How to Design a Parent Handbook for a Daycare Center

Day care centers are wise to use a parent handbook.

Every day care center needs a parent handbook to highlight the expectations, responsibilities and duties of the parent involved in the parent-provider relationship. Without a handbook, parents will be unclear as to the rules of the center and their responsibilities to the center. Day care centers lacking a parent handbook are at the mercy of the parent, as there is no written document stating the center's expectations. Creating and using a parent handbook protects centers in cases of discrepancy and provides a written document for the center to use in parent-provider disputes.

Instructions

1. Organize the center's expectations of the parents. Parents need to be responsible for certain aspects of child care, such as picking up the child on time, making timely payments, arranging for alternative sick child care and following all enrollment procedures. Place the expectations in a general outline and consider devoting a chapter or more to each topic heading.

2. Review a calendar and consider when the center will be closed. Holidays and school calendar vacations are two areas to consider when determining times for closings. Some centers close only on Christmas and Thanksgiving while others close for the entire summer. Decide how many scheduled closings will be included in a full calendar year and add this to the outline for the handbook. Be concise so there is no confusion from the parent who has fully read the handbook.

3. Personal supplies, such as diapers and clothes, which need to be provided by the parents will also be included in the parent handbook. Be specific regarding what the center will provide and what needs to be provided by the parent.

4. Create an absent child policy, illustrating the center's expectations if a child will be absent. Include a time by which the parent needs to call the center in case of absence and include a deadline for informing the center of upcoming vacations.

5. Finalize the handbook with a section on child discipline. This section is extremely important, as it educates the parent regarding the form of discipline used by the center. Parents who have read the handbook should not be surprised by discipline procedures. Outline the discipline theory used by the center and explain how the theory becomes practice in the classroom. Include examples for parent clarity.

References

• All Things Child Care: Child Care Contract
• Own a Day Care: Creating a Parent Handbook