Parent Handbook

We welcome you to the
Child Care Inc. family.

Our company was established in 1984 and operates multiple childcare facilities in the Oklahoma City Metro area. We strive through our mission and philosophy to provide your child with the highest quality care available and are honored to serve your family.
Thank you for choosing us to care for your child!

Mission Statement
To provide a safe and educational environment for all children in our care.
Philosophy
We believe that children have the right to a nurturing, safe environment where they can feel comfortable and secure.
We believe that children have the right to develop to their maximum abilities and that teachers have the responsibility to provide opportunities for this development to occur.
We recognize that each child is an individual and that each child must be allowed to develop at his or her own pace. We accept and respect differences between children including developmental and physical differences and differences in racial and ethnic heritages. Every child regardless of sex, race, religion or ethnic origin must have the same opportunities and advantages as every other child.
We believe each child has the right to develop a positive self-image – to feel good about who they are. We fervently hope that in treating each child with love and respect that they in turn will learn to treat others with that same love and respect.
We believe that children learn best through active participation with their environment and that the teacher’s job is to provide a variety of opportunities and experiences to promote growth in all areas. We strive to thoughtfully plan activities that meet the developmental needs of differing children, and which follow sound early childhood developmental principles.
Enrollment Procedure
We require a complete enrollment package, signed by a parent or guardian, for each child. We must have a complete and continuously updated health and immunization record.
Enrollment information must be updated annually. We accept enrollment for children ages six weeks to twelve years.
Admission Criteria
Preference is given to children needing full time enrollment. Children must be in the center for over 4 hours (4 hours and 1 minute) per day for four days of the week to be considered full time. All children must have current immunizations and be maintained over the course of their enrollment.
All children must be signed AND swiped IN and OUT every day.
Forms
All forms must be filled out and updated when necessary. Enrollment forms include but are not limited to; Child Information Form, Food Program Forms, Parent Contract, and DHS required forms.
Daily Activities
All daily activities and schedules are posted in each classroom and include, but are not limited to, lesson plans, naptime and sleeping arrangements, mealtimes, diapering and toileting procedures and outdoor play.
Hours of Operation
Traditional facilities are open Monday through Friday from 6AM to 6PM. Extended hour care is available at certain locations which are open 24 hours, Monday through Saturday. These locations close at 6PM on Saturday and re-open at 5:30AM on Monday.
Holidays and Closures
Program closures will be posted at least 24 hours prior. Our program observes the following holidays, New Year’s Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas.
Tuition and Fees
A non-refundable enrollment fee of $25 per child or $50 per family will be charged at the time of enrollment.
Tuition must be paid in advance on Monday of the current week. Your child is enrolled on a permanent basis and the entire weekly fee must be paid. If the fee is not paid by the close of day on Tuesday, a $25 late fee will be applied to your account. Also, if not paid by Wednesday, your child will not be permitted to return until the account is brought up to date. Parents will be allowed one week vacation.
Co-payments are due and payable on the first business day of each month. A late fee of $25 will be added after the 3rd business day of each month. If co-payment is not paid by the 3rd business day of the month, your child will not be permitted to return until the account is brought up to date.
Late pick up fee is $30.00 per child for every 15-minute period after closing. After 30 minutes past closing, if we have not made contact with any of the approved guardians, we will place the child in DHS or police custody.
A $30 curriculum fee per child is due February 1st each year. A late fee of $1 per day will apply after February 1st.
A $35 fee will be charged on all returned checks. Repeated returned checks will place your account on a cash or money order only basis.
All paid tuition, fees and copayments are non-refundable.
Attendance
Regular attendance helps to create a consistent routine within the facility. This consistency helps children to feel safe and secure and creates a better learning environment. In order to develop a consistent routine, we recommend that your child have regular attendance. We ask that your child have no more than 1 absence a week.
Withdrawing
Children who miss five consecutive days without contacting the center will be dropped from the roll. We reserve the right to terminate enrollment due to non-payment. We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.
Parents are asked to give a two week notice when withdrawing children from the center. Termination without notification may result in denial of future services.
Dismissal can also occur if a parent is found in violation of the following rules. Violations are considered serious and will result in discharge without prior warning:
- Striking/abusing a child or endangering the life of a child.
- Acts of violence or verbally threatening acts of violence.
- Willful destruction of property.
- Coercing or inciting others to engage in any illegal activity.
- Harassing or volatile language.
- Harassing or volatile language towards management, staff and/or visitors or other inappropriate behavior.
EBT Policy
When using EBT Cards:
Parents using this program must swipe in and out every day. Our policy is a NO SWIPE = NO STAY policy. If you receive a swipe that is not approved, you may pay the daily tuition rate (per child) to attend. The daily tuition will be refunded after approved swipes for the day are received.
Missed swipes must be received the following day or care will not be provided.
- DO NOT GIVE YOUR CARD TO A STAFF MEMBER
- DO NOT GIVE YOUR PIN NUMBER TO A STAFF MEMBER
Any cards found on the premises will be destroyed in accordance with DHS regulation.
When using the ECC Connect App:
Parents using the EBT app must show a verified clock-in on their device when dropping off their child for the day. A verified clock-out is also needed when picking up. Please be sure to communicate with the center management to ensure proper documentation of your child’s attendance.
If you fail to provide a verified clock-in, you may pay the daily tuition rate (per child) to attend. The daily tuition will be refunded after approved clock-ins for the day are received.
Missed Ins or Outs must be received the following day or care will not be provided.
Arrivals and Departures
For your child to receive the most benefit from our program, we recommend that your child arrive before 10:00a.m. Arrivals are sometimes tough, especially at first. Almost always, a child will become happy within minutes after the parent leaves. Please make your good-byes as brief as possible. To prolong it only makes the situation harder for everyone involved. If you need to talk to the teacher in depth, please notify the office so we can arrange for the teacher to step out of the classroom.
At all times, please inform staff when you bring in and pick up your child. Please sign your child in and out when you bring and pick them up. Escort your child to their room and notify the teacher of his or her arrival. No child may be left at the center without completing the sign-in process.
Each of our facilities is equipped with secure locking mechanisms for your child’s safety. If the door is secured, ring the doorbell to gain entry.
Please do not leave your child unattended or unsupervised for any reason while on the premises. (This includes the parking lot.)
We also request that you refrain from leaving your car idling or unlocked while in the parking lot.
Authorization to Pick Up Child
No child will be released to a person not authorized by a parent to pick up the child. We must have written authorization for changes in this respect. We consider the parent who signs the enrollment form as the primary guardian and to whom we are accountable. Parents not listed on the enrollment form will not be able to pick their child up without permission from the primary guardian or court documentation proving the person is a custodial parent.
Temporary verbal authorization may be given in the event of emergency. When applicable, the primary guardian may authorize an individual to pick up the child for a designated period of time.
Discipline and Guidance / Expulsion Policy
While your child is on the premises, the teacher will handle any disciplinary problems in a firm and loving manner. Discipline will be related to the child’s act, handled without bias and without prolonged delay on the part of the adult involved, so that the child is aware of the relationship between acts and consequences. Classroom guidelines are necessary for the protection of the group and the individual child. In the event that a child needs discipline and guidance, the following steps will be followed:
- Teacher will address the unacceptable behavior in a comforting way and explain to the child why the behavior is not permitted.
- If the behavior persists, the child will be removed from the activity and redirected to another activity.
- If needed, the child may be encouraged to have quiet time until he or she can regain control.
- If the above steps fail to correct the behavior, the child will be taken to the office and the parent will be notified.
- If the behavior is not corrected, the child will be sent home. A plan of action will be developed between the parents and the facility to correct the behavior.
- Failure to comply with the plan of action will result in your child being dis-enrolled from the facility.
YOU CANNOT SPANK YOUR CHILD ON OUR PROPERTY!
Meals
We provide breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner and late-night snack (where applicable), which includes meals offsite and during field trips. We serve breakfast from 7:00-9:00 am and lunch from 11:00am-12:30pm, and snacks are served between 2:30-4:30 and at 7:30 for pm snack. Dinner is served from 5:00-6:30pm. Menus are posted. We must have written documentation from a physician for any food allergies prior to withholding specific food or drink. If your child is to eat here, he/she will need to be here during these times.
Due to the Health Department requirements, we cannot allow food from outside sources.
Infant meals are served according to each individual child’s eating patterns. The center will provide formula, rice cereal, and serving utensils. You are welcome to bring in formula of your choice, breast milk or baby food if you choose.
Rest
No child will be forced to sleep. However, a daily time will be allowed to provide quiet, restful activities for the children. Bringing a child in during this time can be very disruptive to the class and difficult for your child.
Each of our facilities follow the Infant Safe Sleep Guidelines set forth by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Evening / Night Care
Night and evening care are provided at our 24-hour facilities. Schedules for evening care and night care are posted at each facility.
Medication
We do not administer regularly prescribed or over-the-counter medication for any reason. If a child is in need of medication, parents are welcome to administer medication at the facility, but cannot store medications at the facility. Life threatening medications such as EPI pens or inhalers can be kept on-site and in a secure location. Life threatening medications will be administered for emergency purposes only at the direction of first responders and will be turned over to first responders. Emergency medication must be in the original container with the child’s name. A current prescription or letter from the child’s attending physician must be kept on file and updated.
Child Health
Children’s health is monitored daily. Our facility works with health consultants to aid families in addressing possible health concerns. We also partner with local providers to conduct health and developmental screening onsite and make referrals when necessary. Information and resources are available for child health services and education. Please contact the Director if your child is in need of health services.
Health Emergencies
Staff members are trained in CPR and first aid. In case of an emergency, the child will be transported to the nearest medical facility. A staff member will accompany the child to the hospital. The child’s records will be referenced, and all efforts will be made to contact parents or other numbers listed.
Accident Forms
Accident forms will be issued whenever a child has an accident at the facility. Parents will be asked to sign the form. Parents will be contacted when deemed necessary.
Health Requirements
We cannot accept your child if he/she has any of the following conditions.
- Fever of 100 degrees or above
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Sore or discharging eye(s) or ear(s). Each parent must have an alternative plan for when their child becomes ill. To ensure the safety of the other children, we are not permitted to keep any sick child at the facility.
- Head lice, including live bugs, nits and eggs. Parents will be contacted, and the child must be removed from the facility and treated before being allowed to return. Proof of treatment must be provided. The Director has additional treatment information. Please note August, September, and October are the crisis months.
- If there are any serious contagious diseases, we will contact the Health Department to come to the facility to assist us and will inform you of all findings.
- We do not give medication except in life-threatening situations, i.e., asthma, diabetes, etc. No over-the-counter medication will be given.
- Diaper cream, though not a medication, must be authorized and documented.
- Sunscreen and insect repellant are not medications but require written parent permission before application. Please see your Director for more information.
We follow guidelines of the Good Health Handbook, produced by the Oklahoma State Department of Health. A copy of the Good Health Handbook is available in the office. Please refer to the Good Health Handbook if you have any health-related questions.
If your child becomes ill while at the center, you may be asked to immediately pick up your child. We do not offer care for sick children. Depending on the nature of the illness, your child may not be allowed to attend until a 24-Hour exclusion period or until we are provided with a physician’s statement indicating that the child is no longer contagious. We reserve the right to restrict care regardless of physician’s statement if we determine the health of the child or other children may still be at risk. Please refer to the Good Health Handbook as a guide to determine symptoms and possible illnesses.
Please Note: Upon refusal to immediately pick up an ill child, we will contact DHS and dis-enroll the child from the facility.
Assistance may be available to address your child’s health needs, please contact the Director if you are in need of health resources.
Supervision of Children
The health and safety of the children in our care is our number one priority. To ensure children are properly supervised at all times, our teacher’s qualifications are carefully screened by our company and DHS. Staff to child ratios are always maintained in accordance with DHS regulations. Staff to child ratios are posted on every classroom and can be found on the DHS website. Staff qualifications are maintained in accordance with our accrediting agency and DHS regulations. DHS has final approval of all staff hiring.
Parent volunteers may be used to enrich the program but are never utilized for child supervision. Parent volunteers are allowed in accordance with DHS regulation.
Reporting
If you believe a child is being abused or neglected, you have a legal responsibility to report it. Reports can be made at any time to the OKDHS Abuse and Neglect Hotline on 1-800-522-3511. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We are required by law to report any suspicion of abuse and neglect.
Sanitation
Good hygiene and sanitation are necessary to maintain the health of all the children in our facility. We ask all children to wash their hands upon arrival and continuously throughout the day.
Clothing
We need a change of clothes, marked with the child’s name, in the facility. All coats and clothes brought to the facility should be labeled. Your cooperation in returning items taken home by mistake is greatly appreciated. Children easily mistake similar clothing; because of this we will not be responsible for lost items. All efforts will be made to find lost articles.
Donations
Donations are always welcome. We often need extra clothing for children of all ages. Toys, books, and other child-related items are also accepted.
Personal Items
When personal items such as toys and electronic devices are brought to the center, they are likely to be broken or taken home by another child. We will not be responsible for lost or stolen articles. If an item from the center is found in your child’s pocket, please have the child return it the next day.
All toys and personal items must be left at home!
Pets
Pets may be kept as a complement to classroom curriculum as directed by DHS. However, personal pets may not be brought to the center.
Emergency Drills
Fire, tornado, lock-down and shelter in place drills are conducted according to DHS requirements. The center is inspected annually by the fire department. In case of a storm, it is best to leave your child at the center and contact the center after the situation has been alleviated.
Center Evacuation
Should an emergency occur which requires the evacuation of the center, you will be notified as soon as all of the children are safe. If you are at the center at the time of the emergency, you are requested to follow our emergency procedures. Your help would be greatly appreciated. For this purpose, you must give us permission to transport your child and must be indicated at the time of enrollment. Emergency and evacuation procedures are specific to each location and are posted.
Curriculum
Curriculum is included in your weekly fee for all children. Each teacher is given a monthly curriculum guide and modifies and expands the ideas in the guide to fit the class needs. We conduct scheduled parent conferences twice per year; however, a conference may be requested at any time.
Center Closings and Holidays
Late pick up fee is $30.00 per child for every 15-minute period after closing. After 30 minutes past closing, if we are unable to make contact with an approved guardian, we will notify DHS or other authority.
Summer Program and School Holidays
Our summer program is designed for fun and recreation. Each class (four and up) will be making several field trips. An announcement for each trip will be posted outside your child’s classroom. If the scheduled activity is away from the facility, we will require permission slips signed by a parent for your child to attend these activities. If a child arrives after the group has left on a center field trip, the child may be accommodated in an alternate classroom if available.
Transportation
Transportation is provided to and from designated public schools, program field trips, to facilities within our company and in emergency situations when necessary.
Transportation for school-age children is not provided for special situations. School age children suspended from public school are allowed to attend the facility during the course of their suspension for an additional fee.
Premises
Smoking or vaping, tobacco, over the counter and prescription medication, prohibited substances, weapons, or other dangerous materials are not allowed on the premises or within line of sight of children.
Complaints
Parents may contact our corporate office at any time to make a complaint. In the event that a disagreement occurs, every attempt will be made to reach a solution agreeable to all parties. Please contact our office at 405-737-TOYS (8697).
Confidentiality
All information regarding children, staff and parents will remain confidential. Access to information is given to the primary or enrolling parent. Information requests must be done in writing and could be subject to fee.
Video and Photography
Parents are asked to respect the confidentiality of other children and refrain from taking pictures, recording videos or sharing related media on the internet while on the premises.
Parent Involvement
We have an open-door policy and parents are welcome anytime to assist with classroom activities. If any parents have special talents to share we would appreciate their assistance and input for activities, visitors and field trips. We also encourage parents to participate in classroom activities by bringing requested items. Parents will receive regular written communication regarding their child’s daily activities.
Parents should feel free to discuss their daily activities with the teachers. We encourage and want to have parental feedback because this is what enhances the children’s program. If you need to conference with your child’s teacher, please notify the Director so that an alternate staff can step in and continue the program. Please let your Director know if you would like to be a member on the Parent Advisory Committee.
Parents are welcome to check their child in and out during the day. If you wish to have meals with us, a fee of $3.00 will be charged. A suggestion box is available. Please feel free to comment. Sometimes we do not know there is a problem, and all efforts will be made to correct it. Parent conferences are held in September and May. Please feel free to schedule one at any other additional time.
Special events are designed for families and staff to enjoy themselves. Special events include Open Houses, Fall Carnival, Parent Lunches, etc.
Parents who refer a family to the facility will be paid $50.00 when the family has attended the childcare facility for one month.
We try to make any necessary arrangements to allow parents’ unlimited access to the center while their child is in attendance. However, please note that access to the center may be restricted to custodial parents pursuant to state childcare regulations, may be further restricted by court order, or for any reason deemed appropriate for the preservation of the safety, security, health or general well-being of persons in the center.
We reserve the right to temporarily or permanently exclude any person from the center, including a parent, whom we deem likely to pose a threat or risk to the center or who fails to or refuses to conduct him or her in a manner befitting a proper childcare environment. This includes but is not limited to profanity, yelling, threatening, aggressive or violent behavior, intoxication or failure to follow Child Care Inc. policies and procedures.