When is it safe to send a Foster Child back to daycare in VA
Children in Foster Care Need Daycare to be Safe in Covid-19
Safe daycare standards in Virginia during Covid-19 for all kids
All children, including children and youth in foster care, need safe daycare with high standards in Virginia. Precautions taken by the daycares will keep all our families safe during this scary and uncertain time.
Some daycares remained open and provided services to first responders and essential workers during the pandemic. Others are beginning to reopen across the country. However, COVID-19 still exists, and experts continue to report on the potential uptick in COVID-19 infections.
If you have been home with your children for the past few months and are now faced with having to return to work, you may wonder if your child's daycare center is safe and, more importantly, if you should send your children now.
According to Jill Garripoli Pedalina, D.O., a pediatrician and owner of Healthy Kids Pediatrics in Nutley, NJ,
"For the otherwise healthy child in a family who can 'afford' to keep the child home. Staying home for the first month or two while the country is starting to open back up can reduce the child's exposure to the regular daycare germs that circulate and the potential uptick in COVID-19 infections."
Dr. Jill recommends that parents hold off sending their kids back to daycare if possible, especially if the children have any underlying medical condition or weakened immune system.
If you are in the position where your children will be returning to daycare, you can be assured that they will be taking precautions to protect all children from this virus. They must follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and local and state health officials.
Daycare Standards You Should Look Out For
You should expect things to look and run differently than pre-COVID.
Daily Screenings
Children and staff who are sick or tested positive for COVID-19 should be required to stay home.
Pickup and drop-off times should be staggered and done outside the facility in a wide open area. Only one parent or caregiver should be designated to come to the center at a given time. Visitors should be prohibited.
Parents should be given a screening of at least three questions to ensure they are not experiencing any symptoms.
The temperatures of the staff and children should be taken and recorded daily. Their temperatures should also be checked repeatedly throughout the day. Staff and children with a temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit should not be able to enter.
Social Distancing and Personal Cleanliness
Staff and parents should be required to wear face masks. It may be highly recommended for children over the age of 2.
Social distancing should be reinforced as much as possible.
Children and staff should be required to wash their hands and sanitize them multiple times throughout the day.
Environmental Cleanliness
Surfaces and objects frequently touched should be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized multiple times daily.
Toys should be disinfected between uses.
Every child should have their own supplies to limit contact.
Symptoms of Covid-19
As a parent, you are responsible for ensuring the health of your child and yourself before you come into close contact with others.
- Runny noses
- Sore throat
- Cough
- Fever or chills
- Headaches
- Nausea or vomiting
- Difficulty breathing
- Body aches
- New loss of taste or smell
If you or your child have any of these symptoms, keeping yourselves home for at least 24 hours would be best.
Keep Your Child Safe and Healthy
When making the final decision of whether or not your children will return to daycare, schedule a time to speak with the center's director. You must hear firsthand what steps are being taken to ensure that your children will be protected while in their care.
More FAQs for a future Foster Parent
