Hillmount Childcare Centre Policies
Updated 2024
Arrivals and Departures Safe Arrival and Dismissal Policy and Procedures
Regulatory Requirements: Ontario Regulation 137/15
Date Policy and Procedures Established: January 01, 2024.
This policy will provide staff, students and volunteers with a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilites for ensuring he 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 centres as expected, as well as steps to follow to ensure the safe dismissal of children.
The Staff will sign the child(ren) In and Out each day. Should a child be sick or be arriving late, parents are asked to notify the Centre before 10:00 a.m. Staff will be calling parents by 10:30 a.m. if we do not hear from you about your child’s absence.
**In the morning - if we are unable to connect with the parent/guardian regarding your child’s absence by 11:30 a.m., we will need to contact the police.
It is the parent’s responsibility to bring their child(ren) to the Centre and ensure that a staff person is aware of his/her arrival. Please walk with your child to the classroom.
Policy:
Hillmount Childcare Centre will ensure that any child receiving childcare at the childcare centre is
only released to the child’s parent/guardian or an individual that the parent/guardian has
provided written message, email or phone call authorization the childcare centre may release the
child to.
No one under the age of 18 years old may pick up, unless a signed permission form is on file
authorizing release to someone underage of 18 under the discretion of the Executive Director
and/or designate. Children will be dismissed only with the persons who are specified in the
registration forms or unless a staff member is notified by the parent.
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.
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.
● Document any changes in pick-up procedure in the daily written logbook/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 staff at pick-up),
the staff in the classroom must:
● inform the supervisor, program staff or extra support staff and they must commence contacting the child’s parent/guardian no later than 10:30 a.m. Staff shall call parent/guardian, send text message or email via program’s communication.
● Staff must contact at least once and leave a message, must contact an adult to confirm absence. Once the child’s absence has been confirmed, program staff shall document the child’s absence on the attendance record and in the staff communication book/Logbook.
2. If a child will be absent due to illness, the staff must be informed what that illness is, as required by Public Health. If a child is being picked up directly from the Elementary School, the Centre must be notified that he/she will not be attending.
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 Government photo identification and confirm the individual’s information against the parent/guardian/authorized individual’s name on the child’s file or written authorization.
2. We release children only to parents/guardians who have authorization to pick up the children. Please provide the Centre with a copy of all legal custody agreements.
3. The Staff will not release a child to the care of any person suspected of being under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. Accordingly, the Centre Staff will offer to call an alternate person or call the Children’s Aid Society and/or police for direction.
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 time frame that their child is to be picked up from care and the child has not been picked up by 6:00 p.m. Staff shall proceed with contacting parent/guardian. The closing staff shall contact the parent/guardian by calling 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 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 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 as expected (before centre closes)
1. Where a parent/guardian has previously communicated with the staff a specific time or time frame that their child is to be picked up from care and the child has not been picked up by 6:00 p.m. Staff shall proceed with contacting parent/guardian. The closing staff shall contact the parent/guardian by calling 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 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 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”.
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 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 contact authorized individuals listed on the child’s file.
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 7:00 p.m., the staff shall proceed with contacting the local Children’s Aid Society (CAS). Staff shall follow the CAS’s direction with respect to next steps.
Dismissing a child from care without supervision procedures
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.
