Feeling Safe Returning your Child to Daycare
As we embrace our new normal and start to navigate the vast number of changes we’ve all experienced these past few months, at the forefront of every parents’ mind is making the careful, and understandably difficult, decision about when the right time is to return their children to daycare.
Despite studies that have shown upwards of 90% of pediatric COVID cases are, thankfully, mild and low risk, every household’s situation is unique, and different families are going to feel various levels of comfort when it comes to allowing their children to return to a public setting. Some households may have
higher-risk members where secondary exposure is a concern, while some
may have members that work in high-risk environments and are concerned
about spreading the virus.
While CDC regulations have required that childcare facilities implement certain healthcare safety protocols and precautions, it is important to make sure that your child’s daycare is taking additional steps to ensure a safe and healthy environment for your children.
At the Simon Center, we have always believed in going the extra mile for the children we care for, and the situation surrounding COVID-19 is no exception. In addition to standard measures, we have implemented numerous precautionary procedures so that we can keep health and safety at the top of our priority list.
Pick-Up and Drop-Off Procedures That Respect Social Distancing
Our new pick-up and drop-off procedures revolve around staff members meeting our individual families outside the center and escorting your child one-on-one to their individual classroom. This limits direct contact and exposure between our parents, staff, and children, but also ensures appropriate supervision.
Door Checks
Each morning when our children arrive, and frequently throughout the day, staff will be conducting health checks to monitor how the children are feeling, and watch for any signs of illness. Parents will be notified immediately if at any point their child indicates they are not feeling well, or if they display any signs or symptoms of illness.
Face Mask Protocol That Makes Sense
One of the guidelines released by the CDC pertaining to “Phase II” of the reopening process was that children aged two and up should be wearing face masks within their daycare facilities “when feasible”, so long as they can reliably wear, move, and handle their masks in a sanitary way. We are following the face mask protocol when appropriate, but in the case of our two-year old and preschool classrooms, we feel that this protocol is not entirely enforceable or developmentally appropriate as an expectation, and in some cases could lead to some adverse effects.
We encourage sharing at the Simon Center, but don’t want to see that trend reflect in any face-mask sharing!
We are instead being cautious of social-distancing activities and implementing sanitation procedures individually within each classroom that we believe is ultimately more effective and age-appropriate.
Altering Activities to Implement Additional Health and Safety Measures
One of our absolute favorite activities at Simon Center, particularly as we enter the summer months, is our outdoor water play. Our campers will likely tell you it’s one of their favorites, too. While we will still be encouraging outdoor time as always, and will certainly still be engaging in our favorite water activities, these activities will be altered in order to reduce potential risks or unnecessary contact.
Our main water activities will be limited to using individual bins and buckets that will be thoroughly sanitized before and after each use with a small and safe amount of bleach. Group activities will respect social distancing, such as water balloon tosses with some of our older children. We know that maintaining normalcy is important, but we also want to ensure that we are being mindful of the way the COVID virus spreads, and making sure we are doing our part to limit exposure.
Effective Sanitation Measures
We have always been very focused on proper sanitation at Simon Center, but we know the importance of a “ramped-up” sanitation protocol in the situation we are facing. In addition to our regular procedures, staff will be completing a thorough disinfection of the Simon Center several times per day (morning, mid-day, and afternoon) that will heavily focus on very high-touch and high-traffic areas like light switches, pencils and pens, doors and cabinets, and bathrooms.
“If You’re Sick, Stay Home” Policy
While this policy is a given for our children who are not feeling well, we want parents to rest assured that this policy extends to all of our teachers and staff at the Simon Center. Our teachers are all encouraged to exercise their ample provided sick leave in the event that they are not feeling well. We are not requiring any of our teachers to undergo testing or take any other measures in order to take any sick days that they feel necessary.
We understand that sending your child back to a daycare setting is a difficult and, at times, overwhelming decision. The Simon Center is available for personal tours so that parents can observe our safety precautions, sanitation procedures, and all the extra measures we are taking to ensure the safety and wellness of all the children we care for. We are all in this together, and we are available to answer any questions or concerns you may have.
