6. Health Policies and Safety Suggestions
The health and safety policies of Happy House are to ensure the health of all the enrolled children and to provide a safe environment for them to grow. All children must have a yearly medical exam by a health care provider before being admitted to Happy House. All immunization updates and physical information must be submitted to us at Happy House at 1054 W. Clinton St., Elmira, NY 14905. All current medical information and forms are kept in a confidential file and will not be disclosed to unauthorized persons. Happy House requires written permission for any disclosure of these documents.
An informal daily health check of each child is made at the beginning of each session. If we find a child to be feverish or ill in any way, we will isolate him/her from the group, write up an illness report, and call the parent or secondary contact person immediately. Parents are expected to respond promptly to our phone call and pickup the child from Happy House. If you are aware that your child has been exposed to a communicable disease, please contact Happy House so that we may alert other parents. Please keep your child home if s/he has an infectious cold, running eyes or nose, excessive sneezing or coughing, diarrhea, upper respiratory illness, undiagnosed rash, pink eye, chicken pox, impetigo, head lice, strep throat, scarlet fever, fifth disease, ring worm, pin worms, hand, foot, and mouth disease, or has vomited or has had a fever in the last twenty four hours.
No medication will be given to the children. If a child brings cough drops or gum to school, they will be put in a safe place and returned to the parent. Please try to make sure these things remain in the car or at home. If your child needs sunscreen please apply before school.
If your child is injured at school, you will be given an Incident Report: this is a form required by NYS that is filled out by your child’s teacher and reviewed by the Director or Assistant Director. All occurrences, even a relatively minor one, will be recorded by the teacher and the incident will be discussed with the parent/caregiver. All reports will be signed by the parent/caregiver and reviewed and filed by the Director.
In New York State, all licensed day care facilities are mandated by law to report any and all instances of observed or suspected child abuse or maltreatment. The law says that if a child care worker has “reasonable cause to suspect “that a child has been abused or maltreated they are obligated to make a report. Happy House will follow this mandate.
Happy House will not use pesticides and First Presbyterian Church will use them only on an absolute minimum basis. Consideration of any pesticide use is made by the Sexton, Session, or Pastor of First Presbyterian Church and not by Happy House. If pesticides are used, Happy House and First Presbyterian Church will follow all guidelines set forth by NYS and parents will be notified in writing 48 hours in advance.