SAFETY AT CAMP
The safety of our campers, camp families, and staff is our primary concern at Kids Inc Camp. We have specific rules and policies that secure your child’s safety during their time at Kids Inc. Our safety policies must be adhered to by staff, parents, and campers at all times in order to ensure the health and safety of everyone at camp.
GENERAL SAFETY
Only registered camp participants, staff, and registered guests will be permitted on camp property during camp hours. We ask parents to respect this policy. We have many policies in place to keep everyone safe and healthy at Kids Inc Camp. Please check out these highlights and read all of our Policies in the Parents Handbook prior to getting registered.
- All of our staff maintain current First-Aid and CPR certificate
- Criminal Record Checks are on file for all staff and adults who are working with our campers who are 18 years of age and older
- All staff are certified with High Five - Principals of Healthy Child Development
- Lifeguards, Lifeguard Assistants and Aquatic Supervisors are all certified through the Lifesaving Society
- Our Code of Conduct that can be found below is in place for yours and your campers and our staff safety
- Health and safety policies as per Public Health are followed at all times.
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Allergies, Medication, Behaviour related notes should be made in your campers profile - however - if you need to discuss anything in depth prior to your child attending please let us know.
FOR MORE SAFETY RELATED INFORMATION PLEASE READ OUR PARENTS HANDBOOK
Please review this information and be sure to read the parents handbook for a complete section on our Code of Conduct and all of it’s implication. This is helpful for your own knowledge and will be helpful for your children who are attending too if you are able to present them with some pre-camp information in a camper friendly way. Any members of your family/support system who will be encountering the camp and camp staff prior to signing-up for camp should also be made aware of our policies.
We count on every camp family to help us keep camp safe and fun.
Please note: Failure to adhere to our policies can lead to dismissal from camp.
All campers, and camper family members will treat one another and our staff with respect.
All campers and camp family members must respect the property of the park and of other campers and camper families. Camp families must also agree to respect speed limits, driving instructions, pick up and drop off times, and understand that rules administered by our staff are not negotiable.
If you encounter a staff member who is enforcing our rules and systems and would like to ask questions – we ask that you call our office or email us to discuss the matter with the owners of the camp. Please note that our staff do not have the authority to create or change rules – they only enforce them.
We need to hear about any issues that come up while your child is at camp. Teasing, and bullying behaviour will be investigated and you will be a part of the problem solving process with regards to this kind of issue. We are not able to solve problems that we do not know about and ask for team work from camp families in this regard.
Campers, and members of camper families will be asked to leave Kids Inc. Summer Camp if they use abusive language, or have an abusive or aggressive interaction with campers or staff.
Campers, and members of camper families will be asked to leave Kids Inc. Summer Camp if they exhibit violent behavior with campers or staff. This includes driving habits, verbal, physical, and emotional violence.
This also includes inappropriate communication with our staff about matters that are beyond their control and/or issues arising from the camp program.
This also includes e-mail communication, online posts and all other forms of communication that are negative in any way towards our staff, our services or our camp program.
We ask that all matters requiring our attention be brought to the camp owners attention.
There is no trespassing on the Kids Inc Camp property. We are happy to host Kids Inc Camp on this private property but failure to adhere to our no trespassing rules will render us unable to serve you. Please do not enter the property at a time when your child is not a registered participant. This includes visits in order to ask for a tour. We understand your desire to see our facility but ask for your cooperation and respect in this regard. We have virtual tours here on our website and plenty of photos for you to view. You are also welcome to email us at registration@kidsinc.ca if you would like to discuss the program, facility and camp.
PLEASE NOTE: We do not have an office where you can come to get registered, or meet with us in person. If your child is attending on any given week and you need to organize a meeting in person to discuss anything this can be done via email to registration@kidsinc.ca We also offer zoom meetings or phone meetings to discuss any items that require conversation.
Your camper/s and registration with Kids Inc is important to us and we do wish to meet with you prior to camp as needed, so please email us to set up a time.
Please note – In cases where a camper or a camper family member has caused cancellation from our program due to policy related concerns we will provide a refund for remaining sessions whenever possible. Every effort will be made to get this mailed to you within 60 days of the end of the camp season in question.
Please note – As per the other items listed in our Code Of Conduct: Any person exhibiting behaviour that in anyway compromises the safety, security, or health of themselves, a fellow camper, or staff member will be removed from the camp immediately. More information about the Campers Code of Conduct is available in the Parent’s Handbook. You can access the Parent’s Handbook on our Forms and a Documents Page of the web site.
Other safety concerns
The past few years have presented us all with an ever changing list of things that we have been asked to do to keep ourselves and one another safe. This section is being kept active just in case we need to communicate anything with you at any point this season. This section will only be updated if we get news or updates from our Public Health Unit.
At this time we can tell you that all mandates have been lifted.
Kids Inc Camp will continue to run in a safe and effective way in order to keep all of our staff and campers safe.
The following points posted here can provide you with some insight into how we continue to address the health and safety aspect of our program:
* Our main focus is getting our staff and campers back to enjoying camp! Social connections, fresh air and FUN are wonderful for mental health and general wellbeing. We can’t wait to be a healthy part of your campers summer.
* No masks are required at camp – however – masking remains optional for staff and campers as per campers and camp families preference and comfort.
* High touch surface cleaning systems are in place to ensure the safety and health of our staff and participants
* Each groups size has been considered to ensure the safest, and best camp experience possible for campers and staff.
* Staff will always be provided with full PPE in order to provide first aid, personal care or outbreak management care to your child while they are with us at camp.
* Kids Inc Camp will has an outbreak management plan and strong protocols in place in order to address any and all contagious diseases as per Public Health.
Kids Inc. camp is a nut-free environment. Please do not send your child with any nuts or nut products. If your child has nuts or nut products in his or her lunch or snacks he / she will be required to eat them in isolation from the rest of the children. There will be a call home in order to address our policy on this matter.
There are many other kind of allergies and we do understand that. We will do our best to work with you with regards to your campers allergies – however – please note that we are not able to guarantee that they will not come into contact with items that they may have a reaction to. You will need to send us all medications that can be used in the case of contact with an item that may cause a reaction. Medications must be in their original packaging. Please see the Parents Handbook for more information on allergies and medication.
We will also require instructions and information that will require in some cases for us to give you a call prior to the camp season in order to be sure that we have all of the information that we need. If you feel that talking with us would be helpful and you have not heard from us yet – please do reach out to our registration office. Thank you.
Contact with items that your camper may be allergic to can happen via touch, air, injection (bee sting) and ingestion and therefore it can happen at any time. Please note that sending your child to a camp program where your camper will be in contact with other campers who may have had contact with items that you camper is allergic to can cause a reaction. It is best to educate your camper how they themselves can stay safe with regards to their allergy.
Please also note that there are times that contact with such items are out of our control. It is imperative that we are in communication with one another and on the same page when it comes to working together with regards to our campers who have allergies.
If you have questions about our policies with regards to allergies please contact us directly. Please fill in a medication form for all allergy medication that will be sent to camp for your camper. This form can be found in our Online Registration and/or in our Parent’s Handbook. You can get documents on the Forms and Documents section of this website.
- Our pool is staffed by more certified lifeguards than required by the Ontario Public Pool Regulations. All of our lifeguards are certified by the Canadian Lifesaving Society with their National Lifeguard Certificate, First Aid and CPR Certificates.
- Junior General Campers will wear life jackets at all times while in the water, and at the beach.
- General Campers and Junior General Campers entering Grade 2 and under in the September following the camp season in question will be in life jackets at all times. They will not take the swim test. There are no exceptions to this rule. We understand that there are some campers at this age who have taken swimming lessons and can swim well – but this policy is in place for the safety and fun of our youngest campers and will be in place for all campers at this age/grade level.
- Life jackets will be provided for all campers that require one so please do not send life jackets or other personal flotation devices from home. This way we are not worried about how they work or if the item you send will work in the context of our program and facility. If you would like to send your own lifejacket for personal reasons please call or email to discuss.
- There is a mandatory swim test for all other campers who are going into Grade 3 + who wish to enter the pool without a life jacket. Swim “check” will be conducted strictly under the supervision of our life guarding staff. There is also a swim “check” for the pond. for swimmers of the appropriate age/grade who have passed the pool “check”.
- All General Campers and LIT’s will get a swimming wristband. The colour will help us to see if they need a lifejacket (RED) – can use the pool without a lifejacket (YELLOW) or have passed the pond test and can swim in the pond as well as the pool (GREEN). Swim “checks” are only opened to campers of the appropriate age in any given area. The pond swim “check” is very challenging and parents should not be surprised if their camper does not pass as our safety standards are the key. We wish to keep Kids Inc fun by putting safety first! Thank you in advance for your understanding.
- Swimming wrist bands must be kept on your child’s wrist for the duration of the session. If their wrist band must be removed for some reason, please send your camper with a signed note explaining why it was removed. Please contact us if there are questions in regards to this matter.
- More information about swim “check” is available in the Parent’s Handbook. You can access the Parent’s Handbook on the Forms and Documents Page of the web site.
- There are some medical conditions that will require documentation from a medical professional prior to them swimming in our aquatic areas. You will be contacted if this is a factor in your registration.
Washroom breaks are conducted in groups with one or more Junior General Camp staff members present. The female washroom is always used for washroom and change room purposes for all Junior General Camp participants. A staff member will be present outside of the washroom stalls to make sure that everyone is alright and that proper hand washing takes place after washroom use.
Changing for swim time is done in a communal setting with all Junior General Campers male and female and our Female Camp Staff in the Female Change room. If your camper is more comfortable changing in a change room stall in a private setting they are welcome to do so – however – they will not be able to receive any assistance from our staff in the private area. If you have questions about this policy and how Junior General Camp Washroom and Changing will work please contact us. We find that our method provides us with an atmosphere where we are always able to help as needed and provide a setting with many care providers as possible at all times. If you have questions about this please clarify prior to attending our program.
More information about washroom use is available in the Parent’s Handbook. You can access the Parent’s Handbook on the Forms and Documents Page of the website.
If your child has sustained an illness or injury at camp we will follow the appropriate course of action which may include:
- A phone call to a parent at work, home or cell numbers during the day to report the incident.
- A phone call home in the evening to report and discuss the incident if follow up is required.
- A conversation upon pick-up of your child/children to report the incident.
- Calling parent or emergency contact to pick up the child.
- Providing First Aid or Aquatic Emergency Care treatment.
- Calling EMS to transport the child to the appropriate health care facility. If this aspect of our protocol has been put into effect we will do our best to call you as promptly as possible to discuss the situation at hand – but – care of the child in question will take priority at the moment of the situation in question and this may delay or affect our ability to discuss the matter with you to some extent.
Please contact our office to discuss if you have any question about this. Thank you. For more information about our safety policies, please download the Parent’s Handbook. You can access the Parent’s Handbook on the Forms and Documents Page of the web site.
Please read our parents handbook and contact our registration office if you will be sending medication to camp with your camper. There are forms that will need to be completed and details that we will want to discuss in order to keep your camper and the rest of our campers safe. Thank you!
Please read our Parents Handbook to ensure that you understand all of our policies around pick up and drop off safety at our bus stop locations and at our camp facility.
Be sure to add all approved adults who might sign your campers in or out of camp each day and also provide us with any important information if there are any special circumstances.
Please ensure that medication that is dropped off is handed in to our staff in a zip lock bag with the name of the camper on the bag and that our staff has the information required for the medication in question.
Please ensure that all drop offs and pick ups are approved with a signature or that you have given your camper who is 10 years of age or older to sign themselves in and out each day.
If you need to sign your camper in late or sign your camper out early you will need to read our parents handbook to ensure that you have followed our procedure.
If you are not yet booked with us and have a question about a particular issue please read our Parents Handbook. If you are still not seeing the issue in question addressed please email us at registration@kidsinc.ca
If you are booked and you have a concern with an issue that has taken place please proceed to email us as soon as you can at registration@kidsinc.ca