Signing In and Out

The sign-in and out process for children is facilitated using iPads at the reception or through the OWNA app on your mobile device. It is crucial that your child is signed in and out each day. All authorized individuals responsible for collecting or dropping off a child must log in and out, as specified on the child's enrolment form.

In emergency situations, such as a fire, the attendance records serve as our primary means of identifying who is present in the building at any given time throughout the day.

We will guide you through the setup of your login details during the Orientation.

Signing In or Out an Additional Person

Parents can support the center by providing the name, address, and a brief description of the individual, along with an approximate time of collection, before the person arrives to pick up the child. Parents should inform the designated person that they will need to produce identification and sign the attendance book. It's important to note that no individual under the age of 16 is permitted to collect a child from the center.

Procedure upon Arrival

Upon arriving at the center with your child, kindly accompany them to the play area and ensure that the staff are informed of your child's presence. Never leave a child unattended in an area where staff may not be aware of their presence. We kindly request that you share any relevant information about your child with the staff, such as any issues at home or a restless night, either verbally to a staff member or by writing it in the communication book.

Children's lockers, situated within each room, are designated spaces for storing bags. 

• Milk bottles, clearly labeled with your child's name, are to be handed to the educator for placement in the fridge.

• Please fill out the appropriate medication instructions on OWNA should your child need.

Staff members are available to convey information about your child's food or sleep requirements for the day verbally, or you may choose to email this information to the educators in your room.

Procedure upon child collection

When picking up your child, kindly enter the child's room or the play area and ensure that the staff is informed of your child's departure. Please proceed to sign your child out at the reception.

We encourage parents to take a moment to come into the center, witness what their child has been engaged in, and engage in conversation with the staff about their child's day. Children are always excited to showcase their daily activities. Information about each child's day will be updated on OWNA and serves as records of your child's day, providing details about their meals, nap duration, and the various activities they have participated in. Parents are also requested to regularly check their children's lockers for any arts and crafts, soiled clothing, or bedding, which we kindly ask you to take home for weekly washing.

The individual picking up the child should always record the time of departure. It is imperative for the center to be informed if anyone collecting the child is not the parent, guardian, or a regular pickup person. Anyone other than the legal parent or guardian must possess authorization from the parent, either in written form or through a telephone call, to collect the child. A child will only be released to individuals authorized by the parent on the enrollment form or with prior notification from the parent to the center. 

From a legal standpoint, the center cannot prevent a parent from collecting a child unless there is a restraining order, custody order, or an intervention order from the Courts that restricts or prohibits them from doing so. If such a court order exists, parents are urged to inform the coordinator and provide a copy for the center's records. In instances of parental separation, the center should be informed about the details of the separation, including the agreed-upon temporary arrangements for child access and who will be collecting the child. This information allows the center to notify parents if child collection falls outside these arrangements and to make them aware of any observed behavioral or emotional reactions from the child while at the center.

Late Collection Policy

Parents are required to promptly collect their children and exit the center by 6:00 pm on Mondays to Thursdays and by 4:00 pm on Fridays (Note: 3:45 pm pickup during winter months). 

Parents must contact the center in advance if they anticipate collecting their children after 6:00 pm. This allows staff to forgo non-collection procedures, reassuring the child that everything is in order. Providing advanced notice helps children cope better with the prospect of a late collection, and if necessary, staff overtime can be organized. A late fee, as outlined in the late fee policy, will be charged to parents. The policy specifies a fee of $2.00 per minute to cover staff overtime payments.

The qualified staff member (or person in charge) overseeing the child will countersign the time of departure. Additionally, they will note the client's name, the time, and date of collection for office records. Staff will remain on the premises with the child until 6:00 pm. If a parent indicates they are unable to collect their child before 6:00 pm, the parent must arrange alternative collection plans and promptly inform the center; otherwise, non-collection procedures will be implemented.

Procedure for Non-Collection of Children

In the exceptionally rare case where a child has not been collected, and the center has not received notification from parents about a late pickup, the staff member designated as "in charge" will be responsible for implementing non-collection procedures. These procedures are designed with the best interests of the child in mind, considering the potential distress for both children and staff when waiting for an undetermined period until someone arrives to collect the child.

In the event that a parent is late and cannot be contacted, the following procedure will be implemented. Parents are urged to keep both their own and emergency contact numbers up-to-date at all times.

  1. By 6:00 pm, staff will attempt to contact parents first or emergency contacts.
  2. If parents or emergency numbers cannot be contacted by 6:15 pm, staff will make a second attempt to notify all contacts.
  3. If contact is established, the person will be asked to collect the child by 6:30 pm. Staff should verify identification details, ensure that the person collecting the child is authorized to do so, and complete the attendance form.
  4. If contact cannot be made with an emergency contact by 6:30 pm, staff will contact the coordinator or Rabbi Shimshon Yurkowicz.
  5. If by 6:30 pm contact has not been made with a parent or emergency contact, staff will take the child to the Rabbi's home at 1138 Malvern Road, Malvern. A note with a telephone number will be left on the front door of the center. Once left at the Rabbi's home, he will continue attempting to contact the parents and emergency contact.
  6. If contact has not been made by 9:00 pm, the Department of Health and Family Services will be notified.

Please note that the Rabbi's home is within a 2-minute walking distance from the center, eliminating any legal concerns related to car seat restraints and transporting children in staff cars.