New Guidelines from Licensing

Social and physical distancing  are practices recommended by public health officials to slow down the spread of disease.

Specific to child care it is important to adhere to the following distancing guidelines:
  • Children should remain in groups as small as possible not to exceed ratio which is 1:10 as of this time.
  • Extend the indoor environment to outdoors, and bring the class outside, weather permitting.
  • Arrange developmentally appropriate activities for smaller group activities and rearrange furniture and play spaces to maintain 6-feet separation, when possible.
Teacher to Child Ratio & Group Size Guidance
Child Care Centers All child care centers should adhere to the following teacher:
child ratios and group size outlined below for prevention, containment, and
mitigation measures. For preschool age: 1:10.
Child care facilities should:
  • Follow procedures daily for self-screening for all staff, residing family members in a FCCH, and children. This should include taking temperatures before arriving to work or beginning care.
  • Train staff about the new screening procedures and notify caregivers. Ask caregivers to screen themselves and children daily, prior to coming to your facility. Caregiver must also notify you if children have taken any fever reducing medications in the prior 24 hours.
  •  If anyone has a temperature of 100.4°F/38°C or higher they must be excluded from the facility.
  • It is recommended as a best practice to take children’s temperature each morning only if the facility uses a no-touch thermometer. The no touch thermometer needs to be wiped with an alcohol wipe after each use.
  • Monitor staff and children throughout the day for any signs of possible illness.
  • If staff or a child exhibit signs of illness, follow the facility procedures for isolation from the general room population and notify the caregiver immediately to pick up the child.
  • Implement and enforce strict handwashing guidelines for all staff and children.
  • Post signs in restrooms and near sinks that convey proper handwashing techniques.
Practice Healthy Hygiene
  • Teach, model, and reinforce healthy habits and social skills.
  • Explain to children why it’s not healthy to share drinks or food, particularly when sick.
  • Practice frequent handwashing by teaching a popular child-friendly song or counting to 20 (handwashing should last 20 seconds).
  • Teach children to use tissue to wipe their nose and to cough inside their elbow.
  • Model and practice handwashing before and after eating, after coughing or sneezing, after playing outside, and after using the restroom.
During Drop Off and Pick Up
  • Conduct visual wellness checks of all children upon arrival and ask health questions when concerned.
  • Ask caregivers and parents to meet at the facility entryway for pick-up and drop-off of children whenever possible.
  • Explain to parents and caregivers that all visits should be as brief as possible.
  • Ask parents or caregivers to enter and exit the room one person at a time to allow for social and physical distancing.
  • Ask parents and caregivers to wash their own hands and assist in washing the hands of their children before drop off, prior to coming for pick up, and when they get home.
  • Ask parents and caregivers to bring their own pens when signing children in and out.
  • Install hand sanitizers, out of the reach of children, near all entry doors and other high traffic areas.
Examine your Environment
  • Implement procedures to frequently clean all touched surfaces.
  • Have multiple toys and manipulatives accessible that are easy to clean and sanitize throughout the day.
  • Limit the amount of sharing.
  • Offer more opportunities for individual play and solo activities, such as fine motor activities (i.e., drawing, coloring, cutting, puzzles, and other
  • manipulatives).
  • Plan activities that do not require close physical contact between multiple children.
  • Stagger indoor and outdoor play and adjust schedules to reduce the number of children in the same area.
  • Designate a tub for toys that need to be cleaned and wiped after use.
Meal Times
  • Utilize more tables to spread children out or use name cards to ensure adequate spacing of children.
  • Practice proper handwashing before and after eating.
  • Use paper goods and disposable plastic utensils when possible, following CDC and CDPH COVID-19 food handling guidelines.
  • Immediately clean and disinfect trays and tables after meals.
  • Ask staff to handle utensils, and keep food covered to avoid contamination.
Bathroom
  • Use this time as an opportunity to reinforce healthy habits and monitor proper handwashing.
  • Sanitize the sink and toilet handles before and after each child’s use.
  • Teach children to use a tissue when using the handle to flush the toilet.
  • Wash hands for 20 seconds and use paper towels (or single use cloth towels) to dry hands thoroughly.
Personal Items
  • All personal items should be labeled and kept in a separate bag to ensure personal items are separate from others. During this time, personal toys should be kept at home until further notice.
Napping
  • Space cots 6 feet apart from each other. Arrange the head of each bed alternately, in opposite directions, to lessen the possible spread of illness between children from coughing or sneezing.