Child Study Center

Goals | Policies | Staff | Information | Contact | Home

Program Options

The Child Study Center currently offers 3 program options. The infant Program serves children ages 3 to 18 months, the Toddler Program serves children ages19 to 36 months, and Early Learning program serves children ages 3 to 5 years. Applications to the Infant, Toddler, or Early Learning Programs will be notified of their acceptance on a space availability basis.

Days/Hours of Operation
Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Health Policies

Immunizations/Health Record:Regulations and precautions for protecting children's health are required in any group care setting licensed by the State of Tennessee. All parents are required to complete a health history for their child before the child's entry to a program. Before an infant or toddler is accepted for care, the parent shall have proof of the child's physical examination within three months prior to admission, signed or stamped by a physician or health care provider. These forms are included in a family packet.

Immunizations must be kept up-to-date. Inform the Child Study Center when this occurs. Exceptions to this are made only upon written medical release. Tennessee Department of Human Services Licensing Standards prohibits us from serving children whose immunizations are not current.

The following immunizations are required before children may attend childcare:
Hepatitis B Measles/Mumps/Rubella
Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertusis Varicella (for children born on or after 9/1/98)
Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib)

Attendance of Sick Children
Parents are our first defense in preventing the spread of infectious diseases in the Center. Because the Child Study Center recognizes that there is a range of acceptable care and that health care providers may differ in their recommendation for attendance of sick children, we have based our attendance policy on the recommendations of Caring for Our Children; National Health and Safety Performance Standards: Guidelines for Out-of-Home Child Care Programs. Caring for Our Children was written was written as a joint collaborative project of the American Public Health Association and the American Academy Pediatrics.

The Child Study Center is not equipped to provide childcare for sick children. Parents or the designated emergency person should respond to the call concerning a sick child within 30 minutes and pick up within an hour. If you are required to pick up a child who is sick/not feeling well/showing symptoms of illness, you will be given a form that states the guidelines for the child's readmission to the Center.

If any medication (prescription or non-prescription) is to be given to your child by staff, please leave specific written instructions concerning dosage on the appropriate forms. Medicine (including over-the-counter medications) will NOT be dispensed without this information. If parents choose to provide over-the-counter medications that are kept for use as indicated, a permission form and dosage instruction must accompany such medication. All medication, non-prescription, and prescription should be in the original container and have the child's name on the container.

Because of close interactions between children in our programs, communications about contagious diseases is very important. If your child is exposed to or contracts a contagious disease, please notify us at once. If your child is exposed to a contagious disease at the Center, your child's teacher will notify you. If your child has been sick and you are not sure about bringing him/her to the Center, please call the child's teacher or one of the Center administrators.

Special Policies

Being associated with East Tennessee State University provides many advantages to the Child Study Center. Some of these include having access to a wide range of resource personnel, having the use of the University swimming pool, and being able to take advantage of the campus for "field trip purposes."

Research and Field Work

Because the Child Study Center Programs are affiliated with East Tennessee State University, children on out programs may be observed by students (graduate and undergraduate) from early childhood education, nursing, communicative disorders, special education, pediatric residents, and other related classes. The specific requirements for these field experiences may vary, but may include participation in Center activities and /or writing case studies. All students are placed in classes by us and are monitored by our teachers. No child's privacy or integrity will be violated: the University will hold all records and reports in confidence. Child Study Center, as a part of the Center for Early Childhood Learning and Development, has a commitment to supporting research conducted by the teachers of the infant Program, Toddler Program, and Early Learning Program, the College of Education, and the Center for Early Childhood Learning and Development faculty .All research by faculty, program teachers, and graduate students is screened by the Center Research Committee.

Child Abuse Issues

The staff of the Child Study Center is advised and knowledgeable concerning the signs of suspected child abuse and/or neglect. According to Tennessee Department of Human services, our staff is under obligation to report any suspicions of possible child abuse and/or neglect to their department. If a staff member suspects possible child abuse and/or neglect, the Director is advised and it is indeed reported to the Tennessee Department of Human Services.

Gifts to the Child Study Center

If you would like to make a gift to the Child Study Center, which could be used for the purchase of educational materials and/or equipment or for enhancement of the facility, we ask that you do this through our Child Study Center Foundation Account. Contributions to this discretionary fund allow us to make purchases, which are beneficial to the entire Child Study Center. You may do this by making checks payable to ETSU Child Study Center Foundation Account.