STARTING/OPERATING A HOME DAYCARE

CREATING A STAFF HANDBOOK


CREATING A STAFF HANDBOOK If you are a child care center owner or director (or if you operate a home daycare that has employees), you need to be sure you have a staff handbook.  Many states require child care centers and homes to have a staff handbook, but even if they don't you need to get one written.  A handbook lays out rules and regulations to help the child care center run more smoothly.  If expectations and policies are laid out ahead of time, your staff should know what to expect.  Make sure your handbook of policies adheres to all government regulations (such as hiring practices, etc.)  Also, you may want to have a lawyer look over your handbook and make sure it is legally sound.  Below is a list of items you may want to include in your handbook (not necessarily in this order).  Under each subject, there is an example of what policies could be included.  This list is not meant to be exhaustive; you should add or delete items based on your needs and check everything with a lawyer when you have your policies completed.  Also, you should consult with the agency that licenses your child care center/home to see what policies they suggest you include. 

1.   Your Child Care Center name, address, and phone number. (You may want this printed on the cover)

Grow & Learn Child Care Center

5461 Main St.  W.

Springfield, MO   65803

(417)-838-0499

                                                                                          

2.    Hours/Days of operation, holidays

Grow & Learn Child Care Center  is open year round, Monday-Friday, 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

We are closed on New Year's Day, Easter Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.  We may close for extra days (such as a day before or after a holiday) if we believe there will be very low attendance.  We will inform you of any additional days at least two weeks in advance.  We may also schedule staff training days which you will be required to attend even though the center will be closed and no children present.  Again, you will be informed of these days at least two weeks in advance.

3.   The names of the owner, director, and any other person in management/leadership

Owner/Director: Jen Anderson

Assistant Director:  Amber Willis

4.   Hiring procedures/policies

Aides must be at least 16 years of age

All other staff members must be at least 18 years of age

Grow & Learn Child Care Center does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, race, religion

5.   Orientation procedures/Required Forms/Employee Training

Once an individual has been hired, they must complete a twenty hour orientation in which they will be trained on the Center's policies through written material, observation, and direct interaction with the staff, parents, and children.  All new staff members must complete all forms provided to them before their first day of orientation. 


6.   Salary Guidelines/Performance Reviews/Benefits

Salaries are based on experience, education, job description, and performance.

7.   Sick pay/vacation pay/holiday pay

All staff will receive five unpaid sick days.  Staff will not receive any holiday pay.  After the first 30 days, all staff members recieve 5 paid vacation/personal days.  After the first 6 months, all staff members will receive an additional ten vacation/personal days.  Vacation days are paid based on the number of hours worked by an employee in an average week.

8.   Attendance/Asking for time off/Calling in sick

Grow & Learn Child Care Center is required to maintian strict staff to child ratios.  Excellent staff attendance is crucial to maintaining these state-mandated ratios.  Therefore, it is critical that staff do their part to inform the director or assistant director of any planned vacation or personal days they wish to receive off.  Staff members need to call in sick as soon as they believe they may not be able to be at work, but no later than 10:00 p.m. the night before they are scheduled.  You may call either the director or assistant director at home with the numbers provided to you during orientation.  If it is after 10:00 p.m. the night before your shift or before you are scheduled to  begin work the next day, you should call in sick only if it is an emergency or you are contagious as it is difficult to find substitutes on short notice.

9.   Causes for termination

You may be terminated for several reasons including, but not limited to, the following: providing inaccurate or false information during the hiring process or thereafter, threatening to harm or harming a child in any way, failing to provide children with appropriate supervision, habitual lateness, excessive use of sick days, failing to do something required by the state agency which licenses Grow & Learn Child Care Center, doing something for which the state agency which licenses Grow & Learn Child Care Center requires termination of your employment, etc.

10. Dress Code

Staff members of Grow & Learn Child Care Center are expected to act and dress like child care professionals.  Employees should not wear clothing which is low-cut, tight, revealing, immodest (short shorts/skirts, low-cut tops, tight pants, etc.).  Also, employees should not wear clothing with advertising on it, pajamas, nice/expensive clothing (clothing that could prevent you from interacting/taking care of your class or that you're afraid to have ruined).  Clothing should be neat and fit properly.

11.  Grievance Procedures

If you have a complaint, you should submit it in writing to the director.  Your complaint will be addressed in 30 days or sooner.

12.  Cell phones/Phone  Use

The center's phone is not for personal use.  Cell phones should be left at home or in the car and may only be used on breaks.

13.   Breaks (Lunch & other)

Staff working 6 or more hours will be given a thirty minute unpaid lunch break.  For every four hours worked, staff will receive a paid 15 minute break.

14.  Smoking

Smoking is not permitted inside the child care center or on Grow & Learn Child Care Center property.

15.  Table of Contents or an Index.

You may want to place a table of contents at the front of your handbook and/or an index at the end.