Be sure to bookmark this site, as we strive to provide comprehensive
information that will be useful to parents.
If there is something you are interested in, but could not find on
this site, please let us know, as we are still growing in our capacity
as information sharers.
Topics:
General Information
Parent Handbook August 2007
Parent Hanbook 2007 (français)
Information for Staff & Parents
Special Events
Future Plans
CARF Survey Outcome
Staff Newsletter January 2008
Staff Newsletter November 2007
Staff Satisfaction Survey
Accessibility Plan 2007
Coast Mountain School District Parent Handbook to Special Education
Child Care & Preschool Needs & Feedback Form
GENERAL INFORMATION
Child Abuse and Neglect
It is everyone's responsibility, by law, to report any suspected child
abuse and/or neglect to the Ministry for Children and Families (MCF).
MCF produces a brochure titled , Keeping
BC's Kids Safe A Guide to Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse
which is available at MCF offices. This brochure provides information
regarding the symptoms of abuse and neglect and how to proceed in
the event of suspected abuse.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Complaint Procedure
If you have a complaint arising from services offered at the Centre,
please take the following steps:
- Discuss it with the person involved. It may be useful to offer
your comments in writing. If you are unable to resolve it with the
offending party, then
- Discuss it with the Director of the program. Please see the Organizational
Chart to find the director.
- In the event that a solution is not reached after either conversation
with the employee, or director, please direct your complaint to
the Executive Director.
- Complaints that are not resolved internally will be forwarded
to the Board of Directors of the Centre for review.
Please always feel welcome to ask a friend or relative to accompany
you for support.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Confidentiality and Freedom of Information
The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act of 1993
provides guidelines regarding the gathering, storage, and release
of information. The law guarantees you the right to see your own
information held by a public body and prevents others from seeing
your information without your consent. A pamphlet titled 'Freedom
of Information and Protection of Privacy' is available at the Centre.
Confidentiality and respect for privacy are universal rights and
are principles which we uphold at the Centre. Detailed Agency and
Ministry policies and procedures related to confidentiality are
found in the Centre's Policies and Procedures Manual, and are available
for your review.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Emergency Procedures
Please ensure that we have your current phone number, address, and
emergency contacts on our Emergency Authorization Form. Staff at the
Centre have been trained in First Aid and the facilities are equipped
with First Aid kits, in the event of minor emergencies.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Guidance and Discipline Policy
Children need both love and discipline to grow. Child guidance is
a positive discipline -- a constructive, caring, firm approach. This
approach enables children, with help, to resolve their own problems
and attain self-control.
Consistent with our approach to discipline and our relationships with
children, please be advised that any form of hitting, abusive language,
ridicule, and harsh, humiliating or frightening treatment is against
our philosophy. These behaviors are not permitted.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Questions and Concerns
Please feel free to direct any questions that you may have about the
Centre's operation to our office staff. They will refer your question
to the appropriate staff member if necessary.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Recycling Equipment
We recycle! Toys and equipment that are in good condition and might
be utilized by another child are gratefully received. Walkers, computer
programs, switches, and feeder seats are examples of such items.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Resources
A wide variety of resources, including toys, books, videos, etc.,
are available for loan to parents and community caregivers. Other
resources that are available include information on the BC Children's
Hospital, places to stay while visiting the hospital, transportation,
etc.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Student and Parent Involvement
We welcome the opportunity to serve as a resource for interning students
from the Early Childhood Education Program. Student interns are regarded
as Centre staff members during their practicum.
The Centre is committed to working with the whole family. The relationship
between staff and parent(s) is believed to be of vital importance
to the child's development. As parents, you know your child best and
your knowledge is needed.
Parents are encouraged to visit the Centre as often as possible and
to be involved with planning the program for their child. Parents
are also encouraged to serve on any of the Advisory Committees associated
with the Centre.
< top page
INFORMATION FOR STAFF & PARENTS
Cancellation of Appointments
If it is necessary to cancel a scheduled visit, either at home or
in a community preschool, please notify the Centre as soon as possible.
You may leave a message on the answering machine if you call after
hours. If it is necessary for a Centre staff member to cancel a scheduled
appointment with you, you will receive a call from the Centre office
as soon as it is known that an appointment cannot be kept. We appreciate
hearing from community centres, if a child who was expecting a scheduled
visit is absent - we can often intercept a staff member and prevent
them from making an unnecessary trip.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Referrals
Most programs at the Centre accept referrals from a variety of outside
sources, including self-referrals. If you know what service you are
seeking when you first approach the Centre, you will be directed to
the appropriate program. In some instances, the office staff conducts
intake on behalf of the programs so that your request for service
is expedited. External referrals are received which may lead to additional
recommendations within the services provided at the Centre. As you
enter the Centre, you will become acquainted with the range of services
available and will be encouraged to seek those services which will
best meet the needs of you and your child(ren). Every effort is made
to ensure that the internal referral process is clear and is fully
explained to you.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Release (Consent) Forms
Release (Consent) Forms are required so that information gathered
-- assessments, medical records, plans -- may be forwarded to other
relevant agencies/professionals, and/or Collected from them. If you
do not consent to us Releasing and/or Collecting Information, you
must indicate this choice on this form. You may also choose to exclude
certain professionals/agencies from receiving specific information.
There is also a Publicity Release form, which, if consented to, permits
us to use photographs, video footage, and other media and visual materials,
in our public relations activities, notably the annual Telethon.
You will need to inform the Centre staff of any changes you wish
to make to these Consents throughout the year.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Links of Interest:
Parents: Please find enclosed our annual Family
Survey; your input is greatly appreciated and is used by our teams
to measure the quality of the services we provide. It also assists
us in making improvements to our services and identifying additional
resources beneficial to families.
A summary of our findings will be in our newsletter along with our
improvement plan.
Thank-you in advance for your input. If you have any questions you
can contact me at (250) 632-3144, ext. 27.
Sincerely,
Margaret Warcup
Executive Director
-----------------------------------
Parents who have a child with a disability: We wish
to know about your perceptions of the care you have been receiving
over the past year from the KCDC. Click here
to view our questionnaire, which will help us measure the programs
we deliver. We thank you for your input!
---------------------------------------------------------------
Staff members: take a moment to fill out our Staff
Satisfaction Survey
---------------------------------------------------------------
Staff members: in response to the need identified
during our spring 2005 staff day, we have developed an Ethical
& Confidentiality Dilemmas Guide. Click
here to view!
---------------------------------------------------------------
Staff members: Take a moment to review and fill
out our MPOC-SP package: A Measure
of Processes of Care for Service Providers Click
here to view!
< top page
SPECIAL EVENTS
During the year, the Centre regularly holds or takes part in fundraising
activities. These events are a way to raise money for the Centre while
giving the community a chance to actively support the Centre and enjoy
themselves at the same time. This page will have information about
upcoming special events, so check back regularly.
< top page
FUTURE PLANS
Accreditation:
In 2004 November the Centre recieved the highest attainable CARF accreditation of three years. Our last survey site visit was on October 15th and 16th 2007.
The process of accreditation involves all areas of our practice including our philosophy
statement and policy of service delivery, client confidentiality,
necessary client forms, and safety issues, to name just a few. The value of doing this is that we are always striving to continually improve our services.
As a strategic organization we have an established process of yearly
planning, program outcome evaluation and standards for the delivery
of our services. Becoming an accredited organization ensures a continued
standard of quality of service as well as providing an explicitly
stated measure of accountability towards clients, community members
and funding bodies.
Location:
As you may already know, the Kitimat Child Development Centre was
previously housed in the original Kitimat General Hospital. In the
past few years we have changed locations several times in an attempt
to find a permanent home that would facilitate the running of our
15 programs, including our pre-school. We are happy to say that
we have signed a 20 year lease with the school district to operate
out of the old school board office, located right next to Mount
Elizabeth Secondary school. A long term lease will allow us to plan
into the future – we have carried out some much
needed renovations within the building, and look forward to further
developing the building to suit the changing needs of our clients
and community!
Playground:
We now have our outdoor playground adjacent to our
building. We have utilized some of our old playground
equipment and hope to add some new equipment as we are able to. The playground hasl been built
around and through the trees on the grounds and is a wonderful
safe place to play with plenty of space, sun, shade and even a bike
path! We are installed a chain-link fence around the perimeter
of the playground in 2003.
< top page
|
