Updated Waitlist Policies and Procedures.
Effective July 24, 2022 we have suspended our formal waitlist policy and are beta testing a new "email subscription" format.
Relevance: Due to the extreme volume of Waitlist Submissions, hours of administrative time are spent each week inputting personalized information into our Waitlist Request Data Bank. We have found over the past 5 years of operating as an agency that almost all families who submit a waitlist request form and find alternate care elsewhere do not notify Little Lambs staff of their wish to be removed from our waitlist. This results in providers and/or staff contacting many waitlisted families unnecessarily. This is a big waste of time and resources, not to mention we feel like a nuisance contacting individuals who no longer need our support.
Duration of Beta Test: 6 months-1 year. We will test the new format of a "Waitlist Email Subscription List" for a period not less than 6 months but no longer than 1 year. After we have been able to review the data from testing this new format we will make a decision to either continue with the new format, revert to the old policy, or look at alternate options.
Grandfathering Waitlist Submissions Prior to July 24, 2022: Families/Guardians who submitted their information to our Waitlist Request Form Prior to July 24, 2022 will be grandfathered into this beta transition.
Protocol:
Grandfathered Waitlist Submissions:
Waitlisted families will be removed from our Grandfathered Waitlist Data according to the following steps:
Individual Child Care Program Waitlists:
Child Care Providers remain legally classified as independent contractors. This means that while they must follow our Policies and Procedures and ensure their programs meet the requirements of the CCEYA O. Reg 137/15 they are permitted to maintain their own waitlists independent of our agency. Following equitable practices, these independent waitlists must take into consideration the agencies values and standards for fairness. Child Care Providers are encouraged to use a combination of agency support to fill child care placements and individual community connections/individual waitlists.
Relevance: Due to the extreme volume of Waitlist Submissions, hours of administrative time are spent each week inputting personalized information into our Waitlist Request Data Bank. We have found over the past 5 years of operating as an agency that almost all families who submit a waitlist request form and find alternate care elsewhere do not notify Little Lambs staff of their wish to be removed from our waitlist. This results in providers and/or staff contacting many waitlisted families unnecessarily. This is a big waste of time and resources, not to mention we feel like a nuisance contacting individuals who no longer need our support.
Duration of Beta Test: 6 months-1 year. We will test the new format of a "Waitlist Email Subscription List" for a period not less than 6 months but no longer than 1 year. After we have been able to review the data from testing this new format we will make a decision to either continue with the new format, revert to the old policy, or look at alternate options.
Grandfathering Waitlist Submissions Prior to July 24, 2022: Families/Guardians who submitted their information to our Waitlist Request Form Prior to July 24, 2022 will be grandfathered into this beta transition.
Protocol:
- Grandfathered Families/Guardians will be contacted about potential child care spaces FIRST according to the date and relevance of data submitted.
- If the child care space becoming available does not meet the needs/requirements of any family/guardian on our Grandfathered waitlist OR if there is no response received within 24 hours from contacted persons a mass email will be sent to our "Waitlist Email Subscription" list.
- This mass email will state the specifics of the advertised child care space including: General Location (not the exact address for safety reasons), required commitment of days per week expected (part-time, full-time, specific days only, etc). Hours of care available (earliest drop-off time, and latest pick-up time), Age of child who can be accomodated in this space (infant, toddler, preschool, school-age, or age range), any additional information as may be relevant.
- Persons who receive this mass email notice are requested to reply with their intent of interest and requested information regarding the advertised child care space within 24 hours.
- Any family who does not wish to submit their intent of interest is requested to simply delete the email. No response is necessary.
- If persons no longer wish to be on our "Waitlist Email Subscription" list it will be their sole responsibility to click "unsubscribe" and remove their email of the subscription list.
- The returned Intent of Interest and Relevant information will then be shared with the child care provider advertising availability.
- The provider will then contact these persons directly to discuss their program and answer questions. The provider retains the sole discretion to offer contacted persons an in person interview according to suitability of a potential child care placement.
- If there are no intents of interest or relevant potential child care placements for the advertised space, Little Lambs Home Daycare and the Child Care Provider will advertise the space publicly. This could include social media posting, Google Business postings, radio, newspaper, other printed media, word of mouth, or community connections.
Grandfathered Waitlist Submissions:
Waitlisted families will be removed from our Grandfathered Waitlist Data according to the following steps:
- The "start date requested" is greater than 1 month from the current date and no relevant child care spaces are available to offer.
- If no response is received within 24 hours of being contacted by Little Lambs staff or a child care provider concerning either a potential child care space, or a request for intent to remain on the waitlist.
- If a Grandfathered Family/Guardian informs Little Lambs staff they would like to be removed from the waitlist.
Individual Child Care Program Waitlists:
Child Care Providers remain legally classified as independent contractors. This means that while they must follow our Policies and Procedures and ensure their programs meet the requirements of the CCEYA O. Reg 137/15 they are permitted to maintain their own waitlists independent of our agency. Following equitable practices, these independent waitlists must take into consideration the agencies values and standards for fairness. Child Care Providers are encouraged to use a combination of agency support to fill child care placements and individual community connections/individual waitlists.