COVID 19 Recovery Phase: Guidance to Early Learning and Childcare - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

COVID–19 Recovery Phase: Guidance to Early Learning and Childcare Facilities

Department of Education and Early Childhood Development May 2020

Meeting Guidelines

• Keep microphones on mute if possible to avoid

interference.

• Use earphones is possible and ensure the

microphone is away from your mouth.

• Because of the high number of people participating

and the time constraint of the session, it might only be possible to take a few general questions.

• Licensing staff will be your support in further

understanding and implementing these guidelines.

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Meeting Agenda

• Overview of the guidance document provided to us

by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health

– Capacity and grouping of children – Role of parents, staff, visitors – Operational Plan – COVID-19 awareness, records and screening – Cleaning and disinfection – Personal Hygiene – Additional measures – Outdoor play – Outbreak Management Plan

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Legal context

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• Directives come from The Office of the Chief Medical Officer
• f Health.
• As a condition of opening, operators are required to follow

the directives laid out in the COVID-19 Recovery Phase: Guidance to Early Learning and Childcare Facilities and Day Camps document.

• NOT business as usual.
• These measures are in place for now and could be lifted,

changed, or stricter measures imposed based on the spread

• f the virus.
• Licensing staff are committed to working with you to help you

successfully implement these measures.

Capacity and Grouping of Children

• Operators are permitted to open and operate at

full capacity for their licence, using a grouping method.

• Children shall be placed in self-contained

groups, maximum of 15 children per group.

• Educators are not included in this number.

Sample group: 15 three year-olds, plus 2 educators and 1 support worker

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Ratios permitted under the ECS Act – Child-to-Staff Ratios

Groupings under the new health and safety protocols

(Maximum 15 children per group – Maximum of 2 groups per room)

Infants: Three or fewer 2 year olds: Five or fewer 4 year olds or older not yet attending school: Ten or fewer School-Age: 15 or fewer

2 groups of 8 children (Age 3) – Need a 2 metre separation between the groups

3 year olds: Eight or fewer

2 groups of 3 infants 2 groups of five children (Age 2)

2 groups of 10 children (Age 4 or older not yet attending school) - Need a 2 metre separation between the groups

2 groups of school-age children - Need a 2 metre separation between the groups

2 m 2 m 2 m

Grouping Method (continued)

• Groups may be kept in separate areas or kept in the

same general area if a 2 metre separation between groups can be maintained.

– E.g. A room that normally can accommodate 20 four year-olds can be divided in half using furnishings so that 2 groups of 10 can be created. – E.g. A large room normally used for 30 school-aged children can be zoned to indicate that each group of 15 can only use ‘their’ space. Older children may only need tape on the floor as a reminder to be able to accomplish this.

*Each facility will be unique in how they can meet this

requirement based on their layout, measured space, etc.

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Grouping Method (continued)

• Groups and physical distancing:

– Within each group, physical distancing is not required. – The intent of the grouping method is that the children in a group and their educator stay together throughout the day which helps minimize social contacts and will aid in contact tracing should an outbreak occur.

• Children are not to be moved from group to group

throughout the day with the exception of early morning and late day when this may need to happen for staffing

• purposes. All movement must be documented (see Group

Log) – Children within a defined group are permitted to intermingle with one another although educators should encourage children not to touch each other and to practice good personal hygiene.

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Group Log (Appendix C)

• This document must

be created for each defined group.

• If a new group is

established, a new log must be created.

• Logs must be

available at all times to EECD or Public Health staff.

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Role of Parents, Educators, Visitors

• COVID-19 can be transmitted by those who may have

few or no symptoms.

• As such, parents, educators, and others who may need

to enter a facility play a critical role in preventing spread

• f the virus.
• Measures being put in place are designed to mitigate

the risk of transmission but adults must also continue to be hypervigilant about monitoring for symptoms and hygiene practices as well as continue to minimize non- essential movement outside their home.

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Operational Plan

• Prior to opening, operators must develop an Operational

Plan that:

– Outlines how daily operations will be managed to meet measures put forth in the COVID-19 Recovery Phase document – Explains procedures for implementing groups restrictions – Explains disease prevention controls (personal hygiene, cleaning, management of illness procedures)

• You must confirm that your Operational Plan is

completed with your assigned Licencing Staff.

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Operational Plan (Continued)

• Your Operational Plan must be on site and available for

Public Health to view at any time.

• *Covid-19 Operational Plan Guide : Keeping New

Brunswickers Safer Together – This basic ‘how-to’ guide will help you to get started developing an operational plan for your New Brunswick business/service. https://www2.gnb.ca/content/dam/gnb/Departments/ec

• -bce/Promo/covid-19/covid-op-plan-guide.pdf

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COVID-19 Awareness

• Operators must:

– Provide parents with information on additional COVID-19 related measures during the recovery phase – Post signage* such as hand washing and personal hygiene etiquette throughout the facility. *Many resources are available on the New Brunswick Coronavirus webpage

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Records, Screening, and Drop-

• ff/Pick-up
• Operators are required to obtain up to date records of all

household members for each child attending the facility including contacts (names and contact numbers).

• Drop-off/Pick-up:

– Encourage only one adult per family be the designate – Consider staggered times if necessary – Facilitate outdoor pick-up and drop-off to limit the number of people in the building

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Records, Screening, and Drop-

• ff/Pick-up (Continued)
• Operators must ensure that all persons entering

the facility are screened for COVID -19 using the Screening Questionnaire for COVID-19 (appendix A).

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Cleaning and Disinfection

• Increase frequency of cleaning and disinfection
• f high-touch surfaces.
• Cleaning and disinfection schedules must be in

place with clear accountability assigned to specific staff.

• Detailed list of authorized disinfectants is

available through Health Canada website.

• Bleach and water must be used at the 1000ppm

concentration using precautions listed in the document.

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Personal Hygiene

• Hand washing remains the best way to prevent the

spread of the virus.

• Supervise children to ensure proper hand washing.
• Approved hand sanitizer may be used when educators
• r children do not have access to soap and water.
• Encourage children to avoid touching their face and
• thers, to sneeze, or cough in to their elbow etc.

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Additional Measures

• Additional measures are outlined in the

document regarding:

– Supplies – Washrooms – Handwashing stations – Food – Laundry – Napping and Sleeping areas – Outdoor play areas

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Outdoor Play Areas

• May need to stagger times so groups of 15 can meet

the physical distance of 2 metres.

• Be vigilant encouraging children not to touch their face

and in washing hands upon going inside.

• Water tables and sand boxes prohibited at this time.
• Play sets such as slide, swings, monkey bars, etc. are

not to be used until a directive is given that municipal playgrounds (schools and parks) can be opened

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Outdoor Play Areas (Continued)

• No field trips or special events permitted.
• Neighborhood walks are permitted, assuming

no stops are made along the way.

• Shared toys must be sanitized between users

(and groups).

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Outbreak Management Plan

• Outbreak = one confirmed case of COVID-19

OR two or more suspected cases of COVID- 19

• You must advise Public Health of a confirmed

case or if there are two suspected cases.

• Public Health will investigate what you report

and declare an outbreak if appropriate.

• If an outbreak is declared, the facility must

close.

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Outbreak Management Plan (Continued)

• All facilities must amend their current outbreak

management plan in their parent handbook with COVID-19-specific information as detailed in the COVID-19 Recovery Phase document.

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Outbreak Management Plan (Continued)

• Some of the new control measures include :

– If a child or staff become ill while at the facility, the use of a community mask for the child (if over 2 years old) and educator caring for the child is required if the 2 metre physical distance cannot be maintained. – Require temperature checks for staff and children upon arrival daily (part of the screening) and throughout the day if needed.

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Funding Updates

• The Grants and Subsidy team will be your contact for

specific questions about QIFS/DAP/Operational Funding/Parent Subsidy/ ESW

• The Department will be conducting sector consultations

to gain critical insight into how this transition has impacted the sector and the families it serves to revisit funding supports to ensure appropriate responsiveness.

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New Health and Safety Grant

• To help ensure ELC facilities have the supports needed

to implement Department of Health protocols, a monthly grant will be provided to help cover associated costs:

– $20 per licensed space, per month – No application form is required – Grants will be provided to operators who have confirmed a facility has reopened with their assigned licensing staff. – The end date of this grant will be evaluated in June based on health directives at that time

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New Health and Safety Grant (Continued)

• Additional support is being introduced with

regard to QIFS and replacement staff should a staff become ill or have symptoms of COVID- 19.

• Details available in the COVID-19 Grants &

Subsidies Information Package

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Additional Information

• Facilities on well water must have a well water

test completed before opening.

• Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of

Communicable Diseases in Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) Facilities have been updated. This will be forwarded to you and is available on the parent portal.

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Follow Up

• This is new to all of us and we need to work together so

we can protect the most vulnerable in our communities as we move in to this next phase.

• Licensing staff will do their best to answer your

questions or seek out answers if the information is not yet readily available.

• Operational Plan must be completed prior to opening.

You must confirm that your Operational Plan is completed with your assigned Licencing Staff. Feedback will be provided if required.

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Follow up (continued)

• For the next few weeks, licensing staff will be

working with you to ensure the controls described are implemented correctly.

• Non-compliance to these orders will be reported

to Public Health for further evaluation.

• During this time, your assigned licensing staff

may change so we can meet the needs of all

• perators.

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Follow up (Continued)

• Please advise your assigned licensing staff by

email of:

• The opening date of your facility.

OR

• If you are not re-opening your facility.

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