02.02.04 - Delegate Center Child Sign In/Out Policy & Procedure

Delegate Center Child Sign In/Out Policy & Procedure Policy Number and Last Update (02.02.04/10-2023)

1. POLICY
   1. The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services licensing standards for Day Care Centers state that: "children shall be admitted and discharged under circumstances which ensure protection of their own and other children's physical and emotional well-being" and "when a child is released, in accordance with the written instructions of the parent/s or guardian, to a person other than the parent/s or guardian, the facility shall maintain a record of to whom that child was released, and the date and time" (Part 407, Sections 407.260).
   2. In accordance with these standards and considering the nature of the Migrant & Seasonal Head Start day care programs, the optimal safety and well-being of the children served, and practical liability, it is the policy of the Illinois Migrant & Seasonal Head Start Project that all children served will be signed in and out of every delegate center's care daily. Parent/s, guardian, and other persons authorized in writing by the parent/s or guardian will be required to sign upon delivery of children to center personnel's care and when picking up children from center personnel. Furthermore, the bus will be considered an extension of the center, and all children will be signed in and out of the bus daily as well. At the discretion of the individual delegate agency, a bus aide may sign on behalf of the authorized person providing s/he adds his/her initials indicating that she knows the person dropping off or picking up the child to be on the authorized list.
   3. The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services licensing standards, Section 407.260, will also be strictly adhered to in all Illinois Migrant & Seasonal Head Start Project delegate centers. Every child shall be released from a MSHS center or bus only to a person who is either:
      • the legal parent/s or guardian; or
      • has been authorized in writing by the parent/s or guardian, and
      • the person picking up the child is 14 years of age or over.
      • Additionally, persons on the authorized list who are not known to the center staff must be able to provide center or bus staff with appropriate photo identification (i.e., driver's license, photo I.D., etc.) prior to the child's release to them.
   4. When a child is released to a person authorized on the contingency list, the center shall maintain a record of the person's name and the date and time. The time of each child's departure from the center shall be noted on a daily departure log and initialed, signed or otherwise documented by the person to whom the child is released.
2. PROCEDURE
   1. Communication of Information
      1. It is imperative for the center's Family Services Coordinator (FSC) to communicate relevant child enrollment information, to the bus driver and the center director or appropriate staff BEFORE the child is picked up by the bus or arrives at the center for the first time. The FSC should communicate the following:
         1. Child's name;
         2. Child's age and date of birth;
         3. Family's address;
         4. Authorized pick-up person(s), and
         5. Any immediately relevant disability, health problems, allergies, dietary restrictions, etc.
         6. The bus driver will use this information when picking up children. The center director will communicate this information to on-site staff so they can prepare for the child's arrival.
         7. If a parent changes any information (in the above a-e), the FSC, center director, and center program support coordinator need to know of the changes and distribute them to the bus and classroom staff immediately.
   2. Bus Arrival:
      1. The Bus Aide verbally reports the number of children unloading from the bus to staff receiving children.
      2. Bus Aide starts to unload children beginning with children in the back of the bus and working their way forward or by unloading children who can walk first followed by toddlers and babies.
      3. Staff receiving children scans and counts.
      4. After children exit the bus, staff receiving children completes the roll call form prior to walking children to their classroom.
      5. When all children have been unloaded, the Bus Aides and Bus Driver complete a bus walk-through to ensure all children are off the bus and will check each seat and underneath. - Bus walk-throughs will occur in this order: Bus Aide #1, Bus Aide #2, then the Bus Driver. It will be the responsibility of the Bus Driver to complete the final inspection of the bus to ensure that there are no more children remaining on the bus.
   3. Classroom Arrival:
      1. Families and children are greeted as they enter the classroom.
      2. Children are signed in.
      3. Children are actively supervised as they arrive at the classroom.
      4. Classroom staff posts the number of children, and it is changed as children arrive, in their child present bulletin board.
   4. Bus Departure:
      1. In the classroom staff scans and counts children and completes the bus roll call form prior to taking them to the bus and verbally reports the number of children leaving the classroom.
      2. Classroom staff reports the number of children to transportation staff before children get on the bus.
      3. Transportation staff scans and counts children and completes the bus attendance log as children load the bus.
      4. When the bus returns to the center, the Bus Aides and Bus Driver complete a bus walk-through to ensure all children are off the bus and will check each seat and underneath. - Bus walk-throughs will occur in this order: Bus Aide #1, Bus Aide #2, then the Bus Driver. It will be the responsibility of the Bus Driver to complete the final inspection of the bus to ensure that there are no more children remaining on the bus.
   5. Classroom Departure:
   6. Children are actively supervised until the parent/guardian signs them out.
   7. Families and children are acknowledged as they leave the classroom.
   8.  The number of children is changed in the child-present bulletin board as children depart from classroom.
3. FORMS
   1. The Authorized Sign In/Out Bus and Center will be used for all children. Once bus routes are known, children's names may be added. The forms with the children's names already printed can be copied and used until new children are added. As new children are enrolled, the form must be updated. The date, time, and signature lines will be completed daily. This form will be used on both the bus and at the delegate site.
   2. NOTE: This form will be maintained in the center's general file for one season. It is the responsibility of the bus and classroom/on-site center staff to identify all authorized person(s) per DCFS Licensing Standards before a child is released from their care.
4. TRAINING
   1. It is the center director's responsibility to train, during the center's pre-service week, all other staff, especially the bus and classroom personnel, on this policy, procedure, and accompanying form(s). All center's staff must also be trained on what they are to do if they cannot find the authorized pick-up person(s) and/or if the person picked up the child is not on the parent's list.
   2. The FSC is responsible for training parents, upon enrollment, of the importance of the enrollment information, the pick-up person(s) list, and this policy and procedure.