The staff at Camp Waterdown and Waterdown District Children’s Centre, strive to provide a comfortable environment for both the children and parents. We offer an open-door policy to our parents: therefore, both the Director and the teachers are always available to discuss any concerns the parent may have. The arrival and departure time can be a very busy time for everyone and you may find it easier to call back during the day when everyone will have more time to address and discuss any concerns you may have.
If you have a much larger concern that may involve more in-depth discussions, please feel free to set up a meeting time with the director to sit down and discuss it.
WDCC Parent Handbooks
Please review our latest WDCC Early Learning Child Care and School Age Program Parent / Guardian Handbook before registering to learn more about our organization policies (currently being revised).
CWELCC
As a not-for-profit organization, WDCC has opted-in to the newly introduced Canada-Wide Early Learning Child Care (CWELCC) funding support program being phased in that will provide dramatic reductions in care fees for children aged 0 to 5 years (ELCC and Kindergarten). The Government of Canada in cooperation with the Province of Ontario and managed by the City of Hamilton has created a framework to enhance early learning and childhood development, and to support the growth of the Early Childhood educator community, to help strengthen Ontario’s licensed child care system and provide more economical opportunities for parents of children to join the workforce.
Base fees (approved by the CWELCC program) are the mandatory charges for all families to attend our programs and based on a reduction of our regular pre-CWELCC child care fees. Non-base fees are additional fees for services provided that are not reduced under the CWELCC program (such as late fees, bank charges, credit card surcharges, administration fees, trip fees, donations, etc.)
Monthly Fee Calculation
Stable monthly fees are determined by taking the anticipated number of care days in a year times the daily rate, divided by the number of months of care in an annual cycle (12 months for ELCC, 10 months for School Age care). This results in a consistent rate month-to-month. Monthly care rates do not include extra days, or school holiday or PA Day programs which are charged separately. Monthly rates are not reduced for anticipated statutory holidays and planned closures as those days are not included in the number of care days provided in a year.
Forms of Payment
For monthly ELCC and B&A child care programs we currently accept only Pre-Authorized Debit (through Plooto), INTERAC eMail Money Transfers, or Credit Card Subscription (a 2.4% surcharge is added for credit card payments). For School Holiday and PA Day programs we currently accept payment only by PayPal or INTERAC eMail Money Transfer only.
WDCC Positive Program Environment Policy (governing inappropriate and bullying Behaviours)
WDCC Positive Program Environment Policy (PDF)
Camp Leader/Child Ratio’s (these ratios may temporarily be superseded by COVID-19 Policies and Practices)
In accordance with the Day Nurseries Act, enrollment is set up as the following:
Junior Explorers (JK/SK): 1 educator: 13 children
Sr. Adventurers (Ages 6 – 12): 1 educator: 15 children
Mavericks (Ages 9 – 13): 1 educator: 20 children
Personal Belongings
When your child brings belongs from home, please ensure that it is labeled properly. The Staff of Camp Waterdown will not be responsible for the safety of these items, therefore we encourage you to not send items of value.
Behaviour Management Guidelines
Camp Waterdown follows behaviour guidelines, in accordance with the Day Nurseries Act. Full statements of theses policies are available for parents to review at any time.
All staff and volunteers at the Camp will use positive child guidance techniques. They will use soft supportive voices, model acceptable behaviour, and regular intervention in the form of praise, hugs, encouragement and reminders. Limits of activities will be clearly outlined to the children and repeated, as necessary, along with positive redirection.
Late pick-up Fee
Children become anxious when parents are late. It is the parent’s responsibility to arrive at the Camp in time to pick their child up before the designated pick up times. If a parent is unable to be at the Camp by that time, we ask that they make arrangements for the child to be picked up by an identified adult caregiver on their contact list.
A late fee of $20 for every part of half an hour per child will be charged for any pick-up past the program pick up time. This fee is to be paid directly to the staff member on duty, as it is a financial representation for their additional time worked. The clock at the Camp shall be used as the official time.
