Daycare center employee here. This is how we handle late arrivals :
We are happy to accommodate, to a certain point.
If the child came in already fed , he can choose to nibble and sit with the group or sit elsewhere and look at books while friends eat lunch. If it's after lunch ( or breakfast) , he gets a snack if he is hungry. Or we can ask the kitchen if there is anything left from meal time. ( usually not ). We cannot tell people they can't drop off after a certain time. We have had some parents drop off at 3 pm , when other children are going home ! Honestly , it doesn't affect our day as much as a home provider's. That being said , drop off at nap time is tough. Pickup at nap is a little easier. Also , these children are eating constantly, so no one would go hungry for long

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