Child Safety

Established in 1975, PLASP has built a solid reputation as an excellent provider of child care and early childhood education. PLASP believes that parents are entitled to affordable, safe, reliable, well-managed, high quality child care for their children. Because our programs are located within the schools that children attend, the transition from class to child care involves a short walk down the hall without having to leave school property. 

Parents should have the peace of mind they require to be worry-free during their working day.

Recognizing our established reputation, PLASP has been voted the number one provider of child care by the readers of the Mississauga News Newspaper and City Parent Magazine every year since 1998. In addition, PLASP Before and After School Programs are licensed under the Child Care and Early Years Act of the Ministry of Education and are subject to the regulations established by the Government of Ontario.

Below are just some of the procedures and practices all of our programs follow to ensure that your child is safe at PLASP.
 

Respect for Others

PLASP requests that children enrolled in our programs demonstrate respectful and responsible attitudes towards other children, staff, volunteers, equipment and facilities. Actions which could endanger themselves or others, fighting, or abusive language are discouraged, using words and actions that both the child and parents will understand. Our experiences have shown us that most problems can be mutually resolved when staff and parents work together. As such, PLASP will endeavour to include all children in our programs and has developed an Inclusion Policy, which is available for download below. The policy is a PDF file. You will need a PDF reader in order to view or print it. Follow this link to download a free PDF reader.

Standards of Care

Food and Nuts: All food is prepared on site by PLASP staff at the centre, who are trained in safe food handling. Families cannot bring any food (including store bought items) into the centre. PLASP staff will not serve food that contain nuts, and will not use nuts in any craft supplies or activities. You do not have to pack extra snacks for children as they will be provided by PLASP. PLASP staff do their best to ensure nut-free facilities, but cannot control all possible sources of nut contamination.

Arrival and Prompt Pick Up: Parents or guardians are expected to respect the start and end times of the program when dropping off and picking up their children from the Before and After School program. If you are running late, please arrange for another authorized adult to pick up your child. You must provide consent for another adult to pick up your child from the centre, and the authorized adult must be prepared to show photo ID.

Supervision: For safety reasons, during program time, children are not permitted to leave the program.

Absenteeism: Notification is requested if a child will not be attending a program to avoid causing any concern. Parents should notify the program staff in advance of the absence as soon as possible or call Parent Services at 647-484-4372 (long distance 1-888-739-4102). 

Medication: If your child has an Epinephrine auto-injector, you must train the Program Director, or their designate on how to use it. See PLASP’s Anaphylactic Policy for more information. You are required to complete an authorization form for each medication and provide the program with a photo of your child. Your child’s medication must be provided to the program before your child enters the program. Any expiring medication must be replaced before the expiration date in order for your child to stay in the program. If your child no longer requires certain medication, or requires additional medication after they have started in a PLASP program, you must update your child’s medical records through the PLASP web portal. Any new medication, authorization forms or photos must be provided to the program immediately. Your child will not be permitted to return to the program until these steps are completed.

First Aid: All PLASP staff hold a valid Standard First Aid Certificate with CPR Level C, and can handle minor cuts and/or bruises. Accidents or illnesses requiring medical attention will be reported to you immediately, and you will be notified to pick up your child and transport them to a hospital. If, during program time, there is an emergency requiring immediate medical attention, PLASP staff will arrange emergency transportation and accompany the child to the hospital. You will be asked to meet your child at the hospital.

If an emergency occurs: PLASP staff follow specific protocols and procedures for different emergency situations. In the event that the children need to be evacuated from the school due to an emergency, an alternate site has been designated, with the location posted in the program. Please take time to speak with program staff and familiarize yourself with this alternate site. PLASP staff follow specific procedures for their locations if an emergency requires the program to go into a hold and secure, lockdown, or shelter in place mode. More information will be available in PLASP’s policy for emergency management and procedures.
 

Prohibited Practices

• Corporal punishment of a child.
• Physical restraint of the child, such as confining the child to a high chair, car seat, stroller or other device for the purposes of discipline or in lieu of supervision, unless the physical restraint is for the purpose of preventing the child from hurting themselves, or someone else, and is only used as a last resort and only until the risk of injury is no longer imminent.
• Locking the exits of the child care centre for the purpose of confining the child, or confining the child in an area or room without adult supervision, unless such confinement occurs during an emergency and is required as part of the licensee’s emergency management policies and procedures.
• Use of harsh or degrading measures or threats, or use of derogatory language directed at, or used in the presence of a child that would humiliate, shame or frighten the child or undermine their self-respect, dignity or self-worth.
• Depriving the child of basic needs including food, drink, shelter, sleep, toilet use, clothing or bedding.
• Inflicting any bodily harm on children including making children eat or drink against their will.