Infant Toddler Family Day Care Policies and Procedures
Download the latest policies and procedures in PDF.
Our Mission
Infant Toddler Family Day Care has been bringing families together with our network of experienced and professionally trained child care providers since 1983. Our nurturing program provides care and early childhood development to children beginning at six weeks of age and beyond. With Infant Toddler, children benefit from the special experience of forming lasting relationships with their provider in a small, mixed age group setting where children learn and grow through play.
Enrollment Policies
Children, 6 weeks of age and older, are eligible for enrollment in the Infant Toddler Family Day Care. Please note that Virginia State law requires that proof of identity for your child be provided with enrollment documents.
Health Policies
Children must have a current immunization record and examination signed by a physician on file. Immunization records are updated regularly. Children cannot be brought to the family child care home when:
- Their temperature is in excess of 100.5 degrees
- They are vomiting and/or have diarrhea
- They have a fresh cold
- They have a contagious infection
- They are in discomfort and require one to one care
In the event that your child becomes ill in the family child care home, you will be called to pick up your child. Your child must be symptom free for 24 hours before returning to the child care home. Washable or disposable changing pads must be brought to the child care home. Each provider uses disposable gloves while changing diapers, assisting older children with toilet needs, etc. Providers are trained to properly abide by universal health precautions with the use of gloves.
Nutrition Policies
Infant Toddler Family Day Care is an approved USDA Child Care Food Program Sponsor. Providers serve breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack and supper according to each child’s schedule. Parents may supply formula and infant food at their discretion. Accommodations for special diets will be handled on an individual basis to best meet the needs of the child and family.
Supplies and Equipment
Parents are responsible for providing their child's provider with the following equipment:
Outing
Family child care providers and parents are encouraged to plan and participate in field trips. Outings are an important enrichment experience for the young child. They provide children with an opportunity to explore their environment. Children are required to be transported in an age-appropriate, federally approved infant or child car seat. Transportation to and from family child care homes will be the responsibility of the parents.
Emergency Procedures
Because we live in challenging times, we have established the following emergency procedures to ensure the well-being of all children in the family. Please discuss and put in writing emergency procedures with your provider. Please be sure to address the following issues in your plan:
- Where would the provider go if she had to leave her home?
- How would you communicate?
- Provide a list of all numbers where you can be reached.
- Who should the provider contact in an emergency in the event that you or another family member is unavailable?
- Leave a car seat each day or get an extra car seat to leave permanently with your provider. Make sure the provider knows how to properly install the car seat.
- Be sure that your provider has at least a three day supply of formula, food, diapers and drinking water in case of an emergency.
Scheduling
Arrival and departure times are determined by the individual needs of families and providers. A change of schedule must be submitted to the office (703-352-3449), with your provider’s approval, a month in advance of the change. After the first 45 days in care there will be a $25.00 change of schedule fee.
Emergency Closings
Family child care homes will be closed only when the Federal Government closes due to an emergency including snow. (There will be no reimbursements for care missed in this situation) When an individual jurisdiction closes, i.e. Fairfax County, Arlington County, Falls Church City etc. our homes will remain open.
Holiday Policies
Our homes are closed for the following paid holidays:
- Christmas Day through New Year’s Day
- Martin Luther King Day
- President’s Day
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Columbus Day
- Veteran’s Day
- Thanksgiving (Thursday and Friday)
Family Vacations
Please notify your provider as soon as you schedule your vacation. (Please note - there are no refunds for days missed for vacations.)
Substitute Care
If your provider is unable to care for your child, arrangements will be made for an approved Infant Toddler Family Day Care substitute. Please visit potential substitutes prior to using them. If you decide not to use this service, please notify your provider and/or substitute as soon as possible. Providers pay their substitutes. If you choose not to use a substitute, you are still responsible for the full fee.
Absences
Please notify the provider at least one hour before scheduled arrival time if your child is not going to be present that day.
General Information Changes
Please notify provider and the office immediately of any changes in emergency information, telephone number, job change, address change, or any other pertinent changes.
Communication
Parents, providers and staff work together as a team to serve the best interest of the child. Respectful, open, honest communication between parents, provider and staff is crucial to your child’s well being. To facilitate effective communication:
- Daily activity sheets will be provided to parents.
- Parents and providers may establish a mutually convenient conference time.
- Child Care Specialists are available to assist you via phone or email.
Child Care Fees
Child care fees are due the first of each month, payable in advance of care.
| 16 Months and Up | 6 weeks through 15 months with 10% surcharge | |
| Parent Monthly Fee | Parent Monthly Fee | |
| 1-15 hours/week | $573.75 | $631.13 |
| 16–20 hours/week | $653.44 | $718.79 |
| 21-25 hours/week | $784.13 | $862.54 |
| 26-30 hours/week | $914.80 | $1006.29 |
| 31-40 hours/week | $980.15 | $1078.16 |
| 41-50 hours/week | $1045.50 | $1150.05 |
| Over 50 hours/week | $8.50 per hour | $8.50 per hour |
| All Other Jurisdictions | 16 Months and Up | 6 weeks through 15 months with 10% surcharge |
| Parent Monthly Fee | Parent Monthly Fee | |
| 1-15 hours/week | $563.53 | $619.88 |
| 16–20 hours/week | $641.80 | $705.98 |
| 21-25 hours/week | $770.14 | $847.16 |
| 26-30 hours/week | $898.50 | $988.35 |
| 31-40 hours/week | $962.67 | $1058.94 |
| 41-50 hours/week | $1026.86 | $1129.54 |
| Over 50 hours/week | $8.50 per hour | $8.50 per hour |
Please note that providers may negotiate the child care fees that are charged to the families in their care. They may do this by adjusting the number of contract hours. Rates are evaluated annually at the Provider Business Meeting.
Billing
Invoices will be emailed to you on the fifteenth of the month prior to the month of service. Please make sure that you suppply our office with the email address(es) where you want to receive the invoice by completing the Billing Form. Payments may be made automatically by using our automatic payment plan. To utilize this system, please read and complete the ACH AUthorization Form. If you decide to mail your child care payments they must be received by our office by the first day of the month. There will be a $25.00 late fee charge for payments received after the first of the month. Dishonored payments will incur penalty charges.
Providers may charge $6.00 for every 15 minutes when children are left before or beyond their scheduled time.
Vacation/Illness
There are no reimbursements for absences from the family child care home due to vacations or illness.
Withdrawal
Please notify your provider and the office in writing two weeks in advance of your child’s last day. Arrangements to hold a space may be made through the office with the consent of the provider.
Adjustment
Your child will miss you. To help your child adjust to the provider and family child care home, please take time to become acquainted with the provider and the environment prior to the start of child care. In the morning, help your child to settle in - take off coat, change diaper, etc. but try not to stay too long. Remember, the crying usually stops a few minutes after you leave.
Occasionally a child is unable to adjust to the child care home. If after a reasonable period of time a child is unable to adjust, we reserve the right to request withdrawal of the child. If your provider is unable to care for your child, every effort will be made to place your child with another provider.
Complaints
Calls received by Infant Toddler staff from parents who have a problem in the child care home will be considered a complaint as required by licensing. Infant Toddler staff will document, investigate, and file the complaint with the Virginia Department of Social Services, Department of State Licensing as required by family day system licensing standards.
Open Door Policy
Infant Toddler Family Day Care has an open door policy for all of our homes. Parents are encouraged to visit their child's child care home at any time while their child is in care. Infant Toddler staff members also visit the homes on an unannounced basis.
Updated September 2009
