minimize the spreading of illness in UFCC programs, a health check is done upon each child’s arrival to the program. Children cannot be accepted for the day, and families will be asked to make alternate arrangements when the child is experiencing conditions, including but not limited to:

  • Diarrhea
  • Fever
  • Headache
  • Vomiting
  • Persistent Cough
  • Severe Pain
  • Discharge from Eyes
  • Unusual Rash

If a child develops any of these symptoms while in the program, UFCC staff will contact the family (or designate) to plan to have the child picked up from the centre as soon as possible. Children must be free of symptoms for 24 hours before returning to the child care centre. These exclusion periods can increase depending on the nature of the illness.

In the event of a public health crisis, UFCC may be required to comply with additional health regulations. During such events, any additional policies/procedures will be available at each child care centre.

First Aid

If a child sustains a bump or bruise while playing, appropriate first aid (e.g., disinfectant, bandage, etc.) will be applied. UFCC staff will complete an Accident/Incident Report Form. This may be recorded on paper or on our online family communication app. Families will 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, UFCC staff will call the family immediately to inform them of the situation. Whenever possible, a joint decision will then be made regarding the medical treatment required.

If the family cannot be reached, UFCC 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 UFCC staff member will accompany the child, and UFCC staff remaining in the centre will contact families by telephone to inform them of the situation.

Administering Medications 

While UFCC staff will administer medications, if necessary, it is preferred that families arrange for any medications to be administered at home.

Medication must be given directly to UFCC staff to ensure that it is locked up and stored appropriately.

Prescription Medications

UFCC’s Administration of Medication procedures requires that families provide written instructions, including the name of the drug, prescription number, dosage and administration times. UFCC staff will provide a Consent to Administer and Record of Drug/Medication Form for this purpose. The medication must be in the original container and clearly labelled with the child’s name, date, name of drug and instructions for storage and administration of the drug, including dosage and administration times. An appropriate dosing device must be provided.

Non-Prescription Medications

Non-prescription medications may be administered by UFCC staff if the following conditions are met:

  • The family provides the drug or medication in the original container and completes the provided label that includes the child’s name, name of drug or medication, dosage, date of purchase, expiration date (if applicable) and instructions for storage and administration.
  • The family completes a Consent to Administer and Record of Drug/Medication Form.
  • The medication is not being used to provide symptom relief for an illness for which the child would otherwise be excluded.

Topical Medications

Written consent is also required to allow UFCC staff to apply topical creams and lotions with active medicinal ingredients. These include, but are not limited to, diaper creams, sunscreen and insect repellent.

 Anaphylaxis Policy

UFCC staff must receive training on administration procedures from families if a child has an Epinephrine Auto-Injector (EpiPen), Families must complete the applicable authorization forms and provide UFCC staff with new medication before expiry. A child who has been prescribed an EpiPen will not be admitted to the program without a current (not expired) EpiPen.

School age children may be given permission to carry their own inhalers and EpiPens. If they self-carry, the medication must always be on their person. It is important that this type of medication be easily accessible in an emergency. If a child does not have permission to carry their own medication, it must be given to a UFCC staff member to carry on their person, so it is always available.

Safe Arrivals and Departures

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

Families may request that a child who is in Grade 4 and up may arrive or be released from child care without supervision. Authorization and instructions for the arrival or release of the child including time of arrival/dismissal must be provided in writing. When a family provides written instructions for the release of their child from care without supervision, the family is aware that UFCC 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, UFCC staff will follow the safe arrival and dismissal procedures which involve calling the family by 10:00 a.m. for full day programs and within 15 minutes of the bell time for before and after school programs.

Safe Arrival Procedure

 Where a child has not arrived in care to a full day program as expected and the family has not communicated a change in drop-off, the following must occur:

  • Staff must inform the Program Supervisor or Program Leader.
  • Staff must commence contacting the child’s family no later than 10:00 a.m. Staff shall communicate with families via phone call, text message/email, or through the program’s communication app to confirm the absence of the child.
  • After 30 minutes of attempting to contact the family and no response is received, UFCC staff must contact a listed emergency contact (on the child’s registration form), to confirm the absence.
  • If an adult has still not confirmed the absence of the child by 11:00 a.m., the Program Manager will be contacted to advise on the next steps.
  • Once the child’s absence has been confirmed, UFCC 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.

When a child is expected before school, but does not arrive by the ringing of the bell signaling the start of school, and the family has not communicated a change in drop-off, the following will occur:

  • The Supervisor or Program Leader is informed.
  • UFCC staff will commence contacting the child’s family no later than 15 minutes after the school bell rings to signal the start of school. UFCC staff shall communicate with the family via phone call, text message/email, or through the program’s communication app to confirm the absence of the child.
  • If contact is not made within 15 minutes, UFCC staff will contact the school personnel to inquire if the child has arrived at school or if an absence was communicated to them by an adult.
  • After 30 minutes of attempting to contact the family, if no response is received, UFCC staff must contact a listed emergency contact (on the child’s registration form), to confirm absence.
  • If an adult has still not confirmed the absence of the child by 11:00 a.m., the Program Manager will be contacted to advise next steps.
  • Once the child’s absence has been confirmed, UFCC staff will document the child’s absence on the attendance record and any additional information about the child’s absence in the Daily Journal.

Missing Child – 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, UFCC staff will begin to initiate these steps:

  • UFCC staff will notify the Supervisor that they require assistance in locating a child.
  • UFCC staff will check the hallways of the school or in other program rooms in case the child has reported to the wrong room.
  • UFCC staff will check the bus lines to see if the child went to the bus by accident. If the busses have left, UFCC 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, UFCC staff will ask the school secretary to page the child or ask the child’s teacher to see if the child’s whereabouts are known.

Calls to Police

If the child is not located within 10 minutes from the time of the school dismissal bell and UFCC staff have taken the steps above, UFCC staff will then:

  • Call the family at home or at work to notify them that the child has not arrived and ask if they are aware of the child’s whereabouts.
  • Call the Police Department and advise them that a child is missing and 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 will notify the Program Manager.
  • If the family, Supervisor or Program Manager cannot be reached, UFCC staff will notify UFCC ‘s Head Office immediately at 905.312.9836.

Before School Dismissal

  • Designated UFCC 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/guardian or their designate, or who the school was advised should go home on the school bus.
  • Designated UFCC staff will check the Daily Journal and voice mail for messages.

Authorized Pick Up Persons

  • Families will discuss their child care needs with UFCC 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 family or authorized adult is to pick up the child, UFCC staff must be notified in advance, in writing. In case of emergency, UFCC staff may be notified by telephone when an alternate adult will be picking up the child.
  • Designated persons picking up a child will be required to show identification until UFCC staff become familiar with them.
  • UFCC staff 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, UFCC staff will call one of the child’s emergency contacts.
  • Should the family or designated adult insist they are taking the child from the centre, UFCC staff will attempt to discourage them from leaving but will not prevent the child from leaving the centre. If UFCC staff are concerned for the child’s safety, they will call Hamilton Child and Family Supports or the Catholic Children’s Aid Society for advice on next steps.

Independent Departure

  • Families may authorize the centre to allow an older school age child (Grade 4 and up) to leave the centre at a predetermined time. This must be provided in writing in advance specifying the time of departure.
  • Children with written authorization for independent departure must sign themselves out of the centre. UFCC staff will note the time of departure in the Daily Journal.

Extra-Curricular Activities

Older school age children may want to participate in after school activities before returning to child care. Families must provide written authorization in advance of the activity.

Late Pick Up

  • If a child has not been picked up at the end of the day by 6:00 p.m., UFCC staff will attempt to contact the family 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. This time can be shortened should an individual action plan for a child identify this. This plan would be discussed and signed by the family before it would be enacted.
  • Families 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’s closing time.
  • UFCC staff may not remove the child from the centre.

Taxis

It is preferred that children are delivered by a family member or designated adult; however, it is understood that emergencies may occur. While UFCC will 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 family 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 family will inform the taxi driver that the child must be delivered directly to UFCC
  • UFCC staff may request to check the I.D. of the driver.
  • UFCC accepts no responsibility for the child until a UFCC staff member has been notified in person of the child’s arrival.

Taxi Pick Up of a Child:

In the event of an emergency that results in a family arranging for a taxi to pick up the child, the following procedures will apply:

  • The family will first attempt to have a designated adult pick up the child and notify the centre of this situation.
  • If the only alternative for pick up is a taxi, the family will notify the centre of these arrangements.
  • The family will call the taxi company to arrange the time of the pick-up and to get the name of the driver who will pick up the child.
  • The family 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 UFCC staff member. UFCC accepts no responsibility for the child after the driver has assumed care of the child and has left the centre.