Own a Daycare Blog » Laws and Regulations http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog Just another WordPress weblog Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:00:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 How to Create a Day Care or Child Care Contract Form http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/how-to-create-a-day-care-or-child-care-contract-form http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/how-to-create-a-day-care-or-child-care-contract-form#comments Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:00:02 +0000 csnuggs http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/?p=1043 Related posts:]]> A child care contract assures that there are no misunderstandings between you and your clients. It also protects you and your business from potential litigation. The contract states requirements and policies that both you and your clients must follow. A daycare contract form should include at least the following:

Hours of Operation: List the days and hours your child care center will be open for business.  Also detail any holidays you will be closed or any other days that the child day care center will be closed, if applicable.

Fees and Payments:  State the fees per week or month. Be explicit about whether or not sick days, holidays and vacation days are paid days. Some things to consider and disclose: When are weekly and month fees due? What are the consequences if fees are unpaid? (Termination? Suspension? ) How much will you charge for returned checks? How many returned checks will you allow before the client must pay in cash?

Arrival and Pick-Up Policies:  State your cut-off times for pick-up. Establish your late fees for late pickups. Also explain that only pre-authorized persons may pick up a child and that verbal and written permission must be received before a child may be picked up by an unauthorized person.

Illness Policies: Your contract should include a statement that explains when a child is too sick to attend daycare and how long the child must be symptom free before returning to daycare. Also detail your procedures for your course of action when a child becomes sick in daycare. You will also need to have a separate medical consent form in place. Also note what by time the parents must notify you if their child will not be attending daycare due to illness.

Withdrawal and Termination: What are the grounds for termination? What type and length of notice do you require for withdrawal from your daycare center? List that information in this section.

Damages: Sometimes children purposely break household items, toys, and other child care equipment. Who will pay for damages beyond the normal everyday wear and tear (when a child purposes to cause damages)? Your contract should be explicit about who will shoulder the burden of damages and repairs.

Toy Policies: Are children allowed to bring their own toys to your daycare center? What about other personal items of comfort like pillows or stuffed animals? State your policy here.

Potty Training and Diapering Policies:  In this section, detail whether or not you potty train and what your potty training philosophy might be. Do you supply diapers or pull-ups? Is there an extra fees associated with potty training? Do you allow cloth diapers?

Subsidies:  Does your childcare center participate in federal government programs that offer daycare subsidies? If so, state that any fees that are not covered by the subsidy are the parents’ responsibility and that fees are payable in advance on the first of day of the month.

The client (parent or guardian) and the childcare provider must sign and date the form.  Give a copy to the client and keep copy for yourself.

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]]> http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/how-to-create-a-day-care-or-child-care-contract-form/feed 0 Insurance for Your Family In-home Daycare http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/insurance-for-your-family-in-home-daycare http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/insurance-for-your-family-in-home-daycare#comments Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:00:18 +0000 csnuggs http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/?p=1009 Related posts:]]> When you open your child care center, many of the rules and regulations you will be under are enforced by the state in which you live. Insurance requirements are one such regulation that varies from state to state. However, you should invest in insurance in order to protect yourself, your daycare business, your clients and your employees. It is wise for child care centers to invest in liability, structural, accident, health and workers’ compensation insurance.

Liability Insurance: Liability insurance will protect you in the event you are sued for damages. These damages could include child injuries, pet injuries, accidents, personal injury (libel, slander), damage to your own property, and damage to the property of others. The amount of coverage depends on the particular policy you select. There are other types of liability insurance to consider such as sexual abuse and liability insurance, child abduction liability, special events liability (fieldtrips, fundraisers, etc.) and corporal punishment. Daycare liability can be stand alone or an endorsement on your homeowner’s insurance.

Accident Medical Insurance:  Accident medical insurance is insurance that pays children’s medical bills if they are injured at your facility or during activities you sponsor and the child has no insurance coverage of their own, or their bills exceeds their current medical insurance coverage. Markel Insurance Company contends, “You can think of Accident Medical insurance as a goodwill gesture—by paying a child’s medical bills now, you may be able to avoid a lawsuit later”.

Health Insurance: You may want to provide health insurance for your employees. Many of the basic health insurance plans for employees are those in which your employees directly reimbursed a fixed amount for the services they use most frequently like doctor’s office visits, urgent care, diagnostic tests, hospitalization, and emergency room treatment.

Worker’s Compensation: Many states require that you purchase worker’s compensation insurance if your daycare center has employees.  If you do not have worker’s compensation insurance you may be punished with fines or imprisonment. The good news is that workers compensation premiums are tax deductible as a business expense.

Daycare Business Insurance Resources:

Daycare Insurance Agency Websites

Day Care Insurance Services, Inc.

Morgan & Associates, Inc.

Nationwide Mutual Insurance

Castle Rock Agency, Inc.

Markel Insurance Company

Daycare Insurance Guides

Family Child Care Legal and Insurance Guide: How to Reduce the Risks of Running Your Business by Tom Copeland, JD and Mari Miller [Redleaf, 2004]. This guide is specifically for child care providers to help them with insurance planning and strategies to reduce their daycare business’ risks.

The Business of Childcare: Management of Financial Strategies by Gail H Jack [Delmar Cenage Learning, 2004].  This guide covers a wide variety of financial strategies including how to comparison shop for different types of daycare business insurance.

Consult with the local licensing, regulations, and laws by state to find the insurance requirements for childcare centers.

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]]> http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/insurance-for-your-family-in-home-daycare/feed 0 The Legalities Of Running A Day Care Center http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/the-legalities-of-running-a-day-care-center http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/the-legalities-of-running-a-day-care-center#comments Fri, 26 Dec 2008 00:53:38 +0000 Mary http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/?p=37 Related posts:]]> A day care is a business with many legal guidelines and requirements that need to be observed at all times. Many businesses sadly are unaware of these responsibilities in the ownership and management of a day care facility. As an owner and manager, one would have many duties to respond to avoid the many consequences laws were designed to prevent.

The real interest of the facility must be checked on at all times. One must be fully aware of all the responsibilities that need be met when running one’s own day care facility. All the responsibilities must be considered and in order to be successful, all responsibilities, both as a business and a legal entity must be observed. When one cuts corners and an accident occurs, the owner would be liable for the full cost of the injury. So keeping one’s nose clean by following all the rules would be likely result in great success for the business. This is gained by finding out the state, city and local legislation, including the child services administration for the operation of the business.

First off, one needs to get a business license and each state, county and locality have differing rules on its requirements. Find out from your local office’s small business administration department as to the requirements in obtaining a license. And the special needs of a day care needs to be addressed. With one’s compliance with the set guidelines under the law, one not only protects the business, but more importantly the children under one’s care and management. Failure to comply makes one liable administratively and criminally and be blacklisted for future operations.

Background checks are also imperative. All the personnel must have no criminal records and their qualifications must make them experts in the field of child care. Some other states require formal first aid training and CPR certification. The Red Cross can provide these for a minimal fee. In running a day care, one needs these specialized trainings to be better prepared against an accident if and when it occurs. Also, one needs to be certified by a nutritionist as to the food being prepared and the health safety inspector to determine that there are no hazards to the children while at the facility.

One needs to pass the inspection of the facilities. This is to ensure the safety, adequacy and environmental soundness of the facility. Medications need to be at arms reach, fire extinguishers that are ready, and the safe handling and storage of harmful chemicals need to be observed. The inspection will look at every nook and cranny of the facility in order to be assured that the day care center is a safe place where children can play and learn. Once all the minimum requirements have been met, a certificate for operation would be issued. This is the stamp of approval which allows the facility to receive children and operate as a business. So to make this happen, one needs to prepare to facilities to comply with the requirements of the laws on day care facilities.

See: How to start a daycare

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]]> http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/the-legalities-of-running-a-day-care-center/feed 0 The Legalities Of Daycare http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/the-legalities-of-daycare http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/the-legalities-of-daycare#comments Mon, 22 Dec 2008 00:23:26 +0000 Mary http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/?p=33 Related posts:]]> If one is in search of what laws govern day care centers, then one need not look further. The common progression is that one’s small time baby-sitting service would be expanded into the next level, which is running a day care. This involves a whole new host of responsibilities when taking care of children that is not one’s own. States have differing laws on the business but the best way to go about it is having the facility duly certified by local authorities. Inspections would be done to see if the facilities and the care givers are within the minimum requirements of the law.

The first question sought would be how many children would be in the daycare. The availability of activity and rest areas would need to be made. When one receives the certificate of operation, it means that the facility has passed the rigorous requirements of the law. Also, having the employees of the facility trained and certified to give first aid or life saving techniques is crucial to the health and well-being of all concerned.

By reaching out to the Better Business Bureau of one’s locality, one can be better appraised as to the different agencies which require certifications in order to be allowed to operate as a day care facility. The Board would also advise one would be day care facility operator as to the lacking requirements and provide noteworthy information as to how to complete the requirements. The local Board would also provide one with the requirements for operation to be allowed under state supervision. These include actual measurements and materials which are allowed to be used in the facility.

Employees of the day care facility should also be provided with background checks to ascertain their fitness to be part of the complement in operating the facility. Without criminal records for all employees would be able to gain the trust of the parents and keep the children safe and within an environment which helps them develop into better people. Nutritionists are also hired to ensure that the facility feeds the children healthy and nourishing food. There are even guidelines as to the recommended daily allowances for certain types of food allowed near children.

As one can plainly see, opening a day care is not an easy task. One needs to learn about all the laws and guidelines to operate a facility for children. Before operation, one needs to pass the inspection of the facility to be certified to operate. But this is not yet through; one also has to conduct background checks on personnel. Due registration of all the personnel may also become a requirement for the business. Even the food in the daycare needs to be monitored. One may also need insurance to cover risks for the children and for one’s personnel. Equipment and play areas need to be within the legal requirements. A lot of work and one has not yet been in operation. But when one complies with all these, one would be able to run a day care facility smoothly and efficiently for a better and learned experience for the child.

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