LUMS Daycare Centre Handbook

1.1. Welcome to the LUMS Daycare Centre

The Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) and its Daycare

Centre staff welcome you and your child/ren to our Daycare facility. We
appreciate your confidence in entrusting your children to our care. We are
committed to providing a safe and happy environment for your child/ren.

This handbook provides you with important information concerning our

Daycare Centre, so please keep it with you for reference on any matter
regarding the Centre.

1.2. Our Mission

To provide childcare for our employees through a dedicated team in a loving

and secure environment for your children.

1.3. Our Vision

1. To develop an innovative Daycare Centre

2. To provide a secure and caring environment
3. To develop lifelong relationships
4. To provide easily available solutions for our employees at LUMS
5. To provide fun-filled experiences for the children

1.4. Introduction

1.4.1. Daycare Centre’s Role

We welcome you to the LUMS Daycare Centre, where we strive to provide

our employees with loving and secure care for their children. We hope that
by providing this service we will relieve our employees of their concern for
their children during their hours of work.

Before you enroll your child we encourage you to visit the Centre so that
you can assess our staff and facilities. To facilitate you in making the right
decision, we have a three-day trial period free of charge.

LUMS
Human Resource Department 1 of 6 Last Updated: November 2019
Please note that the Human Resource Department (HRD) at LUMS processes
all enrollments and deals with all queries, issues, and grievances regarding
the Daycare Centre. Parents are requested to approach HRD for all issues
before contacting the Centre.

1.4.2. Parents’ Role

Sending your child to daycare can be a difficult time for both parents and
children. We are here to help you and your child adjust with us and our
environment. We have an open door policy so we encourage you to drop in
whenever you wish and visit your child especially during the first few days.
We also encourage parents to take part in any activities that the Centre
organizes.

In a situation where a child is finding it difficult to adjust and this is causing

stress for other children, the parents will be asked to sit in for first three
days (2-3 hours) until the child adjusts. If even after two weeks the child
does not settle in, the parents may be asked to take their child out from
the Centre.
1.5. Admission

The Daycare Centre enrolls children between the ages of 1 to 10 years. The
current admission capacity of the Centre is 35 children and admission is on
space available basis. Parents have the option of sending their child Full-
time or Part-time or Daily. Full-time is defined as 8.30 am to 5.00pm for 30
calendar days. Part-time is defined as up to four to five hours for 30
calendar days. Daily is defined as maximum twice a week for 30 calendar
days.

There are 20 slots available for children enrolled on Full-time basis, 10 slots
available for children enrolled on Part-time basis and 5 slots available for Daily
basis. In an event that the daycare center is full, the child's name would be
placed on a waiting list and parents will be contacted as soon as a slot is
available. Preference on the waiting list will be given to requests for Full-time,
followed by Part-time and then Daily. In addition to this, first preference will
be given to LUMS employees, followed by LUMS Students and then Alumni.
Parents are required to complete and return the enrollment package
(attached with this handbook) to HRD after which the child’s file will be
processed.
LUMS
Human Resource Department 2 of 6 Last Updated: November 2019
The enrollment package contains the following forms:-
1. General information form
2. Payment of fees form
3. Medical form
4. Medication release form(only to be filled out if required at the
time of enrollment or when the child is sick)
5. Acknowledgement of receipt of Handbook

The information provided will be treated as strictly confidential and will not
be released or shared without the consent of the parents. Please notify us
immediately of any changes in the information provided by you.

1.6. Timings of the Daycare Centre

Monday – Friday (8:30 am -5:00 pm)

The Centre will remain closed on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays
(when LUMS is closed). Please note that while LUMS aims to keep the
Daycare Centre open and running during the time mentioned in the
handbook, the Daycare Centre might be temporarily shut down due to
unforeseen situations, maintenance purposes or Daycare staff training. The
parent needs to understand that this is a possibility and agrees to make
his/ her own arrangements for child care in the case of such an
eventuality.

1.7. Arrival and Departure

Either of the parents whose name is listed on the general information form
is required to drop and pick up the child. The parent will sign the daily
register when dropping and picking up the child, and inform the staff about
the child’s arrival and departure. A written statement should be sent to HR
if someone other than the persons designated in the application form takes
this responsibility. The child cannot be released to anyone under the age of
16 years. If a parent has authorized a maid/servant/driver to pick up the
child from the Daycare Centre we will require copy of their ID cards.

1.8. Late pickup fees

Please inform the staff a day earlier if your child is to stay after the regular
office hours. If your child is picked up after 5:10 pm, a fixed late fee of Rs
LUMS
Human Resource Department 3 of 6 Last Updated: November 2019
100 will be charged. After 5:30 p.m. an additional hourly rate of Rs.50 will
be charged for every half an hour slot (e.g. 5:30 pm - 6:00 pm).

LUMS
Human Resource Department 4 of 6 Last Updated: November 2019
1.9. Payment

For LUMS employees, payment of fees will be deducted from the monthly
salary. Students and alumni are required to make cash payment at the
MCB booth in LUMS, one copy of the receipt is submitted to HR and one is
kept by the parent. Payment has to be made one day before the date the
child is enrolled at the Daycare Centre.

Daily
Status Full-time Charges Part-time Charges
charges
LUMS
Less than 2 years – Less than 2 years –
Employe Rs. 380
Rs. 5,715 Rs. 4,350
es/
2 Years and above – 2 Years and above –
Students
Rs. 4,970 Rs. 3,600
/ Alumni

If a child is enrolled on part-time basis but comes to Daycare for full-time,

an additional Rs. 250 will be charged for that day. Requests for changing
enrollment from Part-time to Full-time needs to be sent at least one (1)
month before the change is required. HR will check if Full-time slots are
available, in case they are not available the request will not be
accommodated.

These charges are subject to revision after one year.

1.10. Trial Period

Please note that if after the three-day trial period, the Daycare provider
refuses admission of a child, a committee will be formed to decide the
case. The Committee will be compromised of 3-4 staff members from
different departments including HRD. Decision of the majority will be
considered final regarding the admission of the child in such cases.

1.11. Leaving the Daycare Centre

If the parents decide to take the child out of the Center, they are requested
to give HR a two-week written notice that they wish to terminate the
contract. The last date the child will be coming to the Day Care Center
should be mentioned in the letter. If they don’t give two weeks’ notice they
will be charged for 2 weeks.
LUMS
Human Resource Department 5 of 6 Last Updated: November 2019
1.12. Health and Safety

1.12.1. Accidents and Emergencies

We aim at providing a safe and secure environment for your child at all
times. However, in the unfortunate event of an accident or emergency we
will notify you immediately. If we cannot reach you we may take your child
to the emergency in the Defence National Hospital, if necessary, and
continue to try and get in touch with you. Therefore, please make sure that
your personal and business contact numbers are up to date at all times.

1.12.2. Medicines

The Centre will not give any medicine without written instructions from
parents. We do not keep any medicine at our Daycare Centre and without
written consent from the doctor and parent we will not give any medicine
to any child. Therefore, please make sure you fill out the medication form
and give it with the medicine to our staff if your child needs to be given
medication for any illness.

1.12.3. Illnesses

The Centre is a place for healthy children. Unfortunately, we do not have

the staff or facilities to care for children who are too ill to take part in
regular activities and need to be monitored continuously. We ask you not
to bring children to the Centre if they have:-

1. A temperature of 101 degrees or higher

2. Severe diarrhea
3. Severe vomiting episodes
4. Pink eye or discoloration or discharge from the eye
5. Lice
6. Uncontrollable severe coughing
7. Any communicable diseases (chicken pox, measles etc). In
this case you will be required to provide a letter from the
doctor confirming that your child has recovered from the
disease, before your child can rejoin the Daycare.

LUMS
Human Resource Department 6 of 6 Last Updated: November 2019
1.13. General Information

1.13.1. Activities

We provide arts and crafts for the children. We have a play-time for the
children to interact with one another and develop their communication and
social skills. The Daycare staff will not be able to supervise nor ensure the
completion of homework. This is the responsibility of the parents.

1.13.2. Meals

The Daycare Centre does not provide any meals for infants or children.
Parents are requested to provide any baby food or snacks they want their
children to eat during their stay at the Daycare. Parents are reassured that
no staff member will provide any other food items to the children without
their prior consent. The staff will not cook any meals as per rules set by
LUMS for health and safety reasons, nor will the staff wash any food boxes
or bottles belonging to the children.

1.13.3. Baths/Toilet Training

The staff members will not toilet train children nor will they give baths to
any of the children at the Daycare for health and safety reasons. The staff
will only change diapers or clean up the child.

1.13.4. Rest periods

Time is set aside each day for a rest period. The children will not be
required to sleep but will be expected to rest quietly so as not to disturb
those who choose to sleep. Please provide a small blanket for your child if
you are concerned about your child sharing blankets with other children. We
discourage pillows for safety reasons.

1.13.5. Maids

Maids are not allowed to accompany children inside the Daycare Centre
under any circumstances. In case of emergency maids will be allowed only
for 3 days after getting special approval from HRD.

1.13.6. Clothing and personal items

LUMS
Human Resource Department 7 of 6 Last Updated: November 2019
Please dress your child in comfortable clothes and tennis shoes rather than
flip flops so that the child can move around easily. For safety reasons,
please limit the use of bows, beads, earrings, or other small, potentially
hazardous items.

Please provide the following items as the Centre does not provide them:-

1. Two changes of clothing for use in emergencies

2. Personal toys, but please keep in mind that the Centre does not
take responsibility for any loss or damage to the toys. Children
should not bring money, small items, toy guns or swords to the
Centre. Toys will not be washed or sterilized by staff members.
3. Blanket/bed linen for the child’s use
4. Baby snacks and any other food items
5. Disposable diapers and baby wipes.
6. An extra set of sterilized bottles with the brand of milk your child
takes. The staff member of the Centre will not wash/sterilize any
bottles. Written instructions on when and how to give the milk
should also be provided. Please label all items including bottles,
caps of bottles and jars, baby foods, diapers, diaper supplies and
clothing. Labels on bottles, bottle caps and baby foods should
include the child’s full name.

1.14. Suggestions/Comments/ Concerns

If a parent has any suggestion/comment/ concern regarding the

management of the Daycare, it should be sent directly to the HR
Department and the department will take action accordingly.

1.15. Reasons for termination

We believe in working together as a team with the parents. However, if a

parent does not abide by the terms and conditions of the contract and
policies set forth in this handbook, the HR department may be forced to
terminate the contract and ask the parent to take their children out of the
Daycare.

The following reasons can lead to termination of the contract:-

1. Non-payment for more than two months

2. Bringing a child with a contagious disease into the Centre
3. Asking the staff for special favors for a child
4. Making requests that go against the policies mentioned in this
LUMS
Human Resource Department 8 of 6 Last Updated: November 2019
 handbook (e.g., cooking, staying back late, washing, giving
baths)
5. Causing distress for the staff
6. Not providing items required by the child after repeated
requests by the staff and expecting the Daycare to provide
items like clothing, diapers, food and bottles.

We have a limited number of staff members and we aim at giving an equal

amount of time to all our Daycare children. Therefore, the Daycare
reserves the right to refuse admission to a child after the three-day trial
period if we find that the child is difficult to handle and requires more time
and attention than the rest of the children. This step will be taken in the
best interest of that child as well as other children.

1.16. Revision of rules

The University reserves the right to amend or modify these rules when
considered expedient in which case the approval of the VC will be
mandatory.

1.17. Location and contact information

1.17.1 The Day Care Centre Location

Faculty Apartments, C1 and D1, Block 6.

1.17.2 Day Care Contact

Amra Irfan
Ext. 8933

1.17.3 Contact in the HR Department

Sadia Anwar
Ext. 4450
Email: sadia.anwar@lums.edu.pk
Above EDH, first floor

LUMS
Human Resource Department 9 of 6 Last Updated: November 2019