EMMANUEL CHILDCARE CENTER

Daycare Regulations and Policies

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Sick Policy - Regulations Concerning Sick Children:
According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, we are unable to accept any child with a diagnosed communicable disease (measles, mumps, chickenpox, etc.) or obvious acute illness. Therefore, do not send your child to the center when he or she is sick or has signs of possible contagious disease. If your child has a communicable disease, please keep him/her at home until the symptoms have subsided and the child feels well enough to participate in activities.

In order for the staff to administer medication, it must be prescribed by a doctor unless it is an over-the-counter medication, which can be given only as recommended by the label. Please help us by:
• Signing and dating a medical consent form which can be picked up from the class.
• Making sure that all medication is in its original container and has the date, the child’s name, the Doctor’s name, and the dosage plainly stated on the outside of the container provided by the pharmacy/doctor.
Motrin, Tempra, and other analgesics of that nature can be given if the child’s temperature reaches 101 and if there is a written parental consent on file. If a child has a temperature of 101 degrees or greater, diarrhea, contagious illness, or an injury occurs during the day, the parent or next of kin will be contacted immediately. If there is a serious injury and/or medical emergency, the director will transport the child to the hospital, local physician, or call 911 for immediate service. If this action is taken, parents/guardians will immediately be contacted.

A quick health check will be conducted when you bring your child back to the Center. A child will not be admitted with any of these symptoms: matter in the eyes, frequent coughing, runny nose (anything but clear discharge) Please remember to call the Center with the diagnosis as soon as possible so the other families can be notified that their child may have been exposed.

Daily Outdoor Play
North Carolina childcare law states that all children have to have outdoor play daily, weather permitting. This includes temperatures over 20 degrees (take wind chill factor into account).
- Please dress your child in layers
- Water will always be provided and encouraged
- Time limited to 10-20 minutes at a time on temperature extreme days
- Hot days time limited between hours 10-4

Nutrition Policy – Meals and Snacks:
Emmanuel will provide nourishments three times a day. Breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon snack will be distributed. All snacks and meals are prepared based on the Recommended Dietary Allowances contained in the Food Pyramid. Weekly menus are posted and sent home routinely. Emmanuel participates in the Child and Adult Care Food Program of North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, which meet all Federal recommended daily nutritional standards.

Parents must provide formula and baby food for their infants. Parents are required to fill out an infant feeding form before the first day of care. Teachers can mix formula and feed baby food provided but the center is not responsible for contents provided.

*Parents wishing to celebrate their child’s birthday by providing a snack for the class must purchase store-bought food items instead of bringing something homemade. Parents must check with the child’s teacher to be aware of any classroom allergies.

Bagged Lunch Guidelines (note* bagged lunches are optional*)

Make sure all containers can be opened independently, consider nutritional value, keep safety standards in mind, avoid things that ooze or melt, and sanatize your child's bad/sack daily.

Daily Rest Periods:
Provisions will be made each day for each child to rest. A minimum of 2 hours per day and a maximum of 2 ½ hours rest time will be available for each child.

Discipline and Behavior Management Policy:
The guidelines at Emmanuel are to foster and teach children to be independent self-monitors of their behavior that walk in Christian love. This will be achieved through behavior guidelines provided by teachers and staff. Children attending Emmanuel’s Childcare Ministries will not be subjected to any form of corporal punishment by the director or any other staff member. The definition of “staff” includes any regular or substitute caregivers, volunteers, cooks, secretaries, janitors, vehicle drivers, or any other individual who might come into contact with the children while providing services for Emmanuel.

Instructors and staff will provide Verbal Guidance by:
• Speaking kindly to children
• Providing positive verbal praise when interacting with children
• Giving clear instructions
• Avoiding making comparisons between children
• Giving positive directions and suggestions
• Modeling Christian values
• Promoting positive self-esteem
Instructors and staff will provide Behavioral Guidance by:
• Supervising children for all activities (indoor, outdoor, and field trips)
• Planning developmentally appropriate classroom activities
• Ensuring that children know the consequences for inappropriate behavior
• Providing consistency in discipline practices
• Ensuring that teachers and staff will be positive role models
• Giving children choices
• Knowing and understanding the mental and emotional needs of the children
• Using “Time Out” immediately following physical aggression, hitting with objects, kicking, or biting.
Emmanuel complies with the General Statues of the State of North Carolina, which are:
• No child will be handled roughly in any way including shaking, pushing, shoving, pinching, slapping, biting, kicking, or spanking.
• No child shall ever be disciplined for not sleeping during rest period.
• No child shall ever be placed in a locked room, closet, or box.
• No child shall be disciplined for toileting accidents or any other accidents.
• No child shall be delegated to providing discipline of another child.
• Foods shall not be withheld as a means of discipline.
Praise and positive reinforcement are effective methods of the behavior management of children. When children receive positive, non-violent, and understanding interactions from adults and others, they develop good self-concepts, problem solving abilities, and self-discipline.
Based on this belief of how children learn and develop values, this facility will also practice the following discipline and behavior management policy:
We:
1. DO praise, reward, and encourage the children.
2. DO reason with and set limits for the children.
3. DO model appropriate behavior for the children.
4. DO modify the classroom environment to attempt to prevent problems before they occur.
5. DO listen to the children.
6. DO provide the alternatives for inappropriate behavior to the children.
7. DO provide the children with natural and logical consequences of their behaviors.
8. DO treat the children as people and respect their needs, desires, and feelings.
9. DO ignore minor behaviors.
10. DO explain things to children on their levels.
11. DO use short supervised periods of "time-out": ("Time-out" is described on following this section)
12. DO stay consistent in our behavior management program
We:
1. DO NOT spank, shake, bite, pinch, push, pull, slap, or otherwise physically punish the children.
2. DO NOT make fun of, yell at, threaten, make sarcastic remarks about, use profanity or otherwise verbally abuse the children.
3. DO NOT shame or punish the children when bathroom accidents occur.
4. DO NOT deny food or rest as punishment.
5. DO NOT relate discipline to eating, resting, or sleeping.
6. DO NOT leave the children alone, unattended, or without supervision.
7. DO NOT place the children in locked rooms, closets, or boxes as punishment.
8. DO NOT allow discipline of children by children.
9. DO NOT criticize, make fun of, or other-wise belittle children’s parents, families, or ethnic groups.

Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect:
We understand the importance of family unity, however if a time arrives where upon any symptoms of suspected child abuse or neglect by a staff member or parent/guardian are brought to our attention, we are required by law to report it to the Union County Department of Social Services. This center will abide by this law.