Building Safety
Keeping your child safe and secure is our priority. Our center is equipped with doors that require a code or key fob to enter. Please do not share the access code with anyone not listed as a contact on your Enrollment Agreement, and do not share your key fobs with anyone. Each registered pick-up person should have their own registered key fob. If a key fob is lost, there will be a key fob replacement fee. There are also surveillance cameras throughout our buildings and property.
Emergency Contacts and Pick-Up Authorization
When you first enroll, you’ll complete an Enrollment Agreement, including the Primary and Emergency Contact and Release sections. These sections authorize specific individuals to pick up your child. You are responsible for maintaining accurate, complete, and current information.
Written authorization must be on file at the center before your child is released to anyone. For the safety and security of your child, telephone requests are not encouraged. If a telephone authorization must be used, you’ll be asked the security questions outlined on your Enrollment Agreement.
Staff members will ask for government-issued photo ID from anyone who is not positively known to them. We know you’ll feel more secure and confident when we’re aware of who may and may not pick up your child. Please let anyone listed on your Enrollment Agreement know that they will be asked to verify their identity—possibly multiple times, by every team member in direct care of your child—until they are “known” by everyone.
We will not release a child to any Emergency Contact younger than 18 years of age unless the individual is the legal parent or guardian. If DCY (Department of Children and Youth) licensing regulations become more restrictive, the more restrictive procedures will apply without notice.
Custody and Visitation
Some families have legal custodial orders that address who is permitted to pick up or visit a child. If there are custody orders relating to your child, a copy must be provided to Center Management for your child’s file. This information is confidential and solely for the safety and well-being of your child. Families must update Center Management when custody orders change or expire.
Please note that team members cannot be responsible for supervising parenting time (visitation), and as a result, visitation for non-custodial parents is not permitted in our centers. If an individual has court-ordered legal custody, team members must release the child to that legal custodian regardless of visitation schedules. Please discuss questions about custody arrangements with your Center Administrator.
Mandated Reporters
It’s our mission to ensure all children in our centers are safe and well cared for—not only while they are at our center, but always. The law requires everyone who works directly with children to report suspicions or evidence of child neglect or abuse to state childcare licensing agencies or law enforcement agencies. Our team members are trained to look for and recognize signs of possible abuse or neglect. Your Center Administrator can provide details about the mandated reporting rules that apply to your center.
Mandated reporting also applies if a team member uses an inappropriate discipline method or behaves in a way that puts children at risk. If this happens, the Center Administrator will communicate with parents, report to licensing and accrediting agencies as needed, and work with the team member and Human Resources to determine the best course of action for their employment.
Those who fail to report according to child care licensing regulations can be held accountable under the law. The law prohibits interference with an individual’s attempt to report child abuse or neglect.
Team Member Professional Conduct
Heritage Early Learning Center expects all team members to maintain a professional, respectful, and appropriate environment while caring for children. Team members are expected to use appropriate language and behavior at all times and may not use profanity, coarse or inappropriate personal conversations, inappropriate media, or other behavior that is unsuitable for children while in the care or custody of children. Personal cell phone use, personal social media use, and other non-work-related media are not permitted during working hours while team members are responsible for children, except as authorized for work-related purposes or during an approved break. Team members are expected to model appropriate communication and behavior and to maintain a positive, professional environment for children, families, and coworkers.
