Mission Statement

The center can presently accommodate the following children;

1. 15 toddlers (18 months to 2.5 years of age) and 3 full-time teachers. Ratio of 5:1
2. 56 preschoolers (2.5 years of age to 5 years of age) and 7 full-time teachers. Ratio of 8:1 
3. 20 kinder aged children (jk/sk 44 months-67 months) ratio of 13:1
4. 24 school-aged children grade 1 to grade 5 (Grade 5 children can stay for the summer before grade 6) ratio of 15:1.                                                       

School-age and Kinder must bring lunches to any full daycare.

Our program will be evaluated regularly to reflect changes within the Child Care and Early Years Act 2014 (CCEYA). We use the “How does Learning Happen? Ontario’s Pedagogy for the Early Years” document to help develop our programming and philosophy. This is done through our regular staff meetings. Overall and specific goals should be identified and the implementation of these goals should assure educational success. All children should be guided through an educational, friendly atmosphere enhancing his/her development and whetting his/her appetite for further positive learning.

A visit should be arranged to familiarize you and your child with the surroundings, ask questions, complete admission forms prior to enrollment, and meet the staff.

Except for the kinder/school-age program, (due to school) you are encouraged during the first week, to shorten your child’s stay and gradually increase the hours to a full day in order to reassure him/her and minimize fears until you and your child become more comfortable. Each child goes through a 12-week probationary period upon entering the program. Upon completion of this period, a written report should be available to parents. (With the exception of the kinder/school-age program) 

We are an inclusive early learning center and strive to find ways to include all children and remove barriers. There is a possibility of program assistants if special needs children are enrolled in the programs. Our staff works hand in hand with the integration advisors and therapists to better the needs of the children who have been identified.

During the first few months of attendance, close communication between staff members and the parents is of great importance. In some cases, group care is not the ideal solution for the child, in which case, plans with a reasonable time frame could be developed for the child and further meetings with the parents may become inevitable. If a child needs to be withdrawn from our program, a two-week written notice will be given to the parents and every effort should be made to help the parent find other more suitable care for the child.

 Grounds for Discharge include:

1. Your child is not adjusting to the daycare environment after a reasonable period of time (approximately 12 weeks) efforts will be made to work with the family to do try to resolve any issues. Removal from daycare is a last resort.
2. Your child is exhibiting behaviors that endanger the Health and Safety of other children or staff.
3. If balancing your child’s need and those of the Centre (after a reasonable time frame approx. 12 weeks) negatively impact the other children, staff or programming.
4. If centers policies are not respected.
5. If your school age child is in violation of the Code of Conduct for School age children. (see appendix A for code of Conduct)

WRITTEN notice of withdrawal must be given by the parent FOUR weeks in advance or payment for that four-week period in lieu of notice.
We reserve the right to TERMINATE services if policies are not followed or fees not paid.

During your child’s stay at our center, it is important to update us of any changes that may occur ie. if phone numbers or address changes or if your child receives any more immunization shots etc.

Young children depend on regular routines for their own sense of security. We recommend that you establish fixed hours to drop off your child. A staff member should always be notified as to your child’s arrival and departure. Unless prior arrangement is made with the supervisor/designate, your child should be in by 9:30 a.m. this gives your child time to settle in, attend structured activities and find time to play before lunch time or nap. Drop off at nap time is extremely disruptive as should be avoided completely. Please make sure you are calling the daycare to let us know if your child is not coming. We must now implement a Safe Arrival Policy, which compels the Cumberland Hub to call and or email parents/ guardians or emergency contacts (if parent has not answered) to find out where your child is. If by 9:30 AM and we haven't heard from you, by email and or phone call, we are required to begin phone calls to reach you by 9:45 AM. If staff can't reach anyone by 10:30 AM, we are then obliged to call the police if we do not hear from you. This makes it EXTREMELY Important for you, the parent, to notify us of any absence. Please also make sure that your work information is up to date including work place address and phone number as well any home or cell number.

Always keep in mind that your child's day at the center is similar to your day at work; if too long, your child gets tired and loses the ability to function appropriately. (The day also becomes too long for the staff who needs to maintain the child/teacher ratio during the day.) AT NO TIME should your child be released to anyone other than those specified on the admission forms or Special Release Forms, (unless otherwise approved by supervisor/designate). Staff should ask for Photo ID to anyone that are they are not familiar with. People on the pick-up list must be 16 years of age or older.

We are also required to formalize a Safe Dismissal Policy. If you the parent arrive past 515, there is a late fee, please see the next paragraph for that policy. If we have not been notified that you will be late through a phone call or message on Hi Mama, we will proceed to call your cell, work and/or home numbers. If we cannot reach you, we will call your emergency numbers as well. If we still have not reached anyone and 1 hour has past (6:15) we will be compelled to call Children's Protection Programs .

***Our policy re: late pick-ups (a child being picked up after 5:15 PM. NO MATTER the reason) is that a $10.00 fee will be charged for each 10-minute interval or portion thereof. This fee will be charged for the first 3 (three) instances of late pick-ups. Subsequently, the fee will be $20.00.

***Repeated occurrences will be subject to review and may result in termination of your childcare space. All late pick-ups should be noted in our journal and initialed by teacher and parent.

There is a $40.00 non-refundable fee for each registration.

Being a secure building, each family can purchase a key fob in order to access the door. Cost is $10 per fob. 

Monthly fees are required to be paid in FULL on the first of the month. A $40.00 late fee will be charged to anyone who pays their daycare fees after the month has ended. We only accept e-transfers payment. A letter should be included in your registration package with the detail of exactly how payment should be sent.

The Cumberland Hub Daycare has enrolled in the CWELCC system. The Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) system will give families access to more affordable and high-quality child care options, help lower child care fees for parents of children under the age of six, increase child care spaces and support the child care workforce. CWELCC is a five-year plan to reduce the cost of child care to an average of $10 per day by 2026.

Receipts are filed at year end. Please note that a $10.00 fee will be charged to any lost or misplaced receipts.

Sick days, vacation days, and statutory holidays must be paid at the regular rate. Fees are calculated on a daily basis. Subsidized services may be available to eligible families. Further information may be obtained from the director.

Toddler____$26.80______ Preschool____$20.00______Kinder____$14.26______ School Age____$25.44______ 

 These are all daily rates. 
*Summer Rates for Kinder & School-Age Programs differ

Waiting List 

We do not and have never asked for fees to be on our waiting list that the City of Ottawa maintains for us. When a space opens up in the daycare and cannot be filled with a parent already enrolled in a program, our first step is to refer to the City of Ottawa Waitlist and take people of priority first and then so forth. 

Full-time care is provided throughout the year. Please note that all statutory holidays will be observed; New Year’s Day, Family Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Civic Holiday, Labour Day, Truth and Reconciliation Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and a day in lieu of Remembrance Day. (Taken during the Christmas season). We will also close early on Christmas Eve at 12:00 noon and New Year’s Eve at 2:00 pm.

Please note that the daycare WILL CLOSE when a State of emergency is declared for the area or if area schools must close due to extreme weather.

To accommodate the different working hours, the center will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. These hours, however, should NEVER become your child’s stay at the center. Your child’s stay should reflect your working hours and perhaps some traveling time. (Please note that this should not include any kind of errands)      

Please read about our late fee if arriving after 5:15 pm in the section “Arrival and Pick-up”  

Our staff of Educators brings with them a variety of experiences that help to make us who we are.  They are knowledgeable, caring, and professional. All permanent and full-time staffs are Early Childhood Educators or equivalent. As ECEs, we must belong to the College of Early Childhood Educators and abide by their Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice. All staff as well have their Standard First Aid which includes CPR training. All staff, students, and volunteers over 18 years MUST have a Vulnerable Sector Check to work in any capacity. Our staff are encouraged to collaborate with each other and further the Continuous Professional Learning that the College of ECE provides.

We support the training of future ECEs here at the Hub. We will, through the year, have students come to do their practicum in the classrooms with an Educator overseeing their work. They are evaluated midway and again at the end of their placements. We from time to time have high-school co-ops or volunteers completing their 40 hours of volunteer work that is now needed to graduate High School. All students/volunteers are NEVER considered part of a ratio therefore NEVER left alone with the children.

As a Non-Profit center, it is required that parents become active in a committee and/or board level to ensure the operation of the program. Community Connection is the Board of Directors responsible for the day care and the Hub building. Please let the Director know if you might be interested in becoming a board member.

Parents are responsible for providing diapers for their child. It is suggested that a one-week supply be kept at the center at all times. There is no sense in ruling or rushing toilet training. This process is achieved when the child has control over urination and bowel movements. This happens at very different ages. One of the keys to toilet training is the child’s ability to communicate the need to eliminate. The teachers should work closely with the parents on the training of the child. It is very important that this period be a happy time for the child and the parents. It is also quite usual that the child regresses at some point temporarily. We ask that no pull-ups be brought to the center.

Each child is required to have one if not more COMPLETE change of clothing in case of accidents. All clothing and child belongings MUST be labeled in order to reduce confusion and diminish the chances of losing articles. Always have your child dressed appropriately for OUTSIDE & MESSY play. Rubber-based shoes are recommended to facilitate your child’s safe involvement in gross motor activities. For safety reasons, children should NOT wear jewelry as it poses a choking hazard. As well, the daycare cannot be held responsible for any lost items.

Children’s behaviours will be managed in a positive manner at a level that is appropriate to their actions and their ages in order to promote self-regulation, and self-control, ensure health and safety, respect the rights of others, and maintain equipment. Methods of behaviour management are discussed at regular staff meetings and consistent measures are agreed upon. Aggressive behaviour needs careful handling and guidance so that children are not forced to suppress such feelings completely but learn instead to channel these impulses into socially acceptable activities

Prohibited Practices of Behaviour Management

1. Corporal punishment of the child
2. Physical restraint of the child, such as confining the child to a high chair, car seat, stroller or other device for the purposes of discipline or in lieu of supervision, unless the physical restraint is for the purpose of preventing a child from hurting himself, herself or someone else and is only used as a last resort and until the risk if injury is no longer imminent
3. Locking the exits of the childcare Centre for the purpose of confining a child in an area or room without adult supervision, unless such confinement occurs during an emergency and is required as part of our emergency management policies and procedures
4. Using harsh or degrading measures or threats or use of derogatory language directed at or used in the presence of a child that would humiliate, shame or frighten the child or undermine his or her self-respect, dignity or self-worth.
5. Depriving the child of basic needs including food, drink, shelter, sleep, toilet use, clothing or bedding. 
6. Inflicting any bodily harm on children including making children eat or drink against their will.

Nutritionally, our cook and long-time staff Loren develop our menu considering Canada’s food guide. Four-week rotating menu plans will be posted for the current and following weeks to assist you in menu planning at home. Loren changes the menu a couple of times a year, exploring new recipes while considering children’s favorites. We offer a morning snack, lunch, and afternoon snack (kinder and school age are offered morning and afternoon snacks on planned school holidays, otherwise an afternoon snack is offered after arrival at the center). Children’s dietary needs and allergies will be posted in the cooking and serving areas. Staff encourage by example, an interest in trying food that is offered while sitting with the children when lunch and afternoon snacks are offered. At morning snack, we are still operating under a reduced ratio and so sitting with the children is difficult. It is a great time for staff to hold conversations.

We have a NO Nut policy as directed by the board. We ask that parents do NOT bring food into the building, whether it is breakfast on the run, cookies or cakes for special occasions, or leaving food in the child’s cubby for the ride home.  If your child has allergies or anaphylaxis you will need to meet with daycare management so arrangements can be made to further your child’s safety. This includes a special meeting to develop an emergency plan. 

If your child is unable to follow our menu due to food allergies, their packed lunch must be free of anaphylaxis-causing foods ie peanuts, or fish. It also should follow Canada’s food guide. A meeting should take place to discuss this situation and a form filled out to reflect the meeting.

Our program also offers a designated sleep/rest time for our Preschool and toddlers. Soft music is played in the darkened room and educators may help children by rubbing their backs to encourage relaxation. Each child is assigned his/her own child-sized cot with a sheet that is put in the same location each day. The daycare supplies the sheet, which is washed each week and the cot is disinfected once every 2 weeks.

We ask that you the parent supply a blanket and soft sleep toy (if needed) which should be left at daycare for the week and taken home at the week’s end to be washed. Their bed will be put in the same spot each day to help them practice being independent. Two periodic visual checks will be done throughout sleep time for the Toddlers. It will be recorded in our sleep document book to ensure their safety and any relevant information will be passed onto the parent through our” Hi Mama program” online agenda or at the end of the day. 

After resting for 1 hour, children who are awake will be able to rise if they choose and find a quiet activity to do separate from the sleepers, while the others continue to rest/sleep.  A 30-minute rest period for the kinder room is offered as well. They are welcome to bring a book from home, especially for this time. When a child changes programs/rooms an information sheet is given to the parent which also allows for any parent feedback regarding sleep or other health concerns.     

There is a short 30 min rest time set aside for the Kinder program.      

The Childcare and Early Years Act stipulates that prior to admission; each child must be immunized as recommended by the local medical officer of health.

As your child’s health is important to us and regulations require daily outdoor play, there is a scheduled outdoor playtime in the morning and the afternoon for each program.  Therefore, it is our policy that children too ill to play outside must find alternative care. 

In order to administer both; prescription and nonprescription drugs to children, the following procedures need to be taken:

A Medication Authorization Form or Over the Counter Product Form will need to be filled out. The medication will need to be in its original container, clearly labeling the child’s name and date of issue and handed directly to one of the teaching staff members (please make sure that you have checked the expiration date before bringing to daycare). Tylenol, temporary aspirins (capsules, tablets or drops) cannot be administered unless prior arrangements with supervisor and note from the doctor. 

Illness is a reality of daycare and we aim to try to minimize it as much as we can. Handwashing is an important part of the day and is incorporated in our bathroom routines and other significant times such as before/after meal times. Teachers also encourage other good health habits such as coughing into your elbow. Toys and surfaces are disinfected on a regular basis and more so when there is an illness in the program.

Should your child become ill at the center, you will be contacted and expected to pick up your child. If your child becomes feverish, you will be contacted (a warning call) and if the fever progresses, (101F 38.3C) it will be expected of you, as the parent, to pick him/her up. If your child is sick with fever and/or vomiting and /or diarrhea, he/she can ONLY return to daycare after being symptom-free for a FULL 24 hours.

Please note that during an outbreak (2 cases of the same symptoms within 24 hours is considered an outbreak), your child can only return to daycare after being 48 hours symptoms free. Public health becomes involved during an outbreak. (The outbreak is considered over once there are no signs of illness for a full 5 days.) It is therefore extremely important that children are not brought to the Centre prior to the 48 hours symptom-free policy.

At this time with covid 19, we follow Ottawa Public Health’s screening illness guide for all children.

The Daycare would also like to inform you that there are children in attendance who suffer from SEVERE and LIFE-THREATENING ALLERGIES. This is a medical condition called ANAPHYLAXIS that causes a severe reaction to specific allergens and can result in DEATH within minutes. Exposure to the smallest quantities can cause severe life-threatening reactions.

We ask for your full cooperation and request that you NOT bring any food with nuts with to the daycare.

It is your responsibility as a parent to let the daycare know if your child has a medical condition or develops one. This would include ANAPHYLAXIS. The implementation of prevention to allergens reduces, but does not eliminate risks. Even with the adoption of avoidance policies, it is unwise to assume that the daycare is completely free of a particular allergen. Any cost of medical treatment, including ambulances, shall be borne by the parent/guardian. If your child has been diagnosed with a medical condition at the time of registration, a meeting will be set up with the parent to develop an Individual Plan for your child. If a medical condition develops while at the center then a meeting will need to happen as soon as possible to develop an Individual Plan.

Serious Occurrences

Any serious occurrence within the center will be reported to the Ministry of Education and then will be posted on a Serious Occurrence Notification Form by our License for a period of 10 days.

Enrollment into our Kinder-Program is not automatic as we have plenty of children who attend the Hub and live outside of our school district. If you are interested in enrolling your child, please let the office know.  In recent years and due to the extension of boundaries we may not be able to accommodate all children who need our care. 

In the event that the buses are not running (i.e. due to bad weather), the daycare will be open for part of the day. These “Snow Days” may not always be accommodated as a full day, as staffing at the last minute may be an issue. If you would like your child to attend school, you as a parent will be responsible to bring them to and pick them up from school. Should your child’s school be closed for other reasons (i.e. power outage, ice storm) it will be important to call the center as we maybe may also be closed as well.  Our Kinder and School Age programs run all year round. A list of P.D.days should be sent home from your child’s school at the beginning of the year. We will offer full-time care during the P.D. days, Christmas break, March break and summer break. (Keeping in mind that the daycare observes all holiday closures.)

PLEASE NOTE; parents are responsible to provide lunches on any full day at daycare. Keep in mind it should be a nutritionally balanced lunch and cannot contain peanuts, nuts, fish or seafood.

If a “snow day” should occur we try to offer care for part of the day depending on staff availability. You will know last minute should we not be able to offer care.

The daycare has developed an Emergency Procedure in case of an emergency happening at the building. We practice fire drills each month with the children so that they would be well-versed if a real emergency were to happen. Our emergency shelter is Reine du Bois School on Duford St if we had to leave the premises. We would be notifying you the parent by phone from that shelter if something were to happen.

For the safety of all children, we ask that you park your vehicles in the appropriate parking spaces during drop-off and pick-up times and NOT in front of the building entrance.

 Smoking is prohibited in the daycare and playground whether there are children or not in attendance.

Although often tempting for a child to want to bring a toy from home, we ask that toys be kept at home in order to avoid loss, destruction of the toy, and disruption to the program. Please note that we simply CANNOT look for any toys brought to our center that may have been lost or misplaced.

Throughout the year, trips may be taken to local parks and places of interest. A notice will be posted in advance informing you of the destination, time, and date. An authorization form will need to be signed for trips requiring transportation. Frequent spontaneous walks may be taken to take advantage of the weather.

Offering good quality care to enhance your child’s growth and development is a major goal of the program. Our staff acknowledges the importance of ongoing communication and engagement of parents. There is a constant need for the staff to remain open to new ideas and to recognize the individuality of each child. Your comments and suggestions then become important to us.

The daycare has joined a new way of communicating with you, the parent. It is called “HIMama” an online agenda and communication system that helps Educators stay in touch with parents. It allows you, the parent, to see a daily report from play to eating and sleeping through email. We look forward to the end of the day to touch base with you at pick-up time. If needed we can set up a phone call or meeting time to discuss issues further. Using the Hi Mama online agenda program is a great way to stay in close touch with your child’s teacher and see how they are progressing. 

You can also email us at cumberlandhubdaycare@gmail.com which is looked at every day.  Lastly, you can also call 613 834-8642 to reach us as well.

Our open-door policy encourages you to discuss any ideas, concerns, compliments, complaints, or ask any questions. It may, however, become inevitable to schedule a time for further discussions. Finally, we would like to welcome you and your child into our program, and hope this will be a rewarding experience for all of us!