Policies & Procedures
The staff of Footsteps to Learning must meet the minimum qualifications mandated by the state in order to hold a position at Footsteps to Learning. All personnel must be cleared by the State Central Registry and finger printed. All staff also goes through a Justice Department Clearance. All staff must have a TB test and physical.
All personnel must then complete 30 hours of training every two years including on-site training, Scope, NAEYC conferences and Suffolk Country Childcare Council seminars.
Snack shall be provided during the am, pm, and aftercare classes. Personnel must use gloves when handling food and when using first aid on children. Any indication of child abuse and maltreatment must be reported to the director immediately. Communication between parent and staff shall be frequent and fluent.
No child can be released to any person other than his or her parents or person listed on the pick up list which has been listed by such a parent.
Information relating to any child is confidential and cannot be disclosed.
Footsteps will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, religion, or national origin.
The parents of any child shall have unlimited and on demand access to such child.
- The 2 year old program will have 12 children with a teacher and 2 assistants.
- The 3 year old classes will have either 12-13 children with a head teacher and an assistant or 18-19 children with a head teacher and 2 assistants.
- The Pre-K classes will have between 18-21 children with a head teacher and 2 assistants.
Description of Policies & Procedures Regarding the Appropriate Supervision for Healthcare
At the time of admission, written consent from the custodial parent or guardian is obtained which authorizes the provider to obtain emergency health care for the child.
If need of emergency care arises, the Assistant Director will call the ambulance (911) and notify the parent. The Director or the Childs teacher will accompany the child in the ambulance and be responsible to bring the child's medical record and emergency medical treatment agreement, signed by the parent.
In the event the child develops symptoms of illness, the child is placed to rest quietly and the custodial parent or guardian is notified. Children will not be given any medication or treatment except for written or verbal agreement of the MAT guidelines. The teachers and assistants are CPR and First Aid Certified.
Effective January 31, 2005 Footsteps to Learning chose to administer medication to children in our day care setting. With the exception of over-the-counter topical ointments, sunscreen, and topically applied insect repellant, we have the following requirements in order to be authorized to administer medication at Footsteps to Learning.
- Be at least 18 years old
- Have current First Aid and CPR that covers the ages of the children in the program
- Successfully complete the Office of Children and Family Services approved Medication Administration Training Course
- Have a health care plan that specifically names the child care provider's authorized to administer medication and includes the program's policy for administration of medication.
- Have a health care plan approved by the program's health care consultant.
- Have the health care plan submitted and approved by the program's licensor or registrar.
The MAT course certifies day care providers to administer in a child care setting for seven routes; oral, topical, inhaled, medicated patches, eye, ear, and emergency injection of epinephrine using an auto-injector device.
Daily Guidelines For Excluding Staff From Caring For Children
On the advice of health experts we do not allow staff with any of the following symptoms to be in contact with children:
- Fever of 100 degress oral or higher and also one or more of the following:
- Diarrhea, sore throat, with another symptom
- Rash
- Covid19 symptoms
- A fever of 100 degrees, without any of these symptoms, does not automatically result in staff being excluded from childcare
- Vomiting within a 24 hour period
- Diarrhea within a 24 hour period
- Draining rash or sore
- Eye discharge or pink eye. Staff can be readmitted after:
- Medical diagnosis to rule out bacterial infection or
- 24 hour antibiotic treatment
- Open or oozing sore unless properly covered, or 24 hours passed since starting antibiotic treatment with a doctors note
- Lice, nits, scabies
- During Covid19 any or all of these symptoms automatically result in staff being excluded from childcare
Preventing Infections When Contacting Body Fluids
Even healthy people may spread infection through direct body fluids. Because of this, it is important to consider all body fluids to be capable of causing illness. Body fluids include blood, urine, stool, drool (saliva), vomit, drainage from sores/rashes (pus), etc. When anyone has been in contact with body fluids, the following precautions are taken:
- Open cuts or sores on children or staff are covered. Depending on the type of wound, a covering may be a bandage or clothing, or staff may wear latex gloves.
- Whenever a child or staff comes in contact with any body fluids the skin area is washed immediately with soap and warm water and dried with paper towels.
- All surfaces in contact with body fluids are cleaned immediately and disinfected.
- Cleaning material used to wipe up body fluids are placed in a plastic bag secured, closed, and placed in a covered waste container. Any brushes, brooms, dust pans, mops, etc., used to clean up body fluids are soaked in a disinfecting solution and rinsed thoroughly. Cloth items or mops after soaking are washed with hot water and bleach.
Procedures Ensuring The Safety Of Children Reported To SCR
Footsteps to Learning will report any suspected incidents of child abuse or maltreatment concerning a child receiving day care at Footsteps to the State Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment or shall file a report when the staff of Footsteps may have reasonable cause to suspect that a child coming before them, in their capacity, as daycare center workers is an abused or maltreated child.
This will be done in the following manner:
- The staff member of Footsteps will report such information to the director of Footsteps to Learning, Carmella Livingston or Miss Marianne.
- Carmella Livingston, or teacher of child, making an immediate report to the State Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment by telephone, which will be followed up by a written report within 48 hours, in the form and manner prescribed by the department, to the child protective service of the social services district in the country in which the child resides.
- If the administrator is the person allegedly responsible for the alleged abuse or maltreatment, staff must report alleged abuse or maltreatment directly to the State Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment.