Anyone succeed in changing daycare COVID policies? How did you do it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Though, programs should similarly refund parents when they they close down a classroom due to an exposure, since that’s a decision the program itself made. There are few cases where a program is actually required to close down a classroom. Child care regulations and most preschool/child care handbooks only talk about excluding children that are actually sick-- not kids that have simply been exposed to someone that was sick.

Not for kids under 2: 10 days is what the cdc says since they can’t mask on days 6-10 after exposure. Also, staff who are not boosted (and they’re not mandated to be) are not considered to be fully vaxxed and have to be out for 5 days after exposure. No staff=no kids.

There's no requirement that childcare centers follow those rules.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Though, programs should similarly refund parents when they they close down a classroom due to an exposure, since that’s a decision the program itself made. There are few cases where a program is actually required to close down a classroom. Child care regulations and most preschool/child care handbooks only talk about excluding children that are actually sick-- not kids that have simply been exposed to someone that was sick.

Not for kids under 2: 10 days is what the cdc says since they can’t mask on days 6-10 after exposure. Also, staff who are not boosted (and they’re not mandated to be) are not considered to be fully vaxxed and have to be out for 5 days after exposure. No staff=no kids.

It’s still the program’s decision whether to apply those guidelines. They're not requirements.

PREVENTION OF COVID-19
COVID-19 prevention strategies for Schools and Childcare Facilities are divided into 2 categories: Everyday prevention measures that should be kept in place during all COVID-19 Community Levels1 (including Low), and enhanced prevention measures that can be implemented during Medium or High COVID-19 Community Levels OR in response to facility and student-specific needs (e.g. during a facility outbreak or to maintain a safe in-person learning environment for disabled or immunocompromised students). These are summarized below for easy reference. For full details, see Operational Guidance for K-12 Schools and Early Care and Educational Programs to Support Safe In-Person Learning at cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/k-12- childcare-guidance.html.
• Everyday prevention measures (regardless of COVID-19 Community Level): o COVID-19vaccination
o Stayinghomewhensick
o COVID-19diagnostictesting
o Isolation (for symptomatic or COVID-19 positive people) o Quarantine (for people exposed to COVID-19)
o Hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette
o Optimizing indoor ventilation and air quality
o Cleaning and disinfection

I’m not sure what your point is. Who follows every recommendation from the CDC? Child care centers are under no obligation to quarantine other children in a room when there’s been a case. Quite likely the enrollment agreements they have with parents do not contain provisions allowing them to exclude healthy children from class. Catch-all clauses may cover cases where health departments have ordered them to do something, but such orders are rare.

We still have to report cases to OSSE. And when we do, they ask for proof that we have communicated to parents, excluded close contacts, etc. So what is your point? I'm not willing to lose my license so your exposed kid can come to daycare. Complain to the right people.

Yes, you have to report cases to OSSE. But that, along with excluding kids who are actually covid positive, are really the only requirements. Excluding close contacts is a recommendation, not a requirement, when you look at their guidance document and return matrix. Even notifying close contacts appears to be a recommendation, not a requirement.

This is basically the same problem I ran into in Montgomery County. Providers were saying the State Department of Education and local health department required quarantines, which was strenuously denied when I talked to the state and county. In some cases the providers appeared to be honestly confused. in other cases it was fairly clear they knew they didn’t have to exclude contacts, but wanted to blame it on someone else.

Nope. When I report cases, they follow up and ask me for proof of notification/isolation.
Also, my teaching staff and many parents would have a fit if I did not follow best-practice recommendations.

There's your problem. You need to re-define "best practices" as ACTUALLY PROVIDING CHILDCARE in an age-appropriate way. That means - not excluding or masking kids unless actually 100% required by your licensing authority (not sure what that is). Your priority should be keeping kids in daycare/school under as normal circumstances as possible. This is what EVERY OTHER CITY IN THE US is doing. You do not need to always do what the loudest parents having a "fit" want to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Though, programs should similarly refund parents when they they close down a classroom due to an exposure, since that’s a decision the program itself made. There are few cases where a program is actually required to close down a classroom. Child care regulations and most preschool/child care handbooks only talk about excluding children that are actually sick-- not kids that have simply been exposed to someone that was sick.

Not for kids under 2: 10 days is what the cdc says since they can’t mask on days 6-10 after exposure. Also, staff who are not boosted (and they’re not mandated to be) are not considered to be fully vaxxed and have to be out for 5 days after exposure. No staff=no kids.

It’s still the program’s decision whether to apply those guidelines. They're not requirements.

PREVENTION OF COVID-19
COVID-19 prevention strategies for Schools and Childcare Facilities are divided into 2 categories: Everyday prevention measures that should be kept in place during all COVID-19 Community Levels1 (including Low), and enhanced prevention measures that can be implemented during Medium or High COVID-19 Community Levels OR in response to facility and student-specific needs (e.g. during a facility outbreak or to maintain a safe in-person learning environment for disabled or immunocompromised students). These are summarized below for easy reference. For full details, see Operational Guidance for K-12 Schools and Early Care and Educational Programs to Support Safe In-Person Learning at cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/k-12- childcare-guidance.html.
• Everyday prevention measures (regardless of COVID-19 Community Level): o COVID-19vaccination
o Stayinghomewhensick
o COVID-19diagnostictesting
o Isolation (for symptomatic or COVID-19 positive people) o Quarantine (for people exposed to COVID-19)
o Hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette
o Optimizing indoor ventilation and air quality
o Cleaning and disinfection

I’m not sure what your point is. Who follows every recommendation from the CDC? Child care centers are under no obligation to quarantine other children in a room when there’s been a case. Quite likely the enrollment agreements they have with parents do not contain provisions allowing them to exclude healthy children from class. Catch-all clauses may cover cases where health departments have ordered them to do something, but such orders are rare.

We still have to report cases to OSSE. And when we do, they ask for proof that we have communicated to parents, excluded close contacts, etc. So what is your point? I'm not willing to lose my license so your exposed kid can come to daycare. Complain to the right people.

Yes, you have to report cases to OSSE. But that, along with excluding kids who are actually covid positive, are really the only requirements. Excluding close contacts is a recommendation, not a requirement, when you look at their guidance document and return matrix. Even notifying close contacts appears to be a recommendation, not a requirement.

This is basically the same problem I ran into in Montgomery County. Providers were saying the State Department of Education and local health department required quarantines, which was strenuously denied when I talked to the state and county. In some cases the providers appeared to be honestly confused. in other cases it was fairly clear they knew they didn’t have to exclude contacts, but wanted to blame it on someone else.

Nope. When I report cases, they follow up and ask me for proof of notification/isolation.
Also, my teaching staff and many parents would have a fit if I did not follow best-practice recommendations.

There's your problem. You need to re-define "best practices" as ACTUALLY PROVIDING CHILDCARE in an age-appropriate way. That means - not excluding or masking kids unless actually 100% required by your licensing authority (not sure what that is). Your priority should be keeping kids in daycare/school under as normal circumstances as possible. This is what EVERY OTHER CITY IN THE US is doing. You do not need to always do what the loudest parents having a "fit" want to do.

Unfortunately, child care providers do not get to define "best practices". In regards to COVID, licensing agencies and the CDC are the ones who do the defining.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Though, programs should similarly refund parents when they they close down a classroom due to an exposure, since that’s a decision the program itself made. There are few cases where a program is actually required to close down a classroom. Child care regulations and most preschool/child care handbooks only talk about excluding children that are actually sick-- not kids that have simply been exposed to someone that was sick.

Not for kids under 2: 10 days is what the cdc says since they can’t mask on days 6-10 after exposure. Also, staff who are not boosted (and they’re not mandated to be) are not considered to be fully vaxxed and have to be out for 5 days after exposure. No staff=no kids.

It’s still the program’s decision whether to apply those guidelines. They're not requirements.

PREVENTION OF COVID-19
COVID-19 prevention strategies for Schools and Childcare Facilities are divided into 2 categories: Everyday prevention measures that should be kept in place during all COVID-19 Community Levels1 (including Low), and enhanced prevention measures that can be implemented during Medium or High COVID-19 Community Levels OR in response to facility and student-specific needs (e.g. during a facility outbreak or to maintain a safe in-person learning environment for disabled or immunocompromised students). These are summarized below for easy reference. For full details, see Operational Guidance for K-12 Schools and Early Care and Educational Programs to Support Safe In-Person Learning at cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/k-12- childcare-guidance.html.
• Everyday prevention measures (regardless of COVID-19 Community Level): o COVID-19vaccination
o Stayinghomewhensick
o COVID-19diagnostictesting
o Isolation (for symptomatic or COVID-19 positive people) o Quarantine (for people exposed to COVID-19)
o Hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette
o Optimizing indoor ventilation and air quality
o Cleaning and disinfection

I’m not sure what your point is. Who follows every recommendation from the CDC? Child care centers are under no obligation to quarantine other children in a room when there’s been a case. Quite likely the enrollment agreements they have with parents do not contain provisions allowing them to exclude healthy children from class. Catch-all clauses may cover cases where health departments have ordered them to do something, but such orders are rare.

We still have to report cases to OSSE. And when we do, they ask for proof that we have communicated to parents, excluded close contacts, etc. So what is your point? I'm not willing to lose my license so your exposed kid can come to daycare. Complain to the right people.

Yes, you have to report cases to OSSE. But that, along with excluding kids who are actually covid positive, are really the only requirements. Excluding close contacts is a recommendation, not a requirement, when you look at their guidance document and return matrix. Even notifying close contacts appears to be a recommendation, not a requirement.

This is basically the same problem I ran into in Montgomery County. Providers were saying the State Department of Education and local health department required quarantines, which was strenuously denied when I talked to the state and county. In some cases the providers appeared to be honestly confused. in other cases it was fairly clear they knew they didn’t have to exclude contacts, but wanted to blame it on someone else.

Nope. When I report cases, they follow up and ask me for proof of notification/isolation.
Also, my teaching staff and many parents would have a fit if I did not follow best-practice recommendations.

I'm in MoCo, and while I've talked to state and county officials there, I certainly haven't talked to anyone in OSSE. So I really don't know the guidance vs. requirements landscape there. I'm just looked at the documents on the OSSE website. The implication of the return to child care matrix language is that that excluding kids who have COVID is required under child care regulations, whereas excluding close contacts is not:
https://osse.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/osse/page_content/attachments/FINAL_Return%20to%20Child%20Care%20Matrix_07.12.22.pdf

Everything I'm hearing and seeing here sounds remarkably close to what I saw and hear in Maryland. The guidance documents were strict, and when you reported cases the Department of Education and local health department responses provided similarly strict recommendations without pointing out that they were recommendations, not requirements. Child care providers didn't have any incentive to push for clarifications, and many simply believed what they were hearing were requirements. The licensing specialists overseeing the individual centers also seemed to substituting their own judgement for the department of health, with some appearing to suggest that the recommendations were requirements.

It looks like the same thing is going on there. Remember, just because they ask for something doesn't mean you have to do it. And just because some low-level staffer working in a call centers says something doesn't mean it is correct.

If so, shame on OSSE for being (likely deliberately) unclear. But also shame on the providers for not pushing for clarifications.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Though, programs should similarly refund parents when they they close down a classroom due to an exposure, since that’s a decision the program itself made. There are few cases where a program is actually required to close down a classroom. Child care regulations and most preschool/child care handbooks only talk about excluding children that are actually sick-- not kids that have simply been exposed to someone that was sick.

Not for kids under 2: 10 days is what the cdc says since they can’t mask on days 6-10 after exposure. Also, staff who are not boosted (and they’re not mandated to be) are not considered to be fully vaxxed and have to be out for 5 days after exposure. No staff=no kids.

It’s still the program’s decision whether to apply those guidelines. They're not requirements.

PREVENTION OF COVID-19
COVID-19 prevention strategies for Schools and Childcare Facilities are divided into 2 categories: Everyday prevention measures that should be kept in place during all COVID-19 Community Levels1 (including Low), and enhanced prevention measures that can be implemented during Medium or High COVID-19 Community Levels OR in response to facility and student-specific needs (e.g. during a facility outbreak or to maintain a safe in-person learning environment for disabled or immunocompromised students). These are summarized below for easy reference. For full details, see Operational Guidance for K-12 Schools and Early Care and Educational Programs to Support Safe In-Person Learning at cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/k-12- childcare-guidance.html.
• Everyday prevention measures (regardless of COVID-19 Community Level): o COVID-19vaccination
o Stayinghomewhensick
o COVID-19diagnostictesting
o Isolation (for symptomatic or COVID-19 positive people) o Quarantine (for people exposed to COVID-19)
o Hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette
o Optimizing indoor ventilation and air quality
o Cleaning and disinfection

I’m not sure what your point is. Who follows every recommendation from the CDC? Child care centers are under no obligation to quarantine other children in a room when there’s been a case. Quite likely the enrollment agreements they have with parents do not contain provisions allowing them to exclude healthy children from class. Catch-all clauses may cover cases where health departments have ordered them to do something, but such orders are rare.

We still have to report cases to OSSE. And when we do, they ask for proof that we have communicated to parents, excluded close contacts, etc. So what is your point? I'm not willing to lose my license so your exposed kid can come to daycare. Complain to the right people.

Yes, you have to report cases to OSSE. But that, along with excluding kids who are actually covid positive, are really the only requirements. Excluding close contacts is a recommendation, not a requirement, when you look at their guidance document and return matrix. Even notifying close contacts appears to be a recommendation, not a requirement.

This is basically the same problem I ran into in Montgomery County. Providers were saying the State Department of Education and local health department required quarantines, which was strenuously denied when I talked to the state and county. In some cases the providers appeared to be honestly confused. in other cases it was fairly clear they knew they didn’t have to exclude contacts, but wanted to blame it on someone else.

Nope. When I report cases, they follow up and ask me for proof of notification/isolation.
Also, my teaching staff and many parents would have a fit if I did not follow best-practice recommendations.

There's your problem. You need to re-define "best practices" as ACTUALLY PROVIDING CHILDCARE in an age-appropriate way. That means - not excluding or masking kids unless actually 100% required by your licensing authority (not sure what that is). Your priority should be keeping kids in daycare/school under as normal circumstances as possible. This is what EVERY OTHER CITY IN THE US is doing. You do not need to always do what the loudest parents having a "fit" want to do.

Unfortunately, child care providers do not get to define "best practices". In regards to COVID, licensing agencies and the CDC are the ones who do the defining.

No, the only relevant authorities are the licensing agency's absolute requirements. Child care providers now need to define "best practices" as measures that keep the centers open and kids there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Though, programs should similarly refund parents when they they close down a classroom due to an exposure, since that’s a decision the program itself made. There are few cases where a program is actually required to close down a classroom. Child care regulations and most preschool/child care handbooks only talk about excluding children that are actually sick-- not kids that have simply been exposed to someone that was sick.

Not for kids under 2: 10 days is what the cdc says since they can’t mask on days 6-10 after exposure. Also, staff who are not boosted (and they’re not mandated to be) are not considered to be fully vaxxed and have to be out for 5 days after exposure. No staff=no kids.

There's no requirement that childcare centers follow those rules.

CDC doesn't make rules; they make recommendations. They have no regulatory enforcement authority. They say all kinds of things that no one pays any attention to. Have you ever eaten a medium rare steak? Consumed raw cookie dough? Are you a female of childbearing age and have consumed alcohol without being on birth control? Those are all things the CDC says not to do. It also says that men who have sex with men should: have sex with their clothes on and not kiss while having sex to prevent the spread of monkeypox. The people at the CDC must live in some kind of alternate reality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Though, programs should similarly refund parents when they they close down a classroom due to an exposure, since that’s a decision the program itself made. There are few cases where a program is actually required to close down a classroom. Child care regulations and most preschool/child care handbooks only talk about excluding children that are actually sick-- not kids that have simply been exposed to someone that was sick.

Not for kids under 2: 10 days is what the cdc says since they can’t mask on days 6-10 after exposure. Also, staff who are not boosted (and they’re not mandated to be) are not considered to be fully vaxxed and have to be out for 5 days after exposure. No staff=no kids.

There's no requirement that childcare centers follow those rules.

And there's no requirement that they don't follow them. There's also no requirement that you stay enrolled: find a new center if you don't like your center's policies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Though, programs should similarly refund parents when they they close down a classroom due to an exposure, since that’s a decision the program itself made. There are few cases where a program is actually required to close down a classroom. Child care regulations and most preschool/child care handbooks only talk about excluding children that are actually sick-- not kids that have simply been exposed to someone that was sick.

Not for kids under 2: 10 days is what the cdc says since they can’t mask on days 6-10 after exposure. Also, staff who are not boosted (and they’re not mandated to be) are not considered to be fully vaxxed and have to be out for 5 days after exposure. No staff=no kids.

There's no requirement that childcare centers follow those rules.

And there's no requirement that they don't follow them. There's also no requirement that you stay enrolled: find a new center if you don't like your center's policies.

But their enrollment contracts do specify exclusion criteria for illnesses. And those contracts almost certainly don't describe excluding children who have simply been exposed to someone with an illness.