​​Releasing a child from care
The staff who is supervising the child at the time of pick-up shall only release the child to the child’s parent/guardian or individual that the parent/guardian has provided written authorization that the child care may release the child to.  Where the staff does not know the individual picking up the child, the staff will:

• confirm with another staff member that the individual picking up is the child’s parent/guardian/authorized individual.
• where the above is not possible, ask the parent/guardian/authorized individual for photo identification and confirm the individual’s information against the parent/guardian/authorized individual’s name on the child’s file or written authorization.
  

Please advise anyone who is picking up your child to go to your child’s daycare room, rather than having your child change their routine. For safety reasons, children are advised to always report to daycare after school; it is the caregiver’s responsibility to locate your child in their daycare room.

Where a child has not been picked up as expected (before centre closes)
Where a parent/guardian has previously communicated with the staff a specific time or timeframe that their child is to be picked up from care and the child has not been picked up within 45 minutes of the stated time, the room staff shall call the parent/guardian and advise that the child is still in care and has not been picked up.

• Where the staff is unable to reach the parent/guardian, staff will contact the daycare office to send an email.  Where the individual picking up the child is an authorized individual and their contact information is available, the staff shall proceed with contacting the individual to confirm pick-up as per the parent/guardian’s instructions or leave a voice message to contact the centre.
• Where the staff has not heard back from the parent/guardian or authorized individual who was to pick up the child the staff shall wait until program closes and then refer to the procedures under “where a child has not been picked up and program is closed.
  

Where a child has not been picked up and the centre is closed

• Where a parent/guardian or authorized individual who was supposed to pick up a child from care and has not arrived by 6:00pm, 2 staff shall remain with the child while they await their pick-up. 
• One staff shall stay with the child, while a second staff proceeds with calling the parent/guardian to advise that the child is still in care and inquire their pick-up time.  In the case where the person who was to pick up the child is an authorized individual, the staff will contact parents/guardians first, and then proceed to contact the authorized individual responsible for pick-up is unable to reach the parent/guardian.
  
• If the staff is unable to reach the parent/guardian or authorized individual who was responsible for picking up the child, the staff shall contact the emergency contact listed on the childs file.
  
• Where the staff is unable to reach the parent/guardian or any other authorized individual listed on the child’s file (e.g., the emergency contacts) by 7:00pm  the staff shall proceed with contacting the local Children’s Aid Society (CAS)  Staff shall follow the CAS’s direction with respect to next steps.
  

Dismissing a child from care without supervision procedures
Once an authorization form has been signed off on by both the parent and ED or Supervisor, children over 10 years old are permitted to leave the daycare on their own, when a note or phone call from the parent/guardian has been provided.

Where a parent/guardian has provided written authorization or a phone call to staff, for their child 10 years and older to be released from care without supervision, one staff in the program must be responsible for dismissing the child from care. 

Prior to dismissing the child from care, the staff shall review the written instructions and/or confirm the time of the call for release provided by the parent/guardian, and release the child at the time set out in the instructions. The staff shall document the time of departure from care and as well as their initials on the attendance record.

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​Safe Arrival & Dismissal