Vacation Time for Dayhome Providers
As a dayhome provider, it’s essential to take some time away from work to rest and recharge. Vacation time can be used to explore new activities and places, spend quality time with family, or to relax and unwind. No matter how you choose to spend your vacation time, it’s important to remember that it’s a valuable part of self-care and can help you stay energized and motivated in your day-to-day caregiving.
Oftentimes, however, the thought of taking vacation time can suddenly land a dayhome provider in a cold sweat.
What will parents think?
Will they be upset?
Will they demand a refund for my closure?
These thoughts can quickly leave a dayhome provider reconsidering the thought of taking any vacation time at all and can lead to dangerous burnout and caregiver exhaustion.
So how can we make it easier for ourselves and our dayhome families to take vacation time without guilt or worry?
Vacation policies for dayhome providers
First and foremost, have a vacation policy!
Your vacation policy is a set of guidelines you’ve outlined for taking time off from your dayhome. It typically outlines the number of days you’ll take each year, how much notice you’ll give to dayhome families before taking vacation time, and how fees are handled during closures.
Before a family signs your dayhome contract, they have already read your dayhome handbook and vacation policy. This helps to alleviate any misunderstandings about vacation time at your dayhome and how you handle fees when closed for scheduled time off. This means no surprises for dayhome families when you give notice of scheduled closures and also gives parents time to consider a backup plan for when you exercise your right to time off throughout the year.
What's the standard in the dayhome community?
It is common practice within the dayhome industry for providers to take between 2-3 weeks of scheduled time off throughout the year. Most providers give at least 90 days’ notice when possible, giving parents ample time to plan ahead and make arrangements for any closures. It’s also standard practice for providers to be paid for scheduled closures when following their vacation policies, and monthly rates are usually calculated with scheduled closures in mind.
Implementing a vacation policy
Don’t have a vacation policy? No sweat.
It is never too late to implement new policies and procedures in your dayhome. Just be sure to give at least 90 days’ notice before making any major changes to your dayhome handbook or contract.
If you’re unsure how to draft a vacation policy, have no fear! ADSN has various resources inside the Embolden PDC Portal to help you out, including our already done-for-you Dayhome Handbook Template, complete with vacation policy! All you need is a VIP MEMBERSHIP.
Paid vacation for dayhome providers
Why should providers be paid when their dayhome is closed? Taking time off to recharge and get a break from the demands of running a dayhome program is incredibly important for the mental health and well-being of any dayhome provider. And when providers are looking at a loss of income due to a scheduled dayhome closure, they are less likely to take time off. This can lead to caregiver burnout and impacts the quality and safety of care that a dayhome provider offers. For this reason, we encourage parents to embrace paid vacation time for their dayhome provide
Making it easy on parents when scheduling vacation time
Before taking a break, be sure to communicate your plans to your families. Update them on when you’ll be away and if you’ll be hiring anyone to cover for you. Be sure to follow the vacation policy outlined in your dayhome contract and give your parents proper notice before taking any vacation time. Be sure to provide notice in a variety of different ways, like verbally, through text, and in writing. You can also send reminders leading up to your vacation time to help ensure parents have not forgotten about your vacation time and so they aren’t caught off guard.
Statutory holidays and dayhome closures
When planning your year ahead, it’s also important to consider any other closures that parents need to be aware of, like statutory holidays. You can list these dates in your dayhome handbook, clearly outlining any scheduled closures and how fees will be handled for those dates. Then, at the beginning of each year, quickly share all statutory holidays where you’ll be closed so that parents can plan accordingly as necessary.
For 2023, statutory holidays are as follows:
January 1st – New Year’s Day
February 20th – Family Day
April 18th – Good Friday
April 21st – Easter Monday
May 23rd – Victoria Day
July 1st – Canada Day
August 2nd – Civic Holiday
September 6th – Labour Day
October 11th – Thanksgiving
December 25th – Christmas Day
December 26th – Boxing Day
The demands of running a dayhome can certainly take their toll. Taking time off as a dayhome provider is crucial to ensuring that you will be around long-term to continue providing care for your dayhome families. Don’t be afraid to draft and implement a vacation policy that will help ensure you are taking your well-deserved time off each year.
Complete Handbook Template with Vacation Policy
Our already-done-for-you handbook template is the must have resources for any dayhome professional.
Inside you’ll find draft policies on a variety of topics related to running a dayhome business including our comprehensive vacation policy.
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