If you have a compliment, grievance, question or concern about Child Watch, we encourage you to communicate with the staff in Child Watch. Our staff are identified by wearing a Y shirt with their Y name tag. They are there to assist our families immediately by answering questions and addressing concerns. You may also contact the Membership Director.

Registration

The Child Watch card located at the Welcome Center must be completed as part of the registration process by the child's parent/guardian before their child may participate in the Child Watch program. This program is for children 6 weeks to 7 years old.  Please notify the staff of any change of information on your child’s form (ie: allergies or health).

Check-In & Out Procedures

All families and children must check-in at the Welcome Center first, pick up their yellow card and purchase credit for their usage.  Take the yellow card with you to Child Watch and sign in on the Child Watch log.  Upon leaving put your check out time on that log.

For the safety of your child we require parents/legal guardians to check their child in and out of Child Watch at each visit. We encourage new members, parents of infants and parents of special needs children to notify staff of their location in the building prior to leaving Child Watch.

Parent/guardian must stay on the Y property while their child is in Child Watch.

Personal Items

Label your child’s belongings:  diaper bags, cups, bottles, food etc. with your child’s name.

We ask that you do not bring your child’s toys, tablets, phones, iPads or other electronic devices from home to Child Watch. Any labeled personal items that are left will be at the check in table for 30 days. All other items will be discarded. The Y is not responsible for loss or damage to your child’s items.

Infant/Toddler Feedings

You may bring a bottle/toddler cup for use in Child Watch. We do ask that you notify the staff of how you would like the bottle prepared and that all bottles and cups are clearly labeled with your child’s first and last name.

Diapers & Toilet Training

Please start your infant/toddler’s visit to Child Watch in a clean/dry diaper. Parents are welcome to change their child upon arrival/prior to leaving if necessary.

Aligning with the child abuse prevention guidelines from our insurance carrier, parents will be responsible for changing their child’s diaper.  Child Watch staff will contact the Welcome Center to locate and inform the parent when their child needs to be changed or they will go down so two people are present during the changing.  Families must provide their own diapers and wipes for their children.

If your child is toilet training, please notify the staff. The staff will do our best to remind your child to use the restroom on a regular basis. If your child will need assistance while using the restroom in Child Watch, the staff will leave the door to the restroom all the way open and one staff will never be alone in restroom with child.

Extra Clothes & Soiled Clothing

In the event that a child soils their clothing the YMCA staff will ask you to return to Child Watch immediately to change/clean up your child. We do not keep spare clothing, diapers and wipes on hand and encourage you to bring a change of clothing to use as needed.

The YMCA does not discriminate against children with special needs but requests additional information from you in order to provide a safe and enjoyable experience for each child. Please speak to the staff that is working for that shift.  Please note that the terrain of our facilities and our activity levels may make it difficult to accommodate children with certain special needs. The Y will make every reasonable effort to accommodate a child’s special needs but we cannot guarantee that this is possible in all circumstances.

You are welcome to bring in a snack for your child.  Please refrain from bringing snacks with peanuts or peanut products.

Bring your child healthy.  Please do not bring your child with a bad cough, excessively runny nose, rashes, upset stomach, or fever.  Children who have a fever should not come to Child Watch until they have been without a fever for 24 hours.  Child Watch staff may ask for you to come to get your child if they become ill, unduly upset or become a discipline problem.

Medications & Remedies

The Child Watch staff will not be responsible for administering medications and/or remedies such as teething tablets, lip balms, lotions, creams and ointments.

Discipline

We will use redirection and time-outs for inappropriate behavior in Child Watch. A time-out is a brief, supervised separation from the group. If problems persist, Child Watch staff will discuss the situation with the parent. If a solution cannot be reached, we may ask that the child not be brought to Child Watch if the behavior jeopardizes the well-being and safety of other children. The staff will make every effort to ensure that no child is punched, pinched, left alone, shaken, struck with any object, bitten or spanked. We are obligated by law to report any signs of child abuse to the proper authorities.

Inconsolable Child

If the Child Watch staff is unable to console a child after 10-15 minutes of continuous distress, the parent will be contacted and asked to come pick up the child. We will make every effort to comfort your child, but do not want the child to have an unhappy experience.