Registration and Enrollment

UFCC is committed to providing a transparent and consistent registration and enrollment process. The following policy outlines the steps to join one of UFCC’s child care programs, including placement on the waitlist(s), offer of space, and completion of all necessary registration requirements. Families are encouraged to review this policy carefully to ensure timely and successful enrollment.

1. Care Request Submission

Families must begin the registration process by submitting a Care Request on our website’s Locations page at umbrellafamily.com/locations. Upon submission, the child will be placed on the selected program’s waitlist(s). Please note that each location has its own waitlist, and families must register for each site individually.

UFCC staff will contact families as they approach the top of the waitlist. Families are responsible for ensuring their contact information is up to date.

2. Offer of Space and Centre Tour

When a space becomes available, it will be offered to the next eligible family on the waitlist. Before acceptance, families or their designate will be invited to tour the centre with the Supervisor.

If the space is accepted, a full registration package will be issued through UFCC’s parent communication and registration platform. At this stage, families must also schedule one (1) orientation/play visit with their child.

3. Orientation Visits and Observation

Orientation visits allow the child to familiarize themselves with the UFCC program environment and interact with peers and educators. Educators will observe the child during these visits to assess how they adjust to the setting and determine any additional supports the child may require.

4. Required Documentation

All registration forms must be completed in full through UFCC’s family communication and registration app before a child’s first day in the program. Families will be notified of any new forms introduced during the school year and will be provided with a deadline for submission and/or acknowledgement of policy changes or updates made to the Parent Handbook. Failure to complete required forms by the stated deadline will result in the termination of care.

5. Enrollment Completion Requirements

To confirm and finalize enrollment, families must complete the following three (3) steps:

1. Phone Intake Meeting: Must be completed within five (5) business days of accepting a space. This intake provides a program overview and gathers information about the child’s needs.
2. Submission of Registration Forms: All required forms must be submitted through UFCC’s parent communication and registration platform within 48 hours of the intake meeting.
3. Orientation Visit(s): At least one in-person orientation visit must be completed within five (5) business days of the phone intake meeting.

Failure to complete any of the above steps within the required timeframes will result in the space being offered to another family.

6. Maintaining Waitlist Status

When contacted with an offer of space, families will have two (2) business days to respond to the offer. If no response, UFCC staff will then reach out via email. Families will have two (2) business days to respond to the email. After both attempts, if there is still no response received, families will be contacted to be informed that they will be permanently removed from the waitlist and the next family on the waitlist will be contacted.

7. Reapplying After Removal

Families who are removed from the waitlist or who lose a space due to incomplete enrollment may reapply at any time. To rejoin the waitlist, please visit umbrellafamily.com/locations and select Request Care at the desired location.

Please note that reapplication does not guarantee placement, and all offers are subject to availability.

Waitlist

UFCC is committed to maintaining a fair, equitable, and transparent waitlist process that respects the privacy and confidentiality of all families. When all program spaces at UFCC are full, families may request to be placed on a waitlist for future availability.

Families may inquire about their child’s general position on the waitlist at any time by contacting waitlist@umbrellafamily.com.

Please note that a child’s position on the waitlist is subject to change based on the needs and priorities of the organization.

UFCC does not charge a fee or require a deposit to be placed on the waitlist.

When offered a space, families may decline the offer a maximum of two (2) times. After two declines, the family will be removed from the waitlist.

Waitlist Prioritization

UFCC gives priority placement on the waitlist to the following groups:

1. Children of UFCC staff (in accordance with the Collective Agreement between UFCC and CUPE Local 3491)
2. Child Welfare and Protection Referrals (as requested by child protection agencies or legal authorities)
3. Children transferring between UFCC Centres
4. Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) transfers due to change in catchment area
5. Siblings of children currently enrolled in a UFCC Program
6. HWDSB French Immersion transfers

Group-Based Waitlist Management

UFCC has moved away from mixed-age groupings. This means that waitlists for all age groups are managed separately. Children will be offered placement based on the availability within their age-appropriate group, rather than in the order they appear on a single unified list. For example, Kindergarten-aged children will be enrolled in dedicated Kindergarten programs, while School Age children will be enrolled in School Age groups and will be placed on their respective waitlists accordingly. This ensures age-appropriate care and programming.

Exceptions to group-based placement may be made in consultation with the Program Manager, and only when location-specific waitlists do not support strict separation of age groups.

Part-Time Care

Priority for child care space is given to full-time enrollments. Part-time care is available on a limited basis. Whenever possible, Supervisors and Program Leaders will enroll children so that two children requiring part-time care share one full-time spot in the program. When staff cannot assign a full-time spot between two children, parents will be responsible for paying for a minimum of three (3) days of care per week, despite their individual care requirements.

Requests to change from full-time enrolment to part-time will not be approved if the centre has a waitlist. An occasional or varied schedule for care is not guaranteed and can only be accommodated with a Supervisor’s approval, and if there is no waitlist at the centre.

Enrollment Changes

Umbrella requires two (2) weeks’ notice for any enrollment changes. UFCC does not accept any changes to enrollment from August 15 to September 12 of each calendar year.