7.2.24-C19: Admission and Withdrawal of Children

Family Prioritization

In deciding which families are prioritized in each Child Care Centre when it reopens, LEF will follow the guide recommended by Toronto Children’s Services that recognize the goal of supporting employment, and the fact that the impacts of COVID-19 have exposed and deepened inequities experienced by Black and other equity-seeking communities, as well as by Indigenous communities: 

Recommended Priorities

Process

Priority Category 1 –

Emergency Child Care

(ECC) recipients who

previously used child care

in the agency

Return families that were served through Emergency

Care to their original placement.

Priority Category 2 –

Essential Workers who

were not placed in ECC

(and were previously

receiving care in the

agency)

Return those families who are considered essential workers as defined by the province at: https://www.ontario.ca/page/childcare-health-care-and-frontline-staff, considering the following factors:

  • Lone parent families
  • Two parent families where both parents are required to work
  • Families with children with extra support needs or families facing systemic barriers.

Priority Category 3 – Employed/Self-Employed (and were previously receiving care in the agency)

Return families who are employed or self-employed in any other sector, considering the following factors: 

  • Lone parent families who are currently working or returning to work
  • Two parent families where both parent(s) are either currently working or must return to work
  • Families with children with extra support needs or families facing systemic barriers

Priority Category 4 –

Families with special circumstances (and were

previously receiving care

in the agency)

Return families with special circumstances that would benefit

from children returning to care, such as children with extra

support needs or families facing systemic barriers, considering the following factors:

  • Lone parent families
  • This category may also include families who are students or who are looking for work who also have children with special circumstances

Priority Category 5 –

Students (and were

previously receiving care

in the agency)

Return families who are students, considering the following factors:

  • Lone parent families
  • In two parent families, if one parent is a student, other parent must be employed, self-employed or in school

Priority Category 6 –

Looking for Work (and were

previously receiving care

in the agency)

Return families who are looking for work, considering the following factors:

  • Lone parent families

Admission

Every attempt will be made to accommodate children as they are placed in a Cohort that is appropriate for their needs. 

Admission’s Criteria

Due to specific guidelines and number of children per room, the Child Care Centre must follow the requirements set out in the CCEYA, and consider the availability of child care spaces.

Once the Family Prioritizations set out above have been met, the following variables may be considered when determining how to prioritize the allocation of space including, but not limited to:

  • Age of the child:
  • Children turning six (6) years and entering grade 1 will have priority over children who turned 10 (ten) years by the end of August. 
  • LEF’s school age program is licensed for children between the ages of 6 to 12 years.  Accommodations of children 10 (ten) years and older will be based on space availability and the special needs of the family and/or child. 
  • Siblings of children in the Child Care Centre will have priority over children without siblings.
  • Children without siblings will be given priority based on the length of time that they have been enrolled in the Child Care Centre.
  • Access to alternate quality care provider.

Timelines for Decisions regarding Admission

Supervisors will do a survey by the end of May each year to determine the needs of the Child Care Centre for September.

If the Child Care Centre cannot accommodate children entering the school-age program, written notice will be given to the Primary Contacts no later than the end of June.

Waiting List

The Supervisor will do their best to meet the needs of all families but there is no guarantee that there will be space available for a child.  LEF maintains a waiting list.  For more information, please refer to Wait List Policy and Procedure 7.2.18, Child Care Centre Waiting list 7.2.36 and B&A Care Program Waiting List 7.2.37.

Withdrawal from the Program

Withdrawal Notice from Primary Contacts

Two Weeks’ Notice

When withdrawing from the Child Care Centre, Primary Contacts must give two (2) weeks written notice (10 (ten) business days).

No Notice Withdrawal

Failure to provide two (2) weeks’ notice will result in a no notice withdrawal.

When a no notice withdrawal is applied to a child’s file, it is the responsibility of the Primary Contact to pay for the two (2) weeks after a child withdraws from the program. 

Families that access subsidy through Toronto Children’s Services will pay the following:  Family portion on the first week and full fee on the second week.  See the Parent Information Board for the cost of full fee.

Withdrawal Notice from the Child Care Centre

Withdrawal Situations

The Child Care Centre will do its best to meet the needs of all families but there are times the Centre will not be able to meet a family’s requirements. 

The following are situations when the Centre will have to look at the needs of the child or family:

  • The child is not dropped off or picked up at the designated time over a period of three times within a one-month period.
  • The child is having difficulty within a child care environment, and poses a health and safety risk to themselves, any staff or other children within the program.
  • The Primary Contact is not paying their fees on time or at all.
  • The Primary Contact is not abiding by LEF’s policies that deal with COVID-19, Sexual Harassment, Ethnic Race Relations, Parent Code of Conduct and/or Family Contract.
  • Before a family is withdrawn from the program, a video meeting or phone call will be set-up with the Supervisor and the Primary Contact.  An action plan will be put in place in collaboration with the Centre Supervisor and the Primary Contact to best meet the needs of all parties. 

If needed, the support of LEF’s Early Childhood Consultant and/or Special Needs Resource staff will be made available to help support the Primary Contacts and the Child Care Centre staff. 

Notice Period

In the event that Primary Contacts and LEF cannot reach a compromise, the Centre Supervisor will give the Primary Contact a minimum of two weeks’ written notice, detailing the last day the child will be in care. 

The Supervisor will support the Primary Contact with this transition. 

Immediate Withdrawal

Immediate withdrawal of a child may take place:

  • When a Primary Contact has verbally or physically threatened a staff or child.
  • In circumstance when a child becomes violent, destructive towards self, others or property
  • When a Primary Contact does not disclose information related to health issues including COVID-19 that may impact their child.

Withdrawal Procedures

When children are asked to leave or denied admission due to the Child Care Centre’s inability to accommodate the child’s needs or family circumstances, the Supervisor will take the following steps:

  • Documentation of communication with Primary Contacts and use of support services
  • Notification of the Senior Manager
  • Notification of Toronto Children’s Services Consultant
  • Notification of LEF’s Executive Director and Board of Directors
  • Referral of the family to other services.

Review and Signature

Admission and Withdrawal of ChildrenPolicy 7.2.24-C19 must be reviewed and signed at least annually by all C&F Employees.

7.2.24-C19:  Admission and Withdrawal of Children

Effective Date: July 2, 2020

Revised:            

Prepared and Approved by Executive Director