Thank you for considering Almost Home Daycare for your childcare needs. It is my main prerogative to ensure you feel the care your child receives makes them happy and safe and you trust that your child is well taken care of when you are at work.

I take caring for children seriously and truly enjoy the time spent with them.  I offer a structured yet flexible day for your child while providing for and meeting their immediate needs.

The following handbook will more clearly define my policies in my most common areas of concern.  

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My home has a self contained daycare room that is child safe and set up to safely accommodate young children and infants. My entire home including our daycare is equipped with an annually certified fire sprinkler system. There is a smoke detector and a carbon monoxide within the daycare.  There are also smoke detectors in every room and stairwells of my home and carbon monoxide detectors in each stairwell.  The daycare has two doors leading to the outdoors for quick evacuation if necessary.  

There are 2 fire extinguishers in the daycare and 2 more within the rest of the home.

My home has been tested and passed a Radon Test.

I have a fenced in back yard and keep a full gate latched across the driveway while playing outside.

Both my assistant and I have up to date certification in infant and child first aid and CPR, AED and the Heimlich Remover.

 

 

ENROLLMENT:

Children will be enrolled from age 12 weeks to 4 years of age regardless of race, creed or religious beliefs.

I offer Full Time Childcare, Morning Playgroup for 3 or 5 days per week and Afterschool Care for Woodland District 50 

 

**Please note that I would prefer new enrollment to follow a school year schedule, however I will accept non school year kids that enroll within 2026 and have a start date of March 2027 or earlier.  

 

 To be considered for enrollment at Almost Home Daycare a mutually successful match must be established in the form of a face to face interview.  All required forms will be provided after a successful interview and must be returned along with a deposit (or enrollment fee)  in a timely manner to secure your spot. I reserve the right to decide whether or not your child and your family will be a good fit for our daycare environment.  I reserve the right to terminate the contract at any time prior to and within the two week trial period without notice.

 

**Children are required to have a medical examination on file which states they are up to date with required vaccinations, lead tests and have been tested for TB if at risk or exempt if not at risk.   I reserve the right to require children to be vaccinated to be cared for in my home and will not accept religious exemptions in place of vaccinations.   All children are required to provide an original legal birth certificate.   A copy will be made and the certificate will be returned to you. Your child will not be accepted into my care without all necessary paperwork. As a provider not having the required paperwork puts me out of compliance which will result in a disruption in child care. Please see the First Day Checklist or your welcome letter for a full overview .    

 

HOURS:

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7am to 5pm Monday Through Friday

 

These are the hours daycare is available.  A consistent drop off and pick up schedule is expected.

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Daycare is open Monday through Friday except for the holidays listed below. If a holiday falls on a weekend, Daycare will be closed the Friday before or the Monday following. These closures remain the same from year to year so when you replace your calendar- Please make an effort to mark your calendars with these closures ahead of time.  I recommend setting up reoccurring calendar event on google to make it even easier.   

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HOLIDAY CLOSURES:

*New Years Eve * New Years Day * The day after New Years Day *Presidents Day *Good Friday

*Memorial Day *Juneteenth *4th Of July * The day after 4th of July *Labor Day *Columbus Day/Indigenous People's Day

* Thanksgiving

*The day after Thanksgiving *Christmas Eve *Christmas Day *The day after Christmas

THESE ARE PAID HOLIDAYS.

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There is a separate Tab on this website that lists these holiday closures as well as vacation policies so please make sure you check that and mark your calendars ahead of time.

 

SICK/PERSONAL DAYS:

As strong as my immune system has gotten over the years, I do occasionally get sick. As I am sure you do, I do also have situations that require me to take a day off as any other person would in a regular working situation. Doctors appointments, Bereavement, etc or just for personal time off and travel.  

For this reason, I do reserve 13 paid personal/sick days throughout the year.  

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Personal days refresh each September and an additional personal day is accrued annually.

In the event of an extended illness a substitute provider will be provided.

 

VACATIONS:

I take 2 weeks (14 non holiday week days) of vacation in the summer of which 7 days is paid vacation. I take 1 week (7 non holiday weekdays) of paid vacation in the winter which is always over Christmas and New Years time frame . My 7 vacation days are in addition to any paid holidays/weekend days that fall during that time period.  . At least 6 weeks of notice is given and posted prior to my scheduled vacation.   

 

You ARE REQUIRED TO PAY FOR YOUR CHILD'S SCHEDULED VACATION AND SICK DAYS that your child is not present. 24 hours notice of a scheduled vacation is required. This INCLUDES MATERNITY LEAVE and EXTENDED VACATIONS

 

**Please call, text or email between 6.45- 7.00 am if your child is sick or will not be attending daycare. If you know your child is not attending the night before, please let me know by 9pm. 

 

  

MATERNITY LEAVE:

You are required to pay for your enrolled siblings during your maternity leave. Whether you keep them at home or not is up to you, but payment is still required. If you do remove them from daycare during your maternity leave, 2 weeks notice is required and their spot cannot be guaranteed, upon finishing your maternity leave. Openings can't remain unfilled so it will be offered to those on the waiting list.

 

EXTENDED ABSENCES:

If you are going to be taking an extended absence for vacation etc, you will be required to pay for this time to retain your spot.  

 

COMMUNICATION:

 I try to update our website news page as often as I can.   I will also occasionally send an email with more pressing information.   I do ask that you please read these emails thoroughly and acknowledge that you have received it.   The acknowledgment is important so that I know you have received the information.  Please make sure you log in to our website at least every other week to check for any news updates.  The news page requires a password that is only for current daycare parents.  This password is provided upon enrollment.    The website is also a valuable resource for questions that may pop up including daycare closures, vacation information, illness policies etc.   If for some reason the answer to question is not available on the website, please reach out via email if it is after daycare hours.

 

INCLEMENT WEATHER CLOSURES:

Daycare will be closed if Woodland District 50 is closed for inclement weather. If the weather is threatening, please check the local News before heading out to daycare. Feel free to text or call if you are unsure. A weather closure will be considered a personal day. www.emergencyclosingcenter.com is a good place to check for Woodland District 50 closures.   

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Daycare will close early if there is a real threat of a tornado or severe thunderstorm. If a tornado or severe storm warning is issued during daycare hours, children will be moved to safety and be required to remain in my care as long as the warning is active. This is for everyone's safety.

Please do not try to pick your child up during a tornado or severe storm. Try to get them picked up before the storm rolls in or wait until after the storm warnings expire.  It is ideal to pick them up before the weather rolls in.  Please text me and let me know your intentions for pick up ahead of time. I will lock the doors if we are in our safe area. Stay safe!

If we receive 5 inches or more of snow by noon on a daycare day, your pick up time will be moved up by half an hour.   Example:  If your pick up time is usually 5pm, you will pick up your child at 4.30pm

 

ILLNESS POLICY:

If your child has a fever (99 F or above), is vomiting, has diarrhea (more than one loose stool in 24 hours is considered diarrhea) or a contagious illness or virus (anything that can be passed on to another person - PLEASE BE CONSIDERATE), your child may not attend daycare. Your child may not return to daycare until symptom free for a full 24 hours WITHOUT FEVER REDUCING MEDICATION. If your child develops any of these symptoms while at daycare, they will be isolated and you will be required to pick them up within 1 hour.   If I don't receive a response after notifying you of an illness, I will reach out the emergency contact listed on your forms.

Any illness that is contagious must be communicated and a doctors note is required upon your child's return to daycare.

No medication will be administered without permission. All medication should be clearly marked with child's name, dosage and time is should be administered. A medicine record form will needed to be completed by a parent at drop off if medicine is to be administered. Dosages will be recorded throughout the day. Please note that if your child requires additional medical treatments other than oral medication, please do this at home before coming in to daycare.

Any child with a persistent cough should remain at home until the cough subsides.  

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Your contract will be terminated immediately if you bring a sick child to daycare or mask symptoms with over the counter medications. Tylenol, Motrin etc are considered over the counter medications.   This is also extremely inconsiderate to me, the other children and their families.

There are NO exceptions to these rules!

 

MANDATED REPORTER:

As a family childcare provider of the State of Illinois, I am required by law to report any signs of neglect or abuse. My full time assistant is also a Mandated Reporter.   We keep records of all activities or incidents that may seem unusual or could potentially indicate neglect or abuse.   Furthermore, I am required to report any suspicions of impairment due to drugs or alcohol use if you pick your child up impaired or intoxicated.   

You must have the proper age appropriate safety seat for your child in your car.   A child will not be dismissed from my care without the appropriate car seat.  Please ensure they are properly restrained when you drop them off and pick them up.

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DEPOSIT:

A non-refundable deposit equal to 2 full weeks of childcare fees is due to hold your child's spot. This deposit is credited toward your LAST 2 full weeks of childcare. Your child's spot is not secure until deposit is received.  The deposit will carry over to siblings.

Late/Early drop off/pick up fees will be deducted from your deposit if you are unable to pay at the time of your offense.

Frequent non compliance of policies will result in your deposit being forfeited entirely.

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I understand that at this time the economy is tough and placing a deposit can be difficult on top of tuition.   So as an alternative to paying a deposit, you may pay $100 non refundable enrollment fee per child and pay your bill biweekly in advance.    The non refundable deposit is due at enrollment and your first biweekly tuition payment is due by drop off on your child's first day of daycare.    Please indicate in your communication prior to enrollment, which of the two choices you prefer.  

 

TERMINATION POLICY:

The first 2 weeks of care are considered a trial period, in which case either party can terminate the contract without notice or penalty. After the initial 2 weeks are up a 2 week written notice is required by parent or provider to terminate the contract. I reserve the right to terminate the contract at any time without notice.  I reserve the right to refuse care if my policies are not followed.  

 

PAYMENT POLICY AND ATTENDANCE:

Full time Care: $335 Per Week

Morning Care (5 days): $200 Per Week

Morning Care (3 days): $120 Per Week

After School Care:  $195 Per Week

 

Rates increase 3% annually in January for Full Time Care and in September for Morning and Afterschool Care

 

Payment is required for your vacation/sick days when your child is not present.

A KIDKARE/PARACHUTE automatic payment account is set up upon enrollment the week prior to your start date and is the required and mandatory form of payment You are able to choose weekly or biweekly payments on your contract at the time of enrollment.  

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 The system is reliable so if your payment does not process automatically, the error is on your end.  It is up to you to check each week to make sure your payment went through.  Late payments apply if you do not pay by 6.30pm on Friday.

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For Morning Playgroup or After School Care and those using the no deposit biweekly payment plan, your bill will be sent on Fridays and they MUST be paid by Monday drop off or your child will not be accepted into my care.   

 

For your taxes, a form will be provided to you via email by the last Friday in January.  If you need this form sooner, please ask at least 48 hours in advance.
 

 

LATE PAYMENTS:

There is a charge of $60 per day (or part thereof ) each day fees are late. This includes weekend days. This fee is STRICTLY ENFORCED. Please pay on time to avoid these fees. Outstanding late fees and Repeat offenders are grounds for termination without notice. I understand that circumstances arise, however not paying your bill without discussing it with me is not acceptable.   You are responsible for checking your payment account to ensure your autopay is active.   There is a $25 fee for any returned payments.   

 

EARLY/LATE DROP OFFS/ PICK UPS:

$65 for the first 15 minutes or any part thereof and $25 a minute after that outside of your regular hours. Late pick ups on Fridays $85 for the first 15 minutes or any part thereof and $30 a minute after that.   THESE FEES ARE PER CHILD NOT PER FAMILY

 Fee is payable at the time of offence. Fees will be assessed as above and your child will not be accepted into my care until fees are paid. If you are early or late please make sure you have CASH in hand or you can vemmo. Your child may not return to childcare until your fees are paid. Late payment fees will be charged on top of your charges if payment is not made. Fees will accrue from the time of offence until payment is made.

Please call if you are going to be early or late and please remember late pickups cut into time with my family. Please be respectful of my time.  

 

AUTHORIZED PICK UPS:

Anyone other than parents picking up your child need advance noticed and written consent.  They must be listed on your enrollment forms and if they are not, I need a written notice.    For safety reasons you child will not be allowed to leave my home without that consent. No exceptions. Picture ID such as drivers license or state ID is required.  I will not allow your child to leave if an ID is not presented. Please ensure I am aware of any custody arrangements in the event of divorced/separated parents so there is no confusion or upset to your child.  Please explain the pick up procedure to anyone you send to pick up your children.

Also please note that little ears are present during pick up so please call me or email me at a separate time if you have something you wish to discuss. Pick ups should be about your child and their day.

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GENERAL PICK UP PROCEDURE:

We are lucky enough to have a separate entrance around the side of our home on the back deck.   All drop off and pick ups are at this door if we are inside.   I will come out and collect your child and bring them in at drop off and bring them out again at pick up.  The separation before entering  really helps the child to transition into daycare.  Please make sure all drop off and pick up parties are aware of this procedure.

 

SUPPLIES:

In addition to basic supplies (spare clothes, bottles, diapers etc) that need to be sent in for your child, There is a Monthly Supply Requirement for each FAMILY. You can find more information on these items and when they are due on the SUPPLY page. You will be charged a surcharge of $15 per month if your supplies are not brought in by end of the week that they are due.

 

MEALS AND SNACKS:

Lunch and 2 healthy snacks are served daily to all children in my care that eat table food.  Children are served a variety of foods and are encouraged to try them. If your child does not like what is served or they don't want to eat on a particular day,  they are not required to eat it but substitutions are not provided.

If a child requires a special diet due to allergies or religious reasons, meals will need to be brought in daily, fully prepared and ready to be reheated.

Only skim milk is provided. All other formula, baby food  and milk is to be provided by you.  Water is provided throughout the day.  Juice is not served.

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BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS:

If you want to send a Birthday treat for your child, please ensure you send enough for all the children. The kids are always so excited to share a birthday celebration with their friends so please make an effort to make their day special

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HOLIDAY PARTIES:

We do have parties from time to time for holidays and we will ask for volunteers to provide party supplies such as treats, juice box or party favors.   We ask that you take a turn if you are able.

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PHOTOS:

I do take photos of the kids during some of our activities and do like to share with parents as well as on our social media page.  If you prefer that your child's photo not be shared, please let me know.  Their face will be covered with a sticker. 

 

NAP TIME/QUIET TIME:

I require all children 5 years and younger to nap for 2 hours per day. Children will not be woken unless requested.  Pick ups are NOT permitted during nap/quiet time to ensure that all the children receive the rest they need undisturbed.   You are invited to pick your child up before or after nap time if they have an appointment or other event that is during naps.

 

BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT AND DISCIPLINE:

I believe discipline of a child is achieved through patience, consistency and positive reinforcement. I also try to teach children in my care manners, kindness and to be respectful to others. One of the ways I do this is by example as the provider.

I believe actions and reactions speak louder than words.   Modeling desired behavior is a priority.

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The following developmentally appropriate guidance techniques are used:

1. POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT: the child will be encouraged and praised when

displaying appropriate behavior.

2. REDIRECTION: the child is redirected to another activity and given a chance

to try again at another time.

3. TIME OUT: the child is separated from the others for an appropriate

amount of time (1 minute per year of age) and then encouraged to rejoin group after a little talk about the behavior.

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POTTY TRAINING:

I will gladly work with you to potty train your child (when they are ready) for an additional charge of $50 per week until your child is completely trained without consistent accidents.  I will provide a potty training guide if you would like any guidance or I will take your lead. Your child will let you know when he/she is ready. Average age is usually between 2.5-3 years of age. Initial potty training should begin at home and gradually introduced at daycare.   A long weekend is a perfect opportunity to begin training. Your child may begin wearing underwear to daycare after they have been accident free at home and daycare for a full 2 weeks. Occasional accidents are normal even for kids that have been potty trained for a while.   However, accidents that occur more frequently and consistently, will require a longer training period.  The potty training period fee will end once your child is wearing underwear full time and consistently using the toilet for both urination and bowel movements during waking hours with no or minimal toilet accidents.  Diapers will still be required at nap time until they wake up dry for a consistent period of time. Consistency is key for successful potty training so good communication and dedication is required. Any soiled clothing or underwear will be sent home for washing. 

 

EMERGENCY PROCEDURE:

In case of serious accident or sudden illness that require immediate medical

attention the following procedures will be followed:

1. A call is made to 911

2. Parents and/or emergency contacts will be called

3. The child will be separated from the other children and appropriately cared

for.

4. Parent, Provider or Ambulance will take the child to the hospital or

emergency room. The closest emergency room is the Lake Forest ER on

Rte 120 and is located >1mile from my home.

Please ensure I have a copy of your health insurance card and treatment permission on file for serious emergencies

 

OPEN DOOR POLICY:

Please feel free to stop by at any time throughout the day. Please be aware that you will be required to take your child home with you when you do as drop in visits do cause disruption in our schedule and upset to your child if you leave without them. Furthermore, no family members (grandma/grandpa, aunt/uncle etc) will be allowed to visit your child at daycare. They are welcome to pick them up from daycare with proper authorization and pre arrangement.

 

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EXPECTATIONS- WHAT IS ASKED OF THE CHILDREN and PARENTS:

As parents I ask you to reinforce my expectations when you are around even after daycare hours. Children push boundaries and often act out during drop offs and pick ups and I would appreciate if you let your children know that these expectations apply even if you are around.  It shows you respect me, my home and my belongings and they should too.   Please visit the expectations tab for a more comprehensive expectation overview.

 

*Maintain a 5mph or less speed limit when pulling in and out of the driveway

*Respect my policy for a consistent drop off and pick up times

*Provide 24 hour notice of any schedule changes

*Text if you are running late

*Respect my after hours time in regards to communication

*Food and Drinks (including sippy cups) stay at the table.

*Walking feet inside

* Kitchen or Bathrooms are not for play

*Please only color on paper or other art materials and not on doors, floors, walls or toys.

*Please use kind words and inside voices.

*Please use gentle hands when playing with your friends.   

*Only grown ups should pick up babies and touch bottles, pacifiers and baby toys

*Kitchen and Bathroom cabinets are for grown ups only please.

*Please stand nicely and patiently in the driveway during pick ups. Parents are pulling in and out of the driveway constantly and running around is not safe. Please keep your child with you at all times and walk them to your car. Also please don't hang on the gate if playing outdoors at pick up. Only parents or I may open the gates please.

*Share and take turns

*Help clean up

*Laugh, Smile, Play and have a great day!

 

RATIOS:

My full time assistant and I are in accordance to the child to adult ratio set forth by the State of Illinois. The number of children in our care is no more than we feel comfortable caring for in the manor they deserve to be cared for and the manor you expect them to be cared for.   I reserve the right to add or dismiss children from my care as I see fit.

Please always welcome new enrollments as openings allow and make them feel at home. I will often ask veteran parents to speak with inquiring parents and answer any questions they may have. If you do not wish to be a reference, please let me know.

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CONTRACT ADHERENCE:

This is my home as well as my business, so please be respectful of our family and home and my time by adhering to policies and procedures.

Almost Home Daycare is family based daycare, not a center.   Family Childcare doesn't offer some of the conveniences that a center may offer such as early drop off times, late pick ups, or be open 24/7 365.   We do offer a consistent and genuine care and pride ourselves providing them with a stable, save and loving environment and personalized care without frequent staff turnover in a family capacity.  The kids and your family become an extension of my family.   Please make sure this is the type of care that you are looking for before enrolling.  

 

 I hope that all the above is clear and concise information. I hope you can respect these policies so that I can provide the best possible care for your child without conflict.   My goal is to provide a positive experience for all parties within our daycare family.   I hope you can respect my policies so that we can have a smooth and wonderful daycare relationship.

Failure to follow any policies is a clear indication that Almost Home Daycare is not the right daycare for you and unfortunately I will no longer be able to provide care for your child.

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If there is an area you do not feel was covered in this handbook please bring it to my attention before enrolling your child in my care and signing a contract to avoid misunderstandings. A signed contract at the time of enrollment is confirmation that you have read this handbook and have agreed to all the terms, conditions and policies.   This handbook is available at all times.

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I look forward to having your family as part of mine.

 

Thank you.

Siobhan Richards and Family