The winter season brings with it added hazards. Child care providers can take steps to keep children safe from winter hazards.
Children need extra protection from cold weather as they are not able to regulate their body temperature. It’s vital that children wear appropriate clothing for the weather.
- Wear layers of loose-fitting, lightweight clothing
- Wear a hat, coat, and gloves/mittens
- Caregivers should check children’s extremities for normal color and warmth at least every 15 minutes
This infographic created by the National Weather Service serves as a great tool to help guide what clothing is needed in the cold weather.
Outdoor play is very beneficial for young children; however, as providers, we have to be aware of the weather. This handout created by Child Care Weather Watch can help you decide if it is safe to be outside and what clothing, beverages, and protection children need.
Summer is here and if you have a safe space for children to play outdoors and have fun in the sun. This fact sheet from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) helps you understand how to protect yourself and the children in your care from over-exposure to the sun. It includes information on how to read the UV Index and how to be safe when in the sun.
A first-hand account of the challenges of staying open during the pandemic written by a friend of Town Square Patricia Twymon
It is 6:54 a.m. on Tuesday morning and my cell phone is ringing. My client, an essential worker, tells me that he is on his way to drop off his daughter Hailey at my home child care. I hang up and take a steadying breath. Like every morning since the pandemic began, I wonder to myself if I am doing the right thing by keeping my doors open to the children of essential workers. I am putting my family at great risk. Both my husband and I have underlying conditions, and his 83-year-old mom lives with us. Could I live with myself if one of them contracted COVID-19 because of my decision to stay open? At the same time, could I live with myself if I shut my door on parents and children in need?
The doorbell rings a short time later and I make my way to my front door. We have all gotten the routine down, now. I open the door and move aside to let Hailey in. Her father stands a distance away from the door; he knows not to approach the threshold.
Hailey and I do not hug as we did before the pandemic, but I give her a smile and say good morning. I visually scan her body and listen for a cough as she removes her coat. I do not have access to a thermometer to check her temperature, so I look closely for sweat on her brow. When she is ready, I lead Hailey to the bathroom so that she can wash her hands. As I watch her lather, I feel a tinge of pride. She has learned what areas she needs to reach and how long she has to rub her hands together. I have been caring for Hailey since she was six weeks old. She is almost 4 now, and the time has flown by.
I try to keep our daily routine as much like the old one as possible, but the differences are striking. In the era of COVID-19, I am Hailey’s only playmate. Instead of running around with her, I try my best to keep my distance while she plays. While Hailey naps, I sanitize every surface I can. I am as thorough as possible, fearing the worst if I miss a spot. I wonder when I will be able to find sanitizer at the store again. My cleaning supplies are running low, and the store shelves are empty. I have no idea how I will be able to maintain a clean, healthy, virus-free environment without access to bleach.
By the end of the day, I am mentally and emotionally exhausted, but I do not dare rest until I take a shower and change. As I do so, I continue to think of Hailey. She still seems happy and content to run around the otherwise empty child care. I wonder if she understands any of what is happening. Does she miss her friends? Can she tell that I am afraid?
My story has played out in many emergency child care homes and centers throughout our state. Money is not our motivation. Caregivers opened their homes and centers so that families can continue their essential work, without the pressure of worrying about what to do with their children.
What will the post-pandemic world look like for centers and home programs once this lockdown has ended? Rumors are running rampant that we will lose a large portion of our children. How will our programs survive? It is more important than ever for both center and home-based providers to stand together in solidarity.
I feel solidarity with my fellow child care workers right now, because I know that many are facing the same challenges that I am. Day after day, child care workers are overlooked on the news and left out of COVID-19 relief packages. We do not have access to personal protective equipment or sanitization supplies. Child care workers have been given, on average, an extra $10 per day to take care of children during the pandemic. Yet, we put our lives and our families’ lives at risk every day. If child care workers were unable to work, other essential workers would be forced to stop working too.
Like other essential workers, child care workers are in the fight of, and for, our lives. We know that now is the time for us to step forward and do what we do best: take care of children. We need our policymakers to recognize our sacrifice by giving us the recognition, funding and protective equipment we need to do our work
Courtesy of Exchange Magazine July/August 2020 exchangepress.com
Exchange Magazine provides a variety of articles including stories about and by family child care providers
These colorful mini-posters can be posted near the sink as reminders for when to wash your hands and hand washing procedures.
Remember to Wash Your Hands Poster
This sample emergency plan for a family child care home provides an example for building your own emergency action plan. Being ready with a plan in place for a variety of emergency situations will help you remain calm and communicate to parents that you are prepared. This is a sample used for training purposes and you always need to check with local emergency agencies and state licensing guidelines when creating your own emergency action plan.
List of resources for baby sleep safely and ways to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and other sleep-related causes of infant death. Vital information for all that care for babies.
- Tips for Creating a Safe Sleep Environment for Infants in Child Care
- Infant Safe Sleep Policy Template
This handout gives procedures for maintaining proper hygiene while diapering and hand-washing. This may be useful when new assistants are hired or for any adult who is helping out.
Diapering and Handwashing Handout
This handbook from the Administration for Children and Families outlines health and safety guidelines for providers and would be a great resource for someone opening a family child care home. Caring for our Children Basics represents the minimum health and safety standards experts believe should be in place where children are cared for outside of their homes.
Standards on the following topics are included:
- Staffing
- Programs Activities for Healthy Development
- Health Promotion and Protection
- Nutrition and Food Service
- Facilities, Supplies, Equipment, and Environmental Health
- Play Areas/Playgrounds and Transportation
- Infectious Disease
- Policies
