Health and safety

 Licensing

The laws and regulations set out by the Childcare Licensing Regulation and the Community Care and Assisted Living Act – Child Care Licensing Regulation govern the Société de la Petite Enfance de l’École Entre-lacs. All childcare facilities and registration information are available for inspection from the local health authority, including licensing officers and public health nurses.  These visits are for licensing inspections, information and/or support. If you have any concerns regarding the care of your children or that of others, you can contact the Interior Health Authority.

By phone  :  1-877-442-2001

By e-mail: PCQO@interiorhealth.ca

First aid care

If First Aid is required, our qualified staff members will perform the proper procedures and provide comfort and support to the child. The Educators will ensure that the child does not require further medical attention and inform the parents/guardians when they pick up the child. If medical attention is required, the parents/guardians will be contacted immediately. If we cannot reach the parents/guardians or emergency contacts, the situation will proceed as an Emergency Care. When needed, an Incident Report will be completed by the Educator and signed by the parents/guardians.

Emergency care

In emergency situations, an ambulance will be contacted to transport the child to the nearest emergency facility. The Educator will attend to the needs of the child until the ambulance arrives. The parents/guardians will be contacted immediately. Parents/guardians are responsible for the ambulance fee.  One person will accompany the injured child in the ambulance and stay with the child until the child’s parent/guardian arrives. If an ambulance is not available, and according to the severity of the incident or illness, the Educator will decide if her or another staff member will have to transport the child to the hospital. 

Allergies, specific dietary needs and/or restrictions

Illnesses, diagnosis and/or medical conditions

Please indicate all allergies, specific dietary needs and/or restrictions, illnesses, diagnosis and/or medical conditions in the Child’s Dossier as well as the Annex C upon registering your child. Those children’s names and their specific needs will be provided to every staff member. Please note that we are located inside a NUT-FREE school, so please ensure that you always send your child with a NUT-FREE snack. 

Food and beverages

Occasionally during certain activities or daily moments, your child will have access to food or drinks. The staff will always make sure that proper care is taken in all food preparation and handling and healthy habits will be promoted. Food and drinks that will be offered to your child will be of minimal preparation and low hazard for contamination, as approved by Interior Health. Each employee has completed a Food Safe course. You will be informed whenever food or beverages will be offered to your child. 

Screen Time policy

We believe that while in our care, screen time is a lost opportunity for your children to learn in real time: from interacting, playing outdoors, creating, or enjoying social time with their peers and educator. Too much screen time also increases your child’s risk of becoming overweight, sleep-deprived, less school-ready, inattentive, aggressive, and less able to self-soothe. For all those reasons we have a no screen policy at Pomme Soleil Preschool.  If a movie is offered at Soleil Lune school care, it will be shown in intervals of 30 minutes daily at the most.

Illness and sickness policy

Hands are always washed before and after handling food, eating and after using the washroom. Children who are in a group setting enjoy playing and sharing a variety of toys, and inevitably, germs as well.  Your child needs to stay home if she/he has any of the following symptoms:

●      Pain

●      Acute cold with fever and/or green or yellow runny nose

●      Fever over 100 degrees F (38 degrees C)

●      Sore throat

●      Infected skin or eyes

●      Undiagnosed rash

●      Diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain

●      Lethargic mood

●      A communicable disease or infection (please contact and advise the educator manager)

A child may return:

●      48 hours after first dose of antibiotics has been administered

●      When no longer contagious

●      24 hours after the appearance of the last symptoms.

If a child becomes ill while in our care, or displays any of the above listed symptoms, the parents/guardians will be contacted. The children must be picked up within a reasonable amount of time, for their own comfort and the sake of other children. The child will be provided with a quiet resting area until he/she is picked up.

 Medications

Medications will be administered only with written permission from the parents/guardians.  The parents/guardians must fill out and sign the “Permission to Administer Medication Form” before any medication is given. Parents will be informed if medication was given to their child. Unless advised otherwise by a parent, all medications will be kept in an accessible area to staff, but out of reach of children

Parental access and/or custody agreements

Please notify the Educator manager of changes in marital status and new child custody agreements. Legal parents/guardians have access to their child at any time while in our care, for visit or pick-up. You must notify the Educator manager in writing if there is a child custody agreement or court order. It is required to provide a copy of restraining orders or specific orders, including a photograph of person(s) with legally restricted access.  The staff does not have the authority to deny a parent access to his/her child without a court order.  This information needs to be kept updated.

Authorized/unauthorized persons

A child will not be released to anyone without written authorization from the parents/guardians. Any person who is authorized to take a child from the preschool or school care needs to be included in writing in the Child’s Dossier under authorized pick-up.  The staff needs to be notified anytime someone new picks-up the child with a description of the person. They will be asked to show photo identification.

Reporting abuse

Parents/guardians must be aware that if a staff member has any reason to believe a child has been or is likely to be physically harmed, sexually abused, sexually exploited and/or neglected they are legally responsible to report the matter to the Ministry of Education and Early years.  Notes and documentation will be kept for the Ministry. If there is an accusation against a staff member, the accused will not be present around the children, and a substitute will be employed until the matter is addressed.

Alleged impairment

If a staff suspects a person authorized to pick-up the child is under the influence of alcohol or drugs and the safety of the child is at risk, staff will offer to call a relative, friend, or taxi.  If the person insists on leaving the premises with or without the child, staff will notify the RCMP, providing (if possible) the make, model, and license plate of the vehicle. The Educators have a legal obligation to ensure the safety of the child and whom they released them to. The Ministry of Education and Early years will also be notified, as you child’s safety is the most important priority.

No smoking policy

There is a “No Smoking” policy on school grounds.  No one is allowed to smoke near or in the presence of the children.  The school grounds are also non-smoking.