Following Appropriate Health and Safety Practices

Deloitte & Touché Standard Operating Procedures of Centre Operations ensures that basic health and safety requirements are met by YKROK staff. With standards among the highest in the nation, we make sure we address everything from hand washing procedures and sanitation practices for minimizing the spread of infection, to policies for administering medications for children and guidelines for safe sleeping.

Staff Well Trained in Caring for Very Small Children

The staff education and training given to our team members is one of the best ways to rate our high child care quality and our success since 2002. One key differentiator at YKROK is our infant and toddler caregivers get trained on caring for very small children rather than pre-school or nursery education which focuses more on activities. Our care training focuses on the needs and services of infants and toddlers. It also trains caregivers how to use daily care routines to bond with children, how to provide stimulation through conversation, interaction and build responsive relationships.

Age Appropriate Centre

We have provided Babies and toddlers safe spaces for quiet and active play (both inside and outdoors), safe spaces for sleeping, and spaces to interact one-on one with individual caregivers. Within their home rooms, we have given them toys and activities selected primarily for individual interests and abilities rather than one-size-fits-all group play.

Small Groups with Optimal Ratios

We have set the Group size and staff child ratios which help determine the amount of time and attention each caregiver can devote to each child. Infants need individualized care and one-on-one time for interactions and routines. As they grow, they can play more independently and can handle small group activities. We provide the following ratio’s:

a) 1 Nurse for every 4 infants (12 weeks to 14 months) – group size no larger than 8

b) 1 teacher for every 5 toddlers (14 months – 24 months) – group size no larger than 12

Primary Nurse / Child Care Worker / Teacher and Continuity of Care

We assign each child a primary caregiver who promotes the caring one-on-one relationships that help infants and toddlers thrive. The child develops trust as her primary caregiver learns to respond appropriately to her unique temperament, her needs and her interests by being the one who almost always diapers her, feeds her, puts her to sleep, and communicates with her family. The child’s security deepens as our primary caregiver develops a positive relationship with her family and comes to know their values and wishes for their child. This holistic relationship provides the security and trust that enables the child to explore and flourish in our group care.

Active and Responsive Caregiving to Support Children’s Development

One key differentiator at YKROK is our care givers who are trained to be active and responsive caregivers to take cues from each child to know when to expand on the child’s initiative, when to guide, when to teach and when to intervene. She recognizes signs of stress in the child and takes appropriate action to adapt to the child’s needs. We provide responsive caregiving with careful observation, knowledge of child development and respect for each child’s temperament, interests and capabilities.

Routine Care in the Centre comes with clear policies and procedures

We feed, nap and change diapers and clothes as needed, not as dictated by a schedule. We hold each baby during bottle-feeding. Sanitizing measures and handwashing before and after feeding, diapering and toileting are always done.

Children in group care tend to get sick more often than they would at home. Their immunities to infectious disease are just beginning to build, and they are in close contact with other children who pass on germs. Hence, we follow stringent health and safety measures. We disinfect toys and surfaces on a daily basis; make sure staff and children wash hands frequently, and establish clear illness policies that keep contagious children and staff away from the centre.

Conversations between Child and Caregiver

We have trained our nurses and caregivers for language and reading when she talks aloud to a child throughout the day, repeating back his babbling, asking him questions, reading him books, and singing him songs.

Family Involvement and Cultural Continuity

Since our children come from a huge variety of ethnic, religious and linguistic backgrounds. Hence, YKROK curriculum team has incorporated practices that reflect the values and beliefs of the families and the cultures of their communities. In their work with families, our caregivers have been trained to respect differences and strive to become more culturally competent. Caregivers welcome parents into their child’s classroom, use the child’s home language whenever possible, and organize special events that include the child’s family members.

Taking good care of Children is what YKROK does best

We encourage the parent to stay until the child feels comfortable. Reassure the child's family that separation anxiety is typical and indicates healthy development.

We set up a ritual for separation with each family is developed, so the infant comes to understand that separation is a part of each day that is predicable and manageable.

Parents are requested to provide a special blanket, stuffed animal or other object from home as a "transitional object" to comfort the infant while separated from loved ones.

We support the child's feelings and use soothing words to reassure her that her loved one will return.