General Policies

Welcome to Salina Child Care Center!!  For your child’s safety, you are responsible for bringing your child into the building and their classroom every day. Please escort your child into the classroom and be sure that a staff member is aware of your child’s arrival before you leave. Staff members are not responsible for your child until they enter the classroom. Please wash your child’s hands upon entering the classroom and see that your child’s coat and belongings are hung up.

Please call the center by 9:00 a.m. if your child will not be attending that day and prior notice has not been given. If you are going to be away from your place of work for the day, be sure to leave a phone number where you can be reached in case of an emergency.

Please observe the entrance and exit markings on the parking lot. In addition, please do not park in “handicapped” or “no parking areas”.

We will allow children to go with only those authorized persons listed on the child’s enrollment form unless other arrangements have been made with the staff for that day. Identification may be required for the safety and wellbeing of the child. 

Copies of legal documents must be provided to the Executive Director before any staff person can actively prevent non-custodial parents from picking up their child.

Children will not be released to anyone who cannot safely care for the child. Staff will notify the police if anyone under the apparent influence of alcohol/drugs tries to leave with a child.

Fees may be paid on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis and may be paid by check or money order, payable to Salina Child Care Center, or by Vision card for DCF eligible families. 

Fees accumulated for over one month delinquent could result in dismissal of a child unless other arrangements have been made with the Executive Director. Please address emergency situations as soon as possible. A $25.00 fee will be charged for all returned checks.

Because our program and licensing regulations require Salina Child Care Center to schedule staff based on the number of children enrolled, we cannot refund tuition for days a child is absent. We require a two week notice if care is no longer needed, whether the child is brought to the center for care.

SCCA programs are designed to benefit persons of all backgrounds. SCCA contracts with the Department for Children and Families (DCF). Parents will need to contact this office for further information.

SCCA closes promptly at 5:30 p.m. Late fees will be assessed at $1.00 per minute beginning at 5:30 p.m. for each child in care.

Enrollment papers and an enrollment interview must be completed before a child can attend. Parents and children are encouraged to visit several times prior to the first day of attendance. This will ease the adjustment for both!

We currently provide building tours to prospective families after we have determined availability.  This allows us to limit the number of guests in our program so that we do not disrupt the daily schedule for our young children.

Salina Child Care Center requires at least 2 weeks’ notice if you intend to withdraw your child from the program. Payment is due for those 2 weeks whether the child is brought to the center for care.

Salina Child Care Center reserves the right to terminate an enrollment for reasons of non-cooperation, delinquency in payment of fees, or inability of parent or child to adjust to our program or its philosophies. We realize that not every program will meet every child’s needs. We reserve the right to disenroll any child who presents a risk to the health or safety of other children or staff.

Salina Child Care Center adheres to state regulations regarding health assessments and immunization records for your child. These forms must be on file at the center for your child to attend. Please notify the center when your child receives updated immunizations.

Salina Child Care Center is not licensed to provide care for sick children, and it is inappropriate for child care staff to attempt to diagnose an illness, rash or fever. Your child may be sent home if: the illness prevents the child from participating comfortably in center activities; the illness results in a greater care need than the child care staff can provide without compromising the health and safety of the other children; or if the child has any of the following conditions:

• Temperature: axillary(armpit) temperature 100 degrees or greater; accompanied by behavior changes or other signs of illness until medical evaluation indicates the child may return to the center.
• Symptoms and signs of possible severe illness (such as unusual lethargy, uncontrolled coughing, irritability, persistent crying, difficult breathing, wheezing or other unusual signs) until medical evaluation allows inclusion.
• Uncontrolled diarrhea, that is, increased number of stools, and or decreased form that is not contained by the diaper or underwear until diarrhea stops.
• Vomiting illness (unless health care provider determines the illness to be non-communicable, and the child is not in danger of dehydration)
• Mouth sores with drooling, unless a health care provider determines the condition is noninfectious
• Rash with fever or behavior change, until a health care provider determines that these symptoms do not indicate a communicable disease.
• Purulent conjunctivitis (defined as pink eye w/ discharge) until 24 hours after treatment has been initiated.
• Untreated scabies, head lice or other infestation (child cannot return to care until treated with medicated shampoo and all nits are removed).
• Known contagious diseases while still in the communicable stage.

If your child is sent home because of illness, he/she must be free of any of the above symptoms for at least 24 hours before returning to the center.

If your child should become infected with a contagious disease, please notify the center immediately so staff may notify families of other children who may have been exposed to the contagious disease.

We will administer medication only upon written instruction from parents.  Prescription medications must be in the original container and must contain the date, child’s name, the physician’s name, the name of the medication, the pharmacy, dosage and dosage intervals. Over-the-counter medicine must be marked with your child’s name – we cannot exceed the recommended dosage for his/her age unless prescribed in writing by a physician. Signed parental permission is also required for over-the-counter medicines and must be renewed yearly.

SCCA is an equal opportunity provider. View nondiscrimination statement 

Our center participates in the Kansas State Dept. of Education Child and Adult Care Food Program. We are required to provide specific portion sizes, certain vitamins and a variety of food and texture for each meal. Breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack are provided and are served family style. Staff sit with the children at the table in small groups and socialization is encouraged. Preschool children are allowed to pour their own drinks, serve themselves as able and help with preparation and serving. Meal time is as much of the learning process as the rest of the curriculum.  Children are also involved in cooking activities throughout the year. No child will be forced to eat, but positive modeling and encouragement will be used.

Weekly menus are posted in the classrooms and on the bulletin board by the main door. Meals are included in fees.  There is no additional cost.

Please inform us of any allergies. Parents may need to provide for children who have diet restrictions and provide a substitution statement from a physician. Our center is a peanut/nut free environment.  We ask that children do not bring food or drink into the classroom unless it is for a special diet. Children wishing to eat breakfast at the center should arrive before 8:30 a.m.

We encourage mothers to nurse their babies if possible. A quiet, private area is available at the center upon request. Certain types of infant formula and baby foods are provided by the center. Parents will be responsible for providing any special infant formulas.

Parents are welcome at mealtime on an occasional basis. Please inform the director by 9:00 a.m. so enough food will be available. There is a separate charge for parents eating at the center.

Birthdays are a very special day in the life of a child. Your child may celebrate by bringing birthday treats for an afternoon snack. Feel free to come and share this special snack with us. Please arrange this with the classroom teachers as our numbers may vary from day to day and it is important that each child receive a treat. Other special days such as Halloween, Christmas and Valentine’s Day may be celebrated with special treats. For food safety reasons, we require all treats to be store-bought, no home-made items please. We would also like to recommend nutritious treats.

Fire and tornado drills are conducted periodically. In the event of an actual tornado warning your child will be moved to the basement. Please do not rush to the center to take your child home – we want to keep both you and your child safe. Disaster plans are posted in all classrooms. 

            In the unlikely event that the center is severely damaged or declared unsafe, all children will be evacuated to an emergency shelter where they will await your arrival.  Should such an emergency occur, the Executive Director will attempt to notify you as soon as possible. A notice will be posted at the center with information on the alternate site.

            All teaching staff are trained in Basic First Aid/Infant and Child CPR. If your child is injured at the center, first aid will be administered. In the event of a serious injury or acute illness, you will be notified immediately. When the injury or illness warrants immediate medical attention, an ambulance will be called, and your child will be transported to Salina Regional Health Center. A staff member will accompany your child to the hospital and remain until you arrive. However, the staff member may only leave with your child if adequate teacher/child ratio is still present at the center. 

Complete written reports of all incidents/accidents, minor or severe will be signed by parents and submitted to the Executive Director.

To better serve our families, SCCA will remain Open on a Limited Basis when USD 305 is closed for snow. Under this snow contingency plan, we hope to serve parents who must be at work and have NO other options for child care.

The following limits apply:

We will open at 7:30 a.m. if USD 305 is closed for snow or ice. If USD 305 is closed due to cold temperatures (no snow or ice) we will operate on our regular schedule of 6:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

If we open at 7:30 a.m. due to snow and ice – we will close at 4:30 p.m. Please pick your child up by 4:30 p.m. to avoid a late charge. (If we have enough staff, the storm has passed and the roads are clear later in the day, we may be able to stay open until 5:30 p.m. – we will make the decision that afternoon and notify parents.)

In the event of a general shutdown and lack of necessary services (ex. no electricity, heat or water), or extremely heavy snow or ice with impassable roads, the center will not open. We will post something on our Facebook page – Salina Child Care Association (you will NOT find our official page on Facebook if you type in Salina Child Care or Salina Child Care Center). We will also send information to your phone if you have signed up for the “Remind” app. Text @sccaparent to the number 81010 to stay informed.

If USD 305 lets school out early because of snow, we will remain open until our regular time of 5:30 p.m.  We may call families for early pick up if roads are becoming impassable.

The goal of discipline is to help children learn self-control. We will help teach children about appropriate behavior and how to get along with others. The following methods will be used to direct children’s behavior and to re-direct or distract misbehavior.

            For infants and toddlers, we will remove tempting items that are off limits. By nature, they are curious about people and things and are just learning. We will distract the child away from the activity that is not desired and use the word “NO” sparingly.  Overusing the word “NO” may result in the child learning to ignore you. “NO” will only be used when the infant/toddler is approaching danger. We will give positive encouragement and specific praise. We will provide duplicates of popular toys because young children do not understand the concept of “sharing”. Infants and toddlers have short attention spans – “time out” is not appropriate for children of this age. A separate biting policy is available.

            For preschool age children we will follow the above methods of guidance plus talk about the “rules” of the center and remind children frequently of these rules. We will help children learn to solve problems by offering suggestions when necessary and allowing the child to decide. We will allow preschool age children to make acceptable choices and let the natural consequence of the decision be the teacher (if the consequence is not dangerous and is reasonable). 

            When a child loses control of his/her behavior, we will help the child bring himself/herself back into control by providing the child the opportunity to think – cool off – calm down. We will provide a “time out space” for the child that is in the classroom and allows the child to be clearly supervised. The child is invited to rejoin the group when he/she is ready and/or within a few minutes time. We will talk about the behavior, feelings and reassure the child when he/she rejoins the group.

            We will be consistent with children, be a good role model, and act with kindness and patience toward each child. We will follow a consistent daily schedule so that children know what to expect and are prepared for changes in activity throughout the day. 

            Salina Child Care Center is prohibited by law from using punishment which is humiliating, frightening or physically harmful to the child. We will never spank, even if parents give permission. We will not discipline by using nap time, toileting, food/meals. Discipline which includes hitting, spanking, pinching, shaking, squeezing, binding, closeting, cursing, threatening or prolonged isolation will not be used at any time.

            Consistency between the child’s home and Salina Child Care Center is most effective. We will talk to parents about the good things their child(ren) has done in child care and those things that require additional attention.

Children biting other children are one of the most common and the most difficult repercussions of group child care, especially with toddlers.  It happens even in the best of programs.  When it happens, it is often scary, very frustrating, and very stressful for children, parents and teachers.

            If you think about it, toddlers are the children least suited to group care.  They are not developmentally able to share space, toys, or the attention of their favorite adults.  Being forced to be part of a group can be very frustrating. 

            Before toddlers have good language skills, they often communicate physically.  They shove, they push, and they bite.  We have to remember that, at this age, they do not have a social conscience as we know it.  They may fully understand that when they bite, someone cries; but they have not connected yet all the social consequences.  For the biting child, it’s a natural phenomenon that has virtually no lasting developmental significance.  It is not something to blame on children or parents (or teachers).

            So why does this child bite and that child not?  We make all sorts of guesses but don’t really know.  There are a number of possible reasons that children under age three bite, none of them the fault of a bad home, bad parents or bad teachers.  Sometimes we think we have a good idea what’s causing the biting but most of the time it’s hard to guess what is going on in the child’s head.

             Biting could be occurring due to teething, as an emotional release, as sensory exploration, or due to feelings of frustration of overstimulation. Toddlers are at the stage of acquiring language skills and even a child with good skills may still not know how, why or when to communicate.  Territorial disputes and problems with sharing account for a lot of biting incidents.  Toddlers have not learned how to identify feelings such as fear, anxiety, anger, jealousy, or rejection.  Sometimes, biting can be contagious. 

            So what will happen when a child bites at the center?  First we will take a preventative approach. 

• If we see an incident about to happen we will take steps to redirect the activity in a calm, consistent manner.
• We will shadow and watch the biter during those situations where we think the child will bite.
• As a child becomes more verbal, we can help the child with words to say in a tough situation, example: “I don’t like that.”
• We may substitute something to bite on when s/he is getting frustrated – a teething ring, a wet washcloth, etc.
• We will use positive words and actions and lots of TLC when things are going well.

Once the child has been bitten, the following sequence of events should happen:

• We will attend to the child who is hurt. Apply first aide, ice, TLC, etc.
• As much as possible, we will have the “biter” assist so that s/he may observe that the other child is hurt and help comfort the other child.
• We will tell the “biter” that biting is not acceptable. We will remain calm and firm, speak in a normal voice, with authority and convey to the child that we will not let children be hurt. The child must also realize that we still like him but do not like the biting.
• We will remove the “biter” from the play area for a short period of time.  The child has lost the privilege to be with other children.  We will explain “When you bite, it hurts people.”  The time away from the group will be brief, (2-3 minutes for a toddler).  The high chair will not be used for disciplinary purposes.
• We will be consistent in our interventions.
• The incident will be charted on an Incident Report Form and also marked on the  daily sheet of the “biter” and “bitee”.
• Information about the biter is confidential.  We will not give the biter’s name to the parent of the “bitee” or anyone else … or vice-versa.
• Every effort will be made to talk to parents about the incident before/he reads the report.
• In the case of a chronic biter, after conferring with parents and using all the approaches we can think of, it may be time to admit that group care is not the right place for this child at this time.  Because this is a phase that some children go through and eventually outgrow, the child may be allowed to re-enter the program at a future time.

The indoor and outdoor environments of this program are designated as non-smoking areas.  There will be no smoking permitted inside, at the front doors and on the playground.