The Learning Barn Childcare Center Preschool Daycare Naugatuck, CT, 06770. , Best Daycare

CHILD BEHAVIOR - DISCIPLINE POLICY (including abuse and neglect policy)

It is expected that all of The Learning Barn Childcare Center & Preschool, LLC’s staff will exercise positive techniques in the guidance of young children. All staff members will receive on-going or as needed in-service training in child behavior management and managing challenging behaviors.

Removal of a child from the group for disciplinary reasons shall be to a location, with an adult, in the classroom where the child can safely express what they are feeling. If a child’s behavior continues to escalate or increases in frequency, a parent will be contacted to discuss appropriate actions for intervention.

Children’s development and behavior is taken seriously. It is the responsibility of our staff and administration to provide a safe, supportive, and developmentally appropriate program to all children to the highest degree possible. Therefore, we will adhere to the following policy on management of children who demonstrate atypical development and/or challenging behaviors.

Families will be responsible for attending an ‘Individual Plan of Care’ (IPC) meeting to develop strategies and recommendations and additional services if needed to ensure the safety and well-being of their child and others.

All Learning Barn Childcare Center & Preschool, LLC staff members are prohibited from any use of abusive, neglectful, corporal, humiliating, frightening punishment or the use of physical restraint (unless restraint is necessary to protect the health or safety of the child, or another child or adult).

Educators use positive techniques of guidance, including logical or natural consequences applied in problem solving situations, redirection, anticipation of an elimination of potential problems, and encouragement of appropriate behavior rather than competition, comparison or criticism
Consistent, clear rules are developed in conjunction with children and are discussed with them to make sure they understand.
Educators describe the situation to encourage children’s evaluation of the problem rather than impose the solution.
Educators do not force children to apologize or explain their behavior but help children recognize another child’s feelings.
Educators abstain from corporal punishment (spanking) or humiliating or frightening discipline techniques such as denying food, drink, toileting or rest privileges as punishment, or using harsh, threatening or profane language to discipline.

ATYPICAL DEVELOPMENT AND CHALLENGING BEHAVIOR

Atypical development shall be defined as that which does not meet established norms for children of the same age group in any of the domains of development including physical, language, and motor, selfhelp, cognitive and social and emotional.
Challenging behaviors shall be defined as aggression: biting, hitting, pushing, kicking, or other potentially dangerous acts toward other children or educators.
Foul language, inability to follow rules and comply with directives, escaping from the classroom, outbursts and tantrums, disruption of classroom activities or any act which endangers the health and safety of self or damage to others, property or disrupts program quality is also considered challenging.

Teachers will use a chart to track behavior in order to identify the source of the behavior and to plan for intervention. In addition, teachers will also use the ’Individual Plan of Care (IPC), which is a step-by-step process for assessing, referring and accommodating children with atypical development and/or challenging behaviors as follows:

Teachers will follow the steps of the Child Behavior - Discipline Policy.
The Learning Barn Childcare Center & Preschool, LLC will consult with the Educational/Social Service Consultants on next steps.
A collaborative plan will be developed with the family with goals and communication forms.

In the event the child’s development remains a concern, the family will be scheduled to meet with the teacher and director to discuss other options for care or services or recommend other services or centers to address your child’s needs. These services may include, but are not limited to, any of the following:

Health Care Specialist	Wheeler Clinic
Behavioral Specialist	Connecticut’s Birth to Three
Early Childhood Education Consultant	Public School Early Intervention Team

Fees related to these services are the responsibility of the parent/guardian.

When the family and the Center staff agree on an Individual Plan of Care (IPC) and recommendations have been made to expand services outside of the Center, it is very important that the family makes every effort to attend the meetings and appointments. If a family decides not to follow through with the IPC plan and additional services, we may decide to discontinue care.

The Learning Barn Childcare Center and Preschool, LLC agrees to cooperate with consultants and professionals in allowing them to make assessments of the child in his/her educational environment. No information about the child will be provided to these agencies or individuals without written consent from the parent/guardian.

The families will be provided with the results and recommendations of assessments, per their signed agreement, for the appropriate program planning for their child. Follow-up meetings with the families and re-evaluation of the success of any recommendations for implementation will be noted on a regular basis. The decision to modify or continue programming will be determined by the behavior and child’s progress.

In such cases where little or no progress is made, or in the case of noncompliance with this policy, parents/ guardians will have two weeks to make new arrangements unless the child is a danger to himself or others, or disruptive to the program quality in which case dismissal shall be immediate.

BITING POLICY AND GUIDANCES

Biting may happen in the infant and toddler rooms because the child may not have the words to express their feelings or needs. Biting is not usually an issue when children have turned 3 and 4. However, occasionally children still struggle with impulse-control. If biting occurs, our staff will do as follows:

First Aide must be given to the child immediately.
The child that has bitten must be reminded that “biting hurts” and help the child who he/she has bitten.
Children are encouraged to use words to express their feelings as well as to work out difficulties. Even the very youngest children are exposed to verbal problem-solving. Teachers try to help the child put his/her feelings into words.
An incident report must be written, and the parents notified immediately for both the victim and the child doing the biting.
We do not provide one- to-one child care. If a child is consistently requiring one-teacher-to-child to prevent biting then the director needs to be notified. Extreme circumstances of repeated aggression will require the child to be picked up from the center and remain at home until the biting issues subside.
Documentation needs to be on file in the Accident/Incident Log. Biting logs need to be evaluated weekly to determine if there is a pattern to the children’s biting.
Failure to follow the biting guidelines will result in a written counsel and/or termination. This is treated very seriously on a case by case basis.

ABUSE AND NEGLECT POLICY

All of our staff have a responsibility to prevent child abuse and neglect of any children involved in our center

Child Abuse includes:

- Any non-accidental physical or mental injury (i.e. shaking, beating, burning)
- Any form of sexual abuse (i.e. sexual exploitation)
- Neglect of a child (i.e. failure to provide food, clothing, shelter, education, mental care, appropriate supervision)
- Emotional abuse (i.e. excessive belittling, berating, or teasing which impairs the child’s psychological growth) At risk behavior (i.e. placing a child in a situation which might endanger him by abuse or neglect).

Child Abuse is defined as a child who has had:

- Non-accidental physical injuries inflicted upon him
- Injuries which are at variance with the history given of them
- Is in a condition, which is the result of maltreatment, such as, but not limited to, malnutrition, sexual exploitation, and deprivation of necessities, emotional maltreatment or cruel punishment

Child neglect is defined as a child who has been:

- Abandoned
- Denied proper care and attention physically, educationally, emotionally or morally
- Allowed to live under circumstances, conditions or associations injurious to his wellbeing

Staff responsibilities:

As childcare providers we are mandated by law to report any suspicion that a child is being abused, neglected or at risk.

Specifics on reporting a suspected case of abuse or neglect:

- Call the Department of Children and Families (open 24 hours a day) at 1-800-842-2288.
- The reporter’s name is required, but may be kept confidential. Information needed:
- Name of child/Date of birth
- Address of child
- Phone number of child
- Name of parents or guardians
- Address of parents or guardians
- Phone number of parents or guardians
- Relevant information such as: physical or behavioral indicators, nature and extent of injury, maltreatment or neglect
- Exact description of what the reporter has observed
- Time and date of incident
- Information about previous injuries, if any
- Circumstances under which reporter learned of abuse
- Name of any person suspected of causing injury
- Any information reporter believes would be helpful
- Any action taken to help or treat the child
- Seek medical attention for the child – if needed
- Mandated reporters must report orally to DCF or a law enforcement agency within 12 hours of suspecting that a child has been abused or neglected. Within 48 hours of making the report, the mandated reporter must submit a written report (DCF – 136) to DCF.
- Staff are protected by law from discrimination or retaliation for reporting suspected abuse or neglect (CT General Statutes, Section 17a-101e).
- All phone calls to DCF shall be documented and kept on file at the Center. A copy of all statements from staff and the DCF-136 shall also be kept on file.
- The management of this program supports a zero tolerance for abuse and neglect and will implement immediate action should there be an allegation that a staff member abused or neglected a child.
- The administration will protect the child, including immediate notification of a parent or guardian, once there is an allegation of abuse or neglect of a child in our program.
- Any staff member accused of abuse or neglect may be immediately removed from his or her position until DCF’s investigation is completed. Based on whether the allegations were substantiated or not, the employee would either be dismissed from his/her position or allowed to return to work.

Staff Training:

- Staff will be required to attend bi-annual staff meetings, focusing on the steps for reporting suspected abuse and neglect and the role of a mandated reporter. All new staff will be trained in these procedures prior to their start in the classroom.

Provisions for informing families of abuse and neglect policy:

- A copy of this policy will be included in our parent information packet, and each family will be given a copy upon enrollment. Parent will sign acknowledgment of receipt of the abuse and neglect policy. A copy of this policy will also be posted on the parent board.
- When an accusation of abuse or neglect by a staff member is made, the Director must immediately inform the parents or guardians that a report has been made to DCF. Health care officials may need to talk to a child’s parents to access the cause of the child’s injuries and offer support and guidance.

I acknowledge that I have received a copy of the Abuse and Neglect Policy with my enrollment packet. I have read, understand the Abuse and Neglect Policy of The Learning Barn Childcare Center & Preschool, LLC as outlined in this manual.

Parent/Guardian Signature

Discipline Policy

CHILD BEHAVIOR - DISCIPLINE POLICY (including abuse and neglect policy)

ATYPICAL DEVELOPMENT AND CHALLENGING BEHAVIOR

BITING POLICY AND GUIDANCES

ABUSE AND NEGLECT POLICY

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