Section 2008.260 Daily Arrival and Departure of Children

Section 407

TITLE 23: EDUCATION AND CULTURAL RESOURCES

SUBTITLE A: EDUCATION

CHAPTER XI: DEPARTMENT OF EARLY CHILDHOOD

PART 2008 LICENSING STANDARDS FOR DAY CARE CENTERS

SECTION 2008.260 DAILY ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE OF CHILDREN

Section 2008.260  Daily

Arrival and Departure of Children

a)         The daily arrival of children at the center shall be conducted

in a way that protects each child's physical and emotional well-being.

Information provided by the parents about a child's immediate daily needs shall

be communicated  in a timely manner to staff caring for the child.

b)         Child care staff shall conduct a daily pre-admission screening

to determine if the child has obvious symptoms of illness. If symptoms of

illness are present, the child's inclusion or exclusion for the day shall be

determined in accordance with Section 2008.310(b) and (c).

c)         Children served in a day care center shall not remain on the

premises for more than 12 hours in any 24-hour period, unless the parent's

employment or training schedule requires more than 12 hours of day care and

this has been confirmed in writing, by the parent.  The written confirmation

shall be kept on file for licensing review.

d)         A daily attendance log shall be maintained in such a way that

it is always  possible to determine the number of children present at any given

time.

e)         The daily departure of children from the center shall be

conducted in a way that protects each child's physical and emotional

well-being.

1)         The staff shall refuse to release a child to any person,

whether related or unrelated to the child, who has not been authorized by the parent

or parents to receive the child.  Persons not known to the staff shall be

required to provide a driver's license (with photo), a photo identification

card issued by the Illinois Secretary of State or other photo identification to

establish their identity before the child is released to them

ild to any person,

whether related or unrelated to the child, who has not been authorized by the parent

or parents to receive the child.  Persons not known to the staff shall be

required to provide a driver's license (with photo), a photo identification

card issued by the Illinois Secretary of State or other photo identification to

establish their identity before the child is released to them.

2)         When a child is released to a person authorized on the

contingency list, the center shall maintain a record of the person's name and

the date and time.

3)         The time of each child's departure from the center shall be

noted on a daily departure log and initialed, signed or otherwise documented by

the person to whom the child is released.

4)         When the center has a written policy or an individual plan for

a specific school-age child, that child may be allowed to leave the  center

unaccompanied with written authorization from their parent or parents.  The

authorization must include:

A)        the time of release from the center;

B)        the means of transportation the child will use and, if

applicable, the time the child is to return to the center;

C)        the procedure to be followed if the child does not return at

the expected time; and

D)        the designated staff person to enter the time of the child's

departure and initial the log.

f)         All

day care centers shall have a written policy that explains to parents and staff

the actions the center will take if a parent or guardian does not pick up, or

arrange to have someone pick up, his or her child at the designated, agreed

upon time

return at

the expected time; and

D)        the designated staff person to enter the time of the child's

departure and initial the log.

f)         All

day care centers shall have a written policy that explains to parents and staff

the actions the center will take if a parent or guardian does not pick up, or

arrange to have someone pick up, his or her child at the designated, agreed

upon time.  The policy shall consist of the provider's expectations clearly

presented to the parent or guardian in the form of a written agreement that shall

be signed by the parent or guardian and shall include at least the following

elements:

1)         The

consequences of not picking up children on time shall be precisely communicated

to parents, for example:

A)        Amount

of late fee, if any, and when those fees begin to accrue.

B)        The

degree of diligence the provider will use to reach emergency contacts, e.g.,

number of attempted phone calls to parents and emergency contacts, requests for

police assistance in finding emergency contacts, and so forth.

C)        Length

of time the facility will keep the child beyond the pick-up time before

contacting outside authorities, such as, the child abuse hotline, police, and

so forth.

2)         Emphasis

on the importance of having up-to-date emergency contact numbers on file.

3)         Acknowledgement

of the provider’s responsibility for the child’s protection and well-being

until the parent or outside authorities arrive.

4)         A policy

that staff shall not hold the child responsible for the situation and that

discussion of this issue will only be with the parent or guardian and never

with the child.