Our Program

Our Policies

Immunizations/Medical Records

Upon enrollment all children in the program must have current immunizations according to the immunization schedules of the Austin Metropolitan Health Department and TX DFPS Minimum Standards.

Parents must provide a statement by their physician certifying that all immunizations are up to date and that the child has been seen by the physician within the past year and is physically able to take part in the CDC’s program. If the CDC is not furnished with either documentation within two weeks of the request, the child may not attend school until the documents are on file

Health & Illness

The staff takes extensive precautions to prevent the unnecessary spread of illness; toys are washed and sanitized regularly in all classrooms, and after each individual child uses and mouths them in the infant and toddler program. Changing tables are disinfected between children, and staff washes hands and wears gloves to protect the children from cross contamination.

All children required to are wash their hands upon arrival to the program, before all snacks and meal, after toileting/diaper changes, after playing outside, before and after water play, and other times as needed.

Children are required to stay home if they have contagious symptoms, like a fever, rash, vomiting, and loose stools until they are symptom-free for a minimum of 24 hours without fever-reducing medication.

Parents will be notified if their child is exposed to a potentially contagious disease while at school.

At the heart of everything we do is your child’s health and safety. We stay up to date with local and state public health recommendations and and rely on our extensive experience to shape our health and safety protocols. Our centers are committed to taking meaningful steps to provide the best possible care for every child.

Incident & Injury

All students are carefully supervised throughout the day, but accidents will occasionally occur during normal play. Every staff member is certified in CPR and First Aid. When a child experiences a minor injury—such as a bump, bruise, scrape, or bite—that occurs below the shoulders, cdc@cbi staff will provide basic first aid (for example, applying ice or a Band-Aid) and offer comfort before returning the child to their classroom or outdoor activities. These incidents are documented via incident reports, which are added to the child's physical file. Parents are asked to acknowledge receipt of the report by signing at pickup, and will be provided a copy of the report upon request.

For minor injuries occurring above the shoulders, a parent will be contacted directly by administrative staff, regardless of severity.

In the event of a serious injury—such as a broken bone, deep cut needing stitches, or a loss of consciousness—parents will be notified immediately. The child’s educator will also submit a detailed incident report. If parents cannot be reached, we will attempt to contact the emergency contact listed on file. Should no one be reachable, the child's pediatrician may be consulted for next steps. For life-threatening or urgent situations, emergency medical services (EMS) will be immediately contacted to provide care and transport the child to a hospital if needed.

Emergency Preparedness

We are committed to maintaining a safe environment and being prepared for emergencies. Our comprehensive emergency procedures address situations such as fires, severe weather, and lockdowns.

Our safety protocols include:

Posting emergency contact numbers next to all phones
Furnishing all classes with a well-stocked First Aid Kit that is carried with them in and outside of the classroom
Furnishing all classes with a radio and phone for emergency communication
Conducting monthly fire drills and shelter-in-place drills every three months
Displaying evacuation routes clearly in each room
Undergoing annual safety inspections by both the Austin Fire Department and the local health department

Discrimination Policy

The CDC at CBI does not discriminate against any child based on race, color, national origin, sex, religion or disabilities. Reasonable accommodations will be made to provide services to persons with disabilities. All children are accepted on a probationary basis. The staff and parents will assess the child’s needs to ensure that the program is able to meet the needs of the child.

If we anticipate that a child may have a additional needs and would benefit from additional support, the Director will communicate this information to the family in a supportive, sensitive, and confidential manner. We will provide the family with documentation, an explanation of the concern, and suggested next steps, along with information about available resources for assessments.

Parents of children with identified disabilities or special learning needs are encouraged to share their child's Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs), Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), specialized learning plans, or recommendations from doctors, therapists, or school districts. We will use this information, along with input from parents, to plan individualized learning activities and assess the needs of the child while in our care, so we can better meet their unique needs.

Likewise, with written parental permission, the CDC director and/or teachers will provide information to therapists, doctors, school districts, or private schools about a child's behavior and abilities while in our care, or copies from the child's assessment portfolio, when requested.

Specialized consultants, such as speech, occupational, and physical therapists, and other professionals, are welcome to arrange a time to observe the child while at our program and provide therapy on-site at the CDC, using a classroom or meeting room. This will require written parental permission and payment directly to the therapist by the child's parents. The therapists or specialized consultants may obtain information from the teacher about the child and/or review their assessment portfolio only with parental permission. Additionally, teachers and/or the director will meet with the parent and therapist to determine the needs of the child while in our care.