Daycare Parent Handbook

Revised January 2018

About Woodlands our history and current

Woodland Children’s Centre has been in the community since 1985.  The Centre has developed from 32 to 170 children. We have grown with 2 large additions and we are constantly upgrading the facility. Our 3 large park-like playgrounds allow a spacious and protected area for gross motor activities. The little house that grew has encouraged thousands of children over the years and continues to make a difference in children’s lives.

Our Day Care Centre believes in providing a safe, loving environment, which will allow each child to explore and developmentally grow

There is no greater love than the love we have for our children which begins at infancy. Woodland is here to ensure the needs of each individual are met by offering stimulating and creative activities.

Our Staff

Our staff are committed to caring for your children. Teachers are graduates of a recognized child studies program. Our Director, Supervisor and staff have received many compliments for their commitment to open communication with parents.

• Early Childhood Education College diploma
• Standard First Aid and Infant/child CPR Trained
• Food Handlers certificate
• Criminal reference check
• All requirements set out by the Ministry of Education have been fulfilled
• Registered with the College of Early Childhood Educators

Quality First
Woodland Children’s Centre is a Quality First centre.  This is an initiative within Halton Region that supports early childhood programs. It is designed to further develop the level of quality care and education we offer to young children and their  families.

Illness
It is important to prevent the spread of infectious diseases to other children and staff therefore, when your child shows signs of sickness at home, or has a temperature it is recommended to keep your child home from care that day.

• The staff will contact you regarding any changes in your child’s health and inform you if they need to be picked up.
• Your child must be symptom free for a 24 hour period (1 full school day) prior to returning to the centre.
• We follow the Halton Region Health policies with regards to all sickness

Anaphylaxis
Parents of children that have been diagnosed with an anaphylactic allergy have the responsibility to provide a detailed individual emergency plan for their child (the centre does supply them).  All staff & volunteers are then trained and sign off of the child’s emergency plan prior to the first day of school.  It is the Parent/Guardian responsibility to inform the Centre of a child’s allergy prior to registration or immediately after diagnosis if already registered. We also require annual updates of any changes.

Medication
Woodland Children’s Centre Staff can administer prescription medication in its original container.  The medication must be affixed with the original pharmacist label indicating the child’s name, medication dosage. Duration and expiry date.  Over the counter medication will only be given when accompanied by a written letter from your doctor. Within our Infant/Toddler programs acetaminophen/Ibuprofen is allowed when following our centre policies.  In all cases of supplying medication parents must complete the authorization forms.

Smoke free Property
In accordance with the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, no person shall smoke on our property at any time.

Drop off & Pick up procedures                                                                                                            

• When arriving at the Centre the parents are responsible for assisting their child in the cloakroom and taking them to the teacher. The same applies for pick up times.  Your child must be signed in and out by the staff.
• Our planned curriculum begins by 9:00 we appreciate your child being here no later then 9:30 to ensure they get the full experience.
• When some else picks up your child, please notify the staff. If the person is unknown to the staff, they will be required to show identification
• Our centre is open from 7:00am to 6:00pm. A late fee will apply when your child is not picked up at our closing time 6:00pm. The late fee is paid directly to the staff that is detained.

This charge is for each child:

6:00-6:15pm ……..$10.00                                                                             6:16-6:30pm ……..$15.00

Absenteeism/Late drop off            

• Please notify the Centre by 9:00 if your child is going to be away or late.
• If they are absent due to illness please notify us of the symptoms so we can monitor the program.
• Be advised that if your child arrives after 11:00am it is at the discretion of the school if he/she can stay. A child arriving late can disrupt the program and it can be upsetting to your child.

Waiting List Policy
Woodland Children’s Centre has a total of 164 child care spots available.  Woodland’s is regulated by the Ontario Ministry of Education.

• Our waiting list is formed when our centre/ age group reaches full capacity of enrolment.
• Parents are welcome to tour the centre during office hours by appointment.
• There is no fee to be placed on our waiting list.
• Our parent handbook is sent via email to anyone who goes onto our waiting list as well as any inquiries requesting information about the centre.
• The waiting list is prioritized according to date of application, age group and date/month/year requested. There is a sibling waiting list which bypasses the original list as the family is already enrolled with the centre. Any staff requesting care will also bypass the waiting list.
• Our waiting list contact forms are filed into binders, one binder for each age grouping:
  • INFANTS
  • TODDLERS
  • PRESCHOOL
• We enter all information from our contact forms into our computer system.
• Parents are welcome to contact the office to update their information or check on their child’s status for the waiting list anytime.
• Once a space is available we will call the family at the top of the list in order of date called. If unreachable we will leave a message to return our call within 24 hours to claim the space. Any family that declines a spot will remain on the waiting list in the same sequence unless they request to be removed from the list. If no return call is made then we make note of it on their contact form and move on to the next family waiting.
• When a child is enrolled at the centre we ask for a registration fee and a one week deposit. The registration fee is non refundable however the deposit is put towards the child’s last week at the centre after the child has started. If the family decides not to start their child their deposit and registration fee is non refundable.

The week before enrollment we offer an orientation in which the parent(s) and child can:

• meet with their teachers
• ask questions
• receive necessary forms
• learn what supplies they need to bring in
• Observe the classroom routine
• Parents provide a daily schedule for their infant child to the class

Prohibited Practices
In accordance with the Child Care and Early Years Act we shall not engage in nor shall we permit our staff, students, and volunteers to engage in any of the following:

1. Corporal punishment of the child.
2. Physical restraint of the child, such as confining the child to a high chair, car seat, stroller or other device for the purposes of discipline or in lieu of supervision, unless the physical restraint is for the purpose of preventing a child from hurting himself, herself or someone else, and is used only as a last resort and only until the risk of injury is no longer imminent.
3. Locking the exits of the child care centre premises for the purpose of confining the child, or confining the child in an area or room without adult supervision, unless such confinement occurs during an emergency and is required as part of the licensee’s emergency management policies and procedures.
4. Use of harsh or degrading measures or threats or use of derogatory language directed at or used in the presence of a child that would humiliate, shame or frighten the child or undermine his or her self-respect, dignity or self-worth.
5. Depriving the child of basic needs including food, drink, shelter, sleep, toilet use, clothing or bedding.
6. Inflicting any bodily harm on children including making children eat or drink against their will.

Woodland Children’s Centre has policies in place for the monitoring of staff, students and volunteers conduct and for addressing contraventions of this policy.  The safety and well being of the children is at all times, our first priority.

If an employee shall contravene the permitted methods of discipline and perform a prohibited method of discipline, the employee shall be given a verbal reprimand followed by a written notice and will be dismissed.  Parents of the child will be notified and a serious occurrence report will be filed with the Ministry of Education as well as reporting it to the College of ECE’s if applicable.

Policies and Procedures for Staff Students and Volunteers

1. All employees must sign off on all policies before they begin their employment and at a minimum of once a year afterwards
2. Volunteers and or students who will be providing care or guidance at WCC before they begin providing that care or guidance must sign off on policies and at a minimum of once a year afterwards
3. Any agency that is working within WCC must provide us with their proper documents.

Terms & Conditions of Admission

Registration Process
When the forms & payment are complete, an orientation time will be scheduled for the parent & child to help acclimatize the child prior to their start date.  This enables them to meet the teachers and spend a short time in the program

• Fully completed admission forms must be on file the first day of admission with full payment of the Registration Fee and Deposit Fee
• A non-refundable registration fee of $50.00 is charged to offset administrative costs.
• A deposit of one week’s fees on date of admission is required, this deposit will be returned to you when your child is withdrawn, or can be applied to your last week’s fees, providing we are given the required two weeks notice of your intention to withdraw your child, in writing. Should you withdraw before your start date the deposit is non-refundable.

Payment of fees

• Fees are payable through either weekly automatic debit or post-dated checks dated Monday of each week.
• Fees must be paid for every day the child is enrolled, including days absent and all legal holidays, for all 52 weeks.
• Any NSF payments will be subject to a $35.00 charge
• Failure to pay fees within 2 weeks of service could lead to termination from the centre.

Other

• Written notice of your intention to withdraw your child or make any change to your schedule will be required for our files two weeks in advance
• Holiday Closure days when the school is closed: New Year’s Day, Family Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Civic Holiday, Labour Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Years Eve.
• Hours of operation are 7:00am to 6:00p.m Monday to Friday
• It is essential that your child’s files be current and up to date so that we can reach you at all times. Any changes need to be given to the office in writing
• Woodland Children’s Centre holds a purchase of service Agreement with Halton Region. To learn more about how to apply for child care subsidy please contact Halton region at 905-825-6000 (Children services)

Children’s Belongings
All children require changes of clothes (please see the classroom welcome notes) to be kept in their cubby at all times.  Please check that their clothes are weather appropriate and that they fit properly. Your child’s clothing must be clearly labeled.

Volunteers & Student in the Program
Woodland Children’s Centre accepts volunteers and placement students from High school Co-op and Community colleges.  All volunteers & students must adhere to a number of policies and procedures defined by the Ministry of Education. They are not responsible for and are never left alone with children and are always supervised by a Woodland staff member.

Termination of Service
Our Centre Polices must be adhered to all times. The following situations can be considered cause for termination

• Non payment of fees
• Chronic late pick up
• Situations that require specialized services that Woodland CC is unable to provide
• Parents or children that exhibit abusive behaviour towards, staff, volunteers, other children and families.
• children who are unable to manage in group care settings

Child Guidance
Woodlands behaviour guidance policy is designed to guide your child towards positive behaviours without undermining their self-esteem & self-worth.  Each child and each situation is individual, the methods we use are:

Redirection, logical & natural consequences, limit setting, modeling, providing choices, positive reinforcement

Nutrition
A nutritious lunch and two snacks are provided each day, prepared by our qualified cook.   Weekly menu plans are posted on the parent board to assist you in your own menu planning (they are also posted on the website).  Infants are fed according to their individual needs.  Woodlands is a PEANUT FREE facility.  Due to allergies of staff & children we can only allow store-bought foods to come to the centre as treats clearly labelled of ingredients.  ( ie birthday celebrations)

Rest Period
It is a requirement that all children attending a licensed Preschool Centre have a rest period each day. It is not necessary for your child to sleep, but he/she will be encouraged to rest quietly on his/her cot during this time.  Woodland’s supplies sheets and blankets for all children.

Sun Safety
All children go outside every day, weather permitting, and our staff promotes sun safety. All children should have hats to wear outdoors, as well as sunscreen in warmer weather. Parents must fill out a sunscreen application form in order for it to be applied. We supply a 30 SPF from June 1^st to September 30^th yearly.

Parking Lot Safety
Woodlands has a large, busy parking lot. We require children to hold the hand of an adult while walking thru the parking lot.  All drivers need to be vigilant and move their vehicles slowly for the safety of all. No cars shall be left running at any time, nor shall a child be left in the car unattended.

Emergency Plan of Action & Monthly Fire Drills
Every month Woodlands conducts fire drills.  Every classroom has set out the roles and responsibilities in case of a drill and or emergency.  The parking lot is blocked off by pylons to ensure the safety of each child and employees during this time.  No vehicles are allowed to drive in or out of the parking lot while this drill is happening.  Any special medical needs will accompany the child in each classroom if applicable. IE Epi-Pens, and or medication for Health Conditions.

In The event of an evacuation each parent will be contacted/called to pick up their child(ren) at the emergency evacuation site.  In the event of evacuation all children will be with their regular classroom teachers ensuring ratio Is met at all times and having extra support from kitchen staff and office staff as needed.

In the event of an evacuation at our school, our evacuation site is:

Calvary Baptist Church
2548 Francis Dr. Burlington.
905-336-7332

In the event of an emergency and evacuation needs to take place, the following measures will happen:

A message will be sent to all families and staff asap regarding:

• Debriefing them on the situation that took place and how the evacuation was rolled out.
• Informing everyone what the current status is to return to the program.
• On a safe return date to resume daily functions.
• Staff/children experiencing any distress during and after the emergency will have support systems in place to accommodate all as needed.

We will be connecting with the community agencies of Halton to set up the support systems as need.

Fees, ages and programs offered:

Infants:  Age Range: 6 months to 18 months
Program capacity: 2 classes of 10 children
Staff ratio: 10 children with 3 staff

$396.00 weekly- full time only

Toddlers: Age Range: 18 months to 21/2 years
Program Capacity: 3 classes of 15 children
Staff Ratio: 3 staff per class 1:5 ratio

$319.00 weekly                 $65.00 daily

Preschool: Age Range : 2 1/2 years to 4 years
Program Capacity: 4 classes of 24 children
Staff Ratio: 3 staff per class 1:8 ratio

$288.00 weekly               $59.00 daily

Daily Curriculum

Every child deserves a positive learning atmosphere. Our intimate school and qualified caring staff provides this for the child.  Our aim is to stimulate your child with our exciting programs consisting of:

• • Two hours of outdoor play develops their gross motor skills, interactive play, problem solving, and overall good health
  • Creative activities which create fine motor skills and stimulates their curiosity
  • Cognitive circles create a time for learning and listening
  • Free play helps develop initiative and independence. With focus on small group, play based and  developmentally appropriate activities which will allow your child to learn and prepare them for school
  • Dramatic centers and indoor activities will develop self esteem, gross motor and communication skills
  • Our program allows opportunities for exploring the indoors, outdoors, music & movement.  Allowing creativity with sensory materials, blocks, stories & puzzles. As your child grows we encourage discovery of science, math and literacy while developing their social & emotional well being.
  • Woodlands Children Centre does not go on any Field trips throughout the year.

SLEEP MONITORING POLICY

Procedure:

All children in the Infant, Toddler and Preschool programs will have a scheduled nap / quiet time for a maximum of two hours per day Provisions for quiet activities are made for those children who are not sleeping and become restless. All children will be assigned to individual cribs and or cots. The centre will provide a bottom sheet and blanket for each cot. Part-time cots, sheets and blankets are disinfected after every use while full-time cots are disinfected once a week or on an as needed basis.

Upon enrollment parents, will be provided with a copy of the centre’s Sleep Policy and procedures and consulted in respect to their child’s sleeping arrangements/ preferences and then at any other appropriate time, such as transitions between programs or rooms or upon parent’s requests. Sleep preferences will be documented on the registration forms upon enrollment and then changes can be provided to staff and will be kept on a clipboard by the sleep room, and will be reviewed by each staff, student or volunteer who will be working with the child.  All children in the centre will be monitored through their everyday sleep time.

Program Statement

Woodland Children’s Centre believes that every child deserves a positive learning atmosphere that gives them the ability to grow, allowing them to explore and learn daily. We recognize that children learn through active involvement and by making their own choices.  The availability of choice for a child allows them to grow independently with self learnt error or success.   Learning activities are designed to stimulate creativity, individual growth, development of motor skills, listening / communication skills, cognitive skills, social / emotional skills, and environmental awareness. Positive social experiences promote the development of healthy self-esteem and respect for others. These experiences are the building blocks for life-long problem solving.

Foundation as per the “How Does Learning Happen”

Belonging:
Goals – Children will have a sense of belonging when they connect to others in their daily lives.

Expectation for program:
To cultivate authentic, caring relationships which create a sense of belonging among children, adults & the world around them.

• To respond in a warm & sensitive manner to the child’s physical & emotional state of mind.
• Showing individualism and knowledge of each child’s uniqueness
• Planning for smooth transitions form home to centre
• Supporting all relationships for the child, ( children, teachers, parents, family members)
• Capitalize on the opportunity for one on one through out the day

Ways to accomplish the goal:

• Ensure the child feels included and safe in their relationships
• Allowing the child to participate in a way that is most comfortable to them
• Making social interactions & shared explorations part of their day with children & adults
• Helping to ensure smooth transitions from home to school
• Help the child when they notice similarities and differences between themselves and others to respond positively to the uniqueness.

Well-Being:
Goals–  Children are developing  sense of self, health and well-being

Expectations for the program:
To nurture children’s healthy development and support their growing sense of self.

• Provide healthy meals and snacks in a positive environment
• Making opportunities to practise self help and self care skills based on their development and capability
• Having daily times of physical movement to explore and being physically active
• Creating a safe and stimulating outdoor environment Supervising when the children are testing their limits physically during active play
• Reaching out to families who may need support outside the centre ( ie; community agencies)
• Participating in professional learning in the community

Ways to accomplish the goal:

• Ensure the programs allows for physically active curriculum
• Design our environments to children’s varied sensitivities and their need for clam.
• Allow the child to be have healthy choices for food, rest, activity and self care
• Allow the child to participate their own pace and experience a sense of competency in the activities.
• Allow the child to take initiative and tackle challenges independently

Engagement

Goals – children are active learners who explore the world around them with body , mind & senses, we need to create contexts for learning through exploration, play & inquiry

Expectations for the program:

• Ensuring the indoor and outdoor environments spark the child’s curiosity
• Having a wide variety of interesting objects and open ended materials to investigate
• Plan to day to maintain a sense of calm allowing for large blocks of time for children to engage in play
• Engage with the children as co-learners & co-planners
• Constantly questioning and testing our theories in order to seek out new ideas for the children to explore.
• Ensure that the space and experiences are there to promote play & enquiry so the children will discover awareness of key concepts.
• Documentation to show the children, families and others that their thinking, learning and competence in acknowledged.

Ways to accomplish the goal:

• Be expressive when the child encounters something new
• Through divergent and complex ways we will focus attention on the child’s need to solve problems, test theories, observe and create ideas
• Engage with the children to negotiate and create , therefore expressing their feelings and knowledge
• Have materials available that support awareness of literacy & numeracy

Expression:

Goal –  Every Child is a capable communicator who expresses themselves in many ways

Expectations for the program:

• To have all educators foster communication and expression in all forms.
• Respond to children’s communications and cues
• Engage in authentic and reciprocal communication with children
• Encourage the child to listen to another and then express themselves
• Document their communications and then revisit it to extend the learning
• Provide the time, space and material to encourage expression through creative materials
• Cultivate children’s connections with books and stories
• Bring language into all faceted of the day
• Reflect and continuously improve on the communication strategies and techniques to facilitate conversations with children sand families

Ways to accomplish the goal:

• Have the child initiate, respond to and engage in communications with others
• Use language for a variety of purposes
• Encourage the child to Participate in meaningful interaction with peers
• Have the child use varied forms of expression to communicate their feelings, ideas and experiences
• Allow the child to express themselves in their first language in addition to gaining the knowledge in English

Our Goals and How we Reach them:

• All staff will promote the health, safety, nutrition and well-being of each child by providing a clean and safe environment, nutrition based on the Canada’s Food Guide, access to drinking water throughout the day, limited transitions, eliminating any environmental issues that may cause undue stress to the child, unnecessary disruptions to play and reducing hazards that may cause injury. Educators will familiarize themselves with all information concerning any medical conditions, exceptionalities, allergies, food restrictions, medication requirements, and parental preferences in respect to diet, exercise and rest time.
• All staff will support positive and responsive interactions among the children, parents, and child care providers. The Supervisor & Director will support this through the hiring of qualified, responsive, and well trained Early Childhood Educators who support families in their role as primary caregivers, and understand the needs of each child as an individual.
• All staff will encourage children to interact and communicate in a positive way, and support their ability to self-regulate; acknowledging that each child is competent, curious and rich in potential. Staff will support self-regulation in children (defined as the child’s ability to gain control of bodily functions, manage powerful emotions and maintain focus and attention) Self-regulation in early development is influenced by a child’s relationship with the important adults in that child’s life, including the staff in the program. All staff will provide the experiences, support and encouragement that help young children learn to self-regulate, which is a crucial component of quality care.
• All staff will foster the children’s exploration, play and inquiry by providing a variety of activities, and an environment rich in content, that encourages choices, and active play, supported by qualified, attentive and interactive Early Childhood Educators
• All Staff will provide child-initiated and adult supported experiences. The Early Childhood Educators will observe the children and use that information to plan and create a positive learning environment that is based on the interests of the child, and supported by all the adults in the child care environment. Educators will be responsible for introducing new ideas, interests, facts, concepts, skills and experiences to widen the child’s knowledge and life experiences.
• All Early Childhood Educators need to be reflective practitioners who learn about children through listening, observation, documentation, and discussion with others, families in particular, to understand children as unique individuals. They will observe and listen to learn how children make meaning through their experiences in the world around them, and use this to have meaningful interactions, and engage children on a daily basis.
• Each child will experience indoor, and two hours of outdoor play (weather permitting) daily, as well as a time to rest and sleep if needed, quiet and active times, always being mindful of each child’s needs and parental direction.
• Regular and ongoing communication with parents is an important component of the day. Communication may be in person, by phone, e-mail or through written and posted communication tools.
• Parents will be directed to resources outside of the centre if necessary, and community partners such as early year’s services, speech therapists, support services, occupational therapists, counsellors, etc., this will be an important part of the centres support to all children and their families.
• We view the community as a valuable resource and our educators plan learning opportunities to engage the community in our programs. We seek out opportunity to share our knowledge and to learn from others in the community.
• The organization will provide ongoing opportunities for educators to engage in critical reflection and discussion with others about pedagogy and practice, to support continuous professional learning.
• All staff will build a climate of trust, honesty and respect in the workplace, working collaboratively in order to provide a safe, secure, healthy and inviting environment for all children and their families, building and maintaining healthy professional relationships that encourage growth and offering support and mentorship.
• All staff, students and volunteers will read the Program Statement and sign off in the Policy and Procedures Sign Off binder prior to employment or prior to interacting with children, and when the statement has been modified, and on an annual basis.
• The Supervisor will review all sign offs by staff, students and volunteers and sign the review sheet to indicate that the process has been completed. The Supervisor must be confident that the staff, volunteer or student is fully aware, and understands the program statement and its implementation.
• The Supervisor and Director will meet on a regular basis with the team leaders to establish a clear understanding of the program statement, to support staff in their delivery of the Program Statement and to aid the staff in self-reflection.. The supervisor will view each staff as competent and able, and give them time to be heard and respected, and to reflect on their own performance and their contributions to the environment and the development of each child in their care. The Supervisor will use all observations, interactions and conversations to monitor all staff.

Woodland Children’s Centre wants to ensure that your children have a safe and positive experience that promotes their growth as a learner. To this end, the Supervisor or designate will observe staff interactions with children ensuring that they align with our program statement and beliefs in adult-child interactions.

Additionally, all Early Childhood Educators have made a commitment to abide by the standards of their profession as set out in the College of Early Childhood Educators Code of Ethics and Standards of practice. All Early Childhood Educators hold themselves accountable, and will use the Code of Ethics, the Standards of practice and the CCEYA to guide their decisions and practice.

Communication and Complaint Policy

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to describe our family partnership and communication practice and provide a transparent process for families, the child care licensee and staff to use when an issue/concern is brought forward by a parent/family member.

Parent Communication

Our family partnership statement/approach allows Woodland Children’s Centre to be proactive and responsive to parent and family’s needs before conflict arise.

Our commitment to provide high quality child care involves remaining knowledgeable with current research in child development, and working in partnership with our families.

Woodland Children Centre Staff members/ educators create inclusive and respectful environments that foster positive, equitable, and collaborative relationships. When children feel safe, secure and valued they freely explore, discover, try new things, grow, learn and develop. We believe that our expertise in child care is only one part of ensuring every child has the best experience possible. We rely on our families to work side by side with us to better understand and respond to individual needs.

We encourage our families and our educators to exchange information regularly. We have an open-door policy, and encourage our families to spend time in the program with their child when possible.

We use many strategies to ensure open communication with our families, and they include:

• informal information sharing during drop-off and pick-up times
• meetings as requested (coordinated at the request of Woodland Children’s Centre and/or the family)
• website updates, newsletters and e-mails
• photographs of children at play
• posting program circle and creative plans that include how daily events have changed due to the children’s interests.

Parent Complaint Policy

All issues and concerns raised by parents/family members will be taken very seriously by our team of educators, and will receive follow up. Issues/concerns may be brought forward to the direct team of educators/Head teacher/Program Co-ordinator/or Supervisor.  The level of detail provided to the parent/family will respect and maintain the confidentiality of all parties involved at all times.

Every effort will be made to address and resolve any concerns to the satisfaction of all parties and as quickly as possible.

Any issues will be addressed by the following procedures:

• • Issues/concerns can be done either verbally, or in writing via email, you can also share or discuss your concerns verbally with the classroom teacher directly or the supervisor.
  • The classroom supervisor will ensure the supervisor and director are aware of the situation.
  • The supervisor and director will provide guidance/support to the classroom teacher as needed.
  • Responses and outcomes will be provided verbally, or in writing upon request.
  • An initial response to a concern will be provided to parents/guardians within 1-2 business day(s).
  • The person who raised the issue/concern will be kept informed throughout the resolution process.
  • A meeting may be requested with all parties to ensure everyone’s needs are being met.
  • Documentation of the meeting will occur and be filed for reference. Including date, attendance, and the minutes.

All inquiries of concerns will be fair, impartial and respectful to all parties involved.

All issues or concerns about the conduct of a placement student or volunteer that puts a child’s health, safety and well being at risk should be reported to the supervisor and or director as soon as possible.

Confidentiality

Each concern will be treated confidentially and every effort will be made to protect the privacy of parents/families, children, staff, students and volunteers, except when information must be disclosed for legal reasons (e.g. to the Ministry of Education, College of Early Childhood Educators, law enforcement authorities or a Children’s Aid Society).

Conduct

Woodland Children’s Centre maintains high standards for positive interactions, communication and role-modeling for children. Harassment and discrimination will not be tolerated from any party.

If at any point a parent/family member, or Woodland Children’s Centre staff member feels uncomfortable, threatened, abused or belittled, they may immediately end the conversation and report the situation to the supervisor and/or director.

Concerns about the Suspected Abuse or Neglect of a child

Everyone, including members of the public and professionals who work closely with children, are required by law to report suspected cases of child abuse or neglect.

If a parent/family member expresses concern that a child is, or is at risk of being abused or neglected, the parent will be advised to contact Halton Region Children’s Aid Society at (905) 333-4441 directly.

Persons who become aware of such concerns are also responsible for reporting this information to CAS as per the “Duty to Report” requirement under the Child and Family Services Act.

For more information, visit www.children.gov.on.ca

Community Affiliations

Woodland Children’s Centre is proud to be a long standing member of the Association of Day Care Operators (ADCO) and a member of the Board of Directors for 10 years.

• Walkathon for Hospital for Sick Children
• Member of Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB)
• Burlington Post Reader’s Choice Award for Best Day Care for over 10 years
• Sponsor of many local sport teams
• Participate in High School Co-Op Programs
• Participate in Community College placement for student teachers
• Participates in the Heart and Stroke Big Bike fundraiser
• Participates in the Share Noel campaign with Glad Tidings Church