By offering quality care and education, you create a two-generational economic ripple effect, allowing parents to go back to work with the peace of mind that their children are in a safe and engaging environment, and nurturing the next generation of leaders and thinkers.

Now more than ever, the children, families and leaders in your community need you to be ready to provide a healthy and safe environment that families feel confident returning to. We’re all in this together, so as part of our state’s “Get Back to Work” campaign, you’ll find resources and tools below to operate safely and instill confidence in the families you serve.

Providers should implement a front-door drop-off and pick-up procedure to limit the number of individuals in the center.

Providers should implement one hour of deep cleaning each day and frequently clean and wipe down common areas and frequently touched surfaces, making sure to use adequate ventilation. This could include opening windows during disinfecting. Toys and materials that cannot be cleaned should not be used. Once toys or materials are used by children, set them aside until they can be cleaned before re-use. Refer to pages 6-7 of this document for specific instructions.

Social distancing, also referred to as physical distancing is important to limiting the spread of COVID-19. It is recommended that the same children be placed with each other each day, and with the same teacher each day. These groups should be kept together while doing activities indoors and outdoors each day. Providers should make every effort possible to keep children six feet apart during nap times, meal times and while seated in classrooms at desks and tables.

Providers should screen their employees, visitors and each child upon arrival each day. This should include taking each person’s temperature and conducting a verbal health screening to check for any symptoms of illness.

All staff members should wear masks. The CDC recommends that children over the age of 2 wear masks as well. You can ask families to provide them for their children or provide them at your facility. Face shields are not a substitute for face coverings. Child care providers supporting infants and toddlers can protect themselves by wearing a covering over their clothes and wearing their hair in a ponytail or other updo.

In order for children to attend their early care and education programs, they must be fever free for at least 24 hours (1 day) without being given fever-reducing medications and have had improvement in their symptoms, and it must be at least 10 days since their symptoms first appeared.

Ensure employees, children and families have ready access to hand sanitizer, handwashing stations or other hand hygiene products.