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Internal
Rules
(Document approved by the Board of Directors)
Updated January 2005
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Welcome to Vanier Childcare
Centre
2. Presentation of the Childcare
Centre
3. Rules of the corporation
1. General guidelines
2. Philosophy and objectives
3. Operating hours
4. Schedule and program of activities
5. Ratio
6. Swim Day
7. Gym/Dance studio
8. Music
9. Field trips
10. Outdoor play
11. Toys and Equipment
12. Appropriate clothing
13. Lunches and snacks
14. Nutrition
15. Food allergies and or restrictions
16. Holidays and birthdays
17. Visitors
18. Enrolment policy
19. Eligibility
20. Procedure concerning the waiting list
21. Registration and admission
22. Conditions under which a child can continue going to the childcare
centre during the year and return the following years
23. Service contract
4. Eligibility
1. Waiting list priorities
(Internal and External)
2. Waiting list procedure
3. Registration and admission
4. Criteria for continuing a given year and eligibility for following
years
5. Service contract
1. Fees and payment schedule
2. Withdrawal
3. Late fees
6 Health and Safety
1. Medical forms
2. Medications
3. Illness
4. Fever
5. General safety
6. Emergency numbers
7. Emergency evacuation procedures / fire drills
8. Transportation of children
9. Unforeseen closing
7. Parent participation
8. Fieldwork students
Annexe 1
- Educational program
- Daily schedule
- Field trips
Annexe 2
- Meal plan samples
Annexe 3
- Registration forms
Annexe 4
- Contract sample
Annexe 5
- List of holidays
Annexe 6
- Payment schedule
Annexe 7
- Health file
VANIER
CHILDCARE CENTRE
INTERNAL RULES
Permit #1632 7314
1. Welcome to the Vanier
Childcare Centre!
We at the Vanier Childcare
Centre hope that your association with us will be an enjoyable and beneficial
one. Within our centre, particular emphasis is placed upon developing
a sense of community, trust and mutual respect for both adults and children.
Vanier Childcare Centre is a facility that serves the children of the
staff, faculty and students of Vanier College. However, it cannot guarantee
places for all families needing or wanting to use this form of childcare.
The atmosphere in the Centre is one that combines love, security, protection
and physical care with creative educational experiences, thus enabling
the child to reach his/her full potential. If you have any questions,
comments or concerns at any time we encourage you to share them with us.
We look forward to building a meaningful relationship with you and your
child.
- The Staff, Parents and Children of the Vanier Childcare Centre
2. Presentation of the CPE
The permit holder of the CPE
Vanier is a non-profit corporation, incorporated by virtue of part three
of the Loi sur les compagnies (Companies Act) and subsidized by the Ministère
de la Famille. The Vanier Childcare Centre holds a permit from the Ministère
de la Famille, allowing it to receive up to 30 children from ages 18 months
to 5 years. For its premises, the corporation holds an occupancy permit
from the town of Ville Saint Laurent. CPE Vanier operates in a work environment
and gives precedence to children of the staff and student body of VANIER
COLLEGE and that for all its available places. On a broader level, Vanier
Childcare Centre is committed to providing children with an educational
daycare service that promotes their physical, intellectual, emotional,
social, and moral development in conformance with the program under the
authority of the regulation (L.R.Q., chapitre S-41, chapitre II, Permis
/ R.S.Q., chapter S?4.1, chapter II, Permit). A Board of 9 directors administers
the corporation, 7 of who are parents-clients of the daycare services,
the administrator and a staff member. The president of the Board must
be a parent. The childcare centre is a member of the CPE Committee of
Ville Saint Laurent, the QAPPD (Québec Association of Preschool
Professional Development), and the NAEYC (National Association for the
Education of Young Children).
3. Rules of the corporation
General guidelines
The services aim to assure,
in particular, the health, safety, development, and well-being of the
children. We are committed to offering quality services to children and
to families.
Philosophy and objectives
Vanier Childcare Centre offers a child-oriented environment. Through participation
in our program, we hope to instil in each child a sense of curiosity and
genuine interest in his/her environment, which will serve as a solid foundation
for future learning. This desire to learn can only come about once each
child has developed a sense of self-confidence and a positive self-esteem.
Operating hours
Vanier Childcare Centre is
open from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Schedule and program of
activities (Annexe 1)
Currently, we have four groups
of children:
- -group 1 from age 18 to 23 months 10 children ratio: 5/1
-group 2 from age 24 to 35 months 12 children ratio: 6/1
-group 3 from age 36 to 47 months 16 children ratio: 8/1
-group 4 from age 48 to 59 months 16 children ratio: 8/1
There are certain times during the day where all of the children are together,
such as outdoor play and "family grouping" in the morning.
Each group follows a basic daily schedule that is posted outside each
classroom (see attached copy).
The Vanier Childcare Centre adheres to the educational program developed
by the Ministère de la Famille This program is based on the principle
that children learn through play.
Daily activities are planned according to the age, developmental level
and interests of the children. An outline of these activities will be
posted for you reference.
French as a second language:
The aim of the FSL program is to introduce French as a second language
in a manner that is in keeping with the daycare's philosophy of respecting
children's individual learning styles and developmental levels and using
play as means of learning. Preschoolers are more able to tolerate linguistic
ambiguity; they do not have to necessarily understand the words that are
spoken, but gather meaning from actions and gestures. The educator providing
the FSL program will draw on this tolerance and learning style while being
sensitive to any child who requires more attention in a first language.
We believe that children learn language when they have many opportunities
to hear people talk and to speak with people who are important to them.
This includes parents, siblings, other family members, friends and caregivers.
The FSL program at Vanier is to be implemented by a qualified educator
who will interact with the children on a daily basis in the French language.
Each group has an age appropriate selection of French storybook, audiocassettes,
computer games ect. To complement the Frensh program and ensure that French
is an integral part of the program and not simply offered in isolated
instances.
Vanier College has many facilities that are available to us, such as its
library, the auditorium, various labs, the sports complex, and audio visual
services.
The following are some of the special activities that are part of our
weekly schedule:
Swim Day: Once a week the children participate in a swim program at the
Vanier sports complex. Each child is paired with a Vanier "Swim Buddy"
with whom it can enjoy the Olympic-size pool and all the water toys and
equipment the college has to offer. The program is organized by a Vanier
physical education teacher, who also sees to it that supervision through
daycare educators and a qualified lifeguard are on site.
The swim program is subject to the Vanier College schedule of courses
offered.
Gym/Dance Studio: An
alternative to Swim Day is "Gym Day". The daycare educators
plan and implement a variety of fun activities that stimulate and develop
the children's gross motor skills and their overall physical development.
Activities include stretching, climbing, swinging, running, cooperative
games, and dance.
Outdoor play: we ofer a large, enclosed play yard accessiblefrom
each playroom. Outdoor play is scheduled in the a.m and p.m weather permitting.
Toys and equipment: All
of the toys, equipment and materials at the Vanier Childcare Centre have
been carefully selected with safety, durability, creative and educational
value in mind. In order to ensure that the toys will be available for
all the present and future CPE children, we do not allow them to be taken
home. The children's interest and enthusiasm will remain, knowing that
their favourite items are always on site at the centre.
We discourage the practice of bringing toys from home to the centre (unless
for special occasions such as Teddy Bear Day or Show& Tell). This
is because it is difficult for us to ensure that objects from home meet
safety standards for all of the age groups that we serve. The daycare
centre is not responsible for the loss or damage of toys brought from
home.
Television/Videos: We
occasionally borrow a television and VCR from the audio visual department
in order to show a special video, including video tapes of the children
themselves taken during outings etc. Our French program includes a series
of videos designed for preschoolers to learn French as a second language.
We might show an appropriate video on a rainy day or for a special theme
day. We discourage families from bringing videos from home, unless they
have discussed it with the educator in advance.
You are free to encourage your child to borrow books from the Centre and
to share them at home.
Optional activities: special
activities may be offered from year to year. For any additional activities
where a fee is required, aseparate permission form and fee agrement will
be provided. These "service plus" activities are optional.
Example:
- Music: Once a week, a music
specialist visits the Centre to provide a fun, entertaining, and interactive
music experience for the children.
- Field trips: From time to time throughout the year, field trips beyond
the Saint-Laurent community are planned.
Normally, we plan two large scale "school bus" outings per year
in addition to local visits to the fire station, community library, or
local merchants. Notice of such trips is given in advance and parents
are welcome to participate.
A fee will be charged to cover the costs of the trips. When going on field
trips, the children are divided into small groups beforehand and assigned
to specific educators or parents for the duration of the trip. Should
the ratio of children to educators and parents be too high for the planned
field trip, student assistants will be hired.
When public transportation is used, the ratio of children to adults is
2/1.
Appropriate clothing
Children are to wear clothing suitable for full participation in the daycare
program, including sand and water play.
Non-slip shoes are a must.
A full set of spare clothing is needed and will be kept in the child's
personal cubby.
Outdoor play is part of our daily routine, we ask parents to dress their
child/children appropriately for each season (i.e. rain boots, raincoat
and splash pants, mittens, or warm clothing). Parents are to provide the
following items, labeled with the child's name:
- A complete set of extra clothes in case of spills or change of weather.
Extra socks and mittens are often appropriate.
- A comb or brush.
- Diapers, wipes and (zinc cream if you wish) for those in diapers.
- Pacifiers (in a Ziploc bag) which will be used only at nap time, upon
the parents' request.
- Sunscreen when appropriate (without PABA).
Nutrition : Lunches and snacks (Annexe
2)
Our daily meals are nutritionally balanced in accordance with the Canada Food Guide. A complete & nutritionally balanced meal is provided at noon.
The cook will prepare the menus and they will be reviewed and evaluated each spring.
Two nutritious snacks (including juice, milk, or spring water) are provided daily one in the morning and one after rest time. Children are not admitted into the kitchen unless accompanied by an adult.
We are a nut – aware Center, traces of nuts and their by-products may be found in foods through contamination during food preparation. CPE Vanier cannot guarantee a completely nut-free environment.
The health and safety of your child is our first priority at all times therefore, it is strictly forbidden to bring any food from home. We will have exceptions for special occasions such as International pot luck lunch; end of the year gatherings and we will remind families not to use any products containing nuts.
Food allergies or restrictions
It is the responsibility of the parent to inform the CPE, during enrolment or as soon as the condition arises, of any food allergy or restriction their child has.
If a child is allergic to peanuts or other nuts, all products that may contain these are considered toxic and are banned from the Centre.
Holidays and birthdays
We view holidays as a learning experience as well as a time for celebration. We encourage parents to inform staff of dates and traditions that may be shared by all.
We highlight each child's birthday. We offer to have a birthday cake prepared by our cook for your child’s special day which does not contain nuts for a charge of $10.00.
Visitors
An open-door policy exists
for parents of the Centre's enrolled children. Other individuals wishing
to visit the Centre must make arrangements with the Administrator in advance.
4. Eligibility: There
are two waiting lists for CPE Vanier: Internal and External.
In order to be considered for eligibility on the internal waiting list,
the parent must be validated by the registrar's office as a student or
the human resources department as an employee, according to the priorities
outlined below.
The internal waiting list has priority over the external waiting list.
The ranking within this internal waiting list is established along the
following criteria:
Waiting List 1
First priority: To children
one of whose parents/legal guardians works or studies full-time at Vanier
College during the day. This priority will also be given to children of
CPE Vanier full-time employees.
Second priority: Second Priority: Children, one of whose parents/legal guardians works or studies at Vanier College on a part-time day basis. (Only credit courses are eligible; life skills courses do not qualify.)
Third priority: Children whose
extended family member (grand-parent, aunt, uncle) is an employee of Vanier
College.
Waiting List 2
External waiting list: Applications
from families outside of the Vanier College community will be considered
once the needs for daycare services for the Vanier College community have
been met. Priority will be given to people who are working or studying.
Unless the Vanier community needs have been met entirely, we will accept
no more than 20 applications for this list.
Waiting list procedure:
- Applications
are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis according to the criteria
for each waiting list.
- Applications
will only be accepted for a child who is already born.
- In
the case of an adoption, the applicant must provide proof of the intended
adoption and of the date he/she is expecting to receive the child.
- The
applicant must come in person to fill out the application form.
- Once
the groups have been confirmed for the August semester, the waiting list
will be updated.
- It
is the applicant's responsibility to inform us of any changes in the information
given in the application. If the centre is unable to contact an applicant
using the given information, his/her name will be removed from the waiting
list.
Registration and admission:
(Annex 3)
- Spaces
are distributed beginning in April for the upcoming academic year.
- Families
who are eligible will be contacted by phone to verify that they still
meet the eligibility requirements and are interested in the space.
- A
written letter of acceptance is then forwarded to the family.
- If
the family refuses an available space, their application will be removed
from the waiting list. If they wish to reapply for a future date, they
will have to submit a new application. This new application will then
be put on the waiting list according to its new date of application.
-
If a space becomes available in mid-session, the parent has the option
to refuse it until the following August semester. Their priority on the
waiting list will not be jeopardized in this instance.
- The
groups are organized according to the age of the children. Normally, when
a space becomes available, children are accepted according to the application
date and the age category. However, the Centre also has a family orientation
that gives preference to siblings of an already registered child. This
preferential treatment is applied provided the older sibling returns to
the Centre the following year and provided that the parent still meets
the eligibility requirements. An application for a sibling of a registered
child from the outside community will be considered only if the needs
of the Vanier Community have been met and providing that the siblings
would benefit from at least one year together.
- Registration
appointments are arranged with the parents for the month of May or June.
- During
registration, the parent and child will have the opportunity to see the
premises, meet the staff and ask questions about the program.
- Parents
are asked to sign a consent form to have their status at Vanier verified
with the College each semester. Failure to meet the eligibility criteria
within the first semester of enrollment will result in the immediate loss
of the daycare space.
The documents required for
registration are:
1. The child's original birth
certificate
2. The original birth certificate or proof of permanent residence or citizenship
of the parent who is registering the child, as required for the reduced
contribution ($5/day).
3. The child's health insurance card
4. The child's vaccination record
5. The signed consent form for verifying the parent's status as a Vanier
student or employee in accordance with the eligibility criteria.
A copy of each document will
be made and kept in the child's file.
- A
complete registration package will be given to the parent/guardian including
the service contract, the$7/day eligibility form, and all relevant documentation
from the Centre. The membership fee of $35 is due at this time.
- A
separate service contract is to be renewed annually.
- The
service contract is to be renewed annually.
Criteria for continuing during a given year and for eligibility for the following year/s.
- It
is the parent/guardian's responsibility to inform CPE Vanier of any changes
in their situation regarding eligibility. Failure to do so may result
in the loss of the childcare services.
- An
annual service agreement is to be signed between CPE Vanier and the eligible
parent/ guardian.
Should a parent lose eligibility i.e. is no longer an employee or a student
of Vanier College, the following will be considerations for the child
to continue at CPE Vanier. In all cases, the parent must maintain thair
good standing* at CPE Vanier.
- Should
the parent lose eligibility as a validated student (other than graduating)
oras a Vanier employee during the school year, the child will be allowed
to continue at CPE Vanier until the end of the school year.
- Providing
that the child of a validated student has attended CPE Vanier for at least
one year ;and providing that the parents is graduating from Vanier College
and has remained in good standing* at CPE Vanier for at least one school
year, the child will be allowed to remain at CPE Vanier until he/she goes
to kindergarten. Official proof of graduation must be provided.
- Providing
that the child who is registered at CPE Vanier will be 4 years old by
September 30th of the upcoming year, he/she will be allowed to complete
the last year at CPE Vanier before kindergarten.
(the last official day of attendance will be the Friday before the first
day of the August semester, in order to avoid an overlap of newly registered
children and those who are leaving for kindergarden).
- If
a child stops going to daycare in order to accompany a parent/guardian
on an authorized leave of absence, he/she will be given first priority
for the next available space for his/her age group. This privilege is
offered only if the parent/guardian gave adequate notice of his/her intention
to return and provided that he/she is going on a medical leave of absence
as a student or a recognized leave as an employee of Vanier College.
- No
registered child can be "bumped" to accommodate a returning
family.
- Families
from outside the Vanier community must remain in good standing* to continue
receiving childcare services from CPE Vanier. Once accepted from the outside
waiting list, they will not be "bumped" to accommodate a Vanier
family.
- The
leave of absence consideration does not apply to families outside the
Vanier community.
- The
services of CPE Vanier are considered to be a privilege and not a right.
Families benefiting from these services must remain in good standing*.
The CPE Vanier Board of Directors reserves the right to revoke the privilege
of childcare services from anyone who fails to remain in good standing.
- The
CPE Vanier board of directors reserves the right to consider special circumstances
presented to them by the center director regarding the criteria for the
continuation of services at CPE Vanier.
*To remain in good standing,
parents/guardians must respect the CPE Vanier rules and regulations that
they will have read and signed upon registering. Parents/guardians must
also respect the service agreement and pay their fees when due.
All information provided by the parents/guardians is treated confidentially.
Only full-time educators have access to family files. CPE Vanier cannot
communicate any information, including telephone numbers, without the
consent of the parents.
Inspectors from the Ministère de la Famille make periodic visits
to CPE Vanier. The authorized inspector can consult the files to determine
that all the required documents are present; nevertheless, the anonymity
of the family is preserved.
5. Service contract: (Annexe
4)
The parent/guardian signs a
written agreement to use the Vanier Childcare Centre for a one-year period.
The contract stipulates the days of the week reserved for that child,
the fee per day and contract conditions are outlined on the reverse of
the document. The parent is to keep one copy of the contract and the original
is kept in the child's file.
Daycare holidays/closure coincide with those of the College. (Annexe 5).
Parents must pay the usual daily fee for statutory holidays, vacation
days, sick days and all other absences, according to the days reserved
for their child, as indicated on the service contract.
FEES AND PAYMENT SCHEDULE
Daycare fees are fixed at $7
per day. The payment schedule is included with the service contract (Annexe
6).
The daily rate is subject to change according to government regulations.
CPE Vanier complies with all the requirements and directives issued from
the Ministère de la Famille concerning services offered at a reduced
contribution rate.
Withdrawal
If parents decide to withdraw
their child from the daycare service, they should advise the CPE by sending
in their withdrawal notice (attached to the service contract) one month
in advance. The lower of the following two figures will be charged as
a withdrawal fee: either $50, or the sum representing at the most 10%
of the outstanding services, as permitted by the consumer protection agency.
Late fees
Parents who pick up their child
(ren) after 6:15 p.m. will be subject to a flat fee of $10.00 and $1.00
a minute, e.g., if a parent leaves the building with his/her child (ren)
at 6:20PM, the parent will be charged $15. A second or subsequent occurrence
may result in the suspension of childcare services for three (3) days
or in the cancellation of the contract.
A late arrival journal is kept
where the date and time of a late pick-up are indicated, to be signed
by the parent and by the educator present at the time. The Director will
issue the late fee notice and all fee’s are payable to CPE Vanier.
6. HEALTH AND SAFETY
Medical forms (Annexe 7)
All parents must complete and
return a medical form to the Centre before a child is admitted. A copy
of the immunization record will be kept on file, including the Medicare
number.
It is the parent's responsibility to inform the staff of any health/medical
concerns regarding his/her child, in order that we may provide the best
possible care for that child.
If a child is allergic to peanuts or other nuts, all products that may
contain these will be considered toxic and will be banned from the Centre
while that child is registered to attend.
Traces of nuts and their by-products may be found in foods through contamination
during food preparation. CPE Vanier cannot guarantee a completely nut-free
environment.
Medications are kept under lock and key.
A full-time educator may administer a prescription medication with the
written consent of the parent.
The medication must be in its original container with a clearly visible
label indicating the child's name, the name of the medication and the
dosage, duration of treatment, and expiry date.
A register is kept indicating the name of the child, type of medication,
dosage, date, and time administered along with the signature of the responsible
educator. The parent authorization sheet is also kept in the register.
Acetaminophen, diaper cream and PABA-free sunscreen may be given when
necessary, if the parent has signed the appropriate protocol sheet.
Illness
A child with fever, rash, diarrhoea, or who has been vomiting, must not
be brought to the Centre. Should these symptoms occur during the day,
parents/guardians will be asked to pick up the child. The child will only
be readmitted when those symptoms have not reoccurred over a 24-hour period.
It is recommended that the child be examined by the family physician.
Fever
A child is considered to have fever when the underarm temperature exceeds
37.2 °C. The child will be put in a quiet rest area where he/she will
be monitored and offered fluids to drink. If the underarm temperature
reaches 38°C, the parent will be notified and asked to pick up the
child. Acetaminophen can be given if the parent has signed the permission
form. If possible, the parent will be consulted before acetaminophen is
given.
General safety
Every precaution is taken to ensure that your child enjoys a safe, hazard-free
environment. We take great care to enforce safety rules and the children
are taught safety procedures to follow in case of danger.
All poisonous and hazardous materials are kept locked in a cupboard and
medication is kept in a locked medical box. A first aid kit is also kept
in the Centre. Educators are required to take a "First Aid Refresher"
course every three (3) years.
Whenever the children are away from the Centre for an outing, the accompanying
educator carries a backpack with a first aid kit and a list of emergency
phone numbers.
Universal precautions are followed at all times.
Vanier College Health Service Department is available to us for minor
incidents and for consultations.
Emergency: The College Security
phone number is 744-7575.
Phone numbers - a list
of emergency numbers is kept by the phones in the Centre, including parents'
numbers. Parents must inform the centre of any change in contact information.
In the case of serious illness and/or accident, a full-time staff member
will seek immediate medical assistance as the situation warrants. He or
she may call 911 or go to the nearest medical emergency service. The parent
or other person designated by the parent will be notified as soon as possible.
An incident report will be completed and kept on file.
Unforeseen closing
In the event that the College does not open due to a snowstorm, ice storm,
etc., the daycare centre will remain closed as well.
Parents are asked to tune in to any of the major radio stations for closure
listings.
If the College should close unexpectedly during the day, parents will
be notified and asked to pick up their children as soon as possible.
Evacuation procedure / Fire
drills
Vanier College authorities
are required to alert CPE Vanier each time a fire drill takes place, so
that the CPE can participate. In case of a real emergency or a situation
deemed dangerous, the CPE is alerted immediately, whether an evacuation
is necessary or not. It is primordial that we have exact contact information
in order to be able to reach the parents to inform/reassure them. The
contact person at the CPE in case of emergency is the Director of the
Center. In the Director's absence, another employee of the center will
receive the information and follow the emergency procedures.
If the College has to close due to bad weather or for any other reason,
the CPE will be informed immediately. Radio announcements of the closing
of the College mention the CPE as well.
Two educators are responsible for each class and keep a list of the children
present on the premises of the CPE on a daily basis. If any changes take
place, the list is immediately updated.
In case of a fire drill or evacuation procedure:
The College authorities send a security officer to the CPE to help with
the evacuation and to make sure, above all, that the children can access
the exit safely.
Everyone is to remain calm. In an orderly and composed fashion, the responsible
educator gathers the children of his/her group, counts them, and checks
off their names on the attendance sheet.
In winter, time permitting,
one educator will gather the children's coats to distribute them. In order
to save time, boots and other winter clothing are not gathered in emergency
situations.
Once all of the children have
been counted and the class list has been verified, the group will calmly
evacuate the building, proceeding two by two, using the 845 exit.
The educators must bring the list of the children present in their group
with them.
An adult makes sure that everyone has left the building and closes the
doors and windows if he/she has time.
The groups gather in the entrance area of the sports complex; it is there
that theparents can meet up with them.
If the sports complex was also evacuated, the groups gather on the lawn
across from 845 where the parents can find them.
CPE staff will only let a child leave with his/her parent or another authorized
person, as per the usual procedure.
The name of the child is stricken from the list of present children once
he/she leaves with the authorized adult.
The adult/child ratio is respected at all times. A CPE staff member will
remain on site as long as there are still children who have not yet been
picked up by an authorized person. This staff member will be in charge
of the list of present children, which must be retained for center records.
Transportation of children
All parents are expected to provide transportation for their child/ren,
both to and from the daycare centre.
The name, address and telephone number of the person authorized to pick
up the child is to be kept on file. In the event that the usual individual
cannot pick up the child, written authorization must be provided in advance
in order for the Centre to release the child.
7. Parent participation
The Vanier Childcare Centre
is a workplace daycare where the majority of parents are on site. We thus
have an open-door policy where parents are welcomed at the Centre at all
times.
Parents are encouraged to attend special events, General Assemblies, field
trips, and parent evenings organized by the centre.
The Vanier Childcare Centre is governed by a Board of Directors; the majority
of who are parents of children enrolled at the Centre. Elections of the
Board members are held at the General Assembly each September. There are
a total of nine members: 7 parents, the Administrator, and a staff member.
A detailed description of the Board mandate, including the responsibilities
of each member, can be found in the Centre's By-Laws.
Fieldwork Students
Students from the College's E.C.E. program may do an internship at the
CPE in order to fulfill their fieldwork requirements.
The number of placements shall not exceed two per room. (One per semester)
E.C.E. students are not to be left alone with the group as the responsible
educator and they do not figure into the adult/child ratio.
Complaints procedure
Complaints policy and procedure
1. Objective of the policy:
The policy establishes the guiding principles for handling complaints
concerning CPE Vanier. It defines the notion of the complaint and specifies
the appeals that clients and/or employees can lodge. Their satisfaction
being at the centre of the objectives, the decisions seek to adapt the
resources and services to their needs. By providing them with a complaints
procedure, they are prompted to participate in the determination and continual
improvement of the quality norms.
Eligible clientele:
All persons who are in contact with the CPE Vanier are considered to be
eligible clientele for the purpose of this policy. This may be a parent
client, a future client, an employee, a citizen, or his/her representative.
Definition of a complaint:
A complaint is a verbal or written expression of a dissatisfaction concerning
the services at CPE Vanier, which, addressed to the Administrator or to
the president of the Board of Directors, concerns an issue related to
the Loi sur les centres de la petite enfance et autre service de garde
a l'enfance, a regulation, or an administrative norm in vigour.
A complaint generally questions the quality of services offered concerning
one or the other of the following aspects:
- Accessibility
and continuity of services
-
Administrative functioning
-
Person affiliated with the CPE
- Health
and safety of children
Values:
The values that guide the evaluation of complaints against a CPE are as
follows:
- Collaboration
(sharing of information, respect)
- Solidarity
(transparency, loyalty, confidentiality)
- Cooperativeness
(promptness/speed, listening, respect)
- Responsibility
Main principles:
- All
complaints must be treated in respect of the values of CPE Vanier as well
as the rights of the plaintiff.
- A
complaint is considered as an occasion to improve the quality of services.
- All
staff members are called upon to be supportive to the person that wishes
to express or file a complaint.
- When
a person files a complaint, he/she is informed of the procedure that will
be taken to handle it as well as the role which the person-in-charge has
of its evaluation.
- All
complaints are handled promptly.
-
The person filing a complaint will be informed of the evolution of his/her
dossier and will be informed of the results of the evaluation.
Role and responsibilities:
The responsibility concerning
the handling of complaints lies with the general administration and is
shared among the Board of Directors, the Administrator, and the entirety
of persons that are in contact with the CPE. The responsibilities of each
vary depending on their powers, duties, functions, and responsibilities.
Procedure:
This present procedure has the objective of specifying the parameters
and steps to follow for implementing the complaints policy.
It seeks to foster the agreement between the plaintiff and the CPE in
order to better respond to the needs of the children and to increase the
satisfaction of the parents and/or the employees concerning the quality
of services at the CPE.
Filing a complaint:
Once a CPE staff member learns that a person is dissatisfied for their
services received, they must:
-
Inform this person of his/her right to file a complaint with the Administrator
and assist him/her in the steps to take.
· Directing them to the Administrator who will assist him/her in
the formulation of the complaint.
-
If the urgency of the situation calls for it, inform the Administrator
or his/her substitute directly.
Urgency: Any situation that can compromise the health, safety, or development
of the children and that demands an intervention either immediately or
within 24 hours.
The Administrator or his/her substitute
- Receives
all complaints that are expressed verbally or in writing (including e-mail).However,
if the complaint is about the Administrator, it should be submitted to
the president of the Board of Directors.
- Lends
assistance to the plaintiff in his/her articulation of the complaint
- Listens
and takes note of all information transmitted by the plaintiff.
1. name, address, and phone number of the plaintiff
2. time and date of receipt of the complaint
3. appeal
4. the object/s of the complaint
5. the degree of urgency of the complaint
6. description of facts
7. the plaintiff's expectation concerning the result of the handling of
his/her complaint
- Verify
if the complaint is in the realm of the plaintiff's competency
- Evaluate
if the complaint can be retained for review
A complaint cannot be retained
for review in any of the following cases:
- The
plaintiff is contacting another competent instance
- The
delay between the event in question and the submission of the complaint
is considered too long.
- The
complaint is far-fetched, harrassing, or in bad faith
- The
plaintiff withdraws the complaint
- The
plaintiff refuses to fully collaborate
- The plaintiff refuses
that his/her identity be revealed, where this is indispensable for the
review.
It is important to point out to the plaintiff that all complaints are
treated confidentially such that he/she will not hesitate to give his/her
name, address, and phone number. The plaintiff must be informed that the
quality of the evaluation of his/her complaint can be compromised, as
it will be impossible to reach him/her to obtain supplementary information
and to follow up with the procedure. If the plaintiff consents to revealing
his identity, he/she is given a consent form.
- If
a complaint is not kept for evaluation, the Administrator needs to impart
the reasons to the plaintiff.
Content of the "Complaint file"
All documents concerning the evaluation and regulations for a complaint
must be kept in a "Complaint file". The content of this file
must reflect the handling of the complaint as faithfully as possible.
The following information should be in the file:
- Registration
data of the complaint
- Correspondence
between the plaintiff and any other person participating in the handling
of the complaint.
- Accounts
of meetings with persons that participated in the evaluation of the complaint.
- Transcription
of verbal exchanges between all persons that participated in the evaluation
or resolving the complaint
- Response
of the plaintiff
Complaints concerning abuse:
The Administrator is obliged
to inform the Direction des Services à la Famille (Head of Family
Services), who must take charge of the complaint.
Other complaints:
When the subject of a complaint calls for an expertise that the person
in charge of the evaluation does not have, this person-in-charge must
solicit someone who does have this expertise in order to obtain the necessary
information or resources.
Evaluation of a second appeal:
A person files a complaint as a second appeal when he/she has not been
satisfied with his/her first measures and wishes that his/her complaint
be re-evaluated by the Board of Directors or by the Ministère.
The Administrator must inform the Board of Directors of the complaints
filed and handled in addition to recommending the necessary measures to
take in order to improve the quality of services.
2. Categories of complaint
issues
Accessibility and continuity
of services
a. Waiting list
b. Refusal to access of a spot
c. Expulsion of a child from the childcare centre
Administrative functioning
a. Permits
b. Registration form and attendance sheets
c. Board of Directors
d. Program for spaces at reduced cost
e. Financial aspects
f. Mandates of the CPE
g. Program of activities
h. Internal management
Person affiliated with the
CPE
a. Administrator
b. Educator
c. Other CPE staff member
Health and safety of children
a. Ratios
b. Accident or illness
c. Nutrition and meals
d. Medication
e. Cleaning products and toxic substances
f. Equipment, materials, and games
g. Premises/facilities
h. Hygiene
i. Toys and outdoor courtyard.
Ministère de la Famille
et de l'Enfance1, MFE, (Department of Child and Family Welfare)
In April 2001, the MFE launched its Politique et procédure administrative
concernant le traitement des plaintes à la qualité des services
de garde éducatifs au Québec (Policy and Procedure for handling
complaints regarding childcare services in Quebec). They have mandated
each childcare centre to share this information with the parents who use
or who wish to use the services.
The government considers families using regulated childcare services in
Quebec to be users of a public service. In providing them with a formal
procedure for placing complaints, we invite them to participate in determining
and improving the quality of these services.
A complaint, as defined by the MFE, is a dissatisfaction expressed verbally
or in writing (...) by an individual or his/her representative, and the
object of which is related to the Loi sur les centres de la petite enfance
et autres services de garde à l'enfance (Law governing Childcare
Centres and/or other childcare services), to the regulations, or to the
administrative norms currently in vigour.
The Ministère will submit a complaint directly to the centre in
question, in an effort to resolve it first hand.
Paraphrased from the MFE document entitled Politique et procédure
concernant le traitement des plaintes. (Policy and procedure concerning
the handling of complaints)
Complaints that are submitted directly to a childcare centre cannot be
reviewed at the same time by the Ministère. However, if the plaintiff
claims to be dissatisfied with the way in which the Centre has handled
the complaint, the Ministère will examine the complaint in a second
appeal.
The Ministère will give priority to complaints dealing with urgent
matters that concern the safety and security of the child in question.
Anyone who makes a formal complaint with the MFE will receive a written
acknowledgment of receipt. A result will usually be given within 45 days
of the receipt of the complaint.
Formal complaints are to be addressed to the "Direction générale
des services à la famille et à l'enfance".
The official documents pertaining to the policy and procedure set forth
by the Ministere are available at the daycare centre for anyone to refer
to.
Policy and procedure regarding
the screening of employees, potential employees, Board members, student
interns, and volunteers at CPE Vanier
The CPE Vanier Board of Directors has adopted the following policy to
carefully screen any individual called upon to spend time in the childcare
centre during the hours when the children are present, in accordance with
the law, the regulations, and the ethical requirements currently governing
childcare centres in Quebec. It is our mandate to ensure the safety of
the vulnerable clientele we serve, namely the children enrolled in our
centre who are from 18 months to 5 years old.
CPE Vanier has signed a protocol of understanding with the Service de
police de la Ville de Montréal, SPVM, (Montreal Police Department),
whereby the police agrees to verify the criminal background of individuals
aged 18 and over who agree to such an inquiry. In the protocol, CPE Vanier
names two individuals who are responsible for its implementation according
to all of the guidelines outlined in it. An original copy of the protocol
is kept at the centre.
The following are the positions/situations
that will warrant a criminal background check at CPE Vanier:
1. Members of the Board of Directors are subject to verification each
year. The forms are provided by the MFE, to be duly completed by each
Board member. The centre's Administrator keeps a copy of the completed
form in the individual's file. This document is to be kept in utmost confidence
and is to be accessible only to the Administrator, the individual concerned,
and the MFE.
2. Current and potential staff members are subject to verification at
least once every three years. The educator, assistant director, pedagogical
consultant, cook, and any other employee who is or will be present on
a regular basis during the hours when the children are present are subject
to police verification. All staff members must inform the centre's Administrator
of any situation that might result in the presence of a criminal offence
in his/her police file. (Chapter 18.1 of the Loi sur les centres de la
petite enfance et autres services de garde à l'enfance (Law respecting
childcare centres). The procedure for such checks is outlined further
on in this document.
3. As a member of the Board of Directors, the centre's Administrator is
automatically subject to verification each year.
4. Any person 18 years of age and older requesting to spend time in the
childcare centre in the presence of the children (including student interns,
volunteers, substitute educators) is subject to verification by the SPVM.
The CPE Vanier Board of Directors will establish an ethics committee of
three members, among them the centre's Administrator, who is normally
the primary liaison named in the memorandum with the Montreal Police Department.
This ethics committee is to be set up during a Board meeting each September
once the new members of the Board have been elected at the annual General
Assembly. The mandate of the ethics committee is to review all cases where
a criminal offence is found and to establish the criteria to be considered
in each case. The individual concerned will be invited to meet with the
ethics committee in order to clarify the situation. Once the situation
has been evaluated, the committee will make a recommendation to the Board,
who then makes the final decision.
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