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***Helping Hands Child Care Centre Inc is NOT a participant in the Canada Wide Early Learning & Child Care Program (CWELCC) ($10/day)

We are licensed for 44 children on a daily basis; we offer both full-time and part-time programs for Toddler and Preschool students.

Our part-time program is 2-3 days a week for the full day.

Non-base fees – Late pick up policy & Field Trips.

*A 2-week deposit plus a $60.00 registration fee is required upon your child’s enrolment. The 2-week deposit is allocated towards your child’s last 2-weeks at the centre pending 2-weeks written notice given to the center Supervisor.*

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 Helping Hands Child Care Centre Inc.

5051 Mainway Ÿ Burlington, ON L7L 5H9 Ÿ Phone (905) 331-6000 Ÿ Fax (905) 331-6029

Introduction

At Helping Hands we model developmentally appropriate practices on a daily basis.  Driven by a high standard for excellence each staff member brings a unique blend of education and experience to the classroom.  Our staff is truly committed to putting their knowledge of child care theory into practice. A vital part of our organization is exploring how children develop and learn, and identifying and creating learning environments that best match each child’s abilities through developmental tasks.

Inclusion

Our goal is to be inclusive in providing developmentally appropriate group experiences for all children in a secure, stimulating, and child-centred environment. We recognize all children have specific abilities and needs, as well as a unique relationship to the world reflecting their family’s background, history and culture. We will make every effort to accommodate children with additional support needs, to give all children the opportunity to develop physically, socially, emotionally, and intellectually to their fullest potentials. Our staff of Early Childhood Educators (ECEs) and Early Childhood Assistants (ECAs) is prepared to help your child in this development in cooperation with you, the parent/guardian and caregiver.

Contact Information

5051 Mainway                              Director: Lindsay Pepper-Aggio

Burlington, ON                             Phone Number:  905-331-6000

L7L 5H9

Our Centre

Our hours of operation are from 7am – 5:30pm Monday- Friday all year round on both a full-time and part-time schedule.  On rare occasions, the centre may close due to circumstances beyond the Centre’s control (e.g. weather conditions).

Helping Hands is closed on all Statutory Holidays, Christmas Eve and an additional day on Easter Monday used as a Professional Development day for our staff.  Please see below:

September                      Labour Day

October                          Thanksgiving

December                       Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day

January                          New Year’s Day

February                        Family Day

March/April                   Good Friday, Easter Monday (P.D Day)

May                                Victoria Day

July                                Canada Day

August                            Civic Holiday

• You are responsible for payment of a closure day only if it falls on one of your regularly scheduled enrolment days.
• In the event of a closure before working ours, management will notify the Centre’s Voice Mail message to reflect the day’s closure by 6:00am.  It is the parents’ responsibility to call into the centre voice mail to determine if the centre is closed for the day.
• Our inclement weather policy states that if HDSB and HCDSB close due to the weather and driving conditions, the centre will be closed for the day as well.
• In the event of an early closure during operating hours parents will be notified with a phone call and are expected to pick-up their child within an hour of the phone call.
• In the event of a Centre evacuation during operating hours, the alternative location will be Widex Canada (located just beside us) or Tim Hortons (located at Burloak).

Program Statement

In accordance to the document How Does Learning Happen, we believe that each child is competent, capable, curious, and rich in potential.  We establish the following goals within our program for each child:

• Promotion of general health, well being and safety of each child in our program

1. 1. Staff will provide safe supervision of the children.
   2. There are sanitizing and disinfecting procedures in place
   3. Menu planning following the Canada Food Guide.
   4. Communicable disease prevention
   5. Annual First Aid and CPR training

• Support positive and responsive interactions among the children, parents and staff
  1. To support each child’s growth and development, staff interact daily with the parents through written daily logs, phone communication and email correspondence.
• Encourage the children to interact in a positive way and encourage their ability to self regulate
  1. Staff recognize that each child is competent, curious, capable and rich in potential
  2. Staff will model appropriate coping mechanisms for the children and assist the children through the process.
• Foster the children’s exploration, play and inquiry
  1. Staff will base our daily programming on the children’s interests, which have been established through observations and documentation
• Provide opportunities for child initiated and adult supported experiences
  1. Each child is given the opportunity for free play, which allows them to make independent choices, which will be supported and expanded upon by staff.
• Create positive learning environments and experiences in which each child’s learning and development will be supported
  1. Staff are able to recognize each child’s individual needs and development and plan accordingly
• Incorporate a variety of indoor and outdoor play, as well as active play, rest and quiet time into our day
  1. Two hours of outdoor play are provided each day, weather permitting
  2. Each child is offered quiet/rest time, not to exceed two hours
  3. A variety of activities are planned and implemented by the staff members on a daily basis
• Encourage ongoing communication with parents about our program and our children
  1. Parents are encouraged to fill out an annual survey, which provides the opportunity to voice their wants and needs for the child care centre as a whole, staff and individual wants and needs
  2. Ongoing daily communication is supported through daily conversation with parents in person, by phone, by email or posted on our Parent Communication Board.
• Involving community partners
  1. Parents will be directed to resources outside of the centre, including but not limited to, ROCK, CIP, Erin Oak, etc.
• Supporting educators continuous professional learning
  1. Staff are required to attend a minimum of two Professional Development Workshops per year
  2. First Aid and CPR are recertified annually
• Documentation
  1. Staff display ongoing documentation in their classrooms and throughout the centre to show how learning is happening in their classrooms.

Philosophy

We believe children learn through play. When children are stimulated in an environment of interaction new skills emerge and confidence grows.  At Helping Hands our curriculum is rooted in current proven child care practices.  Our knowledgeable staff follows emergent child care practices and gear programming towards the development of each child by responding to the interests, questions, and concerns generated in the classroom.

The Process of Emergent Curriculum

Emergent curriculum begins with observation of the children’s play themes and the developmental tasks children are practicing.  Observation continues as the teacher provides the environment, provokes interest, sustains children’s play themes, enriches play and provides children with opportunities to represent the learning experience.

Emergent Curriculum Balances

• Spontaneity with planning;
• Plans for individuals and the group;
• Provides play that is educational;
• Is designed by adults who take responsibility while avoiding teacher dominated curriculum development;
• Remains flexible while being goal directed.

Our Programs

We provide a balanced, developmentally appropriate and challenging program focusing on the social, emotional, physical and intellectual growth and development of each child.   Throughout Helping Hands, our goal is to help develop a positive self-esteem in each child.

Each child participates in outdoor activities for 1 hour in the morning and 1 hour in the afternoon. At Helping Hands we view the playground as an extension of the indoor classroom. On days where the weather does not permit, staff will implement a physical education program in the gym.

TODDLER ROOM

“Toddlers learn with their whole bodies-not just their heads.  They learn more through their hands than they do through their ears.  They learn by doing, not only buy just thinking… Toddlers solve problems on a physical level (Gonzalex-Mena,1986)”.

Our goal while working with Toddlers is to:

• Nurture a sense of autonomy (a sense of self as an independent being).
• Help with the task of separation.
• Provide children with a safe environment for movement.
• Foster self-help skills.
• And allow for sensory motor exploration as toddlers learn most by muscle skill mastery and manipulative exploration.

We are licensed for 2 toddler rooms (18mths-21/2 years) each of 10 children with 2 full-time staff.

PRESCHOOL ROOM

Preschoolers “become empowered in play to do things for themselves, to feel in control, to test and practice their skills, and to affirm confidence in themselves.  Play is important for children’s developing sense of competence (Isenberg,1997).”

Our goals while working with Preschoolers is to:

• Provide dimensions of environments by having a variety of materials that are soft/hard, open/closed, large group/individual etc.
• Allow active participation for your children as decision-makers.
• Create an environment for learning through play by having clearly defined centres.
• Follow a schedule to help ease with transitions.
• Foster self-help skills.

We are licensed for 2 preschool rooms (21/2 -4years) one of 16 children with 2 full-time staff and one of 8 children with 1 full-time staff.

Developmental Skills

GROSS-MOTOR

Play enhances every domain of a child’s development.  Gross-motor skills, such as walking, kicking, or skipping, can be strengthened when a child pushes a toy grocery cart or jumps rope.  When a young child kicks a ball across the room, he/she is practicing coordination by balancing on one foot to kick with the other.

FINE-MOTOR

Fine-motor and manipulation skills are developed repeatedly throughout the day; while a child builds a tower or colors a bird flying in the sky.  When throwing and catching a ball, a child practices hand-eye coordination and the ability to grasp.

LANGUAGE

Children practice and develop language skills during play.  A child’s play with words, including singsong games and rhymes that accompany games of tag, can help him/her master semantics, practice spontaneous rhyming, and foster word play.

COGNITIVE

The child’s cognitive capacity is enhanced in games by trial and error, problem solving, and practice discriminating between relevant and irrelevant information.  Play requires the child to makes choice and direct activities and often involves strategy, or planning, to reach a goal.

INTERPERSONAL/SOCIAL

Interpersonal/social skills, ranging from communication to cooperation, develop in play.  Children learn about teamwork when they sit together on the carpet and decide who puts the last piece in the puzzle.  Children gain understanding about those around them and may become more empathic.  When playing with peers, children learn a system of social rules, including ways to control themselves and tolerate their frustration in a social setting.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Movement and play are important in children’s lives, critical to all aspects of their growth and development. A physical education program provides opportunities for all students to learn while being physically active. Children who participate in regular physical education will enjoy enhanced memory and learning, better concentration and increased problem-solving abilities. Regular physical education encourages a positive attitude toward self and others, which is an important factor in creating a healthy learning environment.

MUSIC

Music is a natural and important part of young children’s growth and development.   Music is with the children consistently throughout the day whether it’s a tidy up song, or playing softly in the background or two friends are playing stele-ella-ola experiences in music help children bond emotionally and intellectually with others and helps develop a sense of patterning and memory skills. Musical experiences are integrated in the daily routine and play structure of the classroom.

CREATIVE EXPRESSION

Creativity is the freest form of self-expression. There is nothing more satisfying and fulfilling for children than to be able to express themselves openly and without judgment. We provide the children the opportunity to be creative, to create something from personal feelings and experiences, and the opportunity to reflect and nurture children’s emotional health.

LITERACY

On a daily basis staff provide an interactive environment by reading stories, singing songs and teaching finger plays in individual and large group activities. All children are introduced to books and taught how to use them and love them appropriately.  Providing an environment with print-rich materials allows children to see and experiment with reading and writing skills that are practiced in their environment.

JOLLY PHONICS

Our Preschool students will participate in the Jolly Phonics program.  Jolly Phonics helps children remember the letters by associating action for each of the letter sounds. Jolly Phonics is the foundation for reading and writing. It teaches the letter sounds in an enjoyable, multisensory way, and enables children to use them to read and write words.

Rates

***At this point in time Helping Hands Child Care Centre Inc is unable to participate in the Canada Wide Early Learning & Child Care Program (CWELCC)

We are licensed for 44 children on a daily basis; we offer both full-time and part-time programs for Toddlers and Preschool students.

Our part-time program is 2-3 days a week for the full day.

Non-base fees – Late pick up policy & Field Trips.

*A 2-week deposit plus a $60.00 registration fee is required upon your child’s enrolment. The 2-week deposit is allocated towards your child’s last 2-weeks at the centre pending 2-weeks written notice given to the center Supervisor.*

Staffing

STAFF RATIOS

The staff/child ratio as required by the Day Nurseries Act in accordance with the Ministry of Education is as follows:

             Toddler              1 staff for every 5 toddlers

             Preschool            1 staff for every 8 preschoolers

STAFF QUALIFICATIONS

All staff at our childcare centre are highly trained and caring adults with either an ECE diploma or an ECA diploma. ECE’s have completed a 2 year program and hold a diploma from a recognized college and are registered with the College of ECE’s.  Each member of our team is First Aid and CPR Certified.

The on site Program Supervisor, who oversees all of the classroom programs and happenings throughout our centre, holds an ECE Diploma with a minimum of three years experience working within a childcare setting and is registered with the College of ECE’s.

STUDENTS AND VOLUNTEERS

From time to time Helping Hands works in collaboration with local community colleges and will accept co-op students and volunteers.  To help support the safety and wellbeing of the children in the care of Helping Hands, while a student or volunteer is present:

• No child will be supervised by a person under 18 years of age
• Only employees of Helping Hands will have direct unsupervised access to the children
• Students/volunteers may not be counted in the staffing ratios at Helping Hands

Admission

• Children between the ages of 18 months and 5 years shall be eligible for enrolment.
• For part time spaces, there is a minimum enrolment of 2 full days per week.
• Priority is given to
  • Current families
  • Employees of Helping Hands Child Care Centre
  • Community at large.
• Applications may be taken at any time during the year for the current or subsequent year; the centre Supervisor is responsible for informing applicants of their status on the waitlist when inquired.
• Upon the parents acceptance of a child care space a deposit of 2-weeks and registration fee is required to reserve the space.
• Once a parent has accepted a placement at the centre, the Supervisor will make an appointment with the parent and child to further discuss child care needs and complete the necessary forms.
• Children in the program should be free of communicable disease and in a state of wellness which will enable them to participate in the program.

• An Application of Enrollment (Admission 1-01(a), Emergency Contact From (Admission 1-01(b)), and a recently completed immunization form (Admission 1-01(c)) must be on file at the centre prior to the child’s admission.
• A Parent Package is provided to the parents (Admission 1-01(d)).

• Efforts are made to recognize the uniqueness of each child.
• We ask that all children who centre into Helping Hands grant a 1 week integration period to familiarize themselves with the program and staff. Parents are required to attend the centre with their child/ren for this week for approximately 1 hour a day.

Waitlist Procedure

• Families will fill out a Waitlist Application Form, this can be submitted in person or online
• Enrolment is given based on Date of Application and availability within the Centre.
• Priority is given to
  • Current families
  • Employees of Helping Hands Child Care Centre
• Applications may be taken at any time during the year for the current or subsequent year; the centre Supervisor is responsible for informing applicants of their status on the waitlist when inquired.
• Status on the waitlist is determined by the number of applicants currently on the waitlist ahead of the inquiring party, whether they require care for the same time as the inquiring party or not.

Arrival and Departure

Upon arrival, please inform your child’s teacher of any changes in routines or behavior which may affect their participation in the program.  We encourage parents to accompany their children to the centre and present their child to the staff.  This ensures that staff is notified of the child’s arrival.

To maximize your child’s participation in the program, we request that children arrive prior to 10:00am.

If parents are unable to pick up their child, staff must be notified of alternative arrangements.  This can be done by telling the staff in the morning or calling the centre Supervisor during the day.  Only those written as “Emergency Alternate Contacts” may pick up your child unless otherwise stated in writing.  This person must provide a staff with valid identification before the child may be released.

If you know you will be late (beyond 6pm), please notify the centre with a phone call, so that a staff member can inform your child of the routine change and arrange to stay late.  A late fee of $10.00 for the first 5 minutes and $1.00 minute thereafter is due the next day to the staff member who remained with your child.

All children must be signed in and out on the daily log sheet in the child’s classroom binder.  This log sheet is also used by your child’s classroom teachers to indicate your child’s daily eating, sleeping and toileting information.

Parents are requested to notify the centre Supervisor via email or phone of their child’s absence from the program by 10:00 am on the day of absence if possible.

Availability of Parents in Emergency

You must advise the centre Supervisor of any changes in address, telephone number, employment, emergency person etc.  It is vital that the Supervisor is able to contact you in an emergency situation.  Please note that in an emergency situation (ill health, accident etc.) you are required to pick up your child within 1 hour of the first phone call.  The centre has an Emergency policy in place, that can be viewed by parents upon request.

Meals

Everyday a morning snack, afternoon snack and hot noon meal are provided.  All meals are nutritionally balance to supply the needed nourishment for your child and follow Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating.  The menu is posted on the Parent Communication board located in the front vestibule and inside all of the classroom binders.  If your child has any food allergies please list them on your child’s application forms upon enrollment.

• Due to the severity of Anaphylactic Allergies there is no outside food or drinks permitted inside the centre.
• Helping Hands is a nut free
• Parents are responsible for provide a bottle and or training cups if their child is not yet able to manage the cups provided.

Sleep

All children will have the opportunity to sleep on a daily basis to ensure optimal health and development. This sleep period each day is a maximum of 2 hours in length.  Upon enrolment, parents have the opportunity to communicate any specific sleep habits their child may have (no nap, shortened nap, etc.).  Children who do not sleep or have limited sleep schedules will be given quiet activities on their bed during the scheduled rest period.  A visual sleep check is carried out by all staff every 15 minutes during the rest period.  Any significant changes in sleep patterns or behaviours will be communicated either verbally or through written communication in the child’s daily log.  Daily sleep logs are located in each child’s classroom, parents may request to see the sleep log at any time.

Health

Children may not come to the centre if they are ill.  If your child becomes ill during the day, you will be contacted to pick him/her up.  Here are some common symptoms:

• Any child with a temperature higher than 101.0 Fahrenheit.
• Any child who has 2 bouts of diarrhea/ vomiting or has 1 bout of each
• Any child who has an undiagnosed rash.
• A combination of symptoms that staff find alarming.
• Any child with a Communicable Disease and Infection.

If at any time you are unsure if your child can attend the centre please contact the centre Supervisor or the local Health Department (905-825-6000).

Medications

Staff can administer prescribed and non-prescribed medication to children when provided with a written authorization form (ask the classroom teacher for the “Medication Administration Form”).  Prescribed and non-prescribed medication’s are accepted in the original container and are stored in a locked container in the centre’s kitchen.  Please remove medication from the centre once it is no longer needed.  Please note that non-prescribed medication can only be administered to a maximum of 2 consecutive days; if your child is still showing symptoms of the cold they should seek medical attention.

Behavior Guidance Policy

As parents it is important to feel comfortable with the behavior guidance practices that your child care centre is implementing.  As a centre our goal is to always re-direct the children in a positive manner that does not undermine their self-esteem.  An annual review of our behavior guidance policy is done with all the staff as well as a quarterly behavior guidance review that is filled out by the centre supervisor based on their observations of the staff with the children.  Our goal is to:

• Provide positive reinforcement consistently throughout the day.
• Provide a variety of age appropriate materials and activities.
• Model positive behaviors.
• Problem solve with the children; help children to verbalize the problem and participate in the resolution.
• Redirect the children to a more appropriate activity if staff do not see an improvement with the way the child is playing.
• Enforce the rules in a positive, personal manner.
• Try to understand the reasons for a child behaving in a disruptive manner (hitting, kicking, biting).
• Communicate the behavioral situation to the parent.

Our Centre Never Permits:

No licensee shall permit, with respect to a child receiving child care at a child care centre it operates or at a premises where it oversees the provision of child care,

              (a) corporal punishment of the child;

              (b) physical restraint of the child, such as confining the child to a high chair, car seat, stroller or other device for the purposes of discipline or in lieu of supervision, unless the physical restraint is for the purpose of preventing a child from hurting himself, herself or someone else, and is used only as a last resort and only until the risk of injury is no longer imminent;

             (c) locking the exits of the child care centre or home child care premises for the purpose of confining the child, or confining the child in an area or room without adult supervision, unless such confinement occurs during an emergency and is required as part of the licensee’s emergency management policies and procedures;

              (d) use of harsh or degrading measures or threats or use of derogatory language directed at or used in the presence of a child that would humiliate, shame or frighten the child or undermine his or her self-respect, dignity or self-worth;

              (e) depriving the child of basic needs including food, drink, shelter, sleep, toilet use, clothing or bedding; or

              (f) inflicting any bodily harm on children including making children eat or drink against their will.

Parent Issues and Concerns

Parents/guardians are encouraged to take an active role in our child care centre and regularly discuss what their child(ren) are experiencing with our program. As supported by our program statement, we support positive and responsive interactions among the children, parents/guardians, child care providers and staff, and foster the engagement of and ongoing communication with parents/guardians about the program and their children. Our staff are available to engage parents/guardians in conversations and support a positive experience during every interaction.

All issues and concerns raised by parents/guardians are taken seriously by Helping Hands Child Care Centre Inc. and will be addressed. Every effort will be made to address and resolve issues and concerns to the satisfaction of all parties and as quickly as possible.

Issues/concerns may be brought forward verbally or in writing. Responses and outcomes will be provided verbally, or in writing upon request. The level of detail provided to the parent/guardian will respect and maintain the confidentiality of all parties involved.

An initial response to an issue or concern will be provided to parents/guardians within 1 business day. The person who raised the issue/concern will be kept informed throughout the resolution process.

Investigations of issues and concerns will be fair, impartial and respectful to parties involved.

Every issue and concern will be treated confidentially and every effort will be made to protect the privacy of parents/guardians, children, staff, students and volunteers, except when information must be disclosed for legal reasons (e.g. to the Ministry of Education, College of Early Childhood Educators, law enforcement authorities or a Children’s Aid Society).

Our centre maintains high standards for positive interaction, communication and role-modeling for children. Harassment and discrimination will therefore not be tolerated from any party.

If at any point a parent/guardian, provider or staff feels uncomfortable, threatened, abused or belittled, they may immediately end the conversation and report the situation to the supervisor and/or owner.

Concerns about the Suspected Abuse or Neglect of a child

Everyone, including members of the public and professionals who work closely with children, is required by law to report suspected cases of child abuse or neglect.

If a parent/guardian expresses concerns that a child is being abused or neglected, the parent will be advised to contact the local Children’s Aid Society (CAS) directly.

Persons who become aware of such concerns are also responsible for reporting this information to CAS as per the “Duty to Report” requirement under the Child and Family Services Act.

For more information, visit http://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/English/childrensaid/reportingabuse/index.aspx

Procedure for Staff:

If an issue/concern is brought to a staff members attention they should:

1. Address any minor issues at the time the parent brings the issue/concern to their attention. Explain to the parent the steps you will take in addressing the issue/concern.
2. For all minor issues/concerns staff will follow up with the parent on the outcome of the situation after the concern.issue has been addressed.
3. Minor issues/concerns and how the issue/concern was addressed should be brought to the Supervisor/Owner’s attention as soon as possible, so they are aware.
4. For any issues/concerns that staff cannot address at the time it is brought to their attention, they should bring the issue/concern to the Supervisor/Owner’s attention as soon as possible.
5. The Supervisor/Owner will work with the staff members to address the issue/concern with the parent.

Procedure for Parents:

If a parent has an issue/concern that they would like addressed they should:

1. Bring the issue forward either verbally or written to either the staff and/or Supervisor and/or Owner
2. An initial response to the parent will come within 1 business day.
3. Staff/Supervisor/Owner will address the issue in a way that keeps all information confidential and keeps the person who raised the issue/concern informed of the process.
4. A written report detailing the concern/issue and the steps taken to resolve and address the issue can be provided to the person who raised the issue/concern upon request.
5. A follow up to the issue/concern will be made to the person who raised the issue/concern within an agreed upon time frame by the Staff/Supervisor/Owner.

Parent-Teacher Interviews

Formal parent-Teacher interviews are scheduled annually in June.  Interviews may also be arranged at your request throughout the year by contacting the centre Supervisor.

Field Trips

Occasionally we will plan field trips to expand our learning experiences beyond the centre.  All parents will be notified at least 2 weeks prior to the field trip and are required to sign consent indicating your child’s participation in the excursion.  If you do not want your child to attend, there is always alternative care provided at the centre.  Please understand that on these days your child may participate in a mixed age grouping until their class returns.  Field trips are parent funded.

At Helping Hands we thrive on making you and your family feel safe, secure and comforted.  At anytime while your child is in our care, please feel free to contact the centre Supervisor or pop on in and observe how your child’s day is going.

We hope you enjoy your time here!