CENTRE CLOSURES

It is my desire to provide the best possible care, to do this I must remember my good health, both physically and emotionally.  Therefore the following days are to be observed as Closed Paid Holidays.

The Centre will be closed on the following days (Days are shown in the Handbook):

- All Statutory Holidays
- 2 Weeks (1 Week Paid) Summer Holidays
- 2 Weeks (2 Weeks Paid) Christmas Holidays

Again, these are my paid vacation times and all fees remain the same.  An example:  If your child is due to come every Monday and the Monday is a closed Holiday, you are still required to pay for that day or any other day your child would normally be there.  Stat Holidays are closed days where your son or daughter will not be attending unless agreed to otherwise in a signed agreement.

CAREGIVER SICK DAYS:

The Centre will also close for up to 5 days per year (separate or combined days) in the event that one or more of the Caregivers own children and or the Caregiver her self are to sick or contagious to take part in the Centre's daily programming and when a substitute is unavailable.  There are 2 subs available on call but there may be times when either cannot be reached or unavailable.  This is why it is so important to have at least 2, preferably 3 people who you can rely on for back up.

EMERGENCY CENTRE CLOSURES:

The Centre will also close in any situation where the owner and/or substitute are unable to get to the Centre because of power outages of more than 2 hours, and / or where there are structural damages to the building or any other states of emergency.  In such circumstances the owner or substitute will phone parents to notify of closure.  (Sorry, there will be no reduction in fees for a closure of 5 business days or less during an emergency situation.)



Some parents want to know why holidays and provider vacations should be paid time off:

Providers need the time off just like any working North American needs time off (vacation/holidays, personal day or sick day off). The cost of running the program is not going to change that much because it was closed down for a holiday, or even a week here and there for provider's vacation.  Providers cannot afford to take the time off if they are loosing fees for a week. The providers who do not charge for vacation time off are most likely to work 12 months a year without any breaks. This can be unhealthy for the provider. Less chance to have some R&R. More chance of physical disabilities, and high risk of burn out. Most providers figure out what it will cost to run the child care on a annual basis. And what they will need for the year. Then divide that up into Monthly / weekly amounts to allow themselves the time off. Your fees could be higher if they don't charge for the time off because they have to compensate for the down time. So it's easier to come up with a weekly rate for 52 weeks a year and keep the fees steady. This allows the much needed R&R.

Most providers put in an average of 10-18 hours a day running the program and being with the children. Just because your child went home at 4 p.m. or arrived at 9 a.m. doesn't mean the provider wasn't working at 6:00 a.m. greeting early arrivals, or closing at 6 p.m. after the last child leaves. She still has to be there. Shopping, cleaning, and other business related duties are done after hours. So her work did not stop at 6:00p.m. Add those hours up and your provider is putting in a pretty long week of 50-90 hours per week on the average.

So remember just like you like to have your holidays and vacation time off and PAID, so does your provider.