Our center is required by the State Child Care Center Licensing law to be licensed by the Bureau of Licensing in the New Jersey Division of Youth and Family Services. A copy of our current License mustbe posted in a prominent location at our center. Look for it when you’re in the center.
To be licensed, our center must comply with the Manual of Requirements for Child Care Centers (the official licensing regulations). The regulations cover such areas as: physical environment/life safety, staff qualifications, supervision and staff/child ratios, program activities and equipment, health, food and nutrition, rest and sleep requirements, parent/community participation, administrative and record keeping and others.
Our center must have on premises a copy of the Manual of Requirements for Child Care Centers and make it available to interested parents for review. If you would like to review our copy, just ask any staff member. Parents may secure a copy of the Manual of Requirements by sending a check or money order for $5 made payable to the Treasurer, State of New Jersey and mailing it to: Bureau of Licensing, Division of Youth and Family Services, Licensing Publication Fees, PO Box 18500, Newark, New Jersey 07191.
We encourage parents to discuss with us any questions or concerns about the policies and programs of the center or the meaning, application or alleged violations of the Manual of Requirements for Child Care Centers. We will be happy to arrange a convenient opportunity for you to review and discuss these matters with us. If you suspect our center may be in violation of licensing standards, you are entitled to report them to the Bureau of Licensing at: (609) 292-1021 or (609) 292-9220. Of course, we would appreciate your bringing these concerns to our attention too.
Our center must have a policy concerning the release of children to parents or people authorized by parent(s) to be responsible for the child. Please discuss with us your plans for your child’s departure from the center.
Our center must have a policy about dispensing medicine and the management of communicable diseases. Please talk to us about these policies so we can work together to keep our children healthy.
Parents are entitled to review the centers copy of the Bureau of Licensing’s Inspection/Violation Reports on the center, which are issued after every State licensing inspection of our center. If there is a licensing complaint investigation, you are also entitled to review the Bureau’s Complaint Investigation Summery Report, as well as any letters of enforcement or other action taken against the center during the current licensing period. Let us know if you wish to review them and we will make them available for you.
Our center must cooperate with all DYFS inspection/investigations. DYFS staff may interview both staff members and children.
Our center must post its written statement of philosophy on child discipline in a prominent location and make a copy of it available to parents on request. We encourage you to review it and discuss with us any question you may have about it.
Our center must post a listing or diagram of those rooms and area approved by the Bureau for children’s use. Please talk to us if you have any questions about the center’s space.
Our center must offer parents of enrolled children ample opportunity to participate and observe the activities of the center. Parents wishing to participate in the activities or operations of the center should discuss their interest with the center director, who can advise them of what opportunities are available.
Parents of enrolled children may visit our center at any time without having to secure prior approval from the director or any staff member. Please feel free to do so when you can. We welcome visits from our parents.
Our center must inform parents in advance of every field trip, outing, or special event away from the center, and must obtain prior written consent from parents before taking a child on each such trip.
Anyone who has reasonable cause to believe that an enrolled child has been or is being subjected to any form of hitting, corporal punishment, abusive language, ridicule, harsh, humiliating or frightening treatment, or any other kind of child abuse, neglect, or exploitation by an adult, whether working at the center or not, is required by State law to report the concern immediately to the Division of Youth and Family Services, Office of Child Abuse Control, Toll-Free at: 1-800-792-8610, or to any DYFS District Office. Such reports may be made anonymously.
Parents may secure information about child abuse and neglect by contacting: Community Education Office, Division of Youth and Family Services, PO Box 717, Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0717
In order to ensure that childcare/school remains a safe and healthful environment, this health protocol will be implemented by Red Balloon as it is imposed by the State of New Jersey, Department of Children and Families.
We cannot risk the possibility of infection to the other students when a sick child is sent to school or becomes ill at school. If your child has developed any of the following symptoms during the previous 24 hours, he/she should remain at home the next school day.
1. Fever of 101.5 Degree Farenheit or higher. The temperature should be normal for 24 hours before returning to school WITHOUT any fever reducer medication.
2. Congestive cough.
3. Vomiting
4. Diarrhea
5. Discharge that is other than clear from nose, eyes, mouth, ears or any other areas.
6. Skin rash.
If a student arrives at school or develops any previously listed symptoms, you will be notified and expected to take your child home. If you cannot be reached, the next available contact on your emergency list will be called. Children sometimes are not able to specify what is wrong or how they feel. The staff, at this time will make that call.
A child/student should not be in school/daycare and will be sent home if any of the following condition(s) are present.
1. Fever of 101.5 or higher. The temperature should be normal 98.6 for 24 hours before returning to school WITHOUT any fever reducer medication.
2. The child/student is unable to function/participate in the school activities due to observed health status.
3. The child/student wants to sleep and appears listless.
4. The child/student has a discharge, which is other than clear from the nose, mouth, eyes, ears or any other areas.
5. The child/student is vomiting.
6. The child/student has diarrhea
7. The child/student has a congestive cough.
8. The child/student has open, draining sore and will not keep the bandage on.
9. The child/student had a previously controllable medical condition and that condition has become unmanageable. (E.g. asthma, seizures etc.)
10. The child/student exhibits unusual pallor or flushed face.
11. The child/student has an unknown rash.
If the child should need to be on an antibiotic they must have been on and had enough doses for 24 hours before returning to school.
If the child needs to be seen by a Doctor for any of the previously listed symptoms, a Doctor’s note stating the diagnosis will be required to return to school.
Unfortunately, there are sometimes reasons we have to expel a child from our program either on a short term or permanent basis. We want you to know we will do everything possible to work with the family of the child(ren)in order to prevent this policy from being enforced. The following are reasons we may have to expel or suspend a child from this center:
IMMEDIATE CAUSES FOR EXPULSION
· The child is at risk of causing serious injury to other children or himself/herself.
· Parent threatens physical or intimidating actions toward staff members.
· Parent exhibits verbal abuse to staff in front of enrolled children.
PARENTAL ACTIONS FOR CHILD’S EXPULSION
· Failure to pay/habitual lateness in payments.
· Failure to complete required forms, including the child’s immunization records.
· Habitual tardiness when picking up your child.
· Verbal abuse to staff.
· Other (explain)
SCHEDULE OF EXPULSION
· If after the remedial actions above have not worked, the child’s parent/guardian will be advised verbally, and in writing, about the child’s or parent’s behavior warranting an expulsion. An expulsion action is meant to be a period of time so that the parent/guardian may work on the child’s behavior or to come to an agreement with the center.
· The parent/guardian will be informed regarding the length of the expulsion period.
· The parent/guardian will be informed about the expected behavioral changes required in order for the child or parent to return to the center.
· The parent/guardian will be given a specific expulsion date that allows the parent/guardian sufficient time to seek alternate child care (approximately one to two weeks notice depending on the risk to other children’s welfare or safety). Failure of the child/parent to satisfy the terms of the plan may result in permanent expulsion from the center.
A CHILD WILL NOT BE EXPELLED
If a child’s parent/guardian:
· Made a complaint to the Office of Licensing regarding a center’s alleged violations of the licensing requirements.
· Reported abuse or neglect occurring at the center.
· Questioned the center regarding policies and procedures.
PROACTIVE ACTIONS THAT CAN BE TAKEN IN ORDER TO PREVENT EXPULSION
· Staff will try to redirect child from negative behavior.
· Staff will reassess classroom environment, appropriate of activities, supervision.
· Staff will always use positive methods and language while disciplining children.
· Staff will praise appropriate behaviors.
· Staff will consistently apply consequences for rules.
· Child will be given verbal warnings.
· Child will be given time to regain control.
· Child’s disruptive behavior will be documented and maintained in confidentiality.
· Parent/guardian will be notified verbally.
· Parent/guardian will be given written copies of the disruptive behaviors that might lead to expulsion.
· The director, classroom staff and parent/guardian will have a conference(s) to discuss how to promote positive behaviors.
· The parent/guardian will be given literature or other resources regarding methods of improving behavior.
· Recommendation of evaluation by professional consultation on premises.
· Recommendation of evaluation by local school district child study team.
Each child may be released only to the child’s parent(s) or person(s) authorized by the parent(s) to take the child from the center and to assume responsibility for the child in an emergency if the parent(s) cannot be reached.
If a non-custodial parent has been denied access, or granted limited access, to a child by a court order, the center shall secure documentation to that effect, maintain a copy on file, and comply with the terms of the court order.
If the parent(s) or person(s) authorized by the parent(s) fails to pick up a child at the time of the center’s daily closing, the center shall ensure that:
1) The child is supervised at all times;
2) Staff members attempt to contact the parent(s) or person(s) authorized by the parent(s); and
3) An hour or more after closing time, and provided that other arrangements for releasing the child to his/her parent(s) or person(s) authorized by the parent(s), have failed and the staff member(s) cannot continue to supervise the child at the center, the staff member shall call the 24 hour Child Abuse Hotline 1-877-NJ-ABUSE (1-877-652-2873) to seek assistance in the caring for the child until the parent(s) or person (s) authorized by the child’s parent(s) is able to pick up the child.
If the parent(s) or person(s) authorized by the parent(s) appears to be physically and/or emotionally impaired to the extent that, in the judgment of the Director and/or staff member, the child would be placed at risk of harm if released to such individual, the center shall ensure that:
1) The child may not be released to such an impaired individual;
2) Staff members attempt to contact the child’s other parent or an alternative person(s) authorized by the parent(s); and
3) If the center is unable to make alternative arrangements, a staff member shall call the 24 hour Child Abuse Hotline 1-877-NJ-ABUSE (1-877-652-2873) to seek assistance in caring for the child.
For school age child care programs, no child shall be released from the program unsupervised except upon written instruction from the child’s parent(s).