POLICY DOCUMENTS

Department of Children and Families Office of Licensing

Information to Parents

Under provisions of the Manual of Requirements for Child Care Centers (N.J.A.C. 10:122), every licensed child care center in New Jersey must provide to parents of enrolled children written information on parent visitation rights, State licensing requirements, child abuse/neglect reporting requirements and other child care matters. The center must comply with this requirement by reproducing and distributing to parents this written statement, prepared by the Office of Licensing, Child Care & Youth Residential Licensing, in the Department of Children and Families. In keeping with this requirement, the center must secure every parent’s signature attesting to his/her receipt of the information. 

* * * * *

Our center is required by the State Child Care Center Licensing law to be licensed by the Office of Licensing (OOL), Child Care & Youth Residential Licensing, in the Department of Children and Families (DCF). A copy of our current license must be posted in a prominent location at our center. Look for it when you’re in the center. 

To be licensed, our center must comply with the Manual of Requirements for Child Care Centers (the official licensing regulations). The regulations cover such areas as: physical environment/life- safety; staff qualifications, supervision, and staff/child ratios; program activities and equipment; health, food and nutrition; rest and sleep requirements; parent/community participation; administrative and record keeping requirements; and others. 

Our center must have on the premises a copy of the Manual of Requirements for Child Care Centers and make it available to interested parents for review. If you would like to review our copy, just ask any staff member. Parents may view a copy of the Manual of Requirements on the DCF website at www.state.nj.us/dcf/providers/licensing/laws/index.html or obtain a copy by sending a check or money order for $5 made payable to the “Treasurer, State of New Jersey”, and mailing it to: NJDCF, Office of Licensing, Publication Fees, PO Box 657, Trenton, NJ 08646-0657. 

We encourage parents to discuss with us any questions or concerns about the policies and program of the center or the meaning, application or alleged violations of the Manual of Requirements for Child Care Centers. We will be happy to arrange a convenient opportunity for you to review and discuss these matters with us. If you suspect our center may be in violation of licensing requirements, you are entitled to report them to the Office of Licensing toll free at 1 (877) 667-9845. Of course, we would appreciate your bringing these concerns to our attention too. 

Our center must have a policy concerning the release of children to parents or people authorized by parents to be responsible for the child. Please discuss with us your plans for your child’s departure from the center. 

Our center must have a policy about administering medicine and health care procedures and the management of communicable diseases. Please talk to us about these policies so we can work together to keep our children healthy. 

Our center must have a policy concerning the expulsion of children from enrollment at the center. Please review this policy so we can work together to keep your child in our center. 

Parents are entitled to review the center’s copy of the OOL’s Inspection/Violation Reports on the center, which are issued after every State licensing inspection of our center. If there is a licensing complaint investigation, you are also entitled to review the OOL’s Complaint Investigation Summary Report, as well as any letters of enforcement or other actions taken against the center during the current licensing period. Let us know if you wish to review them and we will make them available for your review. 

Our center must cooperate with all DCF inspections/investigations. DCF staff may interview both staff members and children. 

Our center must post its written statement of philosophy on child discipline in a prominent location and make a copy of it available to parents upon request. We encourage you to review it and to discuss with us any questions you may have about it. 

Our center must post a listing or diagram of those rooms and areas approved by the OOL for the children’s use. Please talk to us if you have any questions about the center’s space. 

Our center must offer parents of enrolled children ample opportunity to assist the center in complying with licensing requirements; and to participate in and observe the activities of the center. Parents wishing to participate in the activities or operations of the center should discuss their interest with the center director, who can advise them of what opportunities are available. 

Parents of enrolled children may visit our center at any time without having to secure prior approval from the director or any staff member. Please feel free to do so when you can. We welcome visits from our parents. 

Our center must inform parents in advance of every field trip, outing, or special event away from the center, and must obtain prior written consent from parents before taking a child on each such trip. 

Our center is required to provide reasonable accommodations for children and/or parents with disabilities and to comply with the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD), P.L. 1945, c. 169 (N.J.S.A. 10:5-1 et seq.), and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), P.L. 101-336 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.). Anyone who believes the center is not in compliance with these laws may contact the Division on Civil Rights in the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety for information about filing an LAD claim at (609) 292-4605 (TTY users may dial 711 to reach the New Jersey Relay Operator and ask for (609) 292-7701), or may contact the United States Department of Justice for information about filing an ADA claim at (800) 514-0301 (voice) or (800) 514-0383 (TTY). 

Our center is required, at least annually, to review the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), unsafe children’s products list, ensure that items on the list are not at the center, and make the list accessible to staff and parents and/or provide parents with the CPSC website at www.cpsc.gov/cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prerel.html. Internet access may be available at your local library. For more information call the CPSC at (800) 638-2772. 

Anyone who has reasonable cause to believe that an enrolled child has been or is being subjected to any form of hitting, corporal punishment, abusive language, ridicule, harsh, humiliating or frightening treatment, or any other kind of child abuse, neglect, or exploitation by any adult, whether working at the center or not, is required by State law to report the concern immediately to the State Central Registry Hotline, toll free at (877) NJ ABUSE/ (877) 652-2873. Such reports may be made anonymously. Parents may secure information about child abuse and neglect by contacting: DCF, Office of Communications and Legislation at (609) 292-0422 or go to www.state.nj.us/dcf/ and select Publications.

OOL 8/22/14

Policy on the Release of Children

Each child may be released only to the child’s parent(s) or person(s) authorized by the parent(s) to take the child from the center and to assume responsibility for the child in an emergency if the parent(s) cannot be reached. 

If a non-custodial parent has been denied access, or granted limited access, to a child by a court order, the center shall secure documentation to that effect, maintain a copy on file, and comply with the terms of the court order. 

If the parent(s) or person(s) authorized by the parent(s) fails to pick up a child at the time of the center’s daily closing, the center shall ensure that: 

  1. The child is supervised at all times; 

  2. Staff members attempt to contact the parent(s) or person(s) authorized by the parent(s); and 

  3. An hour or more after closing time, and provided that other arrangements for releasing the child to his/her parent(s) or person(s) authorized by the parent(s), have failed and the staff member(s) cannot continue to supervise the child at the center, the staff member shall call the 24-hour State Central Registry Hotline 1-877-NJ-ABUSE (1-877-652-2873) to seek assistance in caring for the child until the parent(s) or person(s) authorized by the child’s parent(s) is able to pick-up the child. 

If the parent(s) or person(s) authorized by the parent(s) appears to be physically and/or emotionally impaired to the extent that, in the judgment of the director and/or staff member, the child would be placed at risk of harm if released to such an individual, the center shall ensure that: 

  1. The child may not be released to such an impaired individual; 

  2. Staff members attempt to contact the child’s other parent or an alternative person(s) authorized by the parent(s); and 

  3. If the center is unable to make alternative arrangements, a staff member shall call the 24- hour State Central Registry Hotline 1-877-NJ-ABUSE (1-877-652-2873) to seek assistance in caring for the child. 

For school-age child care programs, no child shall be released from the program unsupervised except upon written instruction from the child’s parent(s).

OOL 4/11/13

Policy on the Management of Communicable Diseases

If a child exhibits any of the following symptoms, the child should not attend the center. If such symptoms occur at the center, the child will be removed from the group and parents will be called to take the child home. 

  • Severe pain or discomfort

  • Acute diarrhea

  • Episodes of acute vomiting

  • Elevated oral temperature of 101.5 degrees Fahrenheit

  • Lethargy

  • Severe coughing

  • Yellow eyes with discharge

  • Infected, untreated skin patches

  • Difficult or rapid breathing

  • Skin rashes in conjunction with fever or behavior changes

  • Skin lesions that are weeping or bleeding

  • Mouth sores with drooling

  • Stiff neck

Once the child is symptom-free, or has a health care provider’s note stating that the child no longer poses a serious health risk to himself/herself or others, the child may return to the center unless contraindicated by local health department or Department of Health. 

EXCLUDABLE COMMUNICABLE DISEASES 

A child or staff member who contracts an excludable communicable disease may not return to the center without a health care provider’s note stating that the child presents no risk to himself/herself or others. These diseases include respiratory, gastrointestinal, and contact illnesses such as Impetigo, Lice, Scabies, and Shingles. 

Note: If a child has chicken pox, a health care provider’s note is not required for re- admitting the child to the center. A note from the parents is required stating either that at least six days have lapsed since the onset of the rash, or that all sores have dried and crusted. 

If a child is exposed to any excludable disease at the center, parents will be notified in writing. 

COMMUNICABLE DISEASE REPORTING GUIDELINES

Some excludable communicable diseases must be reported to the health department by the center. The Department of Health’s Reporting Requirements for Communicable Diseases and Work-Related Conditions Quick Reference Guide, a complete list of reportable excludable communicable diseases, can be found at:
www.nj.gov/health/cd/ documents/reportable_disease_magnet.pdf

Policy on Administering Medication

It is Prospect Preschool’s policy that staff will not administer any kind of over-the-counter medication. If your child requires a life sustaining medication, such as an EpiPen, please see the director for the proper paperwork. 

You will need to provide the school with a medication action plan from your physician, the medication itself and pharmacy instructions, along with a picture of your child. 

Please be sure to inform your teacher and the director of any of the above.

See also: Parent Handbook