Waitlist, Enrolment and Withdrawal

Day Care Waitlists

In order to place a child's name on the waitlist, the family will complete the waitlist form in conjunction with a visit to the centre. There are three separate waitlists for our programs, one for Langara College student and staff children, one for community children and one for children with extra support needs.

"Extra Support" Waitlist

Families who wish to place their children on our "extra support" waitlist will need to be enrolled in the Supported Child Development Program. Day care staff can assist families in connecting with Supported Child Development Program staff if they wish it

Priority in Enrolment

First priority in enrolment will be given to:

Langara College student and staff children;
children with extra support needs;
children currently enrolled in the toddler program and moving to a three-to-five program;
siblings of children currently enrolled in the program.

When a space becomes available, day care staff will contact the next family on the waitlist in order of priority.

If a space becomes available and is not needed by any family on the Langara College waitlist, it may be offered to a family on the community waitlist.

Contract Procedure and Deposit

Once a family has been offered and has accepted a space they will be given a registration package which includes the Parent Contract and other enrolment forms. A $300 non-refundable deposit is required within two weeks of acceptance of the space as well as the completed contract and registration package. The deposit is non-interest bearing and will be applied to the last month's fees.

Upon enrolment families will read and sign the Parent Contract and fill in the forms in the registration package. These documents will go into the child's file. All information about children and families in this file is considered confidential and will be stored in a secure place.

Changes in Family Information

Families are expected to inform staff of any changes so that registration forms can be kept up to date at all times. We must be able to reach families at all times. So we must be told immediately of any changes in address, phone number, class schedule or place of work and if there is any change in the people who are authorized to pick up a child.

Gradual Entry

Admission to Langara Child Development Centre begins with a gradual entry as agreed upon by staff and families. Gradual entry has several goals. These include:

that separation between the child and family be gradual and positive;
that the child and day care staff develop a positive relationship before the child is left on his/her own;
that the child and family are gradually introduced to, and become familiar with, the routines, activities and philosophy of the centre;
that the child has a secure start to his/her day care experience with the support of both family and day care staff.

While we understand that gradual entry is not always convenient for families, it is a key component to a positive adjustment to day care. Usually gradual entry begins in the mornings, but we can be flexible, scheduling gradual entry around families' schedules. Before the child attends the day care full-time we require a minimum of three visits of increasing length by the child and his or her family.

Each child will be accepted on a probationary basis for a one-month period, at which time the suitability of the centre may be reviewed.

Conflict Resolution

Parents are encouraged to discuss any questions or concerns about the children's program or our procedures with day care staff. If a conflict arises, the goal is to resolve differences of opinion and find solutions that everyone can accept. We are committed to providing a caring and supportive environment for our children and families. If there continues to be a problem, a meeting can be arranged between families, staff and the Head Teacher to define the issues, state points of view and identify solutions when possible.

If a family wishes to appeal a decision, they can meet with the Head Teacher to discuss it. If the issue is not resolved, the family can meet with the Dean of Student and Educational Support Services. The Dean's decision will be final.

In the case of persistent conflicts, when all reasonable attempts to solve problems have failed, for the sake of the child, family and staff, the family will be asked to make other day care arrangements. We must at times be able to accept that our day care is not the right fit for some children and families.

Withdrawal

Families are required to provide at least one month's notice when they withdraw their child. More notice is preferable if the family can give it. This is crucial as most families on the waitlist require one month's notice from the day care before they can accept a space. In lieu of notice we require one month's payment.

Termination of Service

The Langara Child Development Centre can terminate its services to a family under the following circumstances:

if fees for services are not paid in full and on time and suitable arrangements cannot be agreed upon;
if the centre is unable to satisfactorily resolve a problem with a family;
if a family member harasses, threatens or commits a violent or unlawful act toward a staff member, child or other family involved in the program;
if a family picks up their child late three times or more without having made previous suitable arrangements;
if, in the assessment of the day care staff, a child is unable to manage safely in a group of children within the given adult-to-child ratio. In this case, termination of services will be a measure of last resort

All efforts will be made to accommodate the child's needs. These would include:

working with the family to develop consistent strategies;
requesting increased staffing through the Supported Child Development Program.