Licensing Visit Result

On July 12, 2012 the Authority completed a review of the agency as required in Standard 1 of the Family Day Home Standards Manual. As a result of the review it was identified that Hemel House was compliant to the provincial standards for the family day home program.

We would like to share with you some of the many standards that are being met:

Agencies must create at least six opportunities each year to bring family day home providers together for training, consultation, information sharing, or problem solving to reduce provider isolation.

• Provider/Parent training meetings are held the first Monday of every month
• Additional networking opportunities are provided through meetings, community events etc.
• Online private network group for providers exists so they can share ideas and request support
  

Agencies must have documented policies and procedures for their providers regarding placement, fees, information records, monitoring, parent involvement, health and safety, investigations, outings, backup care etc.

• Hemel House has clear procedures for placement of children 
• Fee/payment policies are in the Orientation and Parent Handbook 
• Expiry of First Aid, criminal record checks, pet vaccinations, insurance are tracked daily 
• Parents are invited to attend provider meetings 
• Parents are provided with resources on being an active participant in the day home and the care of their child

Hemel House ensures all backup care providers and In-Home Substitutes meet Ministry Agency Standards.

• 2 In Home Substitute files were reviewed and contained evidence they meet standards 
• In Home Substitutes must follow the same requirements as a Day Home Provider (First Aid, criminal record check, references etc.)

The following policy requirements are in place and the standards are met:

• All complaints are followed-up by the agency through a home visit or interview with the provider and the outcome is communicated to the complainant and others involved 
• All communicable diseases are reported to Alberta Health Services 
• Parents are immediately notified of any emergencies or critical incidents

At a minimum, the agency has one staff that fulfils both the responsibilities of the agency coordinator and consultant. Staff responsible for the monitoring of approved family day home providers must be certified at a minimum as a Child Development Worker (one year certificate).

• Hemel House’s minimum requirement for all Child Carer Consultants is a Child Development Supervisor certificate (2 year diploma). Hemel House currently has three active Consultants and one Coordinator.

There is evidence that the agency monitors all active providers a minimum of six times per year and completes safety checks at two of the six appointments.

• Hemel House monitors all active providers once a month (12 times per year) with increased frequency in the event a provider returns after a leave or experiences a significant change in their personal circumstances or any additional support or help.
• A detailed CFSA approved safety check is conducted twice a year with increased frequency after a leave

There is evidence that during visits, consultants review the following:

• Physical facility, including indoor and outdoor space, toys, furnishings and equipment.
• Provider performance, including supervision of children, activities, daily routine and child guidance practices. 
• Safety, health and emergency provisions, including health and safety checklist. 
• Home environment, including the influence of other children or adults who may be in the home while children are in care.
• Development and behaviour of children in care, including interactions between children and between child and provider.

There is evidence that each provider received two home inspections before initiating the service and that the inspections included everyone living in the residence.

There is evidence that the agency completes a performance assessment at least once annually for each approved provider. The assessment includes a review of the provider’s history of compliance to standards, training and professional development, parent satisfaction, and history of complaints and incidents.

There are consent forms on file from parents for children’s off-site program activities.

Accreditation Feedback

AELCS has granted the Hemel House program accreditation status to recognize that they have met the provincial requirement for high quality child care as demonstrated using specific data collection strategies and identifications in the criteria outlined in the Quality Standards.


We would like to share with you some of the AELCS noted feedback from our site visit in March 2012.

STANDARD TWO - Relationships between the caregivers and children are supportive and respectful.

Demonstrated Best Practices  

• Providers were interacting with children on their level.
• Children were treated with respect and engaged in conversations where they were listened to and needs responded to promptly. Many questions and open ended comments were heard in all homes.
• The Providers were observed offering choices and asking children’s opinions. When a child did not want her diaper changed, the provider gave a few more minutes and then asked her again.
• The Providers were observed to be frequently and appropriately showing affection to the children.
• Families are encouraged to share their culture, knowledge and experiences as well as make suggestions for their child’s care. In Homes # 1 & 2 each child had an album or poster with their photo and details about their lives.
• All children have individual portfolios with art work, photos and anecdotes.
• Providers communicate with parents on a daily basis about the children. One provider, Home # 3, uses texting and email to communicate with the families.
• Level of communication was adjusted to match the children’s communication abilities; shorter phrases and gestures were used with younger nonverbal children. One home (# 3) has a child with a language delay and the provider used strategies to encourage language development.
• Children’s respectful peer interactions were supported. Children were helped to understand each other’s feelings. A child was upset and the provider told another child that she was sad right now but would feel better soon.
• Children were acknowledged when interacting appropriately.

Accreditation Feedback

AELCS has granted the Hemel House program accreditation status to recognize that they have met the provincial requirement for high quality child care as demonstrated using specific data collection strategies and identifications in the criteria outlined in the Quality Standards.


We would like to share with you some of the AELCS noted feedback from our site visit in March 2012.


STANDARD ONE - Children are safe, secure, well cared for and nurtured.


Demonstrated Best Practices

• The children and parents were warmly greeted by Providers. 
• Through observations it was evident that there are policies and practices in place that support the children forming secure attachments. 
• Validators witnessed good communication between Providers and parents – posted, written and verbal. Bulletin boards are in each home and communication books are available for parents. 
• Close supervision and many positive interactions were observed.
• Providers have opportunities to further their education and for professional development. 
• The Providers and management regularly attend workshops, maintaining an awareness of emerging best practices. Ten meetings per year provide training for staff and providers (Little Warriors, Health Inspector) RIE Training provided training kits for providers working with infants. 
• Parents stated in surveys that they felt welcome and supported by the program and trusted in the care their children were given. 
• Menus were posted and reflected the Canada Food Guide. The program suggests foods to be served in the Providers’ homes. 
• Children’s incident/accident reports are kept in providers binder; that way consultants can keep track if there is safety issues with any specific provider

Make-it Topic: Pirates

Imaginative:

• Set up a box with flag for a pirate ship have pirate costumes out and birds
• Place out treasure boxes filled with jewels and maps for following
• Flip a table upside down for a pirate ship use chip containers for telescopes. Use orange bags for nets to catch fish

Language:

• Read Peter pan
• Read “How I became a pirate”
• Read “Do pirates take baths”
• Place out a flannel board with a ship and pirate encourage children to tell a story

Art:

• Make hook hands place a cardboard hook into a Styrofoam cup allow the children to decorate it
• Make eye patches using black foam and elastic
• Have the children paint hats use stickers to decorate it
• Use pool noodles cut into chunks to roll in paint and roll
• Place out paper and materials for rubbings to make a pirate flag
• Place out small boxes allow the children to decorate the treasure box
• Make telescope from paper tubes
• Use a square piece of material tie dye head bands
• Place out a parrot picture allow the children to decorate them
• Make swards out of cardboard allow the children to paint them

Water/Sand

• Place boats into the water table
• Place small boxes and shovels with letter x’s in the sand table
• Place fish and sponges into the water table
• Place jewels and sifts into the sand table
• Place different materials in the water to see what sinks and floats (also science)

Gross Motor

• Make a scavenger hunt using pictures for the children to follow
• Make milk carton ships and race them
• Place different size boards on the ground and raised have the children walk while counting to the end at the end have the child jump, walk backwards, skip when they are off
• Play pin the patch on the pirate
• Use pop bottles decorated as pirates to bowl over

Science/Curiosity

• Place out different compass for the children to explore
• Place out magnetic items
• Place a small boat in a bottle add water and oil
• Place out sea shells to explore

Blocks

• Place out boats and people
• Place out a tan blanket buckets and treasure to build with

Conceptual/Table top/Fine motor

• Match the parrots game
• Lace a pirate beard
• Place out play dough with jewels
• Place out maps of places for the children to move or  trace
• Place out play money for counting and sorting
• Place out a map with spots and a chest at the end have the children roll dice to move to the chest
• Flag matching game
• Cannon firing place a cannon with a number, letter, or color have a ball to match with

Music

• Make drums for pirate music
• Sing the song Pirate play
• [one] little pirate (s) went out to play on a pirate ship one day, he had suck enormous fun he called on another pirate to come  …Five little pirates went out to play on a pirate ship one day they had such enormous fun they played and played till the day was done

Quiet

• Place out a parrot and book for curling up with

Cooking

• Make pirate ships
• Apples, cheese, small piece of fruit leather cut apple wedges use a tooth pick place cheese cube on and poke into apple use fruit leather as the flag
• Make a pirate mix use pretzels for peg legs cereal balls for cannon balls banana chips for gold coins mix and enjoy

Field trip

• Go to the local park and go on a treasure hunt
• Go to the boat store look at different boats