KGD-R: Daycare Centres and Latch-key Programs

The Board of School Trustees (the “Board”) policy permits the use of appropriate surplus space in operating schools, at no cost, by licensed non-profit day care and out-of-school care societies up to 18:00 hours on school days.  Minimal cost-recovery charges are made when programs operate on non-school days.

Regulations

• It must be understood that school space and facilities will be available for daycare or out-of-school care use only if they are not required by the school program. The applicant, at the time of the issuance of the lease, will be notified that the agreement may be terminated at any time should the space and facilities be required for Board purposes. If this becomes necessary, however, every attempt will be made to notify the group concerned well in advance of the date of termination to enable it to seek other accommodation.
• Individuals or groups wishing to establish a daycare or out-of-school care centre must receive various approvals before being licensed and established in a school building.
  • The individual or group should initiate discussions with the principal, and seek agreement in principle that the program would be beneficial to the school. This agreement is generally based on the principal's discussions with the school staff and the school's parent advisory council, and on a written survey of parents to determine the extent of local need for the program.
  • The group should submit a request to Planning & Facilities, along with a letter of support from the school. Planning & Facilities will co-ordinate all approvals and arrangements for the placement of the program.
  • Planning & Facilities will notify the group that Board policy requires that the program be operated by a non-profit society and that it be licensed. The group will be referred to the Community Care Facilities office of the Vancouver/Richmond Health Board in order to obtain the guidelines to be followed in applying for a daycare or out-of-school care licence.
  • Planning & Facilities will meet on site with the principal, a representative of the society, and the Community Care Facilities licensing care consultant and provide any technical information required. Planning & Facilities will then make necessary arrangements with the Operations, Maintenance, and Accounting Divisions, and the Associate Superintendent - Area  to ensure that all Board requirements regarding the placement of the program are met. 
• Limited custodial services are provided under the standard rentals agreement. In order to avoid an increase in the engineer-custodian's workload, centres should ensure that the room used is kept in tidy condition and that only designated washrooms are used.
• The provision of furniture and equipment is the responsibility of the daycare or out-of-school care centre. However, if a school has extra furniture and equipment that are not required either by the school or by any other school in the Vancouver school system, the principal may recommend that it be made available on loan to the daycare or out-of-school care centre until such time as it is needed by the Vancouver school system. The centre will be responsible for reimbursing the Board for any breakage or loss as a result of misuse of school equipment or damage to school facilities.
• The daycare or out-of-school care centre cannot expect to use the school telephone, except in an emergency. Any centre wishing to have a telephone installed must seek approval from the principal and from the Board Purchasing and Material Services and must accept responsibility for all costs involved.
• The school has no legal obligation in the area of supervision of the daycare or out-of-school care centre.  However, the principal has overall responsibility for the operation of the school and, therefore, has an interest in all programs operating within the premises.
• The school nurse has no direct responsibility for the day care centre; however, like the principal, the nurse has a basic interest in the program since it likely involves youngsters who will become part of the school system.
• Responsibility for children who become ill while attending the day care or out-of-school care program or who are not picked up from the centre in the evening, lies with the supervisor of the centre.
• Responsibility for the transportation of children, to, from or during out-of-school care or day care programs rests, with the patents and the program.

DMT Responsibility: D-FSS