DC rules for daycare openings

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Clarification from OSSE on Monday's weekly OSSE webinar:

yes, masks will be encouraged for adults and children over 2 years old IF the child can wear the mast without touching it, removing it, playing with it, etc. So - probably no kids will be in a mask! no masks outside on playground. no masks for any children under 2 years of age, period, they aren't safe at home or school. no masks on anyone during naptime, not safe

yes, temps must be taken by parents or staff at arrival/right before arrival. Anything over 100.4 means child/teacher will be excluded for 72 hours from time temperature goes down. (vs the 24 hours that we all practice now) AND if a child/teacher looks sick or has a cough, also excluded. THIS IS MUCH STRICTER THAN RIGHT NOW but it's because a cough could be Covid, of course it could be a regular old cold, but how would we know?

classrooms will be limited to 10 people: 2 teachers, 8 children - in all rooms, from infants through prek.

shouldn't combine classrooms (like in early AM or late PM) so that kids aren't intermingling together. Also, no combining on playground.

no field trips (this goes without saying) but also - no visitors (no music teachers, yoga, no specials things like puppet shows) all to decrease # of people in environment

also, disinfecting everything that is touched multiple times a day (lightswitches, door handles, etc)

cots 6 ft apart rather than the standard 2 ft apart.

and other stuff

Here's the thing: only being able to have 8 children in each room will be a huge issue because that's not enough income to pay for the teachers. If we could afford to have only 8 4 yr olds in a room, we would do that every day! So unless/until those group sizes go back to normal, it will be VERY HARD for us to open. And which parents do I offer the spaces to when there are 20 children in a room? If I don't offer the space to you, you won't pay, so we'd only get 8 children paying. We can't afford that.

Where can I find this webinar? I searched the OSSE website but haven’t found it. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where do you even find masks for children this age?

Etsy, they have children size mask on there

[Anonymous]

No one has addressed the question of whether these recommendations are enforceable rules...?

[Anonymous]

I wish there were definitive guidance. Our daycare says it's opening June 1. Our pediatrician was pretty adamant that keeping DD home is better.

No good decisions.

[Anonymous]

Official DC OSSE Guidelines 4-15-2020

https://osse.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/osse/page_content/attachments/COVID-19%20-%20Child%20Care%20Health%20Guidance.pdf

[Anonymous]

I understand the health concerns, but now I feel even worse about sending me kids to daycare. No circle time, field trips, kids allowed to congregate, etc. What are they going to do all day this summer?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I understand the health concerns, but now I feel even worse about sending me kids to daycare. No circle time, field trips, kids allowed to congregate, etc. What are they going to do all day this summer?

+1

I'm not sending my child back this summer. I know it is a luxury that DH and I can figure out working from home with flexible jobs, but the idea of DC not getting fresh air all day, being in a closed room with lots of cleaning supply fumes and all adults wearing masks makes me sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I understand the health concerns, but now I feel even worse about sending me kids to daycare. No circle time, field trips, kids allowed to congregate, etc. What are they going to do all day this summer?

+1

I'm not sending my child back this summer. I know it is a luxury that DH and I can figure out working from home with flexible jobs, but the idea of DC not getting fresh air all day, being in a closed room with lots of cleaning supply fumes and all adults wearing masks makes me sad.

Why do you think your DC won’t get outside all day?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I understand the health concerns, but now I feel even worse about sending me kids to daycare. No circle time, field trips, kids allowed to congregate, etc. What are they going to do all day this summer?

+1

I'm not sending my child back this summer. I know it is a luxury that DH and I can figure out working from home with flexible jobs, but the idea of DC not getting fresh air all day, being in a closed room with lots of cleaning supply fumes and all adults wearing masks makes me sad.

Why do you think your DC won’t get outside all day?

Our daycare told us they won’t be going outside for the foreseeable future once they open.

[Anonymous]

A lot of dc daycares use public parks, which are just going to be a high risk for quite a while. I expect that is why the children will remain inside.

[Anonymous]

How good have you daycare been in telling you what they know while stay the same, what will change, and what they are still figuring out? We have heard nothing, assuming they were figuring it out, but if there are clear changes it would be good to know now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Clarification from OSSE on Monday's weekly OSSE webinar:

yes, masks will be encouraged for adults and children over 2 years old IF the child can wear the mast without touching it, removing it, playing with it, etc. So - probably no kids will be in a mask! no masks outside on playground. no masks for any children under 2 years of age, period, they aren't safe at home or school. no masks on anyone during naptime, not safe

yes, temps must be taken by parents or staff at arrival/right before arrival. Anything over 100.4 means child/teacher will be excluded for 72 hours from time temperature goes down. (vs the 24 hours that we all practice now) AND if a child/teacher looks sick or has a cough, also excluded. THIS IS MUCH STRICTER THAN RIGHT NOW but it's because a cough could be Covid, of course it could be a regular old cold, but how would we know?

classrooms will be limited to 10 people: 2 teachers, 8 children - in all rooms, from infants through prek.

shouldn't combine classrooms (like in early AM or late PM) so that kids aren't intermingling together. Also, no combining on playground.

no field trips (this goes without saying) but also - no visitors (no music teachers, yoga, no specials things like puppet shows) all to decrease # of people in environment

also, disinfecting everything that is touched multiple times a day (lightswitches, door handles, etc)

cots 6 ft apart rather than the standard 2 ft apart.

and other stuff

Here's the thing: only being able to have 8 children in each room will be a huge issue because that's not enough income to pay for the teachers. If we could afford to have only 8 4 yr olds in a room, we would do that every day! So unless/until those group sizes go back to normal, it will be VERY HARD for us to open. And which parents do I offer the spaces to when there are 20 children in a room? If I don't offer the space to you, you won't pay, so we'd only get 8 children paying. We can't afford that.

Hmm we may fall into a supply and demand situation, where daycare will have to increase their prices to afford to stay afloat with only 8 kids.

I think there will be people willing to pay. Even pre-covid we paid a little extra to keep our child in a daycare that specifically did NOT use the max ratios. My child basically spent his entire time in daycare in a group with two other kids that are all within 2 months of age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I understand the health concerns, but now I feel even worse about sending me kids to daycare. No circle time, field trips, kids allowed to congregate, etc. What are they going to do all day this summer?

+1

I'm not sending my child back this summer. I know it is a luxury that DH and I can figure out working from home with flexible jobs, but the idea of DC not getting fresh air all day, being in a closed room with lots of cleaning supply fumes and all adults wearing masks makes me sad.

Why do you think your DC won’t get outside all day?

Our daycare told us they won’t be going outside for the foreseeable future once they open.

That's crazy. The opposite of what we should be doing.

[Anonymous]

Currently according to the 4-15-2020 guidelines, a fever in the child or household member of the child excludes the child from school for a minimum of 7 days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://osse.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/osse/page_content/attachments/COVID-19%20-%20Child%20Care%20Health%20Guidance.pdf

My daycare has said that when they open, possibly June 1, kids over two will be required to wear masks, temps will be checked every morning and parents/caregivers must drop off outside and a staff member will wake them in.

I realize these are things to keep everyone safe but it’s really making me consider a nanny or nanny share even though my kids miss their friends so much.

How is everyone else feeling?

Please always check this link: https://osse.dc.gov/page/updated-osse-guidance-documents
and then look down the page to "RESOURCES FOR CHILDCARE PROVIDERS" for the MOST updated. these are being updated all the time, as they learn more about COVID, consult with CDC, and make their own decisions. The link originally shared was April, now there is a May 5 one, and soon there will probably be one that supercedes the May 5 one!

So pay attention to the most updated one, and to the FAQs, that are being updated.